Surrender

Summary: Follows Pleasure and Pain. Edwin takes some unnecessary chances on a new case, resulting in him seeing a new side to the being he's in a relationship with
Pairing: Cat King/Edwin Payne
Warning(s): Spoilers for season one Dead Boy Detectives; spanking for disciplinary purposes; explicit sexual content; references to violence and canon character death; some descriptions of cuts and bruises; bondage; submission (kneeling); orgasm delay/denial

###

"So, you gonna tell me exactly how you got hurt?"

The question didn't really take Edwin by surprise. He'd been expecting it, ever since walking into the agency building with an arm that was aching and burned, thanks to a nasty encounter with a witch who had a taste for iron. He'd expected the question from Charles, at the very least, when he'd walked in with cuts and bruises on his face; injuries that shouldn't have been there in the first place, let alone lingering long enough to be noticeable by the time he returned home.

It was just a surprise that it had taken Charles this long to ask about it.

Edwin didn't immediately respond to his best friend, as he was looking through one of his research books. Specifically, he was looking up how to remove a destruction curse from a ghost. Not for himself. He'd been hurt, but he'd recover. He hoped.

"Hey. Don't ignore me." Charles placed a finger on the page Edwin was reading, forcing him to stop. Then, frowning, he leaned over and read the title on said page. "How to remove curses from ghosts. Edwin, what the fuck are you doing?"

"It's not for me." Edwin closed the book abruptly, frustration stabbing through him. There were no answers. The curses in the book were minor ones, that could easily be lifted with the right mix of ingredients, or the use of the right words. Nothing about how to stop a curse from completely obliterating a ghost from existence.

"Edwin." Charles narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned forward. "You disappear for nearly a whole day, and you come back with bruises and cuts on you that shouldn't be there. What happened to your arm?"

"Nothing."

Charles reached over and grabbed Edwin's arm, pulling it towards him and rolling up his sleeve.

In spite of himself, Edwin hissed as pain stabbed through his arm. On his bare skin, the burn was more obvious, having burned through at least a couple of layers of what would have been skin on a living person.

"Fuck." Charles carefully placed Edwin's arm on the desk and stood up, walking over to the bookshelves. "Was it iron? Who attacked you? Where were you?"

Edwin winced at the slight edge he could hear in his best friend's voice. He stared down at his wounded arm, watching as his fingers curled into a fist as if of their own accord. "A spirit came here. Asking for help."

"Wait. You didn't tell me?" Charles turned, staring at Edwin with eyes that were wide with hurt and betrayal.

Edwin couldn't hold eye contact and looked away. "Her friend was cursed by a witch. I...I wanted to help her, but after Niko...." His voice trailed off. "I couldn't stand the idea of someone else I care about, someone else I love, getting hurt like Niko was."

"So instead, you confronted the witch, alone, with no one there to back you up?" Charles shook his head. "I don't need you to shelter me from danger. We're supposed to protect each other. I thought I made that clear when I came into Hell after you."

"We are protecting each other. And this is me protecting you." As soon as he said the words, Edwin knew it was a mistake. It sounded like he was ungrateful for everything Charles had done to protect him in return...and that hadn't been what he meant at all. "Charles, that's not what I meant..." he started.

Charles didn't respond with words. He just looked at Edwin, clearly hurt, and then walked away, passing through the door and then becoming corporeal long enough to open the door and then slam it shut.

Edwin closed his eyes and sighed, feeling guilt slam into him. It felt like there was a barrier between him and his best friend now; a gulf he wasn't sure how to cross. He'd never intended to block Charles out, or leave him out of a case, but what if Charles had been hurt the same way Edwin had been? Edwin could handle his own pain. He'd tolerated his own torture for years in Hell. But the torture and pain of those he cared about would break him faster than anything else would be able to.

After a few minutes, Edwin became aware of eyes on him. Half-expecting it to be the Night Nurse, about to ask questions or otherwise disturb his peace, he opened his eyes...only to find himself nose to nose with a small black and white cat with one green eye and one blue eye.

"The King wants to see you," the cat declared.

"I'm busy." Edwin didn't really mean to be short with the animal. Under any other circumstances, he would have welcomed the invitation. The last time he'd seen the Cat King, he'd been shown just how much pleasure the older being could give him. They might not be able to live together, as they both had their own responsibilities in their respective homes, but he still had very deep feelings for the Cat King that he wouldn't mind exploring further.

Just not when he was in the middle of trying to figure out how to save a fellow ghost from almost certain destruction.

The cat swished its tail. "Do you want to know how to break a destruction curse or not?"

"He can help?" Edwin immediately stood up. He glanced towards the mirror the cat must have used to get to the building, and then towards the door Charles had stepped through. He knew he should tell his best friend where he was about to go, but Charles was angry with him...and he wanted to give his friend space. So he turned towards the mirror and gestured towards it. "Lead the way."

