Work Text:
"King" Gwen yells out the back door realizing she hasn't seen him since lunch an hour ago.
The boys tend to be all over the place at the ranch. Neither Gwen nor Blake had a problem with that as long as they followed the rules that were set in place. No guns without Blake. No four wheelers without asking and having an adult go with you. No going in the lake without an adult. All rules set to keep them safe. Boys will be boys however and they don't always follow the rules. Gwen walked down to the barn to see if King was in there, while Zelva kept an eye on the other two boys.
"King?! Kingston?!" She gets no response
After walking through the barn and finding no trace of him Gwen begins to panic. She starts to head to the lake to see if he is down there but spots Blake up by Zelva and the other boys. She yells for him and her tone of voice must have given away how scared and panicked she was because he ran over to her rather than walked.
"What's wrong sunshine?"
"Blake I can't find Kingston." The worry washes over her as she breaks on her cowboy.
"Hey. Hey, Gwen look at me." He says pulling her away from his chest so he can look her in the eye. "We will find him. I'm sure he is fine. He probably just wondered off where he can't hear us. We will find him I promise!" She stands there for a minute letting Blake hold her and calm her. She and Blake checked the whole property around the ranch house and found no traces. Gwen was well past panic at this point and ready to call the police to start a massive search party.
"Gwen!" She hears Blake's voice yell and she takes off in the direction of his voice.
She finds him where they store the four wheelers and it is suddenly very clear. Kings four wheeler is missing. Fire builds up in Gwen while the fear continues to hold on.
"What the hell? He knows he isn't allowed to take his four wheeler out without one of us." The fiery anger coming through. "What if something happened and he is out there in trouble or worse hurt?" The fear now the most prominent emotion.
"I'm gonna go looking for him. Zelva has the other boys take yours too and we will go look find him." Gwen agrees and they both take off for the wood on their four wheelers.
As they make it to the clearing, they see Kingston coming out of the woods on his four wheeler. Reliefs floods Gwen and Blake as the fear dissipates. The relief doesn't last long in Gwen and that angry mother in her raises. As Kingston reaches them you can tell by the look on his face he knows he is in trouble, big trouble.
"Where have you been?" Gwen asks not yelling but using a loud stern voice, one that Blake finds very sexy.
"I went for a ride in the woods." King says his eyes looking down at his four wheeler.
"Kingston look at me right now." She stops waiting until his eyes make contact with hers. "Why would you do that?"
"Zuma was saying mean stuff and I wanted to get away and be by myself."
"What are the rules Kingston?"
"Not to take the four wheelers out without an adult."
"You are 10 years old! You know better than this!"
"But mo..."
"No buts! You are grounded for the rest of the week! No four wheelers and no going out on the boat!"
"What!?! That's not fair this is the last week we are here! Can't you pick some other way to punish me?"
"No Kingston. You chose to break the rules so now you have to face the consequences." King looks to Blake begging for help.
"Gwen don't you think your being a little harsh? This is the last week we are all here together until winter break and you can't exactly go out on the boat then." Blake tries
"Don't you dare tell me how to parent MY son. Not YOUR son. MINE. I don't care if you think it's unfair Kingston. It was unfair for me to run all over looking for you scared. Now go put the four wheeler up."
After Kingston has drove off Gwen sat there with her face in her hands. Blake was in total shock. He didn't say a word to her. He just backed up and started to drive off but stopped.
"All you have ever told me since I got involved in these boys lives is that I'm more of a father to them than your ex but I guess that was a lie. He is only ten Gwen he is gonna make mistakes and he needs to reap the consequences but I think you laid them down to heavy this time." Blake said before speeding off into the woods.
"Blake!" Gwen called after him but she doubts he hears her over the humming of the engine.
