Kurt was startled awake by the repeated ringing of the doorbell. Groggily he sat up and looked around. He was still on the living room sofa, but he was alone now. A blanket had been placed over him and the television had been turned off. Kurt figured he must have fallen asleep.

The house was silent until the doorbell rang once more.

“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” He mumbled, pushing the blanket off himself and getting to his feet. The doorbell rang again. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He grumbled, speeding up his steps, cursing under his breath.

When he rounded the corner he collided with a warm body.

Instinctively he reached out and caught Blaine by the arms, effectively keeping him from tumbling to the ground. “I’m sorry, Sir!” Blaine gasped, regaining his balance. “I was just going to answer the door.”

“No worries! Did I hurt you?” Kurt asked looking Blaine over. The boy’s hair was dishevelled from his own nap he still looked somewhat sleepy but was otherwise alright. “No, Kurt.” He answered.

The doorbell rang once more, reminding Kurt of his initial task. “Right.” He mumbled, pulling the front door open.

“You know Rachel, there’s a line between insistent ringing and leaning on the doorbell.” He said with more than a hint of annoyance in his tone. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“And hello to you too, Kurt.” She smiled nervously “didn’t Finn tell you I was coming over?” She glanced over Kurt’s shoulder as if she expected Finn to be hiding behind him.

“Oh, yeah, right, come in.” Kurt said, opening the door wide for her. He had completely forgotten that Finn had given him a heads-up earlier. “FINN!” He hollered up the stairs, “Rachel’s here!”

“Finn is still at football practice.” Rachel informed him, handing her coat to the blonde girl who had caught up and entered the house behind her.

“Oh, hey Quinn, I didn’t see you there.” Kurt said. The blonde frowned at him and said “Good afternoon, Mister Hummel.” She hung up Rachel’s coat in a way Kurt was sure would cause it to wrinkle before turning back to her owner, but Rachel was occupied with someone else.

“And this must be Blaine.” She smiled brightly, while advancing on Blaine, her hand held out as though she was going to pet his hair. Blaine was shrinking in on himself a little, but didn’t move away.

Kurt swiftly caught her hand with his own before she reached him and spun her towards himself a little “Yes, that’s Blaine. Now what do you mean Finn’s still at football practice? What are you doing here, if he’s not around?”

“Well, if you must know, I was hoping I could surprise him with my unexpected presence when he comes back. Finn thinks I’ll be here in two hours, but I was bored because my dads are playing with my karaoke machine, so I decided to drop in early.” She sounded so chipper and enthusiastic it almost hurt Kurt’s sleepy eyes to look at her.

“Okay, whatever, wait in the living room if you want.” He was about to direct Blaine up the stairs with him when Rachel caught his arm.

“Kurt.” She whined, her eyes big. “Come on, we haven’t talked since… well, it’s been forever. We should catch up! Please, it’ll be nice, we can talk on the couch and Quinn can make us some tea and…”

“No! Rachel, you’re doing it again!” Kurt snapped, pulling free from her grip. “That’s not something I can deal with. This is a deal breaker for me Rachel. I understand that you have different views than I do and I’m glad you and Finn found a way to work around it, but you can’t come here and order Quinn into our kitchen. If I want tea, I’ll make it myself!”

 “No offence, Quinn, your tea is excellent.” He added when he saw Quinn’s face darken.

“I’m sorry Kurt, I didn’t mean to …I just…” Rachel’s eyes were getting watery “Just talk to me, please! I miss my best gay!”

Kurt took a deep breath and counted to ten. Rachel had been his friend for a long time. However, they had a fall-out a few weeks prior due to their vastly different views on slave ownership; he had refused to hang out with his best friend ever since. He looked at Quinn who was observing the scene in front of her with curious, somewhat calculating eyes.

