Chapter Text
The family meeting had started in the morning. Usually Kyo would be enjoying himself, in such a sharp contrast to his childhood years that sometimes he had a hard time believing it, but right now he was too worried about his eldest son’s behavior.
Hajime sat two tables away, next to Yuki’s son as always, and Kyo had a nasty feeling that his foul mood hadn’t improved one bit.
It was Hajime’s first year living away from his parents, and so far Kyo had had no reason to doubt his son was adapting well. It was Hajime’s own choice, after all, and he had Kazuma to keep an eye on him. And when Kyo and Tohru had arrived with their younger kids two days before, Hajime had been just as happy to see them as he always was.
Kyo had no idea what was wrong with his son, but there was something.
The rest of Kyo’s table laughed at some remark Hatsuharu had just made, not that Kyo could have told what it was. He was hesitating to interfere. Hajime wasn’t being pleasant, but he hadn’t crossed the limit yet, and they were in the middle of a family gathering…
Kyo changed his mind a second later, when he witnessed Hajime being rude to one of the waiters. He excused himself and stood up, striding towards his son.
At least Tohru wasn’t here to see their eldest act up like this. She was spending quality time with Akito, away from the rest of the family, and wouldn’t be back before a few hours.
Hajime wasn’t looking in Kyo’s direction. If he heard his father arrive, he didn’t show it.
“Hajime, could you come here for a moment, please?” Kyo asked, keeping his voice calm despite his irritation.
Hajime didn’t meet his gaze. Kyo could still see his stubborn expression, and his hope that Hajime would be at least a little cooperative died right here and there.
“Don’t you see I’m busy?” Hajime said in a tone that he had never dared to use on his father before.
“Excuse me?”
Kyo’s disbelief must have been obvious in his voice, because Hajime blushed.
“It means no,” the teenager still answered, frowning at his food.
Next to him, Mutsuki was shaking his head frenetically. Hajime ignored his cousin and crossed his arms, his blush intensifying.
Kyo took a deep breath and forced himself to remember that Hajime was usually well-behaved and deserved a chance to explain himself.
“And why not?”
“Because I don’t want to,” Hajime replied.
Kyo briefly closed his eyes. “Hajime. Come with me, now.”
Hajime bit his lip. He didn’t react for a moment, as if he was debating with himself, but then…
“Get lost,” Hajime said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mutsuki facepalmed.
Kyo didn’t react for a second, completely taken aback by the utter disrespect his son was displaying. He was aware of the looks of other family members around them, but he didn’t care. His focus was mostly on his ill-advised son.
Hajime’s expression was a mix of defiance and apprehension. Obviously he was aware that he was way out of line, and choosing to keep acting this way.
Kyo knew a challenge when he saw one. So much for giving his son the benefit of the doubt.
“That’s enough,” he said, grabbing his son’s arm and forcing him to get up.
Hajime tried to squirm away, but Kyo wasn’t a martial arts teacher for nothing. Hajime had no chance of escaping his father’s grip and he knew it, which meant he was just choosing to be difficult.
Kyo had half a mind to swat him here and there, but his son had already disturbed the gathering enough as it was.
Sighing to himself, Kyo dragged him out of the room.
Hajime deflated as soon as they were outside. He stopped struggling and followed after Kyo, who was walking at a brisk pace.
Kyo relaxed his grip slightly, but he didn’t let go.
After a few minutes, he heard Hajime’s voice. It was small and hesitant, not at all like it had been earlier.
“Where are we going?”
“To the dojo. I think you’ll appreciate the privacy,” Kyo answered dryly.
He felt his son cringe at the implication, and refused to feel softened. Hajime was going to reap what he had sown.
When they reached the dojo, Kyo had had time to come to terms with his feelings, and he felt calm enough for the task at hand. He took off his shoes and Hajime did the same without being prompted.
So now he was trying to be good?
Kyo snorted. A little late, but it was still welcome.
The dojo was deserted today, so Kyo was certain they wouldn’t be disturbed. He led them to one of the rooms. There, he released his son’s arm and turned to face him, putting both hands on Hajime’s shoulders. “Are you ready to explain why you’ve been acting so disrespectfully?”
Hajime kept silent. His lips were twisted in a pout, and he stubbornly kept looking at the floor.
Kyo sighed. “Have it your way, then.”
In one swift move, he bared his son’s bottom. Hajime blushed furiously, but Kyo was already sitting down and pulling him over his lap. Hajime didn’t resist, either because he was too surprised to react or because he had finally grown some sense of self-preservation. Once on the ground, he immediately hid his face in his arms.
Kyo lost no time. He started spreading even spanks across his son’s bottom, until Hajime was squirming.
“What is going on with you, Hajime?” Kyo asked.
“Nothing,” Hajime said, his voice muffled by his arms.
Kyo shook his head. “I don’t think so, no.”
