Chapter Text
"So you two don't have any idea how the cows got out?"
"And Frank." Doc added unhelpfully.
Just like he and Mater had practised, they put on their innocent faces and said "No." Simultaenously, which wasn't great timing, but coincidences happened.
"Hm. Well, Farmer Cargyll seems to think he saw a beat-up tow truck-"
"What?" Mater must've forgot all about the plan because his next words were "But we took the 95!"
Sheriff folded his thick arms over his broad chest with an "I got 'em now" smile under his bristly mustache. "...We know. 'Cause we saw you two knuckleheads goin' what? Hundred miles an hour down the road, with all them cows chasin' after you?"
"Aw, dang." Mater shook his head, either in shame at getting tricked or trying to deny that they'd been caught in a lie.
Lightning was determined not to go down so easy. "You tricked him! That's like...a false confession!"
"Well, I ain't got time to stand around poking the truth outta you boys! You have any idea how mad that old man was? He said he ever catches one of y'all on his land again, he'll have you pickin' switches. Tell me, do either of you want that? 'Cause I'm so darned fed up of cows runnin' through this town I might just let 'im!"
Lightning looked from Doc to Sheriff to Mater and then mumbled "I don't know what switches are-"
"You don't wannit!" Mater insisted, tapping on his shoulder urgently. "You. Don't. Wanna."
Taking his word for it, Lightning agreed that he didn't want to, at all, and scuffed his sneaker on the hardwood which covered the station floor.
"Good. Now, listen up and listen hard. For the next week, your vehicles stay in the impound lot."
"What? Why?"
"Because, like Sheriff said, we've had it. Biweekly cow stampedes aren't great. You can take 'em out for towing and racing, but at night, they get kept nice and safe in the impound lot."
Lightning thought of his precious girl being locked away in the dusty, dark, cold impound lot. "No. Don't do this to her. She's accustomed to a certain lifestyle!"
"It's just for a week."
"But she-"
"Sheriff's got her sheet to tuck her in at night." Doc said placatingly. "Just to keep it peaceful around here."
"Please, Doc, it wasn't her fault. She's innocent in this!"
"My truck'll take care of her." Mater promised. "It's just a week. There's lotsa other stuff we can do."
Lightning watched him place his scratched up key onto Sheriff's outstretched palm. He felt the little, smooth key for the 95 in his own pocket and, very reluctantly, did the same thing.
"My poor baby."
"I know." Doc was being fully sincere. He gently steered his reason for gray hair into the house, letting the door swing shut behind them. "You both know you're not supposed to go cow-tippin' so often. Once a month I get, but those poor animals must have nightmares about you two!"
"It should be me in that impound."
"We could switch, but I don't think the 95 would fit through the door."
Lightning scowled. "Funny." He flopped down on the couch, crossing his arms to show his displeasure. He knit his eyebrows, suddenly in thought. "Doc, what'd he mean by pickin' switches?"
Doc opened the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of water and a juice carton. Passing the carton to Lightning, he took a seat beside him. "Old-fashioned thing. You have a young fellow did something wrong and a tree with thin, long branches. You send the poor bastard out to pick the one he's about to get punished with and what's more is, he's gotta take the leaves and whatnot off it."
"Oh." Lightning focused on his juice, but his expression said what he was thinking.
"Yeah. It always seemed a little excessively mean to me, even back when I was a kid your age, making 'em do it themselves. Sheriff was only kiddin' about letting Farmer Cargyll make you pick a switch, but don't think you won't get in trouble should you go cow-tipping again."
"We can't do it anymore?"
"You weren't allowed to do it before."
"But it's funny!"
"We get our milk, meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables from Cargyll's farm, son. I don't want to lose that."
"But it's really funny." Lightning grumbled, letting Doc have the empty carton.
"And just what do you think it'll do for your image to have Famous Racer Demolishes Hometown By Cow-Tipping in all the papers?"
Lightning grinned. "Oh, that would be great!"
"No, it wouldn't be. People would think you're a troublemaker and you don't want that." Oh, this boy. Doc wrapped his arm around his shoulders, hugging him close. "You're a role model to hundreds of young people across the country, Lightning. They see you doing things you know you're not meant to, they'll think they can and should."