Rachel had gotten Quinn on her 14th birthday. Quinn was an entertainment slave. Rachel had proudly told him that her dads had ordered Quinn to be educated in professional background singing for her, when she had first introduced Kurt to Quinn. Rachel’s dads had thought she would be a good companion, friend, and maid for Rachel. Which Rachel of course took to mean Quinn was there to do her bidding and cater to her every whim.

Kurt had always had a hunch that Quinn didn’t exactly appreciate how Rachel treated her. He was actually quite convinced at times that Quinn didn’t even like her owner, or anyone else for that matter. What he hadn’t known, however, was that once a month Rachel’s fathers took their slaves, including Quinn, to the professional punisher. It was a lazy way for rich people to deal with their slaves misbehaviours, where the owners handed in a list of offences explaining how they wanted them punished and someone else did the punishing for them. He had been livid.

In retrospect he couldn’t recall why, but he had assumed the Berrys were treating their slaves much better than most people did. Then again, people didn’t actually discuss slave punishments openly, since people liked to impress others with their perfectly behaved slaves.

His silence prompted Rachel to try to convince him harder. “I haven’t- we haven’t taken them there anymore since… I told my dads I didn’t want it anymore.” She tried. “Tell him, Quinn.”

“I haven’t seen the corrector in two months, Mister Hummel.” Quinn said in a neutral tone.

Kurt sighed, taking a long look at Rachel, before admitting “I do miss you.”

Rachel squealed in excitement, clapping her hands gleefully. “I miss you too! Can I please hug you now?” Kurt rolled his eyes; he wasn’t happy by far, but he really did miss her, so he nodded and found himself with an armful of Rachel Berry.

Over Rachel’s shoulder he saw Blaine watching the scene with thoughtful big eyes. Kurt gave him a smile when he looked up.

“Alright, okay that’s enough,” he said, extracting himself from her a minute later. “How about coffee instead of tea though? I only just got up from a nap, I’m sure we have soy milk.” Rachel nodded and followed him to the kitchen. Kurt stopped at the door “If you want to, you can go and get some more sleep Blaine.” He said facing the boy who was trailing behind Quinn.

“Please, Mister Hummel, may I make your coffee for you?” Quinn interrupted before Blaine could answer.

“It’s alright, Quinn, I can make my own coffee. Would you like something to drink as well?” Kurt asked. “I’m afraid it’s still tea for you, Blaine.”

“Thank you, Kurt.” Blaine said, stepping into the kitchen with them.

Quinn was already at the cupboard pulling out cups before Kurt had even gotten halfway through the kitchen. He sighed; Quinn was nothing if not persistent.

“I know how you like your coffee, Mister Hummel, you can just go to the living room while I fix everything for you.” She insisted, turning on the coffee maker and pulling the milk from the fridge at a speed that made Kurt suspect that Finn let her fix stuff for him in the kitchen a lot more often than he let Kurt believe. He sighed “If you insist.”

“I can help, Kurt!” Blaine blurted out. Kurt turned to look at him. The look on Blaine’s face was eager and hopeful. “You really don’t have to, Blaine.” He said with emphasis.

“Please, Kurt, may I help?” Blaine asked, his face sinking. Kurt couldn’t tell him no. He may not want Blaine or Quinn to be slaves in this household, but with his black eye and falling expression Blaine looked like a kicked puppy and he couldn’t be the one to put that look on his face.

“Alright, sure. We’ll be in the living room then.” He figured it may be good for Blaine to have contact with another slave; he had seemed to take to Brittany back on the car ride home. Kurt was startled when he realized that he had only brought Blaine home a day ago.

“He sure is eager to work.” Rachel said as she sat down on the couch.

“I’d rather he be resting in bed.” Kurt admitted, folding up the blanket he had slept under only minutes ago before joining her on the couch.

“Oh yes, Finn did say he was damaged.” Rachel pulled a face when she realized how that had sounded, “Hurt, I mean, he’s hurt.”

Kurt decided to let this one slip and pulled a pillow into his lap to get comfortable. “He is.” Kurt sighed. He could hear Quinn and Blaine whispering in the kitchen.

