Title: Impulse buy Alex and Fox pulled on their jackets and half-listened to Walter’s threats as to what he would do to them if they came back from the flea market with another item of dubious use. ‘No old electrical equipment, no stuffed animals, nothing with mould or woodworm, no…’ ‘Fun?’ Fox suggested, earning him a glare from where Walter sat, feet up, the Sunday papers spread around him. ‘I’m serious. I won’t let you in the apartment if you bring back anything as stupid as you did last time.’ ‘Just because you didn’t appreciate it, Walter…’ Alex began. ‘A safe, Alex. Without a combination.’ ‘Very safe.’ Fox giggled. ‘Out! Now!’ Walter snarled, his mock-anger dissipating as the door closed. He shook his head slowly, bent down and picked up his paper. ************** The two men wandered amongst the various stalls, occasionally pointing out something they had found which Walter would object to sharing a house with. Fox was suddenly aware that Alex was no longer following him. He stopped, turned, and looked where Alex’s eyes were fixed, his whole body tense as he watched the two young men standing among a heap of what looked like mostly junk. ‘Alex, what’s the matter?’ ‘The blond kid. I’m sure he’s one of the people who mugged me.’ ‘Okay. Stay here. Call 911. Then call Walter.’ Reluctantly, Alex did as he was told. Fox spent a couple of minutes rifling the contents of various boxes and bags on an adjoining stall, then, when he judged he’d given Alex enough time, he moved onto the stall where two young men stood, looking around, obviously bored. Fox spent a few minutes perusing the meagre and poor-quality items until he sensed he had their attention. ‘Hey guys.’ Fox smiled his most charming smile. ‘I’m looking for a joke gift for our friend for his birthday. You wouldn’t happen to have any ideas?’ The two men exchanged a look. ‘What kind of thing you looking for?’ ‘Something totally useless that he won’t use in a million years.’ ‘Well, I think we might have exactly what you’re looking for. Come round the back.’ Fox followed the two men who opened a box hidden under a table. ‘It’s an arm. It’s expensive though.’ ‘How much?’ Fox asked, controlling his voice with difficulty as he recognised Alex’s prosthesis. ‘Two hundred. Cash.’ ‘Done.’ Fox said quickly, pulling his wallet out. The two younger men were so excited at the prospect of the quick profit they failed to notice the policemen approaching, or Walter and Alex coming up behind Fox. ‘Morning guys.’ The older officer smiled politely. ‘Officer.’ The two men began to look around them, suddenly realising there was a second police officer, as well as an older man and… ‘Remember me?’ Alex said brightly. The two men made an attempt at escape. One was caught immediately by the two police officers. The other got a few yards before Walter caught him and dropped him to the ground, resting his weight on the younger man as he waited for the police officers. Squashed under Walter’s considerable bulk, the man struggled. ‘Don’t move.’ Walter hissed angrily. ‘What’cha gonna do, grandpa? Hit me with your walker?’ Walter didn’t stop to think. He pulled the younger man onto his back and punched him, hard. The man screamed as blood poured from his nose. ‘You f_____g bastard! You broke my nose! Christ!’ Alex and Fox turned just in time to see Walter wipe his knuckles on the younger man’s shirt. Hearing the shout, the older police officer walked quickly across the path. ‘What happened?’ ‘He hit his face on the ground as he fell.’ Walter said calmly. ‘He hit me! My nose is broken!’ The young man, still held tightly in Walter’s grasp struggled to free himself. The two police officers were less than concerned at the young man’s accusation. The older one shrugged. ‘Mr Skinner’s a well-respected member of the local community. I have no reason to doubt his word.’ The officer said, hauling the younger man to his feet while his colleague cuffed him. ************** Fox closed the door with considerable force. ‘Alex, get a bowl of hot water, antiseptic, cotton wool and a towel please. Bring it into the living room.’ *********** Fox examined Walter’s grazed knuckles, his silent anger making Alex squirm as he watched Fox carefully clean Walter’s hand. Walter broke the uncomfortable silence. ‘Fox, I…’ ‘Don’t. You assaulted a suspect, lied to a police officer about what had happened and nothing you were about to say in your defence could possibly make a difference to what’s going to happen.’ Fox’s voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the anger in his tone. Alex swallowed hard. He had always thought that Fox was, well, wimpy. This Fox was totally different. And scary. His body radiated anger and while he was tending to Walter’s cuts with gentle care, there was no mistaking his feelings. When the scraped skin on Walter’s hand was cleaned and covered, Fox looked across at Alex, his hand indicating the table. ‘Alex, tidy these things away please. Walter, upstairs.’ Walter hesitated a moment, and Fox snapped: ‘Now!’ His reluctance obvious in his slow movement, Walter climbed the stairs, conscious both of Fox’s proximity as he was followed and Alex’s eyes on him as he ascended. ************ ‘Belt.’ Fox said, holding out his hand. Staring at the carpet, Walter fumbled with his buckle, eventually pulling the leather belt free and handing it to Fox. ‘Look at me Walter.’ Slowly, Walter’s eyes met Fox’s. ‘You did wrong. You’re being punished.’ Walter nodded slightly. ‘Strip.’ Fox’s voice was softer now, but Walter saw the hardness in his eyes hadn’t diminished. Fox pulled the wooden chair from under the desk against the window. When Walter had dragged out taking off and folding his clothes neatly onto the bed as long as he could, he walked silently across to the chair, leaning over it, his hands gripping the sides of the seat. ‘Twelve.’ Fox said simply, moving to stand at Walter’s side. Walter tensed every muscle as he waited for the first blow. He knew it would hurt more, but it had been so long since he had last been on the receiving end of a strapping that he couldn’t make himself relax. His guilt at his actions, lying to the police officer and Fox’s expression of sad disappointment milled around inside his mind. Then the first stripe of pain seared into his taut flesh and he gasped at the burning, stinging hurt. Fox didn’t pause longer than necessary between blows, and the dozen welts were quickly raised on his skin. Startled, he flinched as Fox’s hand touched his arm. ‘All done Walter.’ Walter straightened, still breathing heavily, hissing through the pain of moving. ‘I’m sorry Fox.’ Fox allowed a slight smile to soften his face. ‘I know. It’s over now. You’re forgiven. Get dressed.’ As before, there was no hug, no soda, no soothing lotion. Walter had done a terrible thing, and deserved no pampering. Fox paused in the doorway as Walter pulled on his underwear very carefully. ‘Walter, are you sure…’ Walter looked up. ‘Yes Fox. We talked about this the first time, didn’t we?’ ‘I know. It just doesn’t seem right…’ Fox was uneasy about leaving Walter, despite knowing that he had done exactly as Walter had asked, remembering Walter’s specific instructions perfectly. As he laid the belt on the bed, Walter saw Fox’s unease. ‘It’s okay Fox. Go down and sit with Alex please.’ ************** Alex looked from Fox, who seemed calmer, to Walter, who seemed to have difficulty walking. ‘What the Hell did you just do, Fox?’ ‘I punished Walter.’ Fox said flatly. Alex shook his head. ‘No way!’ Walter nodded. ‘I deserved it Alex.’ ‘It’s my fault!’ Alex was upset, his breathing rapid, his eyes wide. ‘No it’s not Alex.’ Walter said gently. ‘If I hadn’t been mugged…’ ‘Something else would have happened.’ Fox interrupted. ‘This has been building for a while, right Walter?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Starting tomorrow, you’ll start back at the gym.’ ‘Yeah.’ Alex was still upset, and Fox dropped onto the couch beside him. ‘This isn’t in any way your fault Alex, okay?’ Alex shook his head, confused. ‘But I thought only Walter…’ ‘Mostly. But once before and then again today Walter needed to be punished.’ ‘What happened before?’ Alex asked quietly, not sure he really want to know. Fox looked at Walter, who came to sit on Alex’s other side. ‘Some guy tortured a woman. When he was arrested, he laughed when he told us what he’d done. How she’d suffered. I lost my temper. When I came home, late, Fox was waiting up. After a while arguing, I convinced him to punish me. We agreed if I ever did something like that again, he would punish me.’ ‘It wasn’t my fault that time.’ Alex whispered. ‘Nor this time Alex. I lost my temper. That was in no way your fault, okay?’ Alex nodded slowly. ‘Okay.’ Walter tipped Alex’s chin up with his fingertips until Alex was looking into his eyes. ‘Alex?’ ‘It wasn’t my fault.’ Walter smiled. ‘No. It wasn’t. It was mine. Now we need to think about dinner. Shall we cook or order in?’ ‘Order in.’ Fox said. ‘My treat.’ Alex shrugged. ‘Okay.’ Walter frowned. ‘Why treat us Fox?’ Fox smiled. ‘Because you’re going back to the gym and Alex did as he was asked this morning and waited for you and the police to arrive.’ Alex and Walter exchanged a glance. ‘Trust you to make a bad thing into a good thing Fox.’ Walter said teasingly. ‘Yeah, well, every cloud has a silver lining.’ Alex pulled a mock-horrified face. ‘Please, no more of that on an empty stomach. Laughing, Fox got up and went into the kitchen to retrieve the take-out menu from their favorite Chinese. As they waited for the food, Alex remembered something. ‘I bought something this morning.’ Alex said casually. ‘It’s being delivered later.’ Walter frowned. ‘What?’ ‘It’s a surprise.’ ‘ALEX!!’ Walter snarled. Fox rushed back into the living room. ‘What?’ ‘I just told Walter they’ll be delivering that thing I bought this morning.’ Fox groaned. ‘You didn’t really buy it, Alex?’ Alex nodded. ‘Yup. It’s gonna look great when it’s fixed up.’ Losing his temper, Walter stood up, looming over Alex. ‘Either you tell me what you bought, or…’ The knock at the door stopped him in mid-threat. The man who stood at the door looked from Walter’s angry face, to Fox’s only slightly-less angry expression, to Alex’s smile. ‘Where d’ya wan’ it?’ Alex squeezed out of the door. ‘I’ll show you.’ ************ Eating their take-out, the three men couldn’t help their attention being drawn back to the view through their French windows. Walter scowled. ‘If the neighbors complain Alex, it’s going.’ ‘I think it’s…artistic.’ Fox said lightly. ‘It’ll be fine once I’ve cleaned it up.’ Alex said, clearly proud of his newest acquisition. The statue, life-size and pale marble, stood imposingly in the centre of the lawn. Intended by the artist as an homage to the statue of the Three Graces, the statue of three beautiful, young, men naked except for small pieces of strategically-placed but evidently gossamer-thin pieces of cloth, was certain to be a talking point at their next party Walter mused. Once the mud, mould and other unidentifiable mess was cleaned off it. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the cartons on the table. As he reached for the rice, his flesh pressed against the edge of the chair and he grimaced, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. ‘Everything okay Walter?’ Fox asked, a trace of concern in his voice. Looking around the table from Alex to Fox and into the garden at the statue, his hand unconsciously covering the plaster across his knuckles, Walter smiled, nodding. ‘Yes Fox. Everything’s fine.’ Home Send me feedback on this fic Return to the X-Files Fic Index Return to the West Wing Fic Index