He increased the strength behind the swats. Hajime whined and kicked his legs softly against the ground.
“You do not get to disrespect me or anybody else because you’re in a bad mood, Hajime.”
Hajime didn’t respond. If anything, he tried to hide even deeper in his arms.
Kyo wasn’t going to let him get away with it. “Do you understand?”
After a few seconds, Hajime nodded.
“I want a verbal answer, son.”
“Yes, I understand,” Hajime said. His voice was thick with tears. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
“You should be,” Kyo said. “This is not how your mother and I raised you.”
Kyo started spanking the exact same spot several times in a row, and Hajime gasped.
“You know better.”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Hajime was sobbing openly now. His legs were still kicking the ground, which didn’t bother Kyo as long as his son didn’t hit him, accidentally or not.
“If something is upsetting you, you talk to me, or your mom, or your grandpa.”
Kyo chose another spot and repeated the same treatment. Hajime shifted his arms and grabbed his hands, as if he was trying not to reach back. His sobbing was heartbreaking. He hadn’t received a lot of spankings as a child, and he always took them to heart. He hated to disappoint his parents, which made his earlier behavior all the more surprising.
“I don’t want something like this to happen again,” Kyo said. “Are we clear?”
He coiled the arm that wasn’t swatting around his son’s waist, and lifted him slightly. It gave him a better target on the lower part of Hajime’s bottom, which his son was definitely feeling.
“It won’t, it really won’t! Ow!”
Kyo inspected his handiwork. The rest of the banquet was going to be very uncomfortable for Hajime, no matter how he chose to sit. He lowered his son back on his lap, and rested his hand on Hajime’s back.
The boy’s body was wracked with sobs, and Kyo started rubbing his back soothingly. After a while, the crying softened.
“Are you ready to talk yet?” Kyo asked.
Hajime whined and shook his head. Kyo softly rubbed his son’s head with his knuckles, then helped Hajime up and redressed him, ignoring Hajime’s hiss as the clothes rubbed against his freshly spanked bottom. Hajime’s face was a mess, tears still streaking down and snot all over his nose and chin. Kyo gave him a tissue and watched as his son used it.
The boy kept his eyes downcast the whole time. He looked miserable, and Kyo’s heart couldn’t take it anymore. He engulfed Hajime in a hug and held him tight. Hajime latched on, his arms squeezing Kyo while his face pressed against the crook of Kyo’s neck.
“Talk to me, son,” Kyo whispered in Hajime’s ear. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”
It took a long time, but Hajime finally answered, his voice sounding much younger than he was.
“I… I wanted to see if you would punish me,” he blurted out.
Kyo frowned. “After the scene you made? Of course I would. Why would you think otherwise?”
“You didn’t intervene before,” Hajime hiccupped.
Kyo was puzzled, and it took him a while to understand what his son was referring to. When it dawned on him, he shook his head.
The day before, he had been talking with Kazuma about Hajime at school, and Kazuma had mentioned an incident where Hajime had been disrespectful to one of his teachers. As Kazuma had already dealt with it, Kyo had considered the matter closed and hadn’t brought it up with Hajime.
Had his son heard them, and felt like Kyo didn’t care? Was it why Hajime had been testing him today?
“Are you referring to my discussion with your grandfather yesterday? A discussion you weren’t supposed to listen to, by the way.” He rubbed Hajime’s ear.
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Hajime protested weakly.
Kyo had been right, then. “Kazuma had already punished you, and I know he was fair. Did you want me to add to it?”
Hajime grabbed him even tighter. “No, but…” He didn’t end his sentence.
Kyo hummed. Now that he had an idea of the problem, it was easier to understand what had probably gone through his son’s head.
“Look at me, Hajime,” Kyo ordered.
His son reluctantly shifted to obey. He was crying again, which did no favors to his already red and puffy eyes.
Kyo wiped the tears with his thumb.
“Son, it’s not because you don’t live with us anymore that I’ve given up my responsibility to raise you.”
Hajime’s face scrunched up as he nodded.
“Next time you doubt it, just talk to me instead of manipulating me into punishing you,” Kyo said. “Because I will, and you won’t like it.”
Hajime blushed furiously. “I’ll never do it again. I’m so sorry for what I told you, Dad. I wasn’t thinking any of it. Please forgive me.”
“You’re forgiven.” Kyo patted his son’s head.
Hajime leaned against him once more, this time cuddling against his chest, and Kyo wrapped his arms tighter around him.
“Are you happy where you are?” Kyo asked, stroking his son’s hair. “I know you wanted to go to our high school, but you can always change your mind if it’s not working for you.”
“I’m fine, I promise.” Hajime sniffled. “I was just being stupid.”
“Alright.”
Kyo didn’t add anything more, content to hold his child for as long as Hajime wanted him to.
Going back to the gathering could wait.