“Well, he’ll be fine in no time.” Rachel said smiling. “With you as a nurse he couldn’t not get better if he tried.”

“I sure hope so” Kurt snorted. “So, what’s new? What did I miss?”

They talked for a few minutes; and Kurt had almost forgotten how fast Rachel could talk when she was excited.

“Here’s your coffee, Rachel.” Quinn announced, smiling sweetly as she put a cup down on the couch table in front of Rachel. Kurt looked over his shoulder to see Blaine emerging from the kitchen with a cup as well. He seemed uncertain though; his hands were shaking as he cast an unhappy glance at Quinn and stopped short a few steps away from the couch.

“Mister Hummel is waiting.” Quinn hissed, causing Kurt to look at her in surprise.

The sound of breaking china made his head snap back to Blaine who was staring at the floor where the cup lay broken in a mess of spilled coffee with wide eyes.

Kurt knew what was going to happen but his cry of “No, don’t!” came too late.

Blaine had dropped to his knees on the floor. He was scooping up the shards with his bare hands before Kurt’s command made him freeze in his tracks, both hands buried in the sharp edged mess.

Kurt scrambled to his feet and pulled Blaine upright and out of the shards with an arm around his waist. Blaine froze in his grip, but let himself be dragged to the kitchen sink.

“Did you cut yourself?” Kurt asked frantically, looking at Blaine’s arms and knees while he made sure the pouring water was at an acceptable temperature. Blaine yelped when Kurt pulled his hands under the flow of the water.

“What? Is it hot?” He pulled Blaine’s hands back and felt the water again, it was lukewarm. “What’s wrong?”

Blaine was breathing rapidly. “I’m sorry, Master, I’m so sorry. Please punish me for my failure, I’m so sorry.”

Kurt shook his head “No, no one is punishing you. You dropped something, it happens.” Blaine didn’t seem to hear him though; he was just staring at the water that was still flowing into the sink.

“You’re okay, Blaine, nothing bad is gonna happen.” Kurt said, much lower and calmer than before. “Here, I’ll help you clean up, okay? I just need to see if you hurt yourself. You shouldn’t have tried to clean it up with your bare hands.”

“Is he okay?” Rachel’s voice came from the direction of the door, but Kurt didn’t bother to look at her.

“Maybe you should leave now, Rachel.” He said, in the tone that he thought left no room for discussion.

Kurt gently grasped Blaine’s hands and guided them under the faucet, carefully washing off the little pieces of the cup that stuck to his skin, but hadn’t cut him yet. Blaine’s right forearm hadn’t been quite so lucky. When Kurt moved up further to rinse off Blaine’s wrists he noticed the thin red track that discoloured the coffee drops that clung to where Blaine had tried to soak it up with his arms.

When he turned Blaine’s forearm he found two small cuts there. He sighed in relief.

“Well, that could have been worse.” He finished rinsing Blaine’s hands and forearms; Blaine was letting Kurt move him like a rag doll and otherwise holding completely still. He heard the front door slam shut after Rachel and Quinn.

“There we go, all clean.” He pulled up a chair. “Here, sit.” Blaine sat while Kurt rushed to the cupboard for a fresh towel and a band aid pack. Carefully he petted Blaine dry, mindful not to scratch over the cuts.

“I’m sorry.” Blaine repeated weakly.

“It’s okay, no big deal, really.” Kurt assured him, covering the cuts, which had already stopped bleeding, with smiley faced band aids. “There we go, good as new. Wait here for a second okay?”

Kurt headed back into the living room, picking up the broom and shovel on the way. The mess was cleaned up and the shards were discarded in no time.

When he arrived back in the kitchen, however, everything was not peachy. Blaine was as pale as a sheet and curled into himself as best as he could manage while sitting on the chair Kurt had sat him on.

“Hey,” Kurt whispered softly, as he crouched down in front of Blaine’s chair to catch the boy’s gaze. “It’s all cleaned up, no harm done. Honestly, Blaine you can relax, you won’t be punished. I promise.”

