Ask and Ye Shall Receive

By Alyx

“Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.” —Jules Renard

“But I don’t WANT a spanking!” The entreaty was heartfelt, but apparently some hearts were as cold as the snow which covered the ground outside.

“I’m sure you don’t. However you definitely deserve one. And you have three seconds to bare that naughty bottom and get it over my knee, or I’m adding the hairbrush to what you already have coming!”

Rylan, crouching outside her neighbors’ window, shivered involuntarily. It wasn’t only the winter weather – it was also the implacable sternness she could hear in Zaria’s tone. Part of her wanted to jump up and interrupt the horrible event she knew was about to happen. But another part of her wondered how she would explain the fact that she was now snooping outside their basement window, wanting to catch them in the act.

Her mind flashed back to two months ago, when Zaria and Lexie had moved in to the other half of the duplex next door. At first she and Shay had been thrilled that another lesbian couple were to be their neighbors. They were about the same age as she and her partner, and they were fun to talk to and enjoyed a lot of the same films and cultural events.

But then one day Rylan happened to see Zaria’s threatening glance at Lexie, and in response Lexie had stopped whatever foolishness she’d been doing and quickly covered her bottom. After that, Rylan had covertly observed their interactions, and she became convinced that there was much more to their relationship than met the eye.

“I think maybe Zaria physically abuses Lexie,” she said one day to Shay. Her partner had frowned incredulously.

“What?! What makes you think that?”

“Haven’t you noticed how she dominates her?”

“I’ve noticed that sometimes she pulls her up short when she’s about to do something foolish,” Shay chuckled. “Is that what you mean? I mean, I like Lexie, but you have to admit sometimes she acts a bit immaturely!”

“That’s no excuse for physical violence!” Rylan said hotly. “It’s not a joke, Shay!”

“I don’t consider it a joke!” Shay responded. “But I’ve never seen any sign of physical abuse, have you?”

“What about the time we were waiting in line at the movies, and she smacked her?”

“You mean that little pop on the butt? C’mon, honey, you and I do that to each other!”

Rylan felt her cheeks warm. “Yes, but we do it playfully. I don’t think that was playful – I think it was a warning!”

Shay shrugged. “Well, they might have some kind of ‘domestic discipline’ relationship going. It’s not unheard of.”

“I can’t believe you! If it was a straight couple – a man beating up a woman – would you be so casual about it? Lesbians have abusive relationships too, you know!”

“As a social worker, I am aware of that, yes,” Shay replied dryly. “But domestic discipline is not ‘beating,’ my love. It’s wholly consensual.”

“I still think it’s demeaning and insulting,” Rylan said. “I mean, who knows what goes on behind the scenes!” So consumed was Rylan with her outrage, and trying not to imagine too vividly what such ‘discipline’ might entail, that she missed Shay’s speculative glance at her. She also didn’t think to question exactly why her partner was so informed about domestic discipline.

But during the weeks that passed, she’d been unable to get Zaria and Lexie out of her mind. She scrutinized their every interaction, looking for evidence to confirm her suspicions. And then one evening she’d been taking out the trash, and saw their car returning home. Because she was around the corner, they didn’t see her as they exited their car, and she could hear clearly Zaria scolding Lexie for something she’d done earlier.

“You know we have rules about that, sweetheart. And yet you deliberately went over the limit!”

“I know YOU have a rule about that,” was Lexie’s response, her tone more resentful than Rylan had ever heard it. “But I’m an adult with my own job, and if I want to overspend on my credit card, it’s none of your business!”

There was a short silence, and Rylan wondered what that bit of defiance would trigger. She didn’t have to wonder for long.

“Ow! Ow! Zari, let go of my ear!”

Rylan peeked around the corner, and could see them standing on the porch. Zaria had ahold of Lexie’s left earlobe, and she was speaking to her in a dangerously low voice.

“That’s it, I’ve had enough of your insolence and bad behavior! You’ve been pushing my buttons for two days, and that’s the last straw! You will get changed into your nightshirt and take yourself downstairs. You will wait with your nose in the corner while I lock up, and then I will be down to deal with you.”

“No, that’s not fair,” Lexie began to whine, but Zaria cut her off with a quick swat to the backside.

“March!”

As they shut the front door behind them, Rylan stood outside, frozen in indignation on Lexie’s behalf. I should report them to Adult Protective Services! she thought. But what exactly am I going to report? All I heard was one woman tell another she had to stand in the corner! Maybe…I need to actually witness some violence being done. 

 And that is how she ended up crouching outside their basement window, instead of pushing the garbage bin to the curb. Luckily the sun was only just setting, and it wasn’t currently snowing. The casement window was opened enough that she could hear what was going on inside. She resisted peering in as Zaria lectured her partner. It was only when she began to hear slow clapping sounds that she steeled herself to look in.

