Blaine was too surprised to respond right away. He stared dumbly at the young man in front of him with wide eyes, his mouth gaping just a bit. Of all the people that his mystery visitor could have been, he was the last person he had expected.

He stood uncertainly, clutching his folded up coat in his arms.

Blaine was jostled out of his reverie by a woman talking on her cell phone. She bumped into his shoulder, turned and made a brief apology all without stopping her forward momentum and continued chatting animatedly on her phone. More sounds of chatter and footsteps across granite floors reminded Blaine that the world was still in motion. The hustle of the lobby revolved around them.

Andrew hardly noticed any of them, keeping his eye on the stunned sub in front of him.

"So I take it Kurt didn't tell you I was coming?" He said with a quirky grin. Honestly, he was sort of expecting this so he couldn't act too surprised.

Blaine shook his head. "He told me just to be down in the lobby. I assumed it would be him."

He was still confused but upon seeing the fellow sub, his nerves seemed to evaporate. Andrew was about as intimidating as an otter, with his big kind eyes and easy going personality. His docile and somewhat skittish behavior alleviated Blaine's reservations about being alone with him.

Andrew grinned and scratched the back of his ear sheepishly. His yellow beret was mustard colored that clashed adorably with his red shirt and hair. His jeans were whitewashed, looking liked they'd been through the machine one too many times. And is jacket had to be a hand-me-down. It was at least ten years old, judging by the style and fabric. On anyone else it would have looked like a McDonalds reject but Andrew wore it well. Blaine imagined that Kurt would be having a fit it he saw it.

"Sorry. I thought it would be fun to surprise you but I hope you aren't too disappointed." He said, sensing that Blaine was a little bit upset that it wasn't Kurt but didn't want to offend him by saying that. He wasn't surprised at the depth of the relationship between the two of them. He could see how much each of them cared for the other, how deeply Blaine had fallen for his new Dom. It had been the same way with Kevin. He'd fallen for the man fast, despite his fear of large dominant men. Even when Kevin tried to tell him it was just hero-worship and what he was feeling would eventually wear off, he never believed him.

"No! Of course not, it's fine." Blaine rambled nervously. He hadn't meant to insult him and hated to think the other man might be mad at him. An abrupt tension erupted between them and Blaine shuffled on his feet, not daring to meet the other sub's eyes. It wasn't that he felt submissive towards Andrew, because he didn't, but the fear he felt was making him act like it.

"Do you want to go eat? I've always wanted to try one of those hotdog stands. I never bothered to before cause I assumed it was a stupid tourist thing but a hotdog sounds good right about now." Andrew said trying to ease the tension.

"Yea. Sure." Blaine shrugged. He hadn't had one of those in a long time. His father was more of caviar and wine man. He would never have approved and Blaine tended to stray away from things that he knew would make his father mad. But he was feeling strangely daring today and a hotdog did sound good.

Blaine put on his coat and they walked side by side together in silence, out the doors and down the crowded street. Neither of them knew what to say to get conversation flowing and by the time they made it to the corner where a silver cart was parked, Blaine had run through twenty different starters through his head.

"We'll have two, please." Andrew told the man selling the hotdogs, holding up two of his fingers to show what he meant. "Everything on one and…" he turned to Blaine and asked cheerfully, "What would you like on yours?"

"Oh. Uh… everything is fine, I guess." Blaine said and then bit his lip.

Andrew cocked his head to the side, "Are you sure?" he asked with a questioning look on his face. "You don't have to get everything just because I am."

"Just ketchup please," Blaine changed his order, blushing lightly.

Andrew just smiled at him, turning back to the vendor. The man gave them both disinterested looks and pulled two dogs out of the steam cooker with a pair of tongs. They both watched as he put them both on two buns and loaded Andrew's up with all the condiments available while only squirting a few globs of ketchup onto Blaine's. Andrew handed him a couple crisp bills and accepted both the hotdogs and the change in return, fumbling with the small coins with his malformed hands. Blaine took the hotdogs from him to help.

Andrew sent him a thankful glance, pocketing the change with difficulty. Blaine opened his mouth to protest, saying he would pay him back but Andrew held up a hand before he could utter a single consonant.

"I invited you out to lunch, so I will pay." He said and Blaine didn't fight him on it. He was wary of coming off as discourteous, knowing that Andrew had a lot of clout. Kevin and Kurt were both good friends and he wanted to make a good impression for them.

"Come'on," Andrew said and Blaine handed him his hotdog, "Let's go find somewhere quiet to eat."

Blaine followed him two blocks to a small city square, munching quietly on his dog. Right smack dab in the middle of the square sat a large fountain, spurting tendrils of water out of the top of a large slab of marble. The water cascaded down a stone stairway, trickling into a large pool at the bottom. Andrew sat down on the edge of the fountain, right on top of an engraved sign that instructed citizens to keep off.

Blaine gulped, glancing around as Andrew took a big bite out of his dog, seeming not to care that he was breaking the rules.

"Calm down. No one is paying attention to us," The younger man said, patting the space next to him. "Come. Sit. I don't bite."

Blaine cautiously sat down next to the red headed man, his back tense and unsure.

Andrew frowned. He would never allow anyone to touch him, always preferring at least a foot of space between him and anyone else with the exception of his Dom. But the years under Kevin's guidance and protection had loosened him up. He was no longer the broken and terrified man he once was, having grown so much in the two years since Kevin had collared him. In many ways he was healed but there was no denying that he was also physically and emotionally scarred from his past. And seeing Blaine, acting like a lot like he used to, was sending off all kinds of warning signs. He'd been so worried that Kevin had picked up on it and set up this little play date with Kurt for him and Blaine.

