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Chapter Text

The intramural booths were, admittedly, fun to be around. The fields were across campus so Maya didn’t have to watch some boring game of soccer - instead she got to meet about 20 other versions of Leeland. If you had asked her last night, Maya would’ve said that was the stuff of nightmares, but now, being around other confident, gay women felt like community. It was too bad she wasn’t very athletic. Leeland approached her looking more relaxed than she had all day.

”Anything suit your fancy?” She asked. 

“I don’t know,” Maya responded awkwardly, crossing her arms. “I’m not- I’m not sure when’s the last time I’ve ran.”

Leeland laughed heartily. “Yeah, well, it’s intramural. Not a D1 scholarship.”

”Is there a way to join without having to run around?” 

“Are you sure you’ve looked at everything?” Leeland asked sneakily. “C’mon.”

Leeland led her to the back row of tables that Maya had yet to explore. There were less people on this side but they were just as enthusiastic, showing off their prizes with glee. Their first stop was the ping pong crew where a few kids were seeing how long they could bounce the balls on their paddles. 

“Yo!” Leeland shouted. A scrawny boy turned towards them, his ‘RBU’ labeled ball rolling off down the sidewalk. 

“What’s up, Van Horn?”

”Nothing much,” Leeland responded as she slung an arm around Maya’s shoulders. “My friend wants to join a team but she’s not sure where her skill level is at.” Maya frowned at the description, even if it was true. 

“Well, you’ve come to the right place. Most of us can wield a paddle,” he winked, “but, ah, balls not so much.”

”Yeah, me neither,” Maya deadpanned. 

“Word on that. You wanna play a game?”

Maya agreed.  She was rotten at getting the ball to hit the right spot of the paddle. It kept catching the edge and veering off down the sidewalk. Someone came over with about 6 ‘RBU’ labeled ping pong balls and a scold on their tongue but Leeland told them to beat it. Maya smirked at the protective edge in her voice. 

She called it quits on ping pong but was still hopeful as Leeland led her down the row of unconventional sports. She swung around her freebie ‘RBU’ branded ping pong paddle and whistled. Leeland turned around with a raised eyebrow.

”No offense but you were, like, an emo bitch this morning and now you’re whistling ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider.’”

Maya halted in her tracks. “I’m…happy?”

”Are you sure?” Leeland snorted. Maya huffed and crossed her arms defensively. “Oh, there’s my sorrowful sunshine.”

”I’m not your anything,” Maya snapped.

”Ok, fine,” Leeland matched her stance. “I’ll just not keep your secrets. Where did Claire go?”

”Leeland,” Maya whined. “Are you sure you’re not a switch?”

”Very,” Leeland responded, unmoved by Maya’s deflection. They were in a standoff until Maya could swallow her pride. 

“I’ve never really had friends before,” Maya eventually said. “I… finally felt like maybe I could when you brought me over here.” She couldn’t bring herself to look into Leeland’s eyes but she at least saw the smile on her lips. 

“That’s good,” Leeland finally answered, “because Ron has to turn in your club list to the transfer office.”

”What?”

”Do you not read your emails? Ron is your transfer mentor and is in charge of getting you involved here at RBU,” Leeland explained. 

“Wait. So, I have to pick out a club?”

”Kind of. It’s easier that way instead of going to bi-weekly check ins with your advisor.”

Maya stared at her roommate in horror. “Why didn’t anyone fucking tell me that?”

“Not to be rude, but you kinda brushed Ron off last night. Besides, I’m pretty sure he’s gonna sign you up for D&D anyways.”

Maya clamped her mouth shut, angry at herself. She was terrible at checking her email and she could’ve saved herself the grief of both this knowledge and the knowledge she’d have an AP for the year if she had just kept up with her shit. Her start at school had been weird; one second, she was happy and excited, the next, humiliated and confused. Her emotions must’ve been quite expressive because Leeland was reaching out to comfort her.

”Hey, it’s alright. You don’t have to show up to anything. Just put your name down and Ron will lie for you. He’s really good at that.”

Maya rolled her eyes but her features softened. “Ok, sorry. This school is just way more involved than I anticipated.”

”Yeah, I’m sure,” Leeland chuckled. “How about Butts Up?”

”Huh?”

Butts Up was a game. And it was pretty popular. Maya observed on the sidelines as the other students played a game against the science building wall. It was very similar to Wallball, but if the player didn’t catch the ball as it bounced backwards, they’d have to run and touch the wall. If the player didn’t reach the wall in time (before the others threw it again), the loser would have to brace their hands on the wall and stick their butt out. Εach player would then get a turn to throw the ball at the loser’s butt. 

