punished lucas

Chapter 7 Aftermath

"Nate?" Lucas took a step closer to the edge of the bed on which his brother was sitting and playing a video game. "Nate, I, uh, need to tell you I'm sorry."

Nathan kept playing Call of Duty, his vision never wavering from the big screen TV on his wall. "I'll bet you are now that you can't sit your ass down. Hurts, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but ... we both know I deserved it." Lucas felt his hands wanting to creep back for another rub and kept them out of the way by folding his arms across his chest. "Listen. I should've taken my meds and I know that. It wasn't fair to you or Dad that I didn't, and I'm just ... I'm sorry that I put you guys through this." When Nathan only snorted his disbelief, Lucas frowned and pressed on. "Honest, Little Brother, I swear I didn't mean to be so selfish."

"Oh yes, you did," Nathan retorted, "and because of that, these are pretty much the last words I'm speaking to you for the next fourteen days."

"Wait. What?" As Nathan still refused to look at him, Lucas dropped his arms and came around to block the television set. "What the hell, Nate? Why?"

Finally, Nathan made eye contact. "'Cause that spanking you just got? That was Dad's punishment; it wasn't mine. I know you hate it when I cut you off and ignore your dumb ass, so that's your punishment from me for not giving one shit about how our family would suffer if you died. I'm giving you the silent treatment for the next two weeks."

"Aw, come on, Nate!"

"We're done here. Get out."

"Nate, don't do this!"

Nathan turned back to the TV and didn't say another word. He gave his agitated brother precisely one second to step aside, and then he calmly set down his console, stood up and shoved Lucas out of the way so he was no longer obstructing the screen. As Lucas stumbled and nearly fell, Nathan returned to his bed, sat down and went right back to playing.

"Nate, I'm sorry," Lucas pleaded. "Look, I said I'm sorry, okay? Nathan!"

But Nathan wouldn't relent. He jacked up the volume on his television until he couldn't hear Lucas trying to change his mind, and he only lowered it when his blond brother finally gave up and stomped out of his room in frustration.

Back in the hallway, Lucas turned to Nathan's closed door in temper and kicked it with everything he could muster. The heel of his high-top sneaker left a grey mark on the white wood that could probably be washed off easily enough, but that only increased Luke's fury. He kicked it again harder than before, then returned to his own room and slammed the door behind him. He was tempted to punt it as well as hard as he could, and then to keep on doing it until his foot ploughed through one of the panels and a ragged hole existed, but he didn't.

Instead, he collapsed against one wall and slid down to the floor in defeat, blinking fast against a whole new set of tears that were threatening to spill. He didn't know which he hated more - his HCM or being shunned by his brother now that they were mostly inseparable living under the same roof - but it didn't make a difference, did it? He couldn't do anything about either situation right now, and once that knowledge sunk in to depress him utterly, Lucas hugged his knees to his chest and put his head down, wanting his mom. Karen wasn't here though - she was halfway around the world living with Andy in New Zealand - and since Keith wasn't around anymore either, living as he was in another state, Lucas allowed his thoughts to turn to Dan, the only day-to-day parent he had left. The man had spanked him hard less than a half-hour ago, but he had also hugged him hard afterwards and told him that he was forgiven. Besides, if anyone understood Luke's feelings about his HCM and the limitations it imposed, it was the athletic parent who suffered from it himself and who chafed just as much against its restrictions.

Feeling more than ever like a lost little boy in need of comfort, Lucas picked himself off the floor and went to go find his dad.