That had an effect. Lightning ducked his head, trying to avoid eye contact. "Okay."
"Good kid." Doc looked at his watch. Nearly ten fifteen. "Get yourself in something comfortable and go to my room, son."
"But I got my car taken away!"
"It's not taken away, it's kept safe at night only so you don't unleash bovine hell on us all again. That's a precaution, not a punishment. Come on, it's getting late and we got stuff to do tomorrow."
Lightning sighed dramatically and dragged himself off to his bedroom.
While he was gone, Doc felt his phone buzz in his pyjama pocket and took it out as he walked into his own bedroom. Farmer Cargyll had sent a photo of his cows and Frank via email. That was it. A man of few words. He looked up as Lightning entered in his sweats. "Alright. Cows are safe at home again which is good."
"Yay." Lightning said in a tone which indicated anything but joy.
"Yes, because it means Cargyll won't be so pissed tomorrow." Doc held out his hand to him.
"He's an old jerk." Lightning took his hand, following his guidance to the bed. "Don't you think so?"
Doc wouldn't lie. Sitting down, he looked up at the young racer and nodded in agreement. "He's got the softness of a diamond, but he also has the heart of one." Easing his mentee down, he made sure his torso was supported fully and rubbed his back. "I know it was hard for you tonight to let the 95 stay at the impound. I'm not gonna spank you for long. Okay, kiddo?"
"Okay." Lightning's voice was slightly muffled by the comforter. He adjusted himself, now resting his chin on his folded arms. "We talking like ten seconds or...?
"More like ten minutes."
"God, you're a mean old man." For a moment, Doc was concerned he thought he'd meant it, but then Lightning snickered.
Satisfied that was cleared up, Doc placed a hand on the small of Lightning's back and raised the other, though careful not to raise it too high up. Bringing it down with a sharp swat against the younger man's sit-spots, he kept his hand where it had connected before sliding it across and repeating the process. Again and again, he kept up the swats, creating an intense heat that had Lightning squirming over his knee. He stopped, keeping his hand where he'd last swatted him and asked "You gonna go cow-tipping again?"
"No, Doc."
"You gonna say anything to Farmer Cargyll?"
"Yeah - live a little."
Resuming the spanking, Doc picked up the pace while his charge yelped and protested. At least he was honest, he thought, aiming some smacks at the backs of his thighs. Very good trait.
"Okay, okay, I'll tell him I'm sorry and I won't - fuck! - I won't do it again, Doc! Oww! I'm sorry! Please!"
Doc slowed the smacks, focusing again on the sit-spots. "Why won't you do it again?"
"Because if Cargyll gets cows lost again, he won't sell us his product and because I wanna be a good role model!"
Lesson learned. Doc stopped the spanking and helped Lightning stand, pulling him into a hug which the kid melted into. "That's my boy. All answered for, kiddo."
Lightning buried his face into Doc's chest, his arms tight around his mentor. "Oww."
"I know, son." Doc patted his back. "You're very brave. I did notice you're wearing your thickest sweats. You must be so hot..."
"And it didn't even work."
"Well, I am sorry about that." Doc felt tiredness prickle at his eyes and ignored it. Comforting his kid was more important. He cupped the back of Lightning's head, trying to hide an upcoming yawn. "Ve-ry sorry."
"You yawned." Lightning tried to wriggle out of the hug. "You're tired, Doc."
"Only a little. Keep still, I'm trying to help you feel better."
"I'm tired too, old man."
"You're never tired, young man." Doc said but he let him go just in case he was. "I'll see you in the morning or afternoon, whenever you wake up."
He was hot. Height of summer was no time to be wearing the sweats he had on, but when faced with a trip over his mentor's lap, he had to think smart. Not that it had even helped much. Letting them drop, he rubbed his rear end as he searched for a thinner pair. For a man in his... Well, Lightning wasn't too sure how old Doc was. He'd never dared ask and settled for old as an age. Anyway, for a man of his age, he was a strong old guy. Catching a glimpse of his legs in the mirror, he noticed the dusky pink hue the backs of his thighs now had and huffed out some air in a sigh. No more cow tipping. But it had been so much fun. Maybe they could try again in a couple months from now. Yeah.
And, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to try and make amends with Farmer Cargyll for the sakes of being a good role model.