With a flick of its tail, the cat jumped down from the desk and headed towards the mirror, waiting long enough for Edwin to join it before slipping through the mirror.

The portal swirled around Edwin and the cat before it faded away as Edwin stepped out through the mirror that was set up in the Cat King's room.

It wasn't the same room they'd first met in. Instead, it was the room where the older being had brought Edwin over the edge. Where he'd realised he had feelings for the Cat King...although they were far too complicated for him to put a name to at the moment.

The Cat King was lounging in his elaborate chair, but when Edwin appeared, he stood up. For perhaps the first time since they'd met, he looked at Edwin with a serious expression on his face and held out a hand. "Let me see."

"Stern and serious isn't a good look on you." Edwin winced as the words came out without conscious thought. Part of him wondered if the witch had hit him with a curse as well, considering he'd upset Charles already and if he carried on talking, he was likely to upset someone else who cared about him.

"I can be stern and serious when the situation calls for it. And it calls for it now. Give me your arm," the Cat King ordered.

Slowly, Edwin reached out and let the Cat King take hold of his arm. He couldn't hide his wince as the older being pushed up his sleeve, revealing the burn that was on his arm. "I don't know why it hasn't healed yet."

"Neither have those cuts and bruises on your face." The Cat King reached behind him, without taking his eyes from Edwin, and retrieved a jar of salve. He opened the jar and scooped out a generous amount of the salve, beginning to rub it into the burned skin.

The painful throbbing faded into a tingling sensation and Edwin relaxed, a tension he hadn't even realised he'd felt seeping out of him. He took a step closer to the Cat King, moving into the older being's personal space, and kissed him on the mouth.

The Cat King kissed back, turning a light pressure into something deeper and harder. He pulled back after nipping at Edwin's lower lip and said, "Kissing me isn't going to make what you did any better."

"How much did you see?"

"Enough to know you confronted a witch with no one there to help you." The Cat King gently squeezed Edwin's arm. "Did she use iron?"

"Yes. But iron alone shouldn't have been enough to cause a burn to linger for that long." Edwin shook his head, pushing away those thoughts, and focused on the older being. "Your cat told me you had a way of breaking a destruction curse on a ghost."

The Cat King smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course. You're here because you want something."

"No. No," Edwin repeated, more forcefully. "If it wasn't for this case, I would have come and stayed for as long as I could get away with. But a ghost's existence is in danger, and I'm worried that if I don't act quickly enough, the curse will be activated, and I will have failed."

The Cat King let go of his arm and Edwin felt cold...bereft of the older being's touch. He wasn't supposed to be able to feel the cold. He wasn't supposed to be able to feel the heat, either. But he felt it when the warmth of the Cat King's touch left him. If he could, he would have stayed...even if he had the feeling the older being was as upset with him as Charles had been.

When the Cat King returned, holding a jar of what looked like merely white powder, Edwin reached out and took the older being's hand. "When it's over, I'll come back," he promised. "And when I do, you can scold me as much as you want to."

Placing the jar in Edwin's hand, the Cat King reached up and pressed his knuckles against Edwin's cheek, before grasping his chin firmly between thumb and forefinger. He then leaned forward and kissed Edwin firmly, a kiss that was far from chaste.

By the time the kiss was broken, Edwin was feeling dazed, with a hot pit deep in his stomach. His lips felt swollen, and he licked them, tasting the Cat King there, before focusing on the older being. "I'll be back," he promised...then asked, "How do I use this?"

The Cat King's chuckle was dark and rich, like chocolate...or perhaps a fine wine. Edwin hadn't tasted either, but if he could, he wondered if they would taste as good as the Cat King's lips did. But the older being was speaking, explaining how to use the powder, and Edwin forced himself to listen.

It seemed simple enough, to place the cursed spirit within a protective circle and then to 'blow' the powder into their face. Edwin didn't have breath, but it would be simple enough to find a substitute. Maybe the Night Nurse could actually breathe, interdimensional creature or not, and would agree to help him in exchange for making sure the ghost moved into the afterlife peacefully.

"Edwin. I'm trusting you to return to me once this is all over, so that we can deal with the actions you've taken." Once again, that serious...nearly stern...note crept into the Cat King's voice. "If you don't come back, I'll have to come and get you. And then it'll be worse."

Edwin shivered, but it wasn't from fear. The Cat King's voice held a promise for what was to come when he returned, but even if it was painful, he knew it wouldn't be bad. And if it hurt, maybe it would be something he deserved; especially considering his thoughtlessness had hurt two people he cared deeply about. "I'll come back," he promised.

"You'd better."

There was nothing more to be said. Holding onto the jar, Edwin returned to the mirror and stepped back through to his office...pausing when he saw his best friend there, pacing up and down. "Charles...."

