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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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2,948
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29
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Bundles of Joy

Summary:

This is an AU in which nothing is canon.

Work Text:


 

Bundles of Joy
by Ciejye
 

The boys were a part of an orphan train that had come west filled with the eastern orphans who were 'unadoptable' mostly older children who were going to be placed with families to work on farms and be loved as well. Fox and Alex were not related to each other but they were fast friends. They told each couple who came to look them over that they were brothers and could not be separated for any reason. Most couples were willing to take one child but not two boys, especially when one was not old enough to do much work for a few years yet.

Fox was 8 years old, thin and gangly, he looked as if he could put in a good full days work, but Alex was only 5, a bit chubby and small for his age to boot. He would not be able to work the farms and ranches for a while yet and most couples didn't feel like feeding him while he grew. Everyone knew a growing boy could eat you out of house and home and two of them were more than most could comprehend. So the boys were passed over, again and again until the train finally reached its last stop. At that stop only a couple of folks came to look over the last of the orphans. They, as the others had, took other children rather than the two small boys. And finally it was just Fox and Alex alone on the railway platform. The Orphanage matron, a sour woman who had an intense dislike for boys in particular, cuffed them each firmly about the head. "Worthless orphans, to stupid to even get adopted. Well its back to the asylum for you two and the workhouse!" as she reached to cuff them again, her wrist was firmly grasp in a large hand.

"There is no need for you to be cuffing those boys. Its not their fault they were not adopted." The tall bald man said in a rich voice.

The matron snorted and tried to pull her wrist away from the hand that imprisoned it. "Nothing but trouble those two are. Nothing but trouble. Always telling lies and getting into mischief. Well now they've done it! It's back to the orphanage with them. And to the work house."

The large man contemplated the boys as he held the woman's arm. Then at long last he spoke "They have a home now, I will adopt them."

"You don't know what your saying, these two are nothing but trouble. They are both thieves and liars. They cause nothing but trouble and fight. They aren't worth your time." The matron said not having seen the fire lighting in the big man's eyes. "That one" she pointed at Alex. "is nothing but a sniveling baby, still wets the bed at night, always in trouble, he steals anything he can and has been in a fight with almost every other child at the orphanage." She then pointed to Fox. "and that one tries to run away every time you turn your back. Constantly poking his big nose into things that don't concern him. He keeps talking about finding his dog and has been brought back by the police 6 times in the month before we left New York for getting into their business. Claims he was investigating crimes." She snorted again. "Good hard discipline is what they need, and I aim to see that they get it! AT the workhouse!"

"As I said, I will adopt both boys, I am well versed in the needs of boys and I assure you, they will get all the discipline they need in my home." The man looked at the terrified boys. "And all the love as well."

It had taken a bit of doing, but Walter Skinner was persistent and before the afternoon was over, he was the guardian and soon to be adopted father of one Fox William Mulder and one Alexi Krycek. Both soon to be Skinners.

They had made it home for a late supper of warmed over stew and biscuits. Two the orphans it was a feast, especially when Walter brought out the apple pie he had purchased as a treat from the hotel in town. It had only been a 20 minute ride as Walter lived close to the town. Close enough that the boys could go to school daily when it was time.

After supper, the next order of business was a bath. Both boys protested this vehemently but Walter was not detoured. He simply pointed at the tub and had that look on his face that seemed to say, "right now or else." Fox sighed and moved to the tub, nodding for Alex to join him. Walter had to smile at the sight of little Alex so small and all thumbs as he tried to unbutton his shirt. Walter moved to help him and nodded to Fox, who had turned to do the same, to get into the tub. Fox glared at the large man for a moment but did as he was told and got in the tub. During all this, Walter made a shopping list of things he needed to get for the boys. New clothing and decent boots were first on the list. Their clothing was full of holes and their drawers were threadbare and almost falling apart. The boots had definitely seen better days.

Walter set about washing the ragamuffins in his charge, gradually, the real boys, all clean and bright faced came from under the dirt. "What handsome boys you are now that you are clean" Walter said with a smile as he lathered up his hands and set to work on their hair. "You boys are going to need haircuts when we go into town tomorrow. Not too much off but a good trim to make it look neat." He said quickly when he saw the faces that were made.