Andrew sighed heavily, drawing Blaine's attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." Andrew lied, smiling a fake smile. He doubted Blaine would be able to tell the difference quite yet. "I'm just amazed at how beautiful it is today."

Winter was definitely coming. They could both feel it in the air. But today was one of the last rare sunny days of the season. It wasn't warm enough to venture outside without a light coat on but it also wasn't cold enough to be miserable and bleak. Soon it would be snowing and the cold would be almost unbearable. Most of the migratory birds had already left for the season and only the pigeons were left, scavenging for food wherever they could find it. Blaine knew better than to feed them. Feeding one would attract a flock and then they'd be overrun by the flying rats.

"It is." Blaine said as he stared up at the impossibly large blue sky through the outline of tall skyscrapers. Intermittent clouds would pass by but for the most part it stayed clear.

They were both quiet after that and finally, Blaine couldn't take the suspense any longer. Consequences be damned, he needed to know what was going on.

"I don't mean to be rude but…" Blaine paused, wondering what the hell he was doing. This wasn't going to end well, he was sure. "What are you doing here?"

Andrew smiled, making Blaine instantly relax. He was relieved that the other sub wasn't insulted by his question.

Instead of offering a sarcastic answer, like Kevin would have done, he decided to tell the truth.

"I was hoping we could be friends. Our Dom's are close and so I was hoping we could be too." He said, softly.

Kevin had been friends with Kurt long before he had come into the picture and in the beginning Andrew had been terrified that Kurt would resent him for taking up Kevin's time. But Andrew had learned rather quickly that nothing had changed between them. His presence never upset the balance and Kurt seemed genuinely happy that Kevin had found someone. But as a result of joining the group and because the two Dom's spent so much time together, Andrew had gotten to know some Kurt's other subs over the years.

Blaine was the first one that he'd connected with, which had surprised both him and Kevin. Andrew had a hard time connecting with anyone, too afraid that they would hurt him again. But Blaine had caught his eye. It was nothing sexual, though he did find Blaine very attractive. It was more of a brotherly connection, one that he was just curious enough to pursue.

Blaine blinked at him in genuine surprise. There weren't many people who tried this hard to be friends with him. He had a few work acquaintances that had seemed interested in getting close to him but nothing to this extent. The last time had been back at Dalton and those friendships he'd forged back then were lifelong.

"I…" Blaine started and then stopped himself, nerves getting the best of him. "I think I'd like that." He tried again. "I don't have many friends and I think our Dom's would be happy if we got along."

Andrew looked pained for a quick second but it quickly disappeared behind a mask he'd perfected over the years. Only a few people were able to see beyond it, his Dom and Kurt being the only two he could think of at the moment. Even his therapist hadn't been able to read him so well.

"I don't want to be your friend solely because our Dom's would be happy." He admitted shyly. Blaine looked confused again.

"What do you mean?" he asked, curiously.

"You remind me of myself… you know… before." Andrew said which left Blaine feeling mortified. He knew exactly what Andrew was talking about.

"I haven't been abused." Blaine said adamantly and then winced. That had come out harsher than he meant.

"I'm sorry." He apologized a second later, feeling horrible about his reaction. "I didn't mean to be rude." He also wished to avoid bringing up bad memories for the other sub.

"No, it's ok." Andrew smiled grimly. "You might not have been abused to the degree I was but…" He trailed off, looking unsure. The fountain gurgled happily behind them.

"You act a lot like I used to and that makes me worried that someone is doing something similar to you." Andrew said sadly. He'd finished eating his food and was fiddling with the paper that it had been wrapped in, folding and refolding it over and over again.

"Kurt doesn't abuse me." Blaine sounded angry that Andrew was suggesting it. Was that what Kevin was worried about? Kurt had been nothing but good for him since they'd met, taking care of him and being there for him. He'd even helped him stand up to his father, something that no else had ever had the power to do.

Andrew's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh, god no. I didn't think he was. I know Kurt's a great person."

He knew that from personal experience.

"Oh…" Blaine's anger deflated fast, leaving him scrambling for something to say. He'd really stepped in this one.

"Look, I know you weren't expecting this and I'm just sorta throwing everything at you but I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I won't push." Andrew said stumbling over his words. He was having just as much trouble trying to explain.

Blaine smiled timidly, "O-ok… I'll uh… keep that in mind." He said.

Andrew smiled back at him, feeling accomplished, "Good."

Thinking back on what Andrew had said Blaine wanted to ask what he meant about Kurt. He couldn't stop thinking about it.

"What did you mean?" he asked, his curiosity winning out.

"When?" Andrew asked, bemused.

"When you said you knew Kurt was a great person? It almost sounded like you meant something by it." Blaine said, trying not to sound too anxious.

"Ah," Andrew said. He was happy to explain and Blaine seemed thirsty for knowledge of his Dom.

"One time, about a year ago, Kevin, Kurt, Mark—his sub at the time— and I went out to the bar one night. It was sort of a double date type thing and when I went to the bathroom, I accidently ran into this guy. He was the large, muscular, no brain type. And he was very drunk. I apologized but… because of my past, I was terrified of most men. The man had some friends with him and they were being belligerent and rude because when I ran into him, he'd spilt his drink. I just about died of a panic attack. I collapsed right there on the floor and while Kevin was helping me, Kurt went after the jerks. I don't remember what he said but the next thing I know, the guys are running out of the bar, tails between their legs and tears in their eyes. I know he threatened to kick their asses but didn't go through with it. Kurt doesn't like to solve things with violence even though he could have taken them all on and won. Whatever he said really intimidated those guys, more than violence ever would." He said.