“This seems a bit dangerous,” Maya remarked. 

“It was,” Leeland said teasingly, “in the eighties when my dad was playing. We have safeguards now. No throwing with full force and look,” she pointed, “he’s wearing padded underwear.”

Maya squinted. Every player was, indeed, wearing extra padding on their behind.

“Where do I get some of those?” She tried to ask nonchalantly. Leeland cackled.

“They’re banned from class and don’t even try it at home. Yessy was very mean to me that day.”

Maya winced sympathetically. She couldn’t even imagine what a professor at Pinchton would do if they caught her trying to pull that one. Probably execution. Leeland was watching her.

“You wanna play?”

“No,” Maya shook her head. “I don’t think exposure and Wallball are my go-to hang out sesh. Fun to watch though.”

“Mm, I get it,” Leeland mused. “Mind if I play real quick?”

Maya watched Leeland sneak into the game and stick a nearby piece of cardboard down her pants. She shook her head in the amused kind of way, not the affectionate kind. No, she was certain she was not catching friend-feelings. 

Maya glanced around, watching a group play hacky sack. She needed to find a club, and fast apparently, so she wouldn’t have to join D&D by proxy. She also didn’t want to make Ron or anybody lie for her. 

There was a booth tucked into a corner that seemed like it hadn’t gotten very many visitors. Maya counted to ten and charged forward, alone. Two butches manned the booth. 

“Hi,” she approached shyly. 

One of the butches, who had been twisting their hair with a glassy-eyed expression, sat up straight at the visitor. 

“Hey,” they shouted as they floundered around, looking for something. “I mean, hey,” they said softer, “what’s up? I’m Trish and this is Alex.”

“Maya,” Maya answered, feeling a bit more confident. 

“Maya,” Trish repeated, “are you interested in low stakes competition and gay bars?”

“Hell yeah.”

Trish whipped out a flyer. “Two words. Skee ball.”

Maya stared down at the paper. She had only been to an arcade once when she was 10 and the entire 5th grade class had been invited to one boy’s birthday party. She had played the game a few times and enjoyed herself. It was like bowling but smaller and with extra steps. Maya smiled.

“Where do I sign up?”

Trish and Alex were thrilled. There was only one other name on the sign up sheet and they got Maya’s contact information, and gave her a piece of paper with all their meet times and competitions, even though most of them sported a ‘TBD.’ 

Maya felt pretty proud of herself and was running on that high when Leeland body checked her out of nowhere. 

“Hey, been looking for you,” Leeland panted. Maya rubbed her shoulder, disgraced. 

“And why is that?”

“Gotta go get your special paddle!”

Maya huffed and pouted the whole way over to the Switchsmith table where Leeland had earlier humiliated her and insinuated that Maya and Claire were in a relationship. Which they were not. 

Leeland examined the mini charcuterie board up close as the boy got it ready. She kept fidgeting excitedly and pointing for Maya as if the other girl didn’t know exactly what it was. 

“Look!” Leeland shouted, when she finally got her hands on it and could walk away.

The mini charcuterie board now wielded the finely chiseled name, ‘Claire’s,’ underneath a clear finish to ensure no splintering. Maya blinked.

“I look ready to eat cheese and crackers sponsored by a tween piercing shop.”

Leeland frowned but then shrugged and stuck the paddle in the bag that contained all their freebie goodies from the day. Maya smirked - another point for her. 

***

After a long day, the 4 roommates found themselves eating at a local burger joint, each one exhausted for different reasons. Maya had been ready to decline the offer of dinner but Claire insisted, and she had whipped out a tone of voice that had sent a shiver down Maya’s spine. So, there Maya was, tired from socializing and picking at a burger she wasn’t super hungry for. 

Leeland was bubbly (still) and in her element, describing her entire day in detail to her girlfriend. Yessy, who had been missing from the day’s actions, took in the story with an easy smile, and a brush of Leeland’s hair every now and again. 

Claire kept glancing at Maya out of the corner of her eye. “So, did you find something that you’re interested in?” She asked as the table quieted.

Maya crossed and uncrossed her ankles underneath the table. She suddenly felt very silly for signing up for Skee ball and wondered if the other girls would think she was weird. Maya shook her head and then paused, remembering Leeland’s words, and slowly nodded. Both Claire and Yessy raised their eyebrows. 

Maya avoided their eyes. “Um, D&D,” she answered. 

“Right,” Yessy mused. “Well, I couldn’t find you at lunch today. Where did y’all go?” Yessy asked. 

“North Dining Hall,” Leeland said quickly. “Maya went with me.”

Maya gave Leeland an odd look but the other girl shut her down with a tiny shake of her head. It did not go unnoticed. 

“Hm. So, Maya, what did you eat?” Yessy asked, her suspicions rising. 

Maya sensed the atmosphere at the table had shifted and she tensed up, slipping into ‘fight or flight’ mode. She caught Leeland’s desperate eye again.

“Roast and potatoes,” Maya said carefully. She made sure to leave her statements as vague as possible. “We left before dessert.”

Everyone was staring at her now. Leeland, in approval. Maya heated under the scrutiny. Eventually, Yessy turned her gaze back on her girlfriend. 

“Roast and potatoes in North Dining. Sorry I missed it,” Yessy said lightly. “What did you eat, Leeland?”

“Ice cream,” Leeland panicked. 

“I thought you left before dessert.”

“Ice cream isn’t dessert,” Leeland backtracked. “It’s a different food group.”

Yessy looked between Maya and Leeland, unimpressed. “You have 3 seconds.”

Maya didn’t get it, but Leeland must’ve because she scrambled, both verbally and physically. 

“I didn’t eat lunch! I forgot!” Leeland exclaimed morosely.

Maya watched uncomfortably as Yessy made a motion with her finger and then the two of them were gone, excusing themselves from the scene and out the door to the car. Maya stared at the door to the restaurant, unsure of just how fast dinner had turned into a shitshow. Claire took a long slurp from her milkshake that grated on Maya’s nerves. Maya glared at her across the booth. 

”You know you don’t have to cover for her?” Claire asked, wiping her mouth. “That’ll just get you a sore bottom.”

Maya gaped at her. “I- are they gonna…ya’know?”

”Yep.” 

Maya gave her a look, a little upset at how blunt everyone was being. Leeland was currently getting it all because she had forgotten to do a tiny little thing. Maya’s face betrayed her (like always) and Claire reached over to settle a hand over hers.

”Maya, all due respect, but you know nothing about their dynamic and their rules. Lee was naughty,” Claire said matter-of-factly. “And she tried to get you to lie about it,” she added after a beat.

Maya stared down at Claire’s hand over hers. It was soft and slightly cold from the freezing restaurant. 

“Sorry,” Maya mumbled. 

“It’s ok,” Claire patted her hand. “Hard saying no to that one. Especially when she’s pitiful. 

Speaking of all that, though,” Claire segwayed into a new topic, “our boundary and rule contract is due by midnight tomorrow. You wanna discuss that tonight?”

Maya felt like she would rather do anything else in the world than discuss how and when she’d get spanked, but the contract wasn’t only between them - it was between them and the school. And schools had deadlines. She sighed but nodded and was surprised to see her roommates already walking back into the restaurant. Yessy was back to sporting her easy smile while Leeland looked subdued, her eyes a bit watery, and clutching Yessy’s hand like a child in a new place. She sat down without a wince and ate the entirety of her meal, no longer stopping to talk. Maya definitely was conflicted about her feelings but she did not want to dig herself into a hole, so she kept quiet and listened to the childhood best friends discuss their day, providing nods and hums when the conversation called for it. 

The real awkwardness happened when they returned to the dorm and Yessy requested in no uncertain terms that Claire and Maya get lost. Claire, who had been expecting this, grabbed a massive binder from her room and drug Maya out and up a corridor of stairs. 

Claire led her up to the top most floor of the complex. There was what looked like a sunroom built into the roof of the building with a glass ceiling. Since it was nighttime, Maya got a pretty clear view of the stars and she smiled, taking in the view. 

“This is so nice,” Maya gushed. “My last dorm was basically a concrete hole.” 

Claire looked towards her and cocked her head. “What made you choose Pinchton?”

Maya spared a glance in her direction before turning back towards the ceiling. “I felt compelled to go to an Ivory League college. Pinchton was the closest one to home.”

“Same here,” Claire responded.

“Oh.” Maya stared at the girl in surprise. “How come you chose RBU then?”

“It was the furthest from home,” Claire shrugged.  

“Wish I’d had the sense,” Maya muttered. “I needed to be able to get home for a weekend, though. Just in case.”

“In case what?”

Maya didn’t tell people about her family. It was sensitive to her. Sometimes her mom would suffer psychotic episodes and, being her primary caregiver, Maya would need to go explain to her mom’s employer what was happening and if she could pretty please not get fired. They were doing better recently as her mother managed to secure the same job for 5 years now working in the hospital. Just this past week, however, her mom had to be re-evaluated and caused Maya to miss orientation week. It was hard saying no to her family. Harder than anything else Maya did.

“My family,” Maya admitted with a bitter taste in her mouth. “They, uh, need help more often than not.”

