Ignition (MHAH)

41

"I wouldn't get too excited just yet." Ethan comments as he unties me. "Justin.. how's your attitude?"

"Decent."

"Decent as in begrudgingly decent or decent as in coolheaded decent?"

"Tolerably decent."

"Fine. You can come out." As the brunet approaches us, I avoid his eyes, not willing to look at him. "Go grab whatever you need." The raven tells him.

"Levi. Hold out your hands." Justin orders.

"Why?"

"Because he told you to. Your punishment from me may be over, it doesn't mean your punishment from his is." Ethan counters. I huff but stick my hands out regardless.

"Palms." I scowl and do as I'm told, hissing and jerking them away when a flogger strikes them.

"Ow.. daddy that hurts!" I whine, clutching my hands to my chest.

"It's supposed to.. maybe you'll think about that next time you decide to claw someone." He responds, a slight grit in his tone. "Put your hands back out."

"But.. but it hurts.." I mumble, looking towards Ethan for help.

"Do you trust me?" The brunet questions, earning himself a cautious nod. "Do you trust I won't leave your hands bloody? Do you trust I know your limits?"

"M-mhm.."

"Then put your hands back out." I bite the inside of my cheek as I do as I'm told, jumping and scrunching my hands into fists when he strikes me again. He waits until my palms are open before doing it again, watching as I hiss and clench my hands. On the fourth strike, I let out a frustrated whine as I stomp my feet, doing my best not to hide my hands.

"It huurrrtss!" I complain, whining louder as he strikes my hands again.

"I know." He tells me, taking my tingling hands into his as he kisses my palms, rubbing them until the pain dulls.

"What did we learn?" Ethan asks, brushing a strand of hair out of my face.

"Not to claw people.." I mumble, a scowl still evident on my lips.

"What else?"

"I also learned how to roll around!"

"Don't be a smartass." He warns.

"Not to get into fights.." I grumble.

"What else?"

"T'watch my attitude.."

"That's my good boy." Ethan praises, pulling me into bed. I found myself sandwiched between the two, as they watched tv.

I wasn't sure if it was the fact that I was trying to cope, to feel and see that my love was returned; to know I wasn't nothing to them, or if the way Justin was positioned behind me simply stirred me crazy.

I whined and squirmed, shifting myself away from Justin, earning a quizzical look from Ethan, who frankly didn't pay that much mind. The brunet pulls me back, cuddling me close as he burrows his face into the crook of my neck.

"What's the matter love?" He asks, placing a kiss on my neck as his attention shifts back to the tv, acting as if nothing ever happened. As I huff and try to regulate myself, my hand wanders over to Ethan, palming him through his sweats.

"Levi.." Ethan warns, trying his hardest not to react. As I persist and push my ass against Justin, the raven finally reacts.

"Levi!- Stop it!" He demands, pulling my hand away as he sits up. Taken aback, my eyes water. "What- what are you doing?!"

"I- I thought you loved me.." I mumble, biting back the tremble on my voice.

"I do love you- wait.. is that what you think love is..? Sex?" He asks, turning to fully look at me.

"What else would it be?" I ask, a confused smile playing on my lips. Both sigh as Justin finally sits up.

"That's not love-"

"It's not?" Then what was every time we did it? Were they actually just using me?! Playing with my head until I submitted?

"No- I mean yes-" Ethan groans realizing his mistake. "It can be a way to show your love, but love itself is not sex.. Love is the butterflies in your stomach when someone smiles at you. Love is the feeling that you'd do anything for someone. Love is confusing and painful at times, but it's exhilarating and wholesome. That's love."

I avoid looking at both of them, rubbing my eyes in confusion and exhaustion. "I want my crate back. N I want bunny too." I grumble. Everything seemed easier when I had bunny.

"Bunny's in my bag.. we can get you a new crate tomorrow." Ethan tells me, getting up to retrieve her.

"Wait! What about Mortimer?!" I demand.

"We had to leave him behind."

"No! We need to go back! I need him!"

"We can get you a new one." Justin tries.

"It's not the same! I need him! I need that Mortimer!"

"We can't go back and get him right now!"

I climb off the bed, yanking my pillow with me before storming over to the closet and grabbing another blanket; making sure I didn't forget bunny in the process.

"Where are you going?" The raven demands.

"The couch! Where I'll stay until I get Mortimer back!" Of course he follows after me.

"Sure! I'll go grab Mortimer! Do you want me to drive the barn here too? Or should I send them a letter with our mailing address?!"

"You don't understand!" I scream.

"Watch your tone!" He hisses, stepping closer to me.

"No!"

"Levi, it is 3 in the fucking morning! If you don't want to listen to me, then at least have some fucking curtesy for everyone else around us!" He chides, glowering down on me.

"I don't fucking care anymore! You don't understand! You never do and you never will!" I grit, dropping everything as I storm down the stairs, bunny's paw crushed inside my hand as I make my way towards the front doors.

"Walk away, Levi." Teddy grunts from in the shadows, my hand hovering over the doorknob.

"That's what I'm doing." I grumble, swinging the door open. Before my foot could leave the house, Teddy spins me around and pushes me in the direction of the stairs where Ethan stood with his arms crossed.

"Really? You're gonna trap me here?! Am I a fucking prisoner now?!"

"For the next 72 hours? Absolutely. Consider yourself grounded."

"I'm a fucking adult! You can't just ground me at your convenience!"

"I'll make it a week if you keep it up." He threatens.

"As if. All I have to do is wound your pride and you quit, so fucking try it!"

"You're nothing more than a little boy stuck in an adult body. You think everything can be solved with a tantrum and sulking, but you know who does that? Babies. Is that what you want Levi? To be treated like a baby? Because if that's the case, all you have to do is say so; I'll go find you some pampers and dummies, I'm sure Vincent even has a few bottles stashed away from when Justin and Jess were infants. I'll pamper you and spoon feed you and put you down for naps. Is that what you want?" He degrades, stalking towards me before stopping inches away. He expected my hand to fly up, catching it when it does and doing the same with my other hand.

"Do you wanna keep playing this game? I'm at my wits end right now little boy." He grits, trapping my wrists with one hand as he grips my jaw.