Blaine stared at Andrew in awe. Kurt had done that? He tried to picture it, seeing petite Kurt going up against a pack of muscled giants. It shouldn't have been possible but Blaine didn't doubt that Andrew was telling him the truth. Kurt was a very loyal and protective person.

"Kurt can fight?" Blaine asked. It was the only thing he could think to say.

"Oh yea," Andrew said chuckling, "He's like a gay, American Jet Li, only more fashionable."

"That's amazing." Blaine said, still mesmerized by the thought of Kurt being about to physically protect himself.

"I don't know if he told you, but he was horribly teased when he was in high school and his father signed him up for self defense classes. He told me that it was a pain at first but once he realized that not only did he enjoy it but it was a great form of exercise, he kept up with it."

Blaine was saddened by his next thought, "I know what it's like to be teased because of your sexuality, to be driven out of your school because they're all afraid of catching something from you." It had been a rather dark point in his life. But he'd made it through.

"I started to learn how to box so I would never again have to know what it felt like to be helpless. But I never really feared for my life, even after a school dance when some bullies cornered me. From what little he's told me, I can assume that whatever I went through was nothing like his experience."

Andrew turned and looked off into the distance, watching as a man in a suit cut across the court yard in a hurry, brief case firmly held in his hand. He wasn't quite running, but the beads of perspiration were gathered along his graying hairline.

"I grew up in a small town called Smelterville, Idaho," Andrew started, "And when I say small town, I mean small. There were only around seven hundred people living there. But despite being so small and its unfortunate name, it wasn't a bad place to grow up. Everyone was generally accepting and I was one of five openly gay guys in my high school. We did get teased, but we all sort of stuck together so it didn't seem so bad. But it wasn't like I grew up without knowing what if felt like to be hated because of who I loved. It pales in comparison to what you are Kurt went through, but it was enough. Luckily my family is very accepting of me so I had their support." He said, turning back to look Blaine in the eyes, "So I understand how you feel about Kurt. I think he was hurt a lot more than he will admit to."

Blaine paused, "Do you think Kevin knows?"

Andrew just shrugged, "I don't know. But even if he did, I'd never ask. It's Kurt's business and when he's ready, and if he wants to, he'll tell us."

Blaine nodded and polished off the rest of his dog. He crumpled the paper up in his hand, needing something to keep them occupied.

"So how is work?" Andrew changed the subject, sensing an awkward silence approaching.

"It's ok." Blaine said, sighing, "I've been distracted a lot today."

Andrew raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Blaine blushed bright red, biting his lip. He couldn't say that every time he moved, his chastity rubbed against his leg and it made him think of last night, which made him start to get aroused, only to find that it was impossible to do so. It was too embarrassing. He'd also had a hard time going the bathroom, not brave enough to stand at the urinals with the other men in case someone saw. They'd all stared at him oddly when he'd come out of the privacy stall.

But Andrew understood, even without needing an explanation.

"Did he put something in you?" he asked shamelessly. Blaine coughed, sputtering and shook his head quickly.

"Come one, tell me. I'm dying to know." Andrew begged. He grabbed Blaine's hands and clasped them together in front of both of them, hopping up and down in his seat excitedly.

"Chastity." Blaine whispered, shutting his eyes. As if that action alone would make it less embarrassing to admit to.

Andrew squealed, hugging him. That action made his eyes open in shock.

"That's so exciting!" he said when he pulled back, grinning. Blaine caught sight of the other subs hands and couldn't stop staring. He knew it was incredibly rude but he couldn't stop himself. It was like watching a car accident.

Andrew saw where his eye sight had dropped to and his smile slipped just a little bit. Everyone always wanted to know what happened and normally he hated explaining, hating the look of pity that overtook the other person's face. But he didn't think he'd mind talking to Blaine about it. Maybe it would help him.

"You can ask, you know." Andrew said in a subdued tone. Blaine looked stricken, face paling when he realized that Andrew had seen him.

"I'm sorry." He quickly apologized, shaking his head. God, what an impression he was making.

"No, it's ok." Andrew said forcing a smile, "Everyone is curious, it's human nature. I don't blame you. I'm sure if our situations were reversed and you had an apparent deformity, I'd want to know about it too."

Blaine shook his head obstinately, "It's none of my business."

"What if I want to tell you?" Andrew asked, "My therapist says that it's good to talk about it, instead of bottling it up all the time. Right now, she, Kevin, and Kurt are the only ones who know the full story. Kurt only knows because Kevin needed someone to talk too and he was actually a huge help in the beginning. Because Kurt is so effeminate, I was more comfortable around him then even my own Dom."

Blaine was strangely jealous. Of what, he couldn't tell.

"I'd like to widen my circle, if that's ok with you?" Andrew asked him.

Blaine smiled encouragingly, "I would be honored to hear it."

Andrew took a few deep breathes, closing his eyes in preparation. He did this every time he had to open up about what had happened to him.

"My old Dom… he wasn't very nice." He wasn't sure how to start. He'd never had to voluntarily tell someone before. Everyone who knew about his past had found about it from a third party. Kevin had seen some of the abuse first hand and then proceeded to explain to both his therapist and Kurt with his consent.

"He was always angry and when he got angry, he would drink. Sometimes he was angry for a legitimate reason but often times it was for no reason at all. It was like he hated the world and everyone in it. He'd come home ranting and raving and I would just hide so he wouldn't take it out on me. But that didn't always work. He was my first Dom so I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. It took me almost a year to comprehend that it wasn't me, it was him. He just needed a reason to be mad and taking it out on me made him feel better."

