Who Needs Rest And Relaxation?

Summary: Written for Nothfan as part of the FandomGiftBox challenge. JT gives in to Bright and takes him to a bar. Trouble ensues
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers for most of the first season of Prodigal Son

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JT was looking forward to the end of the work day. They’d wrapped up the current case they’d been working on. No loose ends. And for a change, Bright had managed to avoid getting injured. Or into any trouble with Gil.

It had been a fairly good day all round.

As he was packing away his things, feeling himself beginning to relax now that the end of the day was here. Since his wife was going out for the evening with some friends, he planned to go to one of the bars for a few drinks. Maybe get a good meal as a celebration of everything going so well today.

“Hi JT!”

JT glanced up at the overly enthusiastic greeting and held back a sigh as he saw Bright standing on the other side of his desk. “What do you want, Bright?” Yeah, he didn’t exactly sound thrilled to see the younger man, but in his defence, it wasn’t like Bright ever listened when someone wasn’t one hundred percent happy to see him. In fact, even when he was outright told to go home, he tended to ignore it and insert himself into every conversation. Or case. Or anything, really.

JT would never admit to the kid that Bright inserting himself into everything quite often had good results rather than bad ones.

“What are you doing?” Bright’s voice and face were enthusiastic and he was fidgeting with his hands, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“How many energy drinks have you had, Bright?” Shaking his head, JT headed towards the door of the office.

Like a child, Bright lengthened his strides to catch up with and match with JT’s. “So where are we going?”

JT nearly responded by pointing out they weren’t going anywhere. This was supposed to be his time alone to unwind, after all. One look at Bright’s face as they left the precinct, however, and he sighed and gave into the inevitable. “I suppose we’ll be going to the bar. Shooting up some pool. Grabbing drinks and dinner.”

Bright’s face lit up like he was a kid getting candy when it wasn’t even Christmas and he near enough danced after JT, heading towards the car. “Do you already know where? I’ve got some places in mind if you want to hear my suggestions.”

JT didn’t speak until he was in the driver’s seat, buckled up, and Bright had strapped himself in the passenger seat. Then, he said, “You’re getting to come with me, Bright. Don’t push your luck. I’m the one deciding where we’re going and what we’re doing.”

Bright sat back in silence for a few moments before he asked, “So is it the same place we went on a double date before?”

“Yeah.” Almost expecting Bright to ask the cliched, Are we there yet?, JT relaxed when the other man fell silent. He glanced sideways to find Bright looking out of the window. “So why do you want to come with me anyway?”

Bright shrugged. “I was bored. And you still haven’t told me what JT stands for. I figured I get you drunk enough, you’ll let it slip.” He flashed a manic grin.

Shaking his head, JT turned his attention to the road ahead once more. “Why’re you so hell-bent on learning that anyway?” he muttered.

“Because you won’t tell me.” Bright’s response was given without hesitation. “It’s a mystery I’ve got to solve and I’ll keep pestering you until I do.”

JT raised his eyebrows and cast a sidelong glance at him once more. “So you’re telling me if I tell you what JT stands for, I’ll get some peace?”

“Maybe.” Malcolm’s grin widened. After a brief pause, he asked, “So? You going to tell me?”

“No.” JT focused now on finding a parking spot.

“I knew you liked me and want to keep me around!” Bright crowed.

Ignoring the gloating, JT parked the car and got out. He waited long enough for Bright to get out and join him and then he headed into the bar.

It was loud. So much so, JT could practically feel his clothing vibrating in time with the music. There were lights, but those slid around in patterned dots that made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of him.

JT turned to face Malcolm, squinting in the near dark to see the younger man.

Malcolm’s eyes were darting around, as if they were trying to fixate on something only he could see. It was a look JT recognised; one that had been on Malcolm’s face almost constantly right before Bright had blown out all the electricity in the precinct.

“Shit.” JT grabbed the kid’s arm and gave it a tiny shake. “Come on, Bright. Get out of your head.” Had something triggered a flashback? It looked like they were going to have to leave. He began to head back towards the exit of the bar.

The next moment, Malcolm yanked his arm out of JT’s grasp and ran further into the bar.

“Damnit.” JT thought about leaving the bar and calling Gil. He thought about it for perhaps five seconds, before swearing again under his breath and following the younger man, pushing his way through several people who were crowded around. “Bright!” He yelled the younger man’s name, but his voice was lost in the cacophony of noise surrounding him.

It was hard to see anything, but JT fought his way through the crowd and finally found Bright…with a lighter in his hand, holding the open flame against his own palm.

Immediately, JT grabbed Malcolm’s wrist, yanking the lighter away and flicking the flame off. “What are you doing?” Worry made his voice sharper than he intended.

Malcolm flinched visibly, before muttering something.

JT put his ear close to Malcolm’s mouth. “What?”

“It’s the only way to stop seeing them!” Malcolm yelled.

JT pulled back enough to stare into the younger man’s eyes. “By burning yourself?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Fuck, Bright. Your head’s more messed up than I thought.” He put the lighter into his pocket and, keeping a tight hold of Malcolm’s wrist, he began to tug the younger man towards the exit.

They hadn’t been inside the bar for long, but even so, the temperature was low enough once they were outside to cause JT to shiver. His ears were ringing from the noise in the bar and he gave his head a sharp shake to clear it, then focused on Malcolm. “How many times have you done this?”

A sulky, almost pouty look came over Malcolm’s face and he muttered, “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

JT raised his eyebrows, but instead of arguing with the kid, he turned Malcolm to one side and delivered a sharp swat to his backside.

Malcolm yelped and threw both hands back to cover his bottom, shooting a glare at JT. “You hit me!”

“No. I swatted you.” JT did it again, finding a spot that was unprotected, eliciting another yelp from the younger man. “You ran away from me in the middle of a crowded bar.” He smacked a third time. “And then I found you about to burn yourself with a lighter.” He delivered a fourth smack and then let go of Malcolm’s wrist.

Malcolm immediately jerked back, fully pouting now. “That hurt!” he protested.

“What do you think that lighter was going to do?” JT returned.

“That was to get rid of the visions.” Malcolm said the response quickly and then clapped his hand over his mouth.

“Burning yourself does that?” JT made a conscious effort to keep his voice level and calm.

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.” Malcolm stopped rubbing his bottom, but still kept his distance from JT, eyeing him warily. “I’m not a masochist. I don’t get off on pain. But it helps when I’m seeing things I don’t want to see.”

“Are you seeing anything now?” JT asked.

Malcolm shook his head.

“So maybe you don’t have to burn yourself to get rid of the visions,” JT said. “Maybe a spanking works just as well. It gives you something else to focus on; pain without risk of permanent or even lasting injury.”

Malcolm frowned. “So you’re offering to spank me the next time I start seeing things that aren’t really there?”

“It’s got to be a better way than giving yourself a burn every time.”

Malcolm looked down at his feet, his expression thoughtful. Then, when he looked up at JT once more, his grin was wide and almost innocent. “So you do like me, then.”

The End