 What she saw made her press her hand against her mouth to prevent a gasp from escaping. Zaria was sitting on hard-backed chair with Lexie over her lap, and they were angled so that Lexie’s bottom was presented in full view of the window. Her nightshirt was pulled far up her back, and her knickers were dangling at her knees. She appeared to attempt keeping as still as possible, but that didn’t stop her very full buttocks from bouncing with each slap delivered by Zaria’s hard hand.

As Rylan watched, the pale cheeks grew pinker and pinker, and eventually Rylan could hear little squeaks coming from Lexie, though her head was out of sight near the floor. Periodically Zaria would stop to address her partner, and Rylan couldn’t quite make out the mumbled responses, but the tone sounded a great deal more contrite as the spanking went on.

Finally, the measured swats ceased, and Rylan breathed a sigh of relief. It was short-lived, however.

“All right, hand me the hairbrush.”

Now Lexie’s head came up and Rylan could hear her pleading clearly.

“Please, no more, ma’am! I’ve learned my lesson! I’m already so sore I won’t be able to sit for week!”

“I hope you will have learned your lesson when we’re finished, young lady! Maybe next time when I tell you to bare your bottom and get into position, you’ll obey immediately! Now give me the brush!”

Lexie, sniffling pitifully, lifted her hand to pass back the hairbrush, which she’d apparently been made to hold during the entire punishment session. Zaria wrapped her left arm tightly around Lexie’s waist and lifted the brush high.

“Right. I think ten swats should do it.”

Rylan watched in dismay as the shiny round wooden surface landed with a loud “SPLOT!” against Lexie’s reddened right cheek. The young woman issued a wail and her legs straightened involuntarily. The next swat landed, equally loudly, on her left cheek. The smacks were slower, but they were obviously much more painful, and there was no keeping still for Lexie. She squirmed and kicked out and quickly lost her underwear in a flying arc as she struggled under the onslaught.

There were no more lectures, just Zaria carefully and methodically applying the hairbrush until Lexie’s bottom was a uniform dark pink with darker red splotches, swollen and quivering as she dissolved in penitent sobs. Zaria let her cry for a bit, rubbing her back in a soothing fashion. Then she lifted Lexie upright, seating her on her knee and cuddling her close. Unbelievably, her punished partner lay her head upon her shoulder and wrapped her arms around her.

Rylan backed away from the window, walking back to her yard as quietly as possible on shaky knees. She definitely had something to report now.  She couldn’t shake the image in her mind of her neighbor’s sore-looking bum, and block out the repeated smacks echoing in the room. How could Lexie allow herself to be treated that way?!

Shay noticed right away how upset Rylan was.

“Who are you calling?” she asked.

“Adult Protective Services,” Rylan said. “I need to report what’s going on next door.”

“What?! Don’t you dare!” Shay grabbed Rylan’s phone and disconnected from the number she was dialing.

“Hey! Give that back!”

“Ry, sit down and tell me what’s going on. I can’t believe you’re serious!” She pointed to a stool in front of the kitchen island, and took the next seat herself.

Rylan sat, but snorted in frustration. “I HAVE told you what’s going on – you just brushed it off! But now I have proof of it!” She related what she’d seen.

“Wait a minute….” Shay couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. “Are you saying you SPIED on our neighbors?!”

Rylan flushed. “Never mind that! Are you hearing what I’m saying about Zaria hitting Lexie?!”

Shay shook her head. “What I’m hearing is that you trespassed on private property, witnessed something that was none of your business, and are now prepared to get them into trouble WITH THE LAW! All because you have some bee in your bonnet over their discipline arrangement!”

Rylan crossed her arms. “What I’M hearing is that my girlfriend – a social worker who should know better – is willing to turn a blind eye when another lesbian is in an abusive relationship!”

Shay put down Rylan’s phone and took both of her hands in hers. “Darling, listen to me. I’m never willing to turn a blind eye to abuse. But do you realize what reporting them would do? You’d be inviting the authorities, possibly even the police, into their lives! Do you understand the kind invasion of privacy we’re talking about? The sneering cops? The humiliation involved as neighbors witness Zaria possibly being removed from the house?”

“But….what if Lexie really is being abused?” Rylan’s voice was small.

“Well, there’s one way to find out.” Shay pulled out her own phone and began dialing.

“What are you doing?” Rylan’s eyes widened.

“Asking them over. We’ll settle this once and for all, one way or another.”

Rylan wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment. She began to formulate an excuse for being in their yard. Maybe I was putting things in the garbage can and a piece of trash flew over? Yeah, that’s a good one.

