“I will call you in a few days when I get the result of Blaine’s blood work and we’ll make an appointment for his x-rays and syphilis shots. I’d like to talk to you outside for a bit, Kurt? If you’ll excuse us for a minute, Blaine?”

Kurt allowed himself to be led out of the kitchen and back into the living room. Burt had left the room at some point, so it was empty. Dr. Holland took a seat on the sofa chair, while Kurt sat down on the couch.

“Now, Kurt, I know this is an unpleasant topic, but I’m sure you’re aware of what Blaine’s previous owners used him for.” The doctor looked around and on second thought added “Would you like your father to be here for this conversation?”

Kurt shook his head grimly, he really didn’t. His eyes darted to the kitchen door that separated them from Blaine, he hoped their absence didn’t frighten the boy.

“I sent you out earlier so I could examine him in private and”, she sighed, rubbing her forehead, her usual smile had vanished from her face. Somehow Kurt was glad that this wasn’t easy for the doctor either. “I found a lot of scarring to his anal tissue, some of it rather old as far as I could tell. That indicates that he has been raped repeatedly over a long period of time. You’ve seen the way he reacts when someone tries to touch him. Kurt”, she looked at him very earnestly “I know you’re a good kid and you didn’t buy him to use him or hurt him, but that boy, he’s very fragile and people have hurt him … a lot.” Kurt nodded grimly. “You’ll have to be really careful and patient with him, if you want him to get well.”

“I do, I will be.” He said seriously. Doctor Holland leaned against the back of the chair, nodding as if she was relieved about his answer.

“I found a chancre on him. That’s an open sore that usually appears in the first stage of syphilis.” She explained “Given the situation, it’s the best possible scenario, really. It means that the disease is easily curable. I’m going to run his blood and test for other diseases as well so we can be sure there isn’t more; but if there isn’t I’ll give him a shot of penicillin when you come to my office next week and that should be it for the syphilis.” She sighed. “There will be a follow up exam later, but I will tell you all about that when you come by next week. I think you’ve had enough to stomach for one day. We’ll decide what to do about his knees then as well.”

At that Kurt frowned “I thought they’ll heal on their own?”

“Maybe, but if they don’t we’ll have to drain them and treat them, but right now this kind of treatment would interfere with his STD treatment, so for now, just keep him off his knees.”

Kurt buried his face in his hands and ran them over his face, there was just too much to absorb and process. The doctor smiled at him sympathetically. “It’s gonna be okay.” She whispered softly.

“Do you have any immediate questions?” Doctor Holland asked.  He thought hard, but nothing came to mind. “If something comes up later, your dad has my number, you can call me any time, I don’t mind.”

“Thank you.” He was about to tell her he didn’t have any questions when his stomach growled which made him think of something important, that he had completely forgotten about. “He’s so thin, do you think he’s up for regular food?”

The doctor shook her head and provided him with a list of food that Blaine could stomach before handing him the prescription she had written up for Blaine, so Kurt could pick it up at the pharmacy.

“I’m afraid I have to get going, I have another patient waiting for me.” She told him. Kurt nodded and got up to shake her hand.

“Thank you so much for coming by.” Kurt said not entirely sure how to express his gratitude sufficiently, but the doctor seemed to understand anyway. 

The doctor left after saying a brief goodbye to Burt and Blaine. She packed up her examination table in a hurry leaving Blaine standing in the centre of the kitchen in only Kurt’s underwear.

“Erm… you can put on your pajamas again, if you want, it’s a little cold in here,” Kurt said and Blaine immediately did as he told him, looking relieved to be allowed to cover himself again. Kurt looked down at the boy’s bare feet. “Sit down on a chair when you’re done, I’ll be right back.” He told Blaine.

A minute later he returned with a thick pair of socks he hoped would fit the other boy. As he had been told, Blaine was sitting on one of the kitchen chair’s waiting for Kurt.

“Are your feet cold?” Kurt asked him. Blaine looked up at him carefully as if trying to assess whether this was a trick question. Kurt held out the socks for him, smiling when Blaine took them from him. His smile faded when Blaine winced as he bent down to place them on his bare feet.

“Whoa whoa whoa, careful!” Blaine shot back up to a sitting position, startled.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think”, Kurt crouched down to the floor in front of Blaine’s chair “that has to hurt your back. Here give me the socks.”

He could have slapped himself for his phrasing when he saw the sad, longing look Blaine gave the socks before handing them back over to Kurt.

“Oh no, I’m not taking them… they’re for you, I just … here let me help you okay? Can I put them on for you?” Kurt scolded himself inside, he needed to think more carefully about what he said and he had to calm down, otherwise he’d just make the other boy more nervous with his confused rambling. Blaine certainly looked unsure. Kurt reached out a careful hand for Blaine’s left foot where he had slung it around one of the chair’s legs when Kurt had startled him. Kurt took a loose hold of it and Blaine allowed him to guide it out from under the chair and watched Kurt as he pulled the first sock gently onto his foot. To Kurt’s delight Blaine held out his other foot for him without Kurt’s beckoning.