Charles turned on him, jaw clenched so tight that it looked like it was painful, and his eyes glistening as if he was barely holding back tears. "I thought you'd gone back to face the witch."

"No." Edwin placed the jar onto the desk and turned to face Charles, mentally steeling himself for this. "I went to the Cat King. I...I wouldn't have left again on the case without talking to you first." He didn't say he would have taken Charles with him. He was still worried that if they faced the witch together, he'd lose his best friend. And he wouldn't survive that. If he lost Charles, his existence would mean nothing.

"How am I supposed to believe that?" Charles asked. "You left me behind, Edwin. That's the worst thing you could ever do to me. You're my best friend. And you chose to leave me out of this case."

"I can't lose someone else," Edwin whispered.

"You're not going to lose me," Charles said. "We know how dangerous witches are, after Esther. You going after one alone was stupid and dangerous and something you'd get after me for."

"You're right." Edwin didn't have an argument he could make. Charles had a point, after all. He wouldn't have accepted that kind of behaviour from his best friend, so how could he expect Charles to accept it from him? "I'm sorry."

"You know, saying sorry doesn't mean anything if you turn around and do the same thing again."

Those were words Edwin had said to Charles in the past, but it was different being on the other end of them. He looked down at the floor, feeling like a child who'd been caught misbehaving and was about to receive a scolding. "You're right," he said again. "I shouldn't have tried to take on this case alone. I shouldn't have gone to confront the witch without you. I can try to make excuses and I can try to explain my reasons, but I know they won't make you feel any better. I am sorry," he repeated.

"Yeah. I don't think I can accept that," Charles said. "I'm not okay with you just leaving me behind. I wouldn't do that to you. You've been the one constant since I died and became a ghost. You're my best friend. You don't get to just leave me behind like that friendship doesn't mean anything."

Edwin was shaking his head before the last words left Charles' lips. "Your friendship means everything to me," he whispered, his voice growing hoarse with emotion. "I didn't want to hurt you. I never meant to hurt you." Guilt stabbed him like a knife through his heart as he cast around desperately for an idea; for some way of making things right with Charles. The trouble was, the only idea that came to mind was more intimate and personal than he thought Charles would be happy with. But he really had no other ideas...no other possible way of making things right between them.

"What are you thinking about?" Charles' question broke into Edwin's thoughts.

"That I'm really sorry I hurt you," Edwin replied. "You're right that I shouldn't have gone after the witch on my own. I should have told you about the case in the first place." He hesitated. "I do have one idea that might help, even if it's only a little bit."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Was corporal punishment ever used when you were at school?"

Charles frowned at the question. "Corporal punishment? You mean like...spanking?"

"I was thinking more of...." Edwin cut himself off abruptly, remembering what he'd learned about Charles' past. He didn't want to bring up any bad memories for his friend by mentioning caning, even though it was the first thing that came to his mind when he thought about corporal punishment. "Yes," he said instead. "I mean like spanking."

Charles leaned his hip against the desk, a slightly thoughtful look coming over his face. It was unusual for him to think actions through before he took them. He was usually impulsive and headstrong, acting without thinking things through. Edwin wasn't sure if it was good or not that Charles was actually taking time to think instead of act straight away.

"Okay," Charles said finally. "But I think we need to lay out some ground rules first."

"What kind of ground rules?" Edwin couldn't help but think that sounded like something he would be saying.

"Number one." Charles held up one finger. "This isn't going to be a one-time thing. If you do something similar again, I reserve the right to repeat this if I think it's needed."

"Understood." Edwin waited a beat and then asked, "Any more?"

"Number two, I'm not gonna be using anything on you. Not a cane, or a belt. Or anything like that," Charles said firmly. "So if it ever comes to a point where you need something more than a hand, it won't be me doing it."

"All right." Edwin nodded. He supposed those ground rules were fair. The second one was understandable, given Charles' own history. And Edwin hoped that it wouldn't be necessary for there to be a repeat of this, although he couldn't rule out that possibility. "Any others?" he asked finally.

"Not at the moment. I'll let you know if I think of anymore." Charles looked around the room, then perched on the edge of the desk and patted his raised leg. "Okay. Might as well get it over with now."

Edwin's stomach dropped and he thought about asking for another chance; pointing out that they'd only just established the rules, and surely a warning would work just as well this time? But he discarded that thought almost as soon as it came into his head. His actions had hurt Charles, had hurt his best friend, and he deserved this.

Slowly, but not so slowly that he could be accused of dawdling, Edwin walked over to Charles. The position over his friend's raised leg wouldn't be exactly comfortable, but then again, this wasn't about his own comfort. It was about making things right between him and his best friend, so that Charles would forgive him and they could get past this.

As Edwin prepared to position himself over Charles' leg, his friend held up a hand to stop him, then pointed at his trousers. "Take them down."