After dressing them in the old shirts of his, (it seems the orphanage didn't send along nightshirts for them) Walter sat them down on two chairs in front of his desk sat in the chair behind it. "Boys, we need to have a little talk." The boys nodded their dark heads and listened, they liked this man right away. Walter smiled to the boys then got serious. "We have a few issues to discuss gentlemen. Rules to get down and a serious matter that needs tending too. First the rules. I expect you know most of them already. No lying, or stealing, listen to what I say and do as your told. We can work on other rules as time passes but those are the big ones. I know your boys and boys get into mischief at times but I do expect you to be on your best behavior when we are in town or if we have company. Did you have the same rules in the orphanage?" Walter looked firmly at the two boys.

Fox and Alex exchanged glances then Fox spoke. "Kind of, we had a lot more rules than you have but they always changed."

"That won't happen here, I will not change the rules without telling you boys first. That's a promise. One thing you will learn about me is that I always keep my promises. Always!" Walter let the boys see how firmly he was committed to that with the look on his face and the seriousness in his eyes. "You both knew it was wrong to lie, correct?" It was more a statement than a question.

"Yeah .. we did." Fox whispered and Alex nodded, their heads hung down as they examined their feet.

"The correct way to answer would be yes Sir. I expect you boys to use proper respect to adults, say Sir and Ma'am, don't just nod. And look at me when we are talking, a lot can be said about a man by the way he keeps eye contact." Walter gently corrected.

"Yes Sir." The boys both said, the hazel and emerald eyes looked up into the chocolate ones.

"I don't want a lie clouding our home. Every lie is going to earn a spanking. It doesn't matter how big or small it is. A lie is a lie. Now tell me what you boys lied about." Walter never raised his voice, he was calm but firm.

"We said we were brothers but we ain't, we didn't mean to lie but we had to stay together we just had to." Fox's hazel eyes begged for the older man to understand.

Walter did understand but he wanted things on the up and up. One lie let go would lead to another and another and soon the whole relationship would be based on lies. "I understand son, but a lie is always punished with a spanking and even if you were not mine when you told the lie, you knew it was wrong. Come here and lets get this out of the way. Then we can have some hot cocoa and get some sleep."

Fox stood up and moved to the large rancher. "It was my lie so I am the only one to be punished. Alex didn't do nothing wrong."

"That's not the truth Fox, I know you wanna protect me, but I lied too and I don't like it. Please, I wanna feel good inside again." Little Alex piped up as he moved to Fox's side. His little green eyes filled with tears. He didn't want a spanking but the guilt from the lie was eating him up inside.

Walter pulled both boys to him in a tight hug. "I am very proud of the way you owned up to what you did, Alex. That was very brave of you. And Fox while I do not like that you lied to me again, I am proud of you for sticking up for your friend. Your new brother." Walter smiled fondly at the boys for a moment then placed them both over his knees. Alex was by his body while Fox was on the out side. He lifted the shirttails to expose the twin bottoms as he held the boys in place with one strong hand. "Steady now boys. Alex your 5, so you are going to get 5 swats. Fox, your 8 so you will get 8 swats but since you told two lies you are going to get that for each lie. I want you boys to remember that lies are never tolerated. And while there may be times when you will only get one spanking for two misdeeds. Each lie will get you your age in swats. Understood?"

"Yes Sir," the boys said tearfully as they hung over the powerful thighs. Their little bottoms clenched in fear of the spankings they were about to receive.

They didn't have long to wait. Walter brought his hand down firmly three times on Fox's bottom before he switched and gave Alex one swat. Then back to Fox for three more and back to Alex again. By this time Alex's bottom was turning pink while Fox's bottom was on its way to red. The boys kicked and squirmed but Walter held the firmly as he continued to lay down firm swats on the wiggling bottoms. By this time the boys were crying as their bottoms were firmly spanked. Walter was not using full force of course, he wanted to lesson the boys not abuse them.

Finally, the last spank was laid down. It was a bit harder than the other ones. Once on Alex's bottom and then the final one on Fox's bottom. The boys howled at that last swat and lay there sobbing as Walter rubbed their backs gently. His other hand covered the chastised bottoms tenderly. "It's all done now boys. The slate is clean and we need never bring it up again. You paid the price now all is forgiven." Walter lifted the boys to stand before him and gathered them to him careful of their tender bottoms.