Kurt smiled up at Blaine brightly when his feet were sock-clad. “Very well done, thank you.”

“Thank you, Ma-Kurt”, Blaine whispered, his face twitching at his slip up.

“It’s okay, don’t worry.” Kurt cut him off before he could apologize. “You’ve been calling people Master for a long time, I won’t be mad if you can’t shake the habit that fast. I promise I won’t hurt you, if you slip up and call me master, I just want you to know that you can call me by my name.”

Blaine nodded eagerly. Kurt smiled.

“Alright, Finn and Carole will be home soon, they are my step mom and step brother. They are really nice, but they don’t know you’re here yet, so don’t be scared if they want to shake your hand or something, okay?” Blaine nodded. “Also Finn is really tall and intimidating, but he’s just a big teddy bear, they’re not gonna hurt you. In fact, no one will hurt you here. Try to remember that, okay?” Blaine nodded once more. It wasn’t as convincing as it had been before, but Kurt was satisfied for now.

“I’ll start making dinner, would you like to sit here while I do or are you tired?” Kurt asked.

Blaine seemed uncertain for a moment but then looked up at Kurt “May I sit here with you?" 

“Of course.” Kurt smiled at him and got to work.

Dinner was almost done when he heard Carole’s car pull up in the driveway. Blaine had offered to help him with the cooking, but Kurt was worried he might fall over from exhaustion and burn himself on the stove. He had asked Blaine to remain on his chair.

The front door was slammed shut, making Blaine jump and Kurt made a mental note to have another talk about the proper handling of doors with Finn at some point.

He could hear his father talking urgently to Carole and Finn by the door.

Kurt sighed in relief that he wouldn’t have to explain the situation yet again when the kitchen door was pushed open so hard it slammed into the door stopper with a bang.

“What the hell, man?!” Finn snapped “You go out and get yourself a sex toy when Burt refuses to even get a house slave? I thought you didn’t even like slaves, why would you-“

“Stop yelling, Finn!” Kurt snapped before lowering his voice “Can’t you see you’re scaring him?”

Finn took a proper look at the slave boy sitting in their kitchen for the first time, the anger vanishing from his face instantly. Burt and Carole had followed Finn into the kitchen, watching the scene in front of them with worried looks on their faces.

Kurt was glad they didn’t come into the kitchen, Blaine was shaking in his seat, eyes lowered to the floor in front of him, crowding him wouldn’t make it better.

“It’s alright, Blaine,” Kurt said gently “Finn didn’t mean it. Did he?” He directed the last part to Finn, glaring at his brother.

“I’m… I’m sorry, dude.” He looked back at his mom and Burt. “What’s going on?”

“Honey if you’d just listen…”, Carole sighed shaking her head.

“Let’s sit down on the couch, okay?” Burt suggested, leading both Hudson’s out of the kitchen. He looked back at Kurt apologetically and closed the door, leaving Kurt and Blaine alone in the kitchen once more.

“I’m so sorry.” Kurt whispered so he wouldn’t startle the other boy. “Finn didn’t know why you’re here, he just overreacted. I know that was scary, but dad’s explaining it to him right now and it won’t happen again, okay?”

 “Please, Kurt, what…” Blaine’s breath hitched, he looked up and Kurt could see his lower lip quivering “What will you do with me?”

Kurt frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I-… He sa- … Your brother said you didn’t like slaves, what will you…”, Blaine lowered his gaze again, not daring to finish his sentence, or maybe he was afraid of Kurt’s answer.  Kurt bit his lip silently cursing Finn for his ignorance, while trying to think of something to say that would put Blaine at ease again.

“Please don’t send me away.” Blaine whispered so quietly that Kurt wouldn’t have heard him if it hadn’t been completely silent in the kitchen.

Kurt’s heart sank.

“Oh no, Blaine, no, look at me.” Kurt cringed inwardly at how fast Blaine’s head snapped up to look at him. “I’m not sending you away, ever. Unless you want to leave, you can stay here, okay?” He paused for a moment not sure how to phrase this in a way that couldn’t be misunderstood. Blaine was looking at the floor again, shaking.

“If you ever decide you want to leave, please talk to me first okay? Right now I am willing to beg for you to stay.” He dropped to his knees in front of Blaine effectively forcing the other boy to meet his eyes. “You’re so hurt and I can tell you’re scared. I just want you to get better. I want to know that you’re safe here, with us.” Kurt felt tears well up in his own eyes. “I know you don’t know me and I understand that you can’t trust me yet, I do, but I promise I just want to take care of you. Nothing more. Please, will you try to believe me?”

Blaine was shaking harder still. His eyes were wide and fixed on the boy at his knees.

Kurt tentatively reached for Blaine’s hand and held it between both of his own. Blaine looked at their joined hands, doubt still obvious in his features. He searched Kurt’s face intently and waited for the other shoe to drop.

But Kurt just kept holding onto him gently, running his thumbs over Blaine’s callous hand and waiting patiently.

After what seemed like an eternity Blaine nodded.

“Thank you.” Kurt whispered, smiling up at Blaine.