Edwin wasn't a living being and had no blood flow, but for some reason, his face still grew hot. He didn't know why. He shouldn't be embarrassed. After all, he trusted Charles with every part of him...and knew his best friend felt the same way about him. And he also knew that he deserved this punishment, no matter how embarrassing or awkward it might feel.

Slowly, Edwin moved his fingers to his trousers and began to unfasten them. It took him a few seconds, as he wasn't used to physically unclothing himself, but he finally got them undone and shoved them down towards his knees. Then, he moved towards the desk and, slowly, leaned forward, positioning himself across Charles' raised leg.

The position wasn't exactly a comfortable one. Edwin was a bit too tall to bend over comfortably, but he wasn't tall enough for his hands to reach the far edge of the desk and hold on; at least not without lifting his feet off the floor.

Charles' hand came to rest on Edwin's lower back, rubbing it gently for a few moments, before he grasped Edwin's underwear and eased them down to join his trousers. Then, he hesitated, hand coming to rest on Edwin's back once more.

Edwin shifted slightly, not sure if Charles was going to change his mind and choose not to go through with this. The position made him feel vulnerable and exposed; similar to how he'd felt when positioned over the Cat King's lap, but it was also different, as that had been about pleasure, rather than punishment.

And this was about him hurting his best friend. 

Charles cleared his throat, rubbing Edwin's back gently, and asked, "Do you know why I'm spanking you?"

Edwin bit his lip, so that he didn't put voice to the first response that sprang to his lips, which was that Charles wasn't spanking him yet. Instead, he said, "I didn't tell you that I was going after the witch. I might not have lied outright to you, but I didn't tell you, and hiding things is almost as bad as lying."

"And what else?"

Edwin frowned, unable to hide his confusion. "What else?" he repeated.

Instead of responding with words, Charles raised his hand and the next moment, his hand slapped against Edwin's backside with some force.

Edwin yelped, unable to help it. It wasn't like the swat was the worst pain he'd felt, but it had taken him by surprise and stung more than he'd expected.

Charles didn't stop at one swat. Instead, he continued to smack firmly, covering every inch of Edwin's bottom in random spots, making it impossible to predict where the next smack would fall. Sometimes he'd swat one buttock several times in a row, then swat the opposite one, only to return to the other side. By the time he paused again, Edwin's entire backside was stinging and he was breathing heavily...a strange reaction, considering he didn't need to breathe.

"Well?" Charles prompted.

Edwin nearly asked for clarification, but when he opened his mouth, he felt Charles lift his hand...as if preparing to swat again. Edwin knew the spanking wasn't over, but if he answered the question, it would give him a slightly longer break before the next flurry of swats began. And he couldn't claim ignorance, as he knew the answer Charles was looking for. "I put myself in danger. I got hurt. It could have ended with me getting destroyed."

"Yeah. That's why I'm pissed, Edwin. Not cause you lied to me, or cause you left me behind. Though I'm not happy about that," Charles added.

"I understand," Edwin whispered. "I'm sorry, Charles."

"Okay." Charles brought his hand down in a hard smack and then continued to swat firmly, covering skin that was already sore and stinging.

In spite of his attempts to stay still and accept the punishment, Edwin couldn't help beginning to squirm and twist over Charles' knee. He wasn't actively trying to get away from the spanking; his physical reactions were more because the spanking hurt. And it hurt a lot more than he'd expected it to, considering that he'd been tortured in Hell.

By the time Charles paused again, Edwin's entire bottom was burning rather than just stinging. Tears were in his eyes and blurring his vision, threatening to fall.

"You're my best friend, Edwin," Charles whispered, his voice sounding hoarse; like he was close to tears himself. "You came back hurt from facing that witch. What if she'd captured you? What if she'd killed you? I wouldn't have had any way of knowing what had happened to you. Because you left without telling me anything."

The raw pain in Charles' voice was like a dagger to Edwin's heart. It hurt as bad as being tortured in Hell; worse, even, because this was pain he did deserve. And then Charles was swatting again, focusing harder smacks to Edwin's sit spots and the tops of his thighs.

A sob was torn from Edwin's throat, though it was less to do with the pain of the spanking and more to do with the raw pain at what harming his best friend had caused. "I'm sorry." His voice broke on the words, and the tears began to flow harder and faster.

The spanking stopped, Charles' hand coming to rest on Edwin's back and beginning to rub. "Okay," he whispered. "I know you're sorry, Edwin. You're my best friend and I forgive you. I love you. Just don't do it again, yeah?"

Where Charles' words while spanking him had caused Edwin to break, the words he spoke now helped to calm Edwin's tears and soothe his raw emotions. The reassurance of forgiveness was like a soothing balm over a burn, and he found his tears dying down to quiet sniffes and hitched breaths. "I won't," he whispered. "I'll tell you next time. I promise."