“I did it on purpose!” Blaine burst out, tears overflowing from his eyes. “I dropped the cup. It wasn’t an accident, Mast-, Sir. Kurt!  Oh god, please, I’m sorry.” He sobbed.

“Shh, shh,” Kurt pulled one of Blaine’s hands away from where Blaine had been gripping his own shirt, trying to sooth the boy by running his fingers over the back of his hand. “What do you mean it wasn’t an accident?” He asked, confused.

Blaine’s breath was coming so rapidly that Kurt was worried the boy was going to pass out on him. “I didn’t want-.. she -  no. … Sir, I can’t. I didn’t mean to break- …I didn’t want you to- …” with a shaky breathy he settled on “I can’t say.”

“What do you mean? What can’t you say?” Kurt was really worried by now, holding Blaine’s hand in his, with his thumbs stroking it still.

Blaine shook his head, looking around the room frantically as if he was looking for a way out.

“Blaine!” Kurt called, hoping to pull the boy out of his panicked haze. “I promise, whatever the reason, you won’t be punished for dropping that damn cup, but please, tell me what happened!” He regretted making it sound like so much of an order, but the other boy was scaring him.

“I didn’t want you to drink it. She-“ Blaine’s eyes went wide and he clapped his free hand over his mouth in horror.

“She?” Kurt asked in confusion. “Rachel?” But then it dawned on him. “Quinn.” He said, at the look on Blaine’s face he knew he was right. He looked at the slave for a moment, contemplating everything he had said. Blaine had dropped the cup on purpose. Because of something Quinn did. And he didn’t want Kurt to… what? Drink it? Oh.

“What did she do with the coffee?” Kurt asked and Blaine looked as though he was going to be sick.

“Tell me, Blaine!” Kurt insisted, standing back up to his full height.

“She spit in it.” Blaine whispered, ducking his head into his hands as though he was expecting a blow.

Kurt sighed in relief. Of all the horrible ideas that had come to his mind in the past few seconds this seemed remarkably harmless, even though it was quite disgusting. It took him a moment to register Blaine’s defensive position.

“Blaine.” He got to his knees in front of Blaine’s chair, gently prying Blaine’s hands off his face, holding them gently in his own as he looked up into Blaine’s confused face.

“You were looking out for me.” Kurt gave Blaine his most encouraging smile. “You didn’t want me to drink coffee someone had spit in?”

Blaine nodded.

“You rather dropped it, even though you thought I was going to punish you?” Another, much more tentative nod.

“Oh Blaine.” Kurt sighed, smiling warmly at the other boy. “That was very sweet of you.”

“Please don’t punish Quinn either.” Blaine whispered, his eyes fixed on the floor again. “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have let it happen in the first-“

“Blaine, no one’s going to be hurt or punished, okay?”  Kurt said, smiling reassuringly when Blaine looked at him cautiously.

“Thank you, Kurt.”

“Nothing to thank me for.“ Kurt gave Blaine’s hand a light squeeze in an attempt to reassure him. Blaine’s hand was cold. “Everything’s alright.” He assured Blaine once more.

“Let’s get you warmed up, your hands feel freezing cold.”

“I’m sorry, Kurt, they’re always cold.” Blaine whispered.

“That’s alright. We’ll just have to keep you warm then. How about we watch a movie and relax a bit?”

“If it pleases you, Kurt.” Kurt closed his eyes, hoping his frustration at the submissive answer didn’t show on his face.

“No, we don’t have to.” He said as calmly as he could manage. “Would you rather have some more soup, or take a nap?” Blaine’s hopeful expression at the mention of sleep gave his preference away, even though he answered with “Whatever you think is best, Kurt.”

Kurt sighed heavily, regretting it instantly when Blaine flinched a little.

“Let’s get you back to bed then, you look like you’re about to fall over.” It was true, Blaine was pale and the earlier trembling hadn’t quite subsided yet; he looked incredibly tense again. Still, Blaine allowed Kurt to pull him to his feet and followed him down the corridor to the guest bedroom.