Fox and Alex didn't even hesitate, they threw their arms around their new father and hugged him tightly, their tears wetted his shirt but Walter didn't mind a bit. He simply held the boys to him and cuddled them. His arms soothed the weeping lads. He rained soft kisses on the two tossled heads as his heart swelled. He had felt a kinship with the boys before... but now it was as if they were made to be in his arms and in his heart.

All too soon for all three they broke the embrace and Walter got up to make the cocoa.

"Are you going to be spanking us … a lot?" Fox ask shyly as one hand rubbed his bottom.

"That depends," Walter said quietly. "If you behave then you won't be spanked, if you misbehave…….." Walter left the sentence hang.

"I know, I know, if we misbehave we get spanked." Fox let out a deep sigh. "But, will you still hug us after? I mean that meant a lot to Alex." The boy blushed deeply.

"Fox…." Walter warned.

The boy blushed again. "It meant a lot to me too, Sir." Fox whispered and looked at Walter with worried eyes.

Walter held the boy's eyes for a moment to let him know that he understood then smiled. "I'm glad, it meant a lot to me as well." He brought over the three mugs of cocoa and handed one to Fox and one to Alex. "Drink up boys, I added some cold milk so it would be drinkable."

Fox smile and took a careful sip, a moment later he drank deeply. Alex did the same a soon sported a chocolate mustache. "Thank you Sir, this is good." Alex said as he remembered his manners.

"Ohh yes Sir, thank you." Fox smiled to their guardian and was rewarded with a smile back. 'He seems to be happy a lot.' Fox thought to himself.

The three sipped the cocoa in companionable silence for a time. Then Walter set his cup down and reached over to the bookshelf near his chair. He selected book, opened it and in a deep gentle voice, began to read. Alex moved first, his cocoa finished, he moved to Walter and leaned against the arm of his chair. Walter paused and let the boy into his lap. Then looked at Fox. Walter knew the boy was torn, wanting to trust but not there yet. With a motion, Walter gestured the boy to him and lifted him into his lap as well. Then Walter lifted the book again with one arm around each boy and began to read once more.

Both boys were half asleep when Walter finished the first chapter. He closed the book and gently assisted the boys to their feet. "Bed time boys." Walter said softly as he replaced the book on the shelf. Then he took two little hands and led the boys up the steps to their room. A quick wash of the small faces rid them of the chocolate mustaches. "Time to say your prayers boys." Fox and Alex obediently knelt where Walter indicated.

"We never prayed before going to bed before. What should we say?" Alex asked, his face so innocent and sweet.

"Would you like to learn the prayer I was taught when I was a boy?" Walter asked as he saw the dilemma.

Both boys nodded vigorously. Walter began.

"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord, my soul to keep;
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take."

Then you do the God bless' where you say who you wish God to bless and keep in His tender care. I would say God bless Fox and Alex and Thank You Lord for letting them come into my home and be my family. I would also apologize for any trouble I caused anyone during the day and ask God to help me be a better person tomorrow. But you boys can say anything you wish. Just talk to God like He was here in the room. Then when you're all done you say Amen."

The boys both nodded and folded their hands as they had seen Walter do, then, with a bit of prompting, they recited the prayer Walter had taught them and did the God blesses.

Alex spoke his in a nice loud voice. "God bless Fox and Mr. Skinner and thank you for letting us be a family together and we didn't meant to fib God, Fox and me just wanted to stay together. And now we can but we was punished for the fib. We gotted a spankin. Well that's all for now. Oh and please help me be a good boy so I don't get no more of those spankings. Amen."

Fox's prayer was softer, but no less sincere. "God bless Alex and Mr. Skinner and thank you for letting him rescue us from the orphan train. I'm sorry I told a lie God. And I will try not to do it again. Just please, let us stay here and be a family. Amen.

Walter beamed at this two boys as he tucked them into the single bed. "Goodnight boys, sleep tight, have gentle dreams." Then he impulsively leaned over and kissed each boy on the forehead and silently thanked God for bringing such bundles of joy into his life.

fin