But as it turned out she was spared the awkwardness of having to explain herself. Shay merely said that Rylan had noticed they had some kind of relationship that involved Zaria being strict with Lexie, and was concerned about her welfare.

To Rylan’s surprise it was Zaria who looked uncomfortable, while Lexie only grinned.

“Yes, we were wondering how…or when…we should tell you about that,” Zaria began.

“Listen, it’s none of our business,” Shay said.

“No, it’s important,” Zaria said. “Because we consider you both friends—”

“As we do you,” Shay assured her.

“—and it’s quite likely that at some point you would witness me scolding or disciplining Lexie. So many people misinterpret it, you see.”

“You don’t say?” Shay glanced at Rylan, who managed to ignore her.

“No offense, but don’t you think that’s exactly the kind of thing an abuser would say?” Rylan said. “And I’m sorry, but we haven’t really heard from Lexie yet.”

Zaria nodded. “Fair enough. But if she was really in danger over speaking out, perhaps it would be better if I left the room?”

“You don’t have to do that,” Shay began, but Lexie interrupted her.

“That’s a great idea,” she said. “Honey? Why don’t you take Shay next door and show her some of our toys? Might reassure her a little.” She smiled at her partner. “And I’ll talk to Rylan.”

After they left, Lexie grabbed Rylan and gave her a hug.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?” Rylan said uncomfortably.

“Well, I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy to speak up, especially over such a sensitive subject. And I appreciate your concern, I really do.”

“Are you really happy, Lexie?” Rylan blurted. “You know you can find another partner, right? One who doesn’t need to dominate you and impinge upon your self-worth?”

“Oh, I don’t think so!” Lexie said emphatically. “Girlfriends as sensitive and caring as Zaria are rare treasures, and I intend to hang onto her. Do you know how long it took me to get her trained?!”

“What?” Rylan frowned in confusion.

“It took forever to convince her to spank me!” Lexie said. “She had some twisted idea it would be harmful to me or our relationship!” She rolled her eyes.

“You WANT her to spank you??” Rylan was disbelieving.

“Well, I don’t want it at the time, of course,” Lexie chuckled. “I mean, it bloody hurts! But yeah, I want her to hold me accountable, and sometimes that means she needs to remind me via my backside what my mind seems to forget!”

“But….doesn’t that seem a bit humiliating? I mean, isn’t that treating you like a child?”

Lexie shook her head. “No, I don’t believe in corporal punishment for children,” she said earnestly. “But for consenting adults…” She winked, then saw Rylan’s bewilderment and took pity on her. “Look, I know it might be hard to understand. But it’s something I need, and more importantly, something I want. I want someone to take me in hand, occasionally. I want the complete sense of submission, release, and forgiveness I feel after I’ve been properly punished. I like the feeling of having a ‘clean slate’ after messing up, rather than mentally and emotionally torturing myself for having made a mistake.

“Zaria doesn’t do anything to me that we haven’t thoroughly discussed beforehand. We both have safewords – I can speak up anytime if something is too intense, and she can speak up anytime if something doesn’t feel right, or if she’s just not up to it. It took a while to work all the kinks out – pardon the pun – but now that we have, I’ve never been happier.” She looked deep into Rylan’s eyes, and her sincerity was unmistakable. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Rylan said shakily. “I’m sorry. I completely misunderstood the situation!”

“Mm?” Lexie said, as she picked up her phone to text Zaria. “Or maybe you wanted to be outraged?”

“What do you mean?”

Lexie just regarded with a smile, head tilted to one side.

“What are you saying? That I wanted to think the worst of you?!”

“Maybe by concentrating on what seemed to be objectionable, you could ignore what might be…attractive?” Her eyebrows lifted in inquiry.

Rylan opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say. Something about what Lexie was implying resonated so deeply inside her, she couldn’t help but recognize the truth of it. But she wasn’t sure she even wanted to acknowledge it, let alone act on it. Fortunately she was spared having to answer because both their partners had returned.

“Honey! Look what Zaria is lending us! Think we could find a use for it?” She held up a beautifully embroidered paddle of black leather.

Rylan’s jaw dropped. “No! I mean, whatever for?!” But she could feel her face turning bright red, and it caused the other three to laugh.

“C’mon, baby.” Zaria reached out an arm to Lexie, and hugged her close. “I think we better head home. Something tells me these two have a lot to talk about.”

“Yeah,” Lexie agreed. But she couldn’t resist a last mischievous comment. “By the way, playing taiko drumming songs instead of carols might work better to drown out any sounds of ‘revelry.’ Just saying. Merry Christmas!”

The End