"Good." Charles rubbed his back for a few more moments, then pulled his clothing back into place and helped him to stand up. He then wrapped his arms around Edwin and hugged him tightly and fiercely.

Gulping back the rest of his tears, Edwin wrapped his own arms around his best friend, holding on just as tight. He didn't say he was sorry again; he'd already apologised and been forgiven. Inside, though, he resolved that he wouldn't lie or hide things from Charles again. The spanking had been bad enough, but what was so much worse was hurting his best friend.

They stood there like that for a few seconds, just holding onto each other, before Charles cleared his throat and took a step back. "So you went to see the Cat King. Did he give you anything to help with this case?"

"He did, in fact." Edwin reached out and picked up the jar, which had miraculously remained intact throughout the spanking. "We have to form a protective circle for the ghost who's been cursed, then blow the powder at her."

"Blow? As in breath? That we don't have?"

"We're not the only ones here in the Dead Boy Detective agency," Edwin said. "And even if the Night Nurse can't help us, there are ways around it."

"Okay." Charles nodded. "Let's go and save this ghost. Then you can go back to the Cat King and...well, thank him properly."

"I don't think he's any happier with me than you were," Edwin admitted.

"Why don't you apologise to him?" Charles suggested. "Like you did me? Of course, he might decide to do the same thing as I did, so it probably depends on if you want to make things right with him that way." He waited a beat, then gestured towards the jar Edwin held and asked, "How long do we have to use it?"

"Not long," Edwin admitted. He didn't say that they might already be too late. He was hoping that they still had enough time, but the outlook hadn't been good even before he'd confronted the witch.

"Okay. Let's go destroy this curse. Then you can figure out your next steps with the Cat King. Just don't take off without telling me again, or I'll spank you again," Charles promised.

"I understand." Edwin paused, briefly, then said quietly, "Thank you."

Charles smiled and stepped forward, hugging Edwin tight for a brief moment before he stepped back and then waved a hand towards the door. "Lead the way."

###

Thankfully, they hadn't been too late. Using the powder had been easy enough; the Night Nurse had complained about being asked to help, but she'd gone ahead and done it anyway with very little persuasion. The ghost was safe and had moved on to her afterlife, and Edwin and Charles had been able to close another case, which could only be a point in their favour.

Of course, now that the case was finished, Edwin needed to consider how he was going to handle things with the Cat King. Charles was right; he needed to apologise to the older being. Of course, the Cat King had promised they'd be dealing with his actions once he'd returned...a fact he'd managed to push out of his mind while they were helping the ghost. But now she was gone and so was the Night Nurse...and it was just him and Charles left in the office. And he kept looking towards the mirror, knowing that the Cat King was expecting him to return. And it wasn't that he didn't want to go back; more that he was apprehensive, though not nervous, about what he'd be facing when he did go there. So he was putting it off, just for a little while. Just until he was ready to handle whatever 'punishment' the older being had devised for him.

At least, that was the plan until Charles asked, "How long are you going to put off going to see the Cat King for?"

"I'm not 'putting it off'," Edwin answered, shifting through one of the books on his desk.

"Of course you're not." Charles perched on the edge of the desk, in much the same position he'd been in when he'd spanked Edwin, and asked, "Are you scared of him?"

"No."

"That sounded a bit defensive. Are you sure he's not pushing you into something you don't want?" Charles narrowed his eyes in concern. "You want me to kick his ass?"

Edwin smiled. He couldn't help it. "No, Charles. That's not necessary. I'm not scared of him. I know he won't hurt me. He won't do anything that harms me, or that I don't consent to." He paused for a second, thinking about when he'd gone to the Cat King before. The older being had been very careful to make sure Edwin was comfortable and willing throughout the entire experience together.

If Edwin regretted anything, it was the knowledge that the Cat King would be disappointed in him; be hurt, the same way Charles had been, because Edwin had been thoughtless and hadn't considered how his actions would affect those he cared about, those he loved, and those who loved him.

"You know, the longer you put this off, the worse you're going to feel," Charles said. "If you're not actually scared of him and just worried about disappointing him, you're only gonna feel worse the longer you stay away."

Edwin stared at his friend for a few moments before saying, "That was surprisingly insightful."

Charles' grin was quick and easy. "I'm actually pretty smart, even if I do have the reputation of being the brawn raher than the brains."

"I'll go now." Edwin cast a glance at the mirror, then focused his attention on Charles. "Unless you need me to stay here and help with the cleaning up from the case."

Charles looked at him and shook his head. "Seriously. You need to stop putting it off and go see the Cat King. Also, maybe you should find out if he actually has a name. When you start telling people you're in a relationship, it's gonna sound awkward if you keep calling him the Cat King."