Kurt was pulling back the blanket for Blaine to get back to bed when he heard the door click shut behind him.

He spun around and found Blaine awkwardly standing by the door. From the look on his face, Kurt could tell that he was thinking hard.

“I want to thank you, Kurt, for letting me rest a whole day,” Blaine was looking at him intently, as if trying to guess whether what he was saying pleased Kurt or if he was speaking out of turn. “And for feeding me, clothing and bathing me.” Blaine paused for a moment, assessing Kurt’s reaction.

Kurt didn’t speak. He could tell Blaine wasn’t done. The silence in the room felt awkward and unsettling.

“I know I’m sick and not appealing with the way I look now, but I can serve you, Kurt. I swear I can be useful and give you pleasure.” Blaine was speaking frantically now, his fingers locked in a pleading gesture in front of him. He stumbled across the room towards Kurt.

“Blaine, no, I-“

“I know I’m infectious, but if you would please allow me to put a condom on you, I’ll be careful, I promise I can make you feel good! I know the medication is worth more than I am, but I will work for it! I will make it up to you, I’ll be so good! I’m a good slave, Kurt, I can do whatever you-“

“Blaine, Blaine, no stop!” Blaine fell silent, dread clear in his eyes. “Blaine, that’s not why you’re here, I don’t want you to have … relations with me or repay me any other way.”

“Kurt, please, Kurt, I know most owners don’t like condoms, but please let me earn my keep.”

“This is not about…” Kurt paused. He reached out to the scared boy in front of him, placing his hands on his shoulders. “You don’t have to earn your keep or your medication. I brought you here because you needed help and I want to help you. There’s nothing I want in return and no medication could ever be worth more than you are, Blaine.”

He gently pulled Blaine towards the bed and set him down on the edge.

“Am I to service Master Finn then?” Blaine asked, looking up at Kurt with a confused expression on his face.

“No!” Kurt gasped, startled by the suggestion. “No, you’re not supposed to … service anyone.”

Blaine’s lower lip was quivering while his eyes were growing wetter by the second. “I don’t understand.” He said, looking past Kurt into empty space.

Kurt felt lost. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t understand what Blaine needed to hear to feel safe and there was no one there to help him out. Hoping that he wasn’t going to frighten the boy any more than he already was, Kurt sat down on the bed next to Blaine.

“I know this is new and scary,” he began “but you don’t have to be afraid. We… that is my dad, Carole, Finn and I, we don’t expect anything from you. I didn’t buy you for a purpose. We’re probably gonna ask you to help out around the house once you’re feeling better, but nothing more than a few chores. But for now, all I want you to do is focus on getting better, okay? Just sleep whenever you like and eat when you can, because we really need to get you to a healthier weight. We’ll keep taking care of your back and we’ll go see Dr. Holland again soon to make sure you’re getting better.” Blaine was nodding along with everything he said, as if he was trying to absorb Kurt’s every word. “Blaine?” He asked softly.

“Yes, Kurt?”

Kurt bit his lower lip. “Why don’t you lie down and sleep for a while? I know today was stressful.”

“Yes, Kurt.” Blaine lay down on his side on the mattress as quickly as he could while still minding his knees and back. Kurt pulled the blanket over his body and tucked it in around his neck in a motion that was starting to feel familiar.

He stopped himself from running his hand over Blaine’s arm like he would if it were Finn or Rachel he was tucking in, because he didn’t want to send the wrong message. He could see the tension in Blaine’s posture as the boy waited for Kurt’s next move or request.

“Sleep well, Blaine.” He said softly “Call for me if you need anything at all, or come get me, alright?”

“Yes, Kurt.”

Only when he had left the room did he allow his face to fall. Kurt sincerely hoped he wouldn’t have to get used to hearing his name as Blaine’s new synonym for ‘Master’ for long.

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