Midnight Flock

Chapter 4: Punishment and Reward

A/N: Just as a warning, there is some adulty time in this chapter. I do put a warning before the scene so you know where it is, for those not comfortable with reading it. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I've loved your comments in the last few chapters, thank-you to everyone who is reading my story, I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Thank-you ibewaiting for your beta skills! I really appreciate your input. 

There was a knock at my bedroom door at Owen and Sean's house. I looked up from my tablet to see them both standing in the open door way. They had given me several hours to myself and we ate dinner together without any mention of today's revelation. However, it appeared my respite was over and they were going to make me deal with this. Which was fine. I had been doing my best to avoid dealing with or addressing the betrayal I felt at the hands of my guys. A lump formed in my throat and my eyes watered just a little even thinking about it. It wouldn't be easy to handle, but I couldn't hide from this forever, it wouldn't help anything to do that.

I sat up and crossed my legs on my bed, beckoning them both to come in. They sat, both facing me from either side so I couldn't escape looking at them both. They were much more relaxed in their sleep pants and shirts, though no less desireable. Sean was adorable in his purple flannel pants littered with teddy bears and a purple shirt while Owen was still refined and elegant in a pair of dark grey silk pants with a white tank-top. I was just lounging in an old, soft, grey, cotton, button down I appropriated from Owen's closet a few months ago when I found it. He was quite thrilled when he discovered me in it later that night. It became a favorite sleepwear option which I kept at his house just for him. Each of the boys had an article of clothing of theirs I liked to wear when I stayed at their place. If I was sleeping in Sean's room with him tonight, I'd probably be dressed in a pair of his scrubs. The guys really liked when I wore their clothes. I couldn't explain it, but it was comfortable and I liked making them happy.

I looked around, avoiding meeting their eyes, trying to hide the hurt they probably already saw on my face. My room at Owen's house was painted white with white furniture and accented with the boys favorite colors. Fuzzy area rugs littered the floor in orange, light blue and red. My bedding was currently navy blue with a black and silver abstract design on the comforter. I had a bright purple over-sized chair by the window with grey and white prints in spring green frames up on the walls, pictures of my boys. There was a bright pink chandelier hanging from the ceiling and other touches of my favorite color interspersed with the reminder of the boys. I was surrounded by them everywhere I stayed. They were and would always be a part of my life, no matter what happened from here on out. Which brought me back to the issue at hand, Owen and Sean waiting for me to say something.

"I won't stay mad at them forever." Sean's shoulders relaxed. Maybe he was worried I'd become a long term guest? That didn't make any sense. They enjoyed it when I stayed, especially without the others. "I just don't know where to begin with forgiving them and trusting them again. They are family. They always will be and I love you all and that won't change. But, my trust has been broken by the family I thought I never had to worry about that with. How do we move past this?" I implored them to give me the answers to this.

"Punishment is definitely in order. I bet today and tonight will be an exquisite torture they won't soon forget. Not knowing what is going to happen, how you feel, what their punishment is. They are probably crawling up the walls right now." Sean chuckled darkly at Owen's statement.

"We turned off all of our phones because the messages and phone calls were driving us crazy. They had even resorted to red-lining us a few times until Owen put his foot down and demanded they cease. They wanted to know what was going on. They kept asking how you were, if you were okay. They wanted us to tell you they're sorry. Which, is something they should be doing on their hands and knees after crawling across hot coals, if you ask me." I hadn't seen Sean so serious in a long time.