"I'm not even sure if what we have is a relationship," Edwin admitted. "Maybe I should talk to him about that while I'm asking if I can call him something that doesn't make it sound like I'm spending time romantically with a beast."

Charles nodded and pointed to the mirror. "Go and have that conversation, before you figure out even more reasons not to go and have this confrontation with him."

"You're right." And Edwin had faced a lot worse than what he was about to walk into. He opened his mouth to tell Charles he'd be back as soon as his friend needed him...but when Charles just shook his head at him, he realised his best friend knew he was just continuing to stall. So he gave a wry smile, raised his hand in a half-wave, and stepped through the mirror.

It was as easy to focus on the Cat King's home as it was to focus on his own. When he stepped out of the mirror, he found that it was just the two of them...the Cat King lounging comfortably in his chair, although he sat up as soon as he saw Edwin. "I wasn't expecting you to return so soon."

Edwin took a step forward and then another one. While he was moving towards the chair, he considered the best way to show he was sorry...but also to show his submission to the older being. This was a different situation to the one he'd been in with Charles, as the two of them were mostly equals...outside of the agreement that Edwin would submit to a spanking again if he did something that hurt his friend again.

But his instincts told him that he needed to do something more to prove he was sorry to the Cat King.

As he reached the chair, Edwin let himself sink to his knees at the older being's feet. It wasn't exactly physically comfortable, but as he looked up into the Cat King's eyes, something felt right about the position.

A tiny smile played around the older being's lips and he reached a hand down, combing his fingers through Edwin's hair, and murmured, "Good boy."

The touch and the words were enough to cause his member to stir in interest and Edwin closed his eyes, leaning into the gentle stroking. "I'm sorry I went after the witch on my own and got hurt," he said, quietly but sincerely. "I know my actions affected you. They affected Charles too. He's forgiven me, and I hope you can do the same."

The Cat King gently gripped the back of Edwin's head, tugging it back slightly so that Edwin was looking up at him. He placed his other hand on Edwin's throat, gripping lightly without causing any pain. "Why did you do it?"

On his knees, looking up at the Cat King with his throat bare and exposed, Edwin felt vulnerable and controlled. It didn't bother him like he thought it should, instead causing his stomach to flip. Keeping his eyes fixed on the older being's face, he whispered, "I wanted to save the ghost, and I didn't want to risk anyone else I care about getting hurt. I shouldn't have gone after the witch alone and I'm sorry."

The Cat King nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "You shouldn't have. You told me that when you came back, I could scold you as much as I wanted to. But I don't think you need to be scolded anymore."

"We're moving straight onto punishment, then." Edwin's stomach flipped once more, although it was for a completely different reason this time. He didn't try to get up, instead waiting for directions from the older being.

"We are." The Cat King moved his hand from Edwin's throat and gripped his shoulder, raising him to his feet. Sitting back in the chair, he raised Edwin to his feet and then tugged him forward, positioning Edwin across his lap.

Edwin couldn't stop a tiny whimper from escaping his lips and he reached down, slowly grasping the Cat King's ankle. His bottom was still a bit tender from the earlier spanking, and he knew it was unlikely to take much before the fire was reignited; and probably wouldn't take long before he was crying as hard as he had when Charles had spanked him.

The Cat King slowly eased Edwin's trousers down and followed them with his underwear. He let a hand rest on Edwin's backside, rubbing almost possessively, as he commented, "It looks like you were in this position once already. Or was it more than once?"

"Just once." Edwin shifted slightly, resisting the urge to press into the Cat King's hand. "I already told you that my actions had a negative effect on Charles too. He forgave me, because I submitted to him for punishment." It wasn't like his submission to the Cat King, which was about more than just punishment. He wasn't sure how to put that into words, though, so he hoped the Cat King wouldn't ask him to explain himself.

"Hmm." The Cat King rubbed for a few more moments, then lifted his hand. A second later, he was delivering a firm smack to the crest of Edwin's backside.

Edwin hissed out a breath in response to the sting, which was sudden and immediate. His fingers gripped the older being's ankle tighter as more swats were delivered, each one at the same force, but given just at the point where the previous smack was reaching its peak.

He'd been right. It took very little time at all for the sting from the previous spanking to be reignited. And it didn't take long for him to start squirming and shifting, gripping the Cat King's ankle a bit more tightly.

When the Cat King stopped spanking, or at least paused, he rested his hand on Edwin's sore, stinging backside, rubbing lightly as he spoke. "You're smart enough that you know you shouldn't have gone after that witch on your own. You came back hurt, but what if you hadn't come back at all?"

"Charles said that too." Edwin shifted slightly, his stomach flipping again at the feel of the Cat King rubbing his bottom. It didn't exactly soothe the sting, but the possessive touch felt good. "I didn't think about my own safety," he admitted. "All I could think was that I'd already lost one friend to a witch. I couldn't stand losing anyone else."