Claire didn’t make her elaborate, which she was grateful for. “But then you came to RBU,” she said thoughtfully. 

Maya looked at her, sizing her up. “Yes. I didn’t feel like I learned dynamics correctly. I want… I don’t know. A second opinion or something.”

“Do you think I can help with that?”

It’s crazy because just over 24 hours ago, Maya would’ve said no. She would’ve said AP’s were a waste of time and that she needed to go to class to get the real information on dynamics. Now, just being with her roommates for a day, Maya understood the difference a real Accountability Partnership could make. 

“Yes, I do,” she said, confidently. Claire beamed at her and Maya had to remind herself it wasn’t time to fall in love. It was rule time. “So. Rules?” 

They scraped together a pretty good list. It was a bit longer than Maya had hoped for but it felt challenging in the good kind of way. They decided on basic rules like no disrespect and no lying, but then, Claire pulled a few tricks out of her sleeve and came up with hyper specific rules like ‘must do one activity a week to fulfill masochistic needs,’ and ‘must link TATL app’ which had to be explained to Maya. The app was what Maya considered to be a serious breach of privacy - it had access to her location and academic records where professors could chat to Claire directly in case of ‘issues.’ She swore to herself that there would never be an issue. She also kept her feelings about this app to herself because Claire seemed to be very set on using it for ‘extra accountability.’ Just when Maya was ready to stab herself in the eyeball, Claire announced that they move onto the punishment section.

“Why is there even a section?” Maya groaned. “Isn’t it just about spanking?”

Claire raised an eyebrow. “You doubt the wonder that creativity can do when sprinkled into a punishment.”

”Sadistic bitch,” Maya grumbled. 

“Well, yes,” Claire agreed. “But it’s not an official part of my designation.”

Maya glared at her but flipped over the next page, ready to face more humiliation. She was staring at a questionnaire of about a hundred questions - all of them asking about positions and implements, and she had to mark if she were ‘green, yellow, or red’ on each and every one. 

About 3 minutes in, Maya let out yet another sigh. She was getting tired and all this talk about spanking was making her squirm. 

52. Spanking over the lap with bare hand

Duh, Green. 

53. Spanking over a chair with bare hand

Christ, how many different positions were there?

There were a lot. To the end of the list actually. Maya just started ticking green on everything, wanting to get the stupid contract over with. 

“I hope you’re taking this seriously,” Claire tutted. “I will personally go down this list and do each and every one tonight if you’re not.” 

That halted her in her tracks. She gave Claire a sheepish look, trying not to feel ashamed that her AP had needed to get onto her. Claire just rolled her eyes in response. 

Maya erased the few questions she skipped and went over them again. It was a good thing too, because Maya discovered that she did have a few soft limits on certain spanking positions and implements. Finally setting down her pencil, Maya gave a big sigh and leant back into the couch. Claire raised an eyebrow.

”Need a break?”

”No, I’m good,” Maya responded, steeling herself. 

“The next section is aftercare.”

”I need a break.”

“Thought so,” Claire smirked. Maya stood up and stretched, about to head downstairs. “Wait! Be considerate when going into the dorm. They are probably not done talking.” 

“Oh, ok,” Maya tried to sound normal. 

She entered the dorm with such caution she looked like she could be a dramatic spy in a 50s movie. At first, she didn’t hear anything, but the sounds of soft crying were coming from the big bedroom on her left. 

Maya couldn’t help herself. Overcome by morbid curiosity, she crept on the toes of her feet and listened at the door of bedroom A. 

“I haven’t broken that rule in weeks,” came a sad, dismayed voice. 

“I know.” Yessy responded with such gentleness that Maya almost didn’t think it was the same person who scolded them in the restaurant. 

“I was  so focused on having a fresh start and not fucking up that I-I,” Leeland broke off in a sob. “I did what I always do! I fucked up anyways.” 

“Lee.” There was some rustling. “You are miles ahead of where you started last year. I am proud of you no matter what.” She paused as Leeland gave another sob. “Listen. You are going to forget things. It’s part of life. I will always be here to spank you when you do.” 

Maya now felt like proper shit for eavesdropping. This interaction was very intimate and Maya didn’t think anyone should be in the building let alone the dorm. As she made to leave, Yessy spoke again. 

“Do you need more, my love?”

It wasn’t a threat. In fact, it was met with a pleading “yes.” 

Maya gawked, processing this. She had never thought of spanking as more than a consequence for not being good enough. She had been paddled by her professors before but that was more of an incentive to not be late to class again. This was something deeper. 

Maya quickly left as the sounds of almighty thwacking began descending through the room accompanied by renewed sobbing. Her heart didn’t stop pounding for a while.