Shit. She was so scared and angry with Kingston she took it out on Blake. She meant that every time she had said that to him. He was more of a father to those boys than their biological dad would be. Now she has ruined that. He will never fully believe her when she says that. Knowing that he won't believe her is just as awful as it is to watch him drive off into the woods. She turned her four wheeler around as tears streamed down her face. It was almost dinner so once she got the four wheeler put away, which wasn't easy especially because Blake usually does it, she went into the house to get the food ready.
An hour later Gwen called all of her boys, including Blake who had just got back, into the house for dinner. Everyone sat in there usual seats for dinner however there was nothing usual about this dinner. Gwen and Blake avoid each other's touch and Kingston avoids everyone's gaze. It was the most uncomfortable awkward family dinner that have ever had together. The further into the meal they got the more Apollo fed off the tension refusing to eat his chicken and throwing tantrum after tantrum. Once dinner was over Gwen had had enough with this atmosphere and decided to put an end to it. She instructed Zelva to take the boys into the living room to watch a movie and as she did this Blake made his move to leave but she caught his arm.
"What do you want Gwen?" He said looking at his feet.
She placed her finger under his chin and lifted it until their eyes locked.
"Can we talk please?"
"Gwen I..."
"Please" she said as tears welled up in her eye and no matter how frustrated or upset he was with her, he couldn't stand to see her cry. He turned back toward her and pulled her into his chest. She completely broke on him. All of the days drama catching up to her. He held her until the sobs that wracked her body started to subside.
When she finally composed herself she leaned back away from his chest, never letting go though, she looked up at him with the saddest eyes he has seen since she cried about all the things her ex husband put her through.
"Blake I'm so sorry. I was so mad and scared that I just let my emotions run wild. It's absolutely no excuse for what I did and I want to fix it. I want us to sit down with King and adjust his punishment based on what we both think. They boys need to know you have just as much right to serve out punishment as I do."
"Gwen when we started us I told you that we needed guidelines for when I can step in and you said no. You said I had 50/50 right with you to discipline them. From that point on I have looked as those boys as ours not just yours. So for you to not only say that but to say it in front of Kingston was a total slap in the face. I love you and those boys more than anything in this world but to make this parenting aspect work we have to be a team. I can't make it work without you being in it 100%."
"I'm in this as a team 100%. That's why I want us to talk to King together and together come up with the punishment."
Blake bent down and took claim of Gwen's lips pushing her up against the wall. It felt as if he needed to get out all the tension that this day has held. There were no kids to be seen and they could hear the movie Zelva had started. Gwen felt Blake grin against her lips as he started to grind his clothed but rock hard member against her clothed center. He developed an agonizingly slow rhythm and it wasn't long before Gwen was begging for him to be faster and harder. They next thing they knew both were coming undone together. Blake chuckled against Gwen's shoulder as he held her.
"What's so funny cowboy?" Gwen asks
"The fact that we act like horney teenagers who can't even wait until we get to our room. Now I have a mess to clean up before we talk to Kingston." Gwen giggles pushing Blake toward the door so he can go clean up.
................................................................
That night they put all the kids to bed together saving Kingston for last. The little boy knew what was coming before they even came into his room. He knew they were disappointed in him and he hated that.
"King we need to talk buddy." Gwen said sitting down on his bed
"Mom I'm really sorry!"
"I'm glad your sorry but I'm not the only one you need to apologize to. Blake was worried and looking for you as well."
"I'm sorry Blake."
"That means a lot King it really does. Your mom and I want to talk to you about you punishment though."
"Ok"
"The ban from the four wheeler holds I agree with your mom on that. However Gwen I do think he should be allowed on the boat. Instead of being banned from the boat I think that before we leave he should be responsible for making sure everyone's four wheeler are clean and mud free. What do you think sunshine?"
"I actually like that idea better. So Kingston you know your punishment and I hope this teaches you it's easier and more fun to follow the rules instead of breaking them. I love you baby."
"I love you too mom. I love you dad."
Blake freezes in place Kingston just called him dad. It's the first time he has ever been called that and he really likes it.
"I love you to King."