"So you thought that your friends could stand to lose you?"

Hearing it said like that made Edwin whimper again, this time because the words stung as much as the smacks had. "I didn't think about that at all," he admitted. "I didn't even...I didn't even think."

"That's obvious." The Cat King stopped rubbing and began to swat again, putting a bit more force behind the smacks this time...although he didn't go any faster.

For the second time that day, Edwin's backside was no longer stinging, instead burning and throbbing. Tears sprang to his eyes and began falling down his cheeks as he began to squirm uncontrollably. "I'm sorry," he managed to get out through his tears.

"I'm sure you are, but mainly sorry because you're in trouble," the Cat King replied. "I don't expect this to happen again. If it does, then I'll be doing this again. Do you understand?" 

"I understand!" Edwin squirmed a bit more frantically and then slumped over the Cat King's lap, beginning to cry without ceasing. "Please...forgive me?" Hurting both Charles and the Cat King had hurt him; more than he'd expected it to. Compared with that, the pain of a spanking...even the pain of two spankings...was mild.

"Well. I love you, and I want a relationship with you. So I guess I'll have to forgive you."

"Really?" Edwin's breath caught. "You mean it?"

"Which part?"

"All of it."

"Yes. I mean all of it."

Edwin slowly pushed himself up off the Cat King's lap, but it was only so that he could straddle the older being's lap. He leaned in and kissed the Cat King, hard and almost desperately.

The Cat King's arms slid around Edwin's waist, pulling him close enough that their bodies were pressed together and Edwin could feel his body heat even through his own shirt. The contact just made him want more and he slid his hands towards the Cat King's trousers, undoing them and sliding his hand through the gap.

The groan the older being gave was long and drawn-out and his eyes darkened with pleasure as Edwin's hand brushed against his member. It was almost fully hard and Edwin closed his fingers around it, beginning to stroke firmly. He didn't have any experience, but he knew how good it had felt when the Cat King had brought him to the edge. He wanted to do the same for the older being.

"Wait." The Cat King placed a hand on Edwin's wrist, squeezing lightly.

Edwin couldn't help the pout that spread across his face, even though it felt unusual. "It doesn't feel good?"

"No. It feels good. Almost perfect, actually. But I think it would actually be perfect if we moved to an area that's a bit more comfortable." The Cat King waved his hand and the chair formed into a large bed, with silken sheets and wide bed posts.

"That is a good trick." Edwin shifted closer to the Cat King as he added, "It feels more comfortable, too."

The Cat King smiled and leaned in, kissing Edwin tenderly. He then shifted, bearing Edwin down onto the bed, and within a few seconds, he had one of Edwin's wrists bound to the nearest bedpost. Grasping the other hand, he then began to fasten it to the opposite bedpost.

"What are you doing?" Edwin gave his bound wrist an experimental tug. The rope that bound him couldn't really be called 'rope', as it was as soft and silken as the sheets he was sprawled on.

"I'm tying you to my bed." The Cat King ran a finger down Edwin's chest and his shirt parted like it was merely liquid, washing away from his skin to pool on the floor. He pulled off the rest of Edwin's clothing, leaving him naked and vulnerable and exposed. "And now I'm going to torment you until you're begging for mercy."

"I'm not going to beg." Edwin looked up into the older being's eyes, shifting slightly. His bottom was still sore and tender and being on his back wasn't exactly comfortable. However, being at the Cat King's mercy like this felt good, and his member jumped against his leg.

The Cat King smiled. "We'll see." His fingers ghosted over Edwin's member, beginning to stroke it firmly.

Almost immediately, Edwin's head tipped back as a wave of pleasure shot through him, making him shudder. Trying to focus on something other than the orgasm threatening to tear him apart, he asked, "What's your name?"

"My name?"

"Yes. If I'm telling people I'm in a relationship with you, I'd like to be able to call you something other than Cat King."

Something moved on the Cat King's face; a moment of tenderness and affection. His other hand stroked the side of Edwin's face as he whispered, "Thomas. My name is Thomas."

"Thomas." Edwin turned his face enough to kiss the Cat King's palm. "I'm not going to beg." He whispered the words against Thomas' skin.

"You sound very sure about that." Thomas closed his fingers around Edwin's member and began to tug on it.

Edwin gasped as pleasure spiked and he whispered, "Wait."

"That sounds like begging to me." There was a note of satisfaction in the older being's voice.

"It's not begging. I just don't want to release so quickly. If you keep doing that, I'm not going to be able to hold on." Edwin nuzzled against Thomas' hand and whispered, "I want you to be inside me."

"I don't know if you're ready for that step."

"Then make me ready. I'm not an innocent, Thomas. It was ripped away from me when I was sent to Hell and tortured there." Edwin leaned up enough to kiss Thomas' lips, whispering against them, "I'm old enough to know what I want. And I want you."

