Title: Punishment
By: nancy
Pairing: Gil/Nick
Rating: NC-18
Warnings: discipline fic
Summary: Nicky messes up at work.

Nick was really hoping that the floor would just open up and swallow him.

Gil's stern, “Just stand there and look apologetic,” from earlier that day ran through his mind as he stood staring at the wall.

Gil had every right to be ticked and every right to punish him any way he saw fit. That Nick currently stood in the corner, bare-assed and waiting for a spanking told him just how badly he’d screwed up. Not that he didn’t already know it. He should have gone straight to the lab, just as procedure dictated. Even worse, Gil had admonished him about getting there quickly, but safely, and to get started immediately on the processing. If he hadn’t missed breakfast, he might not have stopped, might not have agreed to Greg’s invitation, but he had.

Of course, that was another transgression that Gil had added to the list on top of everything else. When he’d told Gil why he’d stopped, his lover’s face had darkened and then, like now, Nick had wished for the ground to open up and swallow him down. He hated disappointing Gil in any way, but disobeying his orders was something he tried not to do ever. He’d just been in such a rush that morning and…

Nick cut off the excuses, even to himself, and sighed heavily.

“Okay, Nick, time’s up.”

Relief lasted only as long as it took to turn around and see Gil’s stern face. Swallowing against a nervously tight throat, he waited for what was next.

“Bedroom. Now.”

Nick sighed again, but did as he was told. This wouldn’t go any better if he tried to weasel his way out of it. Best to get it over with and get forgiven. Within minutes, he was draped face down on Gil’s lap and waiting for the punishment to start.

“Why are you being punished, Nick?”

“For not doing as I was told and going straight back to the lab. For not following procedure. For not eating and taking care of myself.”

“Anything else?”

Nick froze, thinking rapidly to come up with something else, but couldn’t and hesitantly shook his head. “No?”

“Are you sure?”

Nick just about whimpered as his stomach dropped and he remembered yelling at Greg later when they’d been in the locker room. He hadn’t meant to, had already apologized to his friend, but someone had clearly told Gil about it. Clearing his throat, he whispered, “For yelling at Greg when it wasn’t his fault.”

“Well. That I hadn’t heard about. We’ll add it to the list.”

Groaning, Nick’s head dropped to the bed. It just wasn’t his day.

“Fifty. Count them off.”

The spanking began without any other delay and Nick gritted his teeth, counting off each slap of paddle to his ass. At ten, he was squirming and uncomfortable. At twenty, his hands twisted in the bedspread to keep from trying to get free. At thirty, he cried openly as he counted. At forty, he could barely count. By the time they reached fifty, Nick sobbed from the pain in his ass and the knowledge that he’d not only disappointed his lover, but hurt Greg as well. The wide-eyed look the younger man had given him when he’d gone off on Greg had conveyed that pain all too well.

“All done, Nicky, it’s all right now,” Gil soothed, pulling him upright.

Wrapping his arms around Gil, Nick continued to cry in his lover’s arms. Gil rocked them slowly, holding him in a strong, comforting embrace. His ass throbbed painfully, but Nick barely felt it in his emotional anguish.

A long time later, when he’d worn himself out from crying, Nick went to bed without any protest even though it was two hours too early. Gil left him only to return with a damp, cool cloth that he used to wipe Nick’s face clean. It felt good, much better than he deserved and Nick said, “Thank you, Daddy. I’m sorry, I really am. I promise it won’t happen again.”

“Did you apologize to Greg already?” Gil prompted.

Nick nodded immediately and answered, “Right after I yelled at him. He was really hurt, though.”

“Do you know why you yelled at him?”

“I was scared.”

“Of me?”

Sighing, Nick explained, “Of what would happen at work. I don’t want to lose my job.”

Gil combed his fingers through Nick’s hair, soothing him as he said, “You’re in no danger of that, Nicky, I promise. You’ve got a permanent black mark in your record, I’m afraid, but rightfully so. You didn’t follow procedure and compromised the case. Badly.”

“I know,” Nick agreed, miserable.

Smiling faintly, Gil leaned in and kissed his forehead. “Get some sleep, Nicky. As far as I’m concerned, this is over and done with. The case was wrapped up, you’ve taken your punishment, and apologized to Greg. If you neglect yourself again, however, the punishment will be much more severe, am I understood? I won’t take that lightly.”

Nick nodded, yawning. “I won’t, Daddy, I promise.”

“Good.”

His lover continued to card his fingers through Nick’s hair until sleep at last claimed him.