Forcing His Hand

by Virginia

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Date: February 2001

Rating: NC-17 for discipline, slashiness

Disclaimer: I do not own the A-Team; I just get them into trouble.

Archive: Yes

Feedback: Always appreciated!

Thanks: to Allison & Pepper for their excellent suggestions

Summary: Face's childish attitude gets him into trouble; Murdock's curiosity gets him some of the same trouble.

Warnings: Spankings

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The campsite was ideal for their purposes, secluded and peaceful. Hannibal had known it was just where the other three team members should spend the couple of days as they waited for the signal to come pick him up. It was off-season, so the campers were few and far between. The A-Team basically had the spot to themselves, the best circumstances for a group of fugitives to cool their heels. Murdock thought it would have been perfect... if it hadn't been for Face's constant complaining and whining, and for B.A.'s rumbling snarls back at him.

Templeton "Faceman" Peck was behaving true to form. He'd been complaining from the time they left L.A., on any and every topic: the time of day they left (obscenely early); the fact that he'd had to leave his beloved 'vette in the city; their sleeping accommodations (it didn't matter that he'd scammed them the best camping equipment money could buy).

B.A. Baracus had so far dealt with the younger man's childish behavior with growls and threats of bodily harm, the usual responses from the big Sergeant. Bigger trouble was brewing for the Lieutenant, however, if he didn't curb his smart mouth. Murdock could see it plain as day and he only wondered why B.A. hadn't taken matters in hand yet.

With those thoughts in mind, the pilot volunteered to hike up to the Park's Visitor Center to do a load of laundry. It would get him out of the tense campsite for a little while. They probably wouldn't be there for much longer; Hannibal's call was expected by that evening. Face had thrown one of his tantrums early that morning when B.A. decided it was time he got up. The result was an upset pot of coffee spilled over their bed clothes. Murdock had really been surprised when all B.A. did was yell at the Lieutenant, who wisely kept his mouth shut and gathered up all the soiled linen.

He discovered the Park really was a ghost town, at least that particular weekend, giving him the entire Center to himself. Since there was little chance of anyone disturbing his laundry, Murdock got the wash started and headed back to camp.

He could hear B.A. before he even neared their campsite: "I'm warnin' you, man. I've had enough of your complainin'."

Face answered: "What? What'd I do? Besides help us get all this stuff so we could sleep on the cold, hard ground out in the middle of nowhere."

Murdock winced at the plantive wail in Face's voice, knowing how much B.A. hated it when he heard Face whine.

"You know what I'm talkin' 'bout," B.A. rumbled. "You've had an attitude like a five-year-old since we left the city. I get enough o' that at the Center -- I don't need it here!"

Now with the campsite before him, Murdock hung back as B.A. turned an angry glare on Face, who stood with his mouth open at the accusation. He then poured on the wrongly accused act. "I have no idea what's got you so worked up, B.A., unless you wanta count our being stuck out here waiting on Hannibal, when we could've been perfectly happy in a motel room."

Baracus gave him a scowl and pointed a thick finger. "You been askin for it all week, Faceman. Now you get one more chance but that's it. Any more attitude outta you, an' you're gonna be sorry every time you try to sit down this weekend."

The big man stalked off and Face exhaled the breath he'd been holding since that finger leveled at him -- a sure sign when anyone was on the verge of crossing the line with B.A.

Murdock came the rest of the way into their camp. "He's right, you know."

Face jumped. "Geez, Murdock, sneak up on a guy, why don't you?" he said crossly. "Right about what?"

The pilot shrugged. "That you been askin' for it. You've been in a mood for days, ever since we left L.A. You know what you're gonna drive him to do, Face, so I don't understand why you don't just let up."

Face stared at him and shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Aw c'mon, Facey. You might wanta forget it happened, but you know darn well what I'm talkin' about." Murdock could tell by the color that rose in his friend's face that he knew exactly what the pilot was talking about.

"But I haven't done anything to him!" Face paused. "Have I?"

"You've been whinin' an awful lot, even for you! Just give it a rest and we'll be out of here soon. Look, all I'm sayin' is, you know what gets him riled up -- and now you have a first-hand idea what he'll do to punish you if you push 'm too far."

"No, he wouldn't. Not out here."

Face clearly wasn't buying it, in spite of the big Sergeant's warning that he'd make it hard for the Lieutenant to sit down comfortably. That promise had seemed clear enough to Murdock, who had no doubts whatsoever it was exactly what B.A. would do. The big guy had been resorting to corporal punishment with Murdock for the last couple of years, but with Face only recently and only once so far. Baracus had made that one time memorable and lasting. Murdock had seen his friend's well-punished bottom, knew the heat B.A.'s hand had generated because he'd helped soothe the con man's burning cheeks and done what he could to take the sting out. He knew only too well how it felt to receive punishment from the Sergeant. Murdock didn't want to see Face go through that again, but all he could do was warn his best friend.

"Look, Facey, you told me yourself what he promised you last time. Remember? That he wouldn't hesitate to punish you when he thinks you need it?"

"Yeah, but..." Face shook his head and swallowed nervously. "He wouldn't," he repeated, "not out here and not with you around." He suddenly didn't sound so sure. "Would he?"

Murdock shrugged and kicked a pine cone, sending it skittering across the ground. "He's bound to do it sooner or later if you keep pushin' him. Know what I think? I think you're seein' how far you can push B.A. 'til he pushes back. I gotta tell ya, Face... It won't take much more."

"You think I'm-- What are you saying, Murdock?" Face frowned.

Instead of answering directly, Murdock considered something he'd wondered for a while. "Didn't you ever have suspicions that I was gettin' spanked sometimes? I mean, as much time as we spend together, and I never told anybody but I sure couldn't hide the fact when I was feelin' very uncomfortable back there, you know?"

Face opened his mouth to throw back a comment, but froze and even started to blush. "I don't know, Murdock," he said slowly, in a rare moment of self-honesty. "I guess I noticed how you squirmed a lot riding in the van after a case, sometimes."

"Yeah, and that was usually after I'd done somethin' stupid, wasn't it? Done somethin' to risk my neck, or drive B.A. to distraction when he was tryin' to work."

"So... What does that have to do with me?" Face narrowed his eyes, clearly not liking where this was going.

"Well... Now don't get mad at me, but maybe, just maybe you subconsciously knew he was punishing me like that and you felt kinda left out, like you didn't get the same kind of attention whenever you screwed up." He said the words all in a rush, anxious to get it out before Face exploded.

All the con man did however was open and shut his mouth, obviously too agitated to respond. Face turned on his heel and stalked off.

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Murdock went back to put the laundry over to the dryer, all the while thinking back on the day B.A. had punished Face like he'd been seeing to Murdock. The pilot still didn't know exactly how it had come about for his best friend -- whether B.A. had given him a choice in the matter and Face had accepted the spanking... or if the big man had simply reached a decision and hauled the Lieutenant over his lap, like he'd done with Murdock that first time.

In fact, beyond that night at the motel when Murdock had tended to his friend's discomfort, they hadn't talked about the punishment since. He now figured they probably should have, even if Murdock had had to push the issue. He could understand Face's not wanting to discuss or even acknowledge it. Heck, it'd taken him a while to finally accept that B.A. was only doing what Murdock sometimes needed. Sorely needed. And Murdock knew that if he deserved that kind of punishment, well Face could sometimes constantly use it.

Murdock had told B.A. he'd stay with the laundry so he could pull it out of the dryer before it wrinkled or was disturbed by someone. But maybe he needed to go back right now. Insist he and Face have a serious discussion before the con man wound up paying the price for his stubbornness.

In a few more minutes he'd talked himself into heading back to camp. The laundry would be fine, especially if he hurried. He could get Face to walk back with him, giving Murdock a chance to talk some sense into him. B.A. had sounded like he was about at the end of his patience.

The campsite was abandoned. Murdock knew Face was one for wandering off by himself for the solitude, but not B.A. The big guy was never thrilled about being stuck in a tent out in the woods, and he'd wanted only to sit and wait for Hannibal's call. The pilot ventured down one of the paths he'd investigated earlier. He didn't have to go far before he he'd found B.A. and Face -- and this time they weren't arguing. From the sound of things, B.A. had finally passed well beyond the argument phase.

Murdock edged up to the clearing and saw that he had indeed found his two teammates -- and he'd been right about what he was hearing. B.A. was seated on a large tree stump, the kind that made for a perfect bench. He had the young Lieutenant face down across his lap and was in the process of adjusting the con man's attitude.

Murdock knew he should've turned right around and high-tailed it back to the Visitor's Center, as soon as he'd heard the commotion and guessed what was going on. Instead he'd drawn closer, telling himself he should make sure his team mates were all right. Now he found himself crouching down to be sure he stayed out of sight. He was unable to leave, unable to tear his eyes from the sight of his best friend, face down over the big Sergeant's thighs getting his bottom thoroughly warmed. Murdock was riveted to the sounds of the spanking, of the big open hand applied to the seat of Face's jeans. Steadily. And hard. For a very long time.

The pilot swallowed hard, feeling his cock stir as he watched the spanking. He pushed his body's reactions to the back of his mind, refusing to let himself think at all. Very soon every time that huge hand struck its target, Face either yelped or moaned. As the con man's reactions reached his ears, H.M. Murdock felt his body react a little more. He sympathized with his friend, no question about that. But there was something arousing about the sight and sounds, and about knowing he was secretly watching Face get spanked. He sure didn't like when he was the one being punished like that, and he didn't really want to see his best friend smarting as much as he knew Face was. But he couldn't deny either the fact that Face had earned the punishment, or the reaction in his body as he watched.

At least B.A. hadn't made Face take down his pants, though a part of Murdock couldn't deny wishing he had. Imagining his best friend's bare bottom receive those spanks aroused the pilot even more. But Face would still feel the punishment for a long time. Murdock knew from experience that B.A.'s hand could burn right through denim. Especially when he kept at it long enough, which he definitely was doing with Faceman now.

Baracus finally stopped spanking the Lieutenant. He pulled Face up and to his feet, pointing a finger in his face and rumbling, "Ya don't get a warnin' next time, ya goin' right over my knee. You understand?"

Murdock quietly backed away, hearing Face's tremulous response but unable to make out the words as he tried to put some distance between himself and the clearing. He didn't even want to think what B.A.'s reaction would be at discovering Murdock had eavesdropped, had watched the punishment take place. Nor did he want to see Face's reaction.

He froze, barely breathing as he heard BA stalking back to the van next to their campsite. The big man suddenly stopped and turned around, frowning mightily. "Git out here, now, you crazy fool!" he barked out. The pilot held his breath.

"I said, git out here!!" That voice got the Captain moving. He stumbled out from where he'd been hiding.

B.A. took him by the arm and 'helped' him over to the van. Once there BA turned him around and swatted him on the rear, hard.

"Ow! What'd I do?" Murdock wailed, hands going immediately to the sting. Two large hands grasped both his wrists, pulling his hands away from his bottom. The next thing Murdock knew, he was bent over at the waist, leaning over the van hood with his hands held fast in one of B.A.'s iron fists.

"Ya sneakin' around, that's what. You so interested in Faceman getting' his butt blistered, you can take some of it too -- that way, you'll both have somethin' in common, somethin' you both need right now."

"B.A., no! I was just walking back to the van and-- Ow!"

"Try again, fool," B.A. commanded. "What were you doin'?"

"I told you, I was coming back-- OW!!" Now that smarted, Murdock thought -- hardest swat yet.

"Care to try that again?"

"B.A.--"

It must've been the whine in his voice. Two rapid swats answered him, one delivered to each cheek and making him dance. "All right! All right, it wasn't a coincidence. I-- I figured you were gonna punish Face for his attitude."

"So you hid out so you could watch him get spanked?!" B.A. roared.

"NO!! If you'll remember, I left to go down to the laundry!"

"Then why'd you come back so soon? You said you was gonna stay there an' wait fo' the laundry."

"I figured I'd better come talk to Face an' warn him about his attitude, that he was gettin' close to a spanking. And that's the truth!"

B.A. paused, considering, then demanded in a lower voice, "Then why'd you stick around to watch?"

"I don't know that either. I just did. I-- I just couldn't move."

B.A. released his wrists. Murdock stood up and his hands again went to the sting, drawn like magnets. As he rubbed hard and looked up at the Sergeant, he felt a sudden dread and certainty spread throughout his body. "Am I gonna get it?"

"What do you think?"

Murdock's face fell. He only hoped the big guy was tired out from all that he'd just given Face.

"Come on, fool, I ain't got all day!"

B.A. grabbed his arm and dragged him back toward the same clearing where he'd punished Face. They passed the Lieutenant on the way as he was headed back to camp, wincing as he moved. B.A. never slowed down, just kept hauling Murdock along and growled out that he and Murdock were on their way to visit the same spot, and Face was welcome to come watch if he wanted.

"B.A.!" Murdock shrieked. He was unable to see if Face followed them, as he was unceremoniously towed along.

Baracus sat down on the tree stump he'd previously occupied and wasted no time drawing Murdock down over his thighs. The pilot watched the world tip and soon had a view of pine needles and dirt. B.A. didn't even bother with a lecture. He brought his hand down hard on Murdock's bottom and Murdock gave a loud yelp. The sting B.A. had given him out by the van now intensified as the Sergeant's hand fell repeatedly.

Eventually the spanking paused. "What d'you have to say about sneakin' around, and eavesdroppin', fool?"

"That I won't do it again, I promise!"

"What's gonna happen if ya do?"

"You're-- You're gonna spank me for it!"

"Ya got that right!"

Murdock yelped as the big hand fell heavy and low on his bottom. He looked at the ground a few minutes more as B.A. scorched him through his khakis.

An hour later found the three of them seated around the campsite, and the air was the quietest it had been since they'd arrived. B.A. finished off his lunch with gusto, enjoying the peace and quiet. Murdock and Face were much more subdued and mightily uncomfortable. They both would have preferred standing, but B.A. wouldn't have it. According to the Sergeant, they had earned their punishments and they could now sit and think about it.

If Face had come back to the clearing to see what was going on, he never let on to Murdock. He'd been at the campsite when B.A. and Murdock returned. The pilot shifted yet again, vainly trying to ease the smart. He knew one thing for sure, next time he wouldn't put it off when he knew he'd better have a talk with his best friend.

END

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