"I want you too." The response was given in a voice barely above a whisper. There was another strange look on Thomas' face; almost vulnerable. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Edwin unsure if he'd seen it or not, and then he slipped off the bed, disappearing from view.

Surprisingly, even though he couldn't see Thomas and was bound to the bed, Edwin didn't feel nervous or apprehensive. He trusted the Cat King...he trusted Thomas. And while he wasn't sure he was in love with the older being, at least not yet, he couldn't deny that he felt safe and comfortable with Thomas.

It seemed to take an age, but could only have been a few moments, before Thomas returned, carrying a jar in one hand and completely naked. His own member was jutting out proudly, already fully hard, swollen and purple. He settled gracefully on the bed next to Edwin and reached out, ghosting his fingers over Edwin's member and beginning to smear the precum that had pooled there.

Edwin whimpered loudly, his member quickly growing to full hardness. He wasn't sure if Thomas was trying to push him close to the edge, so that he'd beg, but by the time Thomas stopped stroking him, he was about ready to beg, pride be damned.

Thomas stopped stroking and then opened the jar he'd brought with him. He scooped out a thick, jelly-like substance. He coated his own member in that and then wiped his hands clean on a washcloth he summoned, before he grasped Edwin's hips and spread his legs apart, exposing his entrance along with his member and balls. Then, he positioned himself and Edwin so that he could push inside.

The feel of Thomas sliding into him was uncomfortable, but not exactly painful. Edwin couldn't raise his hands to hold onto the older being, so he settled for wrapping his legs around Thomas' waist...which had the added advantage of allowing the older being to slide a bit deeper into him.

Once Thomas was sheathed completely inside Edwin, he moved one hand from Edwin's hip and cupped the side of his face, thumb stroking over his lips. "You with me?"

"Oh yes," Edwin breathed out, his eyes focused fully on the older being's face. When he shifted, he could feel Thomas' member rubbing against a spot inside him that brought sparks to his vision. "More. Please?" he asked.

Thomas smiled and leaned in, brushing a tender kiss against Edwin's lips before putting more pressure behind the kiss. He pushed his tongue inside, even as he gripped Edwin's hips more firmly and began to thrust inside.

Edwin gasped, though the sound was swallowed by Thomas' mouth, as the first thrust hit against that spot inside him and nearly threatened to push him over the edge. He locked his legs tighter around the older being's waist, needing to hold in some way, as otherwise, he was worried he'd lose himself...emotionally, if not physically.

Pulling back from the kiss, Thomas trailed a line of kisses from the edge of Edwin's jaw down to his neck, where he began to suck on and lightly bite the skin.

Edwin's body arched and he whimpered more loudly this time. The dual sensations of that spot inside him being pushed against, and the marks being left on his neck, caused more sparks of pleasure to go through him. He held his body tense, not wanting to release too soon...but he was hurtling towards the edge and knew it would take very little to push him fully over the edge.

And then Thomas stopped moving inside him and released his neck.

"What...?" Edwin was panting, focusing his attention on Thomas' face.

"I want to hear you beg."

Edwin's eyes widened a fraction and he swallowed hard before whispering, "I'm not going to beg."

"Then I'm not going to let you release."

Edwin was so aroused; it was nearly painful. He could see his member, swollen and purple and weeping precum, but it was left untouched. And while he could feel Thomas still inside him, the older being wasn't moving anymore, so there was no friction to allow him to reach that edge.

If he wanted to get any relief, he was going to have to beg.

Thomas' smile was teasing and tantalising, like the rare taste of chocolate Edwin had managed to sneak a taste of when he'd been alive. His stomach flipped over as he stared up at the older being. allowing himself to feel just how close he was to falling over the edge. He could feel the mark that Thomas had raised on the side of his neck and wondered if it would linger after he left. Would Charles be able to see the mark when he returned to the agency? The thought of showing off a mark made by the older being made him feel good...but what would feel even better would be returning with his body still thrumming with pleasure from being taken so thoroughly.

He ignored the lingering thought that what would truly feel good would be not having to leave the older being; to somehow find a way to live with both his best friend and the Cat King.

Edwin swallowed again and shifted, closing his eyes to feel the sensations surrounding him. His bottom was still stinging, although it was no longer burning the way it had been when the spanking had only just finished. His neck was stinging, but that sting was left behind from something that had felt really good. And he was full of Thomas, surrounded by the older being, with his body marked from the Cat King's possession.

He needed so much. And while this was torture in its own way, it was a more exquisite torture that he didn't truly want to end. He'd already chosen to submit to the older being. There was no reason to hold back from what he truly wanted, or who he truly wanted. So he opened his mouth, and he said the word that would tip him over the edge.

"Please."

The End