“I’m fine, Finn,” said Kurt. “Just a long night. I couldn’t sleep very well.”

“Oh, I see. Do you need anything? A hot bath maybe?”

Kurt contemplated for a moment. Could he make things any worse than they already were? Well, he was never one to back down from a challenge.

“You know Blaine? The dog with the dark, unruly, awful hair?” (he shuddered to say it aloud. He could never be dog-like, could never be awful. No part of him could be awful)

“Aren’t they all that way?” Finn joked, not knowing the effect his words would have on Kurt. “Dogs with unruly hair?”

“Yes, yes,” Kurt said, trying not to show just how badly he wanted to refute Finn’s statement. “But you know which one I am speaking of?”

“Yes, Kurt. Why?”

“I require his assistance in my room. Now. We are not to be disturbed. Not by Quinn, not by you, not by anyone. Understand?”

“Did he do something wrong, Kurt? Did he try to hurt you? Does he need a punishment? Because you needn’t dirty your hands with that, we could certainly have someone else-”

Kurt cut him off.

“No Finn,” he said impatiently. “I just need him for something. Don’t question me.”

Finn blanched. He was used to Kurt’s occasional, biting remarks, but this seemed like something much more than a joke. “Yes Kurt, I’ll have someone get him right away.”

“Thank you Finn. Now please, go. I may try to catch up on some of my missed rest while I wait for the boy.”

“Yes Kurt. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye Finn.”

He walked out of Kurt’s room, shutting the curtain behind him.

When he was finally alone, Kurt collapsed on the bed. What was he going to do? Would Blaine even speak to him?

Well of course he would speak to him, Kurt thought bitterly. He was the pharaoh, and if you didn’t speak back when the pharaoh addressed you, it didn’t bear well on your soul. Or mortality.

The question was, would he speak of what happened the night before? That moment of sheer bliss, followed by one of extreme panic? Or was the memory gone from his mind, possibly just like the affections that Kurt had finally realized in his night of restlessness, that he returned?

Only one way to find out.

“Pharaoh,” called one of the house servants. “The slave you requested is here.”

“Send him in.”