Blaine tried to not let the horror show on his face. Andrew was calmly explaining this but he could see how much it was actually affecting him. His brown eyes had darkened and his hands unconsciously shook.

"He wouldn't let me work or go to school. He wanted me at home, cleaning and cooking like a househusband. I didn't mind that part so much, though I hated not having my own money to spend. He didn't like me leaving the house either. He set up this camera outside our front door and then reviewed it every night. If he saw I left the house, he'd punish me. But his punishments weren't normal ones, I'd come to find out. Often times they were quite cruel and didn't have any underlying principle behind them. He just liked to see me in pain and helpless." Andrew recounted the story on autopilot, the words spilling from him in a disjointed method. He wasn't thinking about this from a third person point of view, he was reliving the memories.

Seeing this, Blaine moved closer and wrapped his arms around the tortured sub. Andrew jumped at the touch but seeing that it was just Blaine and not his old Dom, he instantly relaxed.

He sighed, taking a moment to re-gather his thoughts before he continued.

"One day, Scott— that's his name by the way," Andrew cut in, "I was never allowed to say his name because he thought I wasn't respecting him, so everyone encourages me to call him that whenever I talk about him."

"Does Kevin allow you to call him by his name?" Blaine asked, hesitant to interrupt but curious.

"Yes… but I don't like to say it to his face." Andrew said guiltily, "Scott would hit me if I said his name out loud but I respect Kevin too much to call him by his name." Blaine nodded, agreeing. He felt the same way about Kurt.

"Well… uh… anyway, Scott came home one day and he was in a rage," Andrew continued his story, not wanting to stop in case he couldn't finish. "I had just finished cleaning the house but Scott was home early that day. He normally never came home until after six and it was barely five so I hadn't put all the stuff away yet. I heard him slam the door when he came in and then he tripped over something. I heard it from upstairs. I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life."

Blaine bit his lip in anticipation and rubbed circles into Andrew's back. The shaking had gotten worse.

"He called me downstairs and I knew I was going to be punished. I felt like a dead man walking to the gallows but I knew making him wait would only make it worse so I ran downstairs. He wasn't yelling but I think that scared me even more. Without saying anything he grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me into the kitchen. He let go of me to turn on the stove and it was one of those electric ones with the coil burners that turned bright red when they heated up. Before I knew what was happening, he grabbed my right hand and pressed my palm onto one of the burners."

Blaine sucked in a breath of air, one of his hands reaching down to hold one of Andrew's misshapen appendages. There were tears in the sub's eyes now and he could tell that this was very hard for the redhead.

"He held it there for a few seconds and then turned my hand over and did the same to the back of it. And then he repeated the process. I've never been in that much pain before in my entire life. I passed out soon after but when I woke up at the hospital I found out that he'd done the same to my other hand while I was unconscious. I woke up in restraints because Scott had told the hospital that I'd done this to myself and he'd walked in on me. And I was too scared to tell anyone different. I spent the next three months in the hospital on suicide watch getting my burns debrieded and a couple skin grafts. During that time, Scott played the doting boyfriend."

Blaine could only hope that the nerves had been burned so bad that he'd lost feeling. He didn't want to think of anyone in that kind of pain.

"Does it affect your mobility?" he asked, remembering a couple nights ago when Kevin had had to help him with his martini and then to a few minutes ago with the coins.

"Yes but its gotten better over the years. Honestly, I probably would have gotten better a lot faster if Scott had taken me to the physical therapy that the hospital had set up. But he didn't think there were important enough. Plus, he didn't want to pay for them. He was already mad enough about the accumulating hospital bills." Andrew answered plainly. It sounded stupid for Scott to be mad about the bills since he had been the one to cause the need for the trip to the hospital. But Blaine was just glad that the man had the common sense to take him to the hospital and hadn't just left him laying there in the kitchen.

"That's wrong… what he did. I can't believe someone could be so cruel." Blaine said disgusted. He'd never met the man but he hated him with every fiber of his being. He imagined that if this was how he felt, Kevin must feel ten times more protective of the sub. He was so young and it was unfair that he'd been treated this way.

"Kevin beat the shit out of him, if that makes you feel any better." Andrew smiled at the memory. Looking back, it sounded so romantic. Kevin was his hero, his knight in shining armor.

"Kurt told you, but Kevin walked in on one of my punishments. It was hard to focus because I'd hit my head and everything was a little fuzzy but one minute Scott was on top of me, hurting me, and then next thing I know I'm lying there, listening to the sounds of another fight going on. Witnesses saw Kevin pull Scott off me and start punching him so hard that he didn't have enough time to fight back. Two cops had to pull him off after that and I didn't find out until days later that Kevin had been arrested for putting Scott into a coma. He came out of it a week later but by that time, Kevin had been cleared by the police because I'd finally come clean about the abuse and witness statements said that Kevin had saved me. Scott went to jail for spousal abuse, assault and attempted murder, even though we weren't married and nothing like a conventional couple. The judge had taken pity on me because he'd seen so many cases like mine that ended so much worse. So he put Scott away for like forty years or so, without an opportunity for parole. He'll be an old man when he gets out." Scott explained, a small smile on his face. If he ever saw Scott again, it would be too soon.

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief, satisfied that the monster had gotten what he deserved, "Good. He's a terrible person to have taken advantage of someone as young as you."

Andrew looked at him oddly, "How old do you think I am?"

Blaine stared at Andrew's youthful face, his freckled nose and flawless skin. He didn't have the stunning beauty of a model or a movie star but he was very cute in his own right. When Blaine had first met him, he'd guessed the sub to be around eighteen but that didn't make much sense. Andrew had ordered a Martini at the club and to do that you had to at least be twenty-one. Of course, now that he was thinking about it, Kevin had technically ordered the drink. The waiter hadn't even spared either of the two subs on the floor a glance, speaking only to the Dom's at the table.

He decided to go with his first instinct, "Eighteen, maybe nineteen." Blaine guessed.

Andrew laughed, throwing back his head.

"What?" Blaine faltered in shock.

"Everyone always assumes I'm so young. I get carded all the time but I can't believe it." Andrew said, eyes sparkling.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

Blaine's draw dropped, which sent Andrew into another round of giggles.

"You're only a year younger than me."

"Yup," Andrew said nodding.

"But you look so young!" Blaine protested. It really wasn't fair.

"I have magical genes." Andrew joked, "That's what Kevin always says to tease me when someone says something about my age versus my looks."

Blaine shook his head, mumbling under his breath. Andrew put a hand on his shoulder, not surprised when Blaine jumped, startled.

"Look, I might not know what you're going through." Andrew said, trying to get back to what they were talking about before they were sidetracked, "But I know what it's like to be terrified of someone who's supposed to love you, so if you need to talk, I'm here for you."

Blaine smiled gratefully, wiping his watery eyes.

"Everything is fine… My dad, he…" Blaine said and the let out a long sigh, "I'm scared of him."

"Like I was scared of Scott?" Andrew asked softly.

Blaine shook his head, eyes downcast, "No… not exactly."

"How then?"

Blaine stood up, extracting himself from Andrew so suddenly that the redheaded man almost fell back into the fountain. Blaine looked down at his watch, noticing that he only had five minutes left of his lunch hour.

"I have to go. My lunch is almost over and I'm going to be late." Blaine said fearfully. He was both scared of the upcoming chat with his father and being late. He was already in deep water about yesterday and being late would only fuel his dad's fire.

"Oh… ok." Andrew said, trying not to sound too disappointed. He shook it off. Small steps, he reminded himself. Blaine wasn't going to open himself up after one visit, he knew that. Plus, Kurt was probably working with him on it.

"You should talk to Kurt at least, I'm sure he's worried about you." Andrew said standing up to join Blaine. They both took off towards Blaine's office, walking at a fast pace.

Saying Kurt's name had the opposite reaction he'd been expecting. Instead of getting a noncommittal nod, Blaine froze, paling considerably.

Oh, god. Kurt. Blaine started panicking. Would his Dom be angry that he'd opened up so much to a near stranger when he barely talked to him about his father? Would he feel betrayed?

"Blaine?" Andrew asked worriedly, "Are you ok? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing, I gotta go." Blaine said shaking his head wildly. He couldn't do this right now. He felt like the world was collapsing around him. Work was that last thing on his mind.

"Are you sure? You look like you're going to pass out. Should I call someone?" Andrew reached for his phone anyway, Kurt's number already on his speed dial. He was one of his emergency contacts and always had it on hand in case something happened.

"NO!" Blaine shouted. Calling Kurt would only make it worse and he didn't want to bother his Dom. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he remembered promising to call Kurt if he was feeling scared or hurt. But that was if his father had been the one to do it. He was too panicked to listen to that voice.

Andrew looked conflicted, phone still in hand.

"I'm fine." Blaine took a deep breath, calming himself down. "I'm just tired," Tired of repeating the same excuse. He'd never had this much trouble hiding his emotions from others.

"Alright…" Andrew didn't believe him but decided to drop it. He'd call Kevin afterwards to ask what he should do. "If you're sure…?"

"I am." Blaine said confidently. And he was… sort of. He'd suppressed any anxiety he felt till he was sure he could get through the day without becoming a shivering, useless mass of a person.

"Ok. Well I should be to getting back too. I have a class in an hour and I have to run some errands before I go." Andrew told him and leaned in for a hug. He'd shared enough of his personal life for them to be considered close enough for a simple hug. Blaine was surprised but hugged him back, enjoying the closeness. There was no spark between them, nothing but an intense feeling of affection towards one another.

"Have fun working." Andrew teased him and then waved as he disappeared into the swarm of people on the street. Blaine gave him one last look before scurrying back upstairs. Paula was waiting at his desk when he arrived.

His heart plummeted to his stomach at the sight of her. She regarded him with cool eyes and the same emotionless words as the last time she'd been sent to fetch him.

"Your father requests your presence."

Blaine draped his jacket over his chair and nodded, straightening his tie. He wasn't ready to face him. Not now. But what choice did he have?

Paula walked away without another word, expecting him to follow. Blaine only hesitated for a second before accepting his fate. He took a deep breath and clutched his groin reassuringly, feeling the hard comforting plastic of his chastity. A few people passing gave him odd looks but he ignored them and walked after Paula's retreating figure.

At one o'clock, Kurt was led to a secluded table at Gustavo's, one of the finest Italian restaurants in the city. They both loved this place but Adrianna made some sort of pilgrimage to it at least four times a week. She claimed she could eat here every day and live a happy life. Kurt didn't quite share her sentiments but couldn't disagree that the food was amazing.

Adrianna met him only five minutes later and Kurt stood to greet her. She kissed his cheek and the host that had led her there helped her out of her coat and then tucked her chair in behind her as she sat down. Menus pushed aside, they both patiently waited for Federico to come serve them. Kurt had already decided what he was ordering and Adrianna got the same thing every time she came.

"Mrs. Tanner." A familiar voice said, making them both look up to see Federico staring down at them. Because he was so familiar with the both of them, his pen and pad for taking orders was safely tucked into the black apron hanging around his thin waist. He playfully winked at Adrianna with his dark mocha eyes, clearly flirting with her even though he was thirty years younger than her. She smiled coyly in return and held out her hand for him. He took it and kissed the back of her palm chastely, his long dark eyelashes fluttering.

She came in so often that most of the staff knew of her.

"And Mr. Hummel, I haven't seen you in a while. Welcome back." Federico turned to him, smiling. He was easily one of the most handsome men Kurt had ever met, with his dark eyes and skin. His black hair was neatly combed and pulled back into a small pony tail at the base of his head.

"Can I get you both something to drink?" he said in a thick Spanish accent.

"Coffee and a water, please," Kurt said and Adrianna ordered a glass of white wine.

"Of course, I'll be right back" Federico said and disappeared to get their drinks. Both of them stared after him, watching his tight ass as he sauntered away. Once he was out of sight, Kurt grinned and shook his head.

"Little early for happy hour, isn't it?" he teased her.

"And how many cups of coffee have you had today?" she teased back, knowing that he was at least on his third cup.

"Five but who's counting?" Kurt said with a light laugh. She shared it for a few seconds before becoming serious. Kurt didn't normally ask her out to lunch unless he needed advice on something. Ninety-five percent of the time, it was about work but there was that rare five percent that turned personal. It was usually because Darcie was busy or it was about the girl in question.

It sounded mean but Adrianna didn't mind that she was Kurt's second choice. She wasn't a social person to begin with and she wasn't all that keen on having Kurt come to her for every little thing, no matter how much she adored him. This was one of the reasons she never had any kids.

"Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

"It's about Blaine." Kurt didn't want to go into too much detail but he felt that was necessary to start out with.

"I will admit that I don't quite understand the procedures of a homosexual relationship but I will try my best." Adrianna said. She had grown up in a time where gay relationships weren't talked about and when it was impossible to ignore, talked about with scorn. She'd never believed that being gay was wrong but because of how she'd been taught to handle the topic, it often left people thinking she was homophobic. Kurt was aware of this and took everything she said with a grain of salt.

Federico came back with their drinks, plucking them off his tray and setting them down in front of them. He also set down a basket of breadsticks. Kurt eyed them, knowing how fattening they were, and tried to avoid them. He liked fitting into his jeans.

"Thank you." Adrianna practically purred, smiling at the man with amorous eyes. Federico took their order with a little prompting from Kurt (otherwise they could be there all afternoon) and then left them alone to talk.

"Blaine's father is George Anderson." Kurt said bluntly, taking a sip of his coffee. It was a rich Italian blend and Kurt moaned upon tasting it. Adrianna stared at him, not expecting this new bit of information.

"I see." She finally said, "That poor boy."

Kurt's eyebrows furrowed, "Why would you say that?"

"George Alexander Anderson," she spoke his name with contempt, "is one of the biggest imbeciles I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. I pity anyone that is unlucky enough to be his son."

"Blaine has a hard relationship with his father." Kurt admitted warily.

"I can imagine. I know for a fact that he hates the fact that he's gay." Adrianna said and then sneered coldly. "And he thought I'd give him impotent children."

Kurt frowned, not sure what she was implying. That Blaine was impotent because he was gay?

"Oh, I don't mean it like that, Kurt dear." She said, seeing him tense up, "George and I were engaged for a short time, you see."

Kurt blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Oh, yes. Our parents set it up. I hated the idea of marrying him from the start because I was already in love with another, my first husband. After months of biting my tongue in fear of my parents cutting me off, I finally told them that I couldn't go through with it. My parents, naturally, were livid and threatened to disown me if I didn't go through with the marriage as planned. But Sloan somehow convinced them that Anson was a better match for me. He came from money as well, not as much as the Anderson family, but they did well on their own. I don't know how he did it but I will be forever grateful to my brother."

"Of course once we told the Andersons and announced the new engagement, in a fit of bruised pride, George told me that he was glad we weren't going through with our nuptials because he was convinced I'd give him impotent children. Claire Graeme, the woman he ended up marrying, was only able to give him one son and a gay one at that. To George that is the ultimate idea of impotent." Adrianna said in explanation. She was trying to make him understand that she wasn't trying to insult Kurt or Blaine, more that she was taking enjoyment out of George's misery because he'd wounded her pride years before. Kurt wasn't going to remind her that she had no kids herself to speak of and in a way, Blaine's father still outclassed her. One son, no matter what his sexual orientation, was still better than no children in Kurt's opinion.

"Can you tell me more about him?" Kurt asked, "Maybe something I can use against him. You see, Blaine is still under his thumb and I'd like to help him."

"It won't be easy." Adrianna said and took a sip of her wine. "George is a very possessive man. I know when Claire left him, he took it as a personal insult. Prying Blaine from his grasp, no matter how much he despises his son, will be an arduous task."

"That doesn't matter to me." Kurt didn't hesitate, never wavering in his decision.

"You must really care for this boy to go to so much trouble." Adrianna said curiously. She could see the fire burning in Kurt's eyes, the passion behind what he was saying.

"It's only been a week but Blaine has become someone very important to me. I'm going to help him any way I can." Kurt said stubbornly. Adrianna admired that about him. It reminded her of her love for Anson. The man would always have a special place in her heart, being her first. But an aneurysm had taken him immaturely, widowing her at the young age of thirty.

"Then I shall help you." Adrianna said. She would have done it anyway to get back at George but seeing Kurt's eagerness made her feel less like a vindictive individual and more like a she was helping a friend.

"I've known George for a very long time. Are marriage had been planned from our infancy and because of this, we entertained a lot of play dates in our early childhood. George had always been a spoiled child, raised with a golden spoon in his mouth. He looked down on everyone, like the arrogant sod he was and bullied anyone who he deemed inferior. Sadly, not much changed as he grew from adolescence to adulthood. He is still the same prick he's always been." She said, spitefully.

"Is this supposed to help or are you just using this as an opportunity to vent?" Kurt asked annoyed. He could have guessed all this.

"Shush." Adrianna silenced him with a glare. "George is a bully. He uses intimidation, blackmail and cunning to achieve what he desires. But he hardly ever uses violence. And if he does, he hires someone else to do it. He doesn't like to get his hands dirty."

"How does that help me?" Kurt repeated impatiently.

"Bullies target weaker people to make themselves feel powerful. George isn't any different. He's trained his son since birth to fear him and I have no doubt that he never wanted his son to become more powerful than him. What you have to do is help Blaine stand up to his father. George has all the power because Blaine lets him. Claire finally got sick of her husband stepping all over her and once that happened, he couldn't' control her anymore. She found the strength to leave herself." Adrianna told him.

"It seems so simple." Kurt muttered, staring off into the distance.

"For some people it is, for others they need some help. And it doesn't make Blaine weak because he needs your helping getting out." Adrianna laid one of her aging hands down on Kurt's baby soft one, gripping it softly.

"Taking Blaine away from his father isn't enough. I want to hurt him for what's he's done and I have to keep reminding myself that I have to take the high road, that I'm the better person but I don't think it's that simple anymore." Kurt said venomously. Adrianna gave his hand a tight squeeze.

"I will advise you to proceed with caution." She said, "George might not be able to affect your job but he is still a reputable person. He has many friends with the District Attorney's office, the governor, even some of the police. He can make your life miserable."

"I'm not scared of him, if that's what you think. Unless he plans on putting a hitman out on me, I'm not going to change my plan. It's high time someone stood up to him." Kurt said stubbornly.

"You are a very courageous person, Kurt." Adrianna told him.

"I know that my relationship with Blaine and what I'm planning to do might affect the company. Anderson and Kline are hired as our lawyers. I don't think Blaine's father will like the idea of doing business with us after this." Kurt said. He'd been thinking about this all morning, worried that Adrianna would be angry that he was playing with fire.

Adrianna waved him off, not even thinking about that aspect. "Lawyers are a dime a dozen. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks." Kurt smiled gratefully. He would have probably gone through with what he was planning, in spite of the consequences and he knew that there might be a chance of repercussions falling back on him, but knowing that Adrianna was on his side took a large weight off his chest.

"As for your revenge idea, I think I can help you with that." Adrianna said, grinning slyly.

Kurt was intrigued, "I'm listening."

"George, ever since he was a little kid, has had a bad case of Herpetophobia." Adrianna stage whispered. And when Kurt failed to provide the appropriate reaction, she sighed in a put out manner.

"He has an intense fear of reptiles of any sort, lizards especially. He was bit by one as a child and he hasn't been able to be close to one since." She explained exasperatedly.

Kurt shook his head wryly, "I'll take that into consideration. Might come in handy someday."

"It was the only way I could get back at him as a child. I used to steal Sloan's pet Iguana and chase him around with it." She said giggling at the memory. The image of a miniature, less well-mannered Blaine, running around while a girl chased him with a green lizard popped into his head and he had a hard time stifling his laughter.

Federico arrived with their food and Kurt rolled his eyes as another round of flirting proceeded after he set their plates down. Kurt looked down at his spinach tortellini, picking up his fork to start eating without his boss. He was hungry after all.

Five minutes later, another table called Federico away and Adrianna finally started eating her own food, twirling her fork daintily around her spaghetti with pesto sause.

"Don't you already have one of those at home?" Kurt said, looking at Federico. He was of course talking about Adrianna's gardener/pool boy, Evander but he did the same amount of work as Puck used to do when he'd had his service in Lima.

"What can I say?" Adrianna replied, coyly, "I have a weakness for hot young men with Latin blood flowing through their veins."

Kurt frowned, "Didn't you say Evander was from Greece?"

Adrianna waved him off, "Tomato, Tomaato."

Kurt's responding laughter could be heard throughout the entire restaurant.

His father was silent upon Blaine's entry, facing away from the door as he stared out the window behind his desk. Wearing a crisp Armani suit, black immaculate hair parted to the side, his wide shoulders and short stature, he looked more like an mobster than a New York lawyer.

"Close the door behind you, Blaine." his father commanded, not moving from where he was. Blaine did as he was told, his pulse racing. Closed door meant no witnesses.

Blaine didn't need to see his father's face to know that he was in trouble. It was in his stance, feet firmly planted on the ground, hips jutted out slightly. He was the picture of calm but Blaine knew different. Simmering below that layer of calm was hot molten anger that was dying to get out.

Blaine waited patiently for his father to start, knowing that the man wouldn't have summoned him if he just wanted to chat. No, this was about yesterday.

"Your grandfather was a very wise man," His father said, voice cool, "And one of the things he always used to say was, 'If you want an accurate judge of a man's character, don't observe how he treats his mother but how he listens and respects his father. A good man will follow his father's word as if it were law'…" He trailed off, keeping his eyes on the bustling street underneath him. The people moved in a form of disorderly chaos, weaving in and out of each other but never really seeing anything.

"I respected my father."

Respect and fear were two different things, was what Blaine wanted to say. But he wasn't brave enough. He couldn't make his mouth form the words and his throat felt clogged.

"I respect you." Blaine said quietly instead. George flung around to glare at his whimpering son, rage apparent on his face.

"Bullshit! What about that unruly stunt you pulled yesterday? You call that respect?" he snarled, hands curling. His hazel eyes were wild, boring into Blaine with deadly precision.

"I was sick…" Blaine protested half-heartedly. He jumped when his father slammed his hands down on his desk, making all the items sitting on it wobble. But his father wasn't finished.

"And what about this morning? I saw you being dropped off where everyone could see you after spending the night with that carrot-headed twink. And then he came and took you out? Did you not get enough yesterday, so you brought your disgusting habits to work with you?" George continued to rant, shaking in his rage.

Carrot-headed twink…? Andrew…? His father had seen him from his window with two different men. And he was only sleeping with one of them. Only had plans to be with of them and it wasn't Andrew. His father was under the impression that Kurt and Andrew was the same person.

He'd have to set the record straight, though he was about as excited to tell the whole office about his sexuality as much as his father was. Some of them were his father's closest friends and some of the biggest homophobes on the plant. Beckman Kline, one the firm's partners, was the worst.

"I went to lunch with a friend. That's all." Blaine said truthfully, "We're not together."

George sneered at him, "You say together like it's supposed to be normal, Blaine, like it can be compared to the love between a man and woman. But you're wrong. It's disgusting and abnormal. I can't even think about you sharing a bed with another man without getting sick to my stomach."

"T-that's not true!" Blaine cried, starting to shake. He crossed his legs, feeling the chastity tug on his groin. He needed Kurt.

"I'll bet you took it up the ass like some candy-ass faggot. How manly is that?" George continued to yell degrading things at his son, who in his eyes had always been a disappointment to him. To him, being gay was just one of Blaine's faults. He was a weakling and George couldn't believe that he'd spawned someone so useless.

At this point, Blaine fell into old habits. This conversation wasn't something new. He'd been hearing the same thing over and over again since he'd come out at the age of fifteen. And there was no stopping them. Sooner or later his father would tire himself out or get bored of the conversation, all Blaine had to do was wait for that to happen and try not to let what his father said break him.

This time around, he had an advantage. He pictured Kurt in his mind, summoning the image of him this morning, sleeping peacefully. He'd give anything to be back there, to be happy.

That image was disrupted by loud crash. His father had picked up the picture of his current wife sitting on his desk and thrown it at the wall. The frame crumbled and broken bits of glass rained down on the carpet. "Are you listening to me? Or are you too busy having a fucking wet dream about that twink of yours?"

"N-no I was listening." Blaine lied, staring at his father in terror.

"Why you little—"

"Mr. Anderson." Paula's voice interrupted whatever he was going to finish with along with a sharp knock on the door.

"Yes?" His father's tone had changed. When talking to his secretary, he sounded completely normal again, like his anger had been a figment of Blaine's imagination.

"Mr. Kline wants to talk to you. It's about a client." She said nothing about the commotion she could surely hear behind the closed door, having heard it all before.

"Tell him I will be there in a minute." George said and dismissed her.

With a ragged sigh, George turned to his son. "You're such a disappointment, Blaine…" he trailed off tiredly, as if the conversation had been hard on him. "Get back to work."

"Yes, sir." Blaine said close to tears now. He wouldn't let them fall, knowing their presence would only anger his father further. Blaine scurried out his office faster than he'd ever done before, holding back desperate tears. Once in the confines of the elevator, he sunk down to the floor and cried.

The cruel words his father had just treated him to revolved around his head.

Did you not get enough yesterday, so you brought your disgusting habits to work with you?

But you're wrong.

It's disgusting and abnormal.

I can't even think about you sharing a bed with another man without getting sick to my stomach.

You're such a disappointment.

He'd always known, even if it was never said, that his father didn't like him. It wasn't that hard to figure out. But he'd always hoped that someone, deep down, his father truly loved him. Now he knew that it was a big fat lie. The only thing his father felt towards him was disapproval and shame. And it hurt that he would never be able to live up to his father's expectations.

His pity party was interrupted by his phone buzzing from his pocket and wordlessly he pulled it out, staring at name flashing on the screen.

Kurt.

He sniffled and immediately answered the call. He needed this. Kurt's voice soothed him and right now he needed that relief. His wounds were too fresh, openly bleeding in some places.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked, even before saying hello.

Blaine didn't understand how he knew but had never been more grateful. For so long he'd felt like he was walking on a tightrope, teetering back and forth over a pit of ravenous wolves. But Kurt was like a net, keeping him from falling all the way down to be devoured.

"No." Blaine admitted, not even trying to stifle his heart wrenching sobs.

"Shit." He heard Kurt cursed and pull the speaker away from his mouth. His next words were muffled, not meant for his ears.

"I'm still here, Blaine," Kurt reassured him. He was moving quickly in the background, doing something that Blaine didn't understand. But Blaine was oddly ok with that. Just hearing Kurt, feeling his presence over the phone was enough for him.

"How did you know?" Blaine asked when Kurt eventually stilled.

"I got a text from Kevin, warning me that something might be wrong. Andrew called him after you went back to work and told him about how you were acting right before he left. He was worried about you." He said, almost as if he was expecting Blaine to get mad and blame the other sub.

"I don't know what to do, Sir." Blaine whispered, sniffling. He was so lost and confused. "I know he hates the fact that I'm gay but I can't change that. I thought if I tried to make him happy in every other way, he'd eventually accept me for who I am and we could start over. But he can't get over the fact that I love men."

"Don't you see? That's his problem, not yours. You don't need to torture yourself because of it."

"But if I wasn't so—

"Blaine." Kurt cut him off, tone hardening. Blaine sat up straighter at the sound of it.

"Yes, sir."

"Where are you, exactly?"

"I'm in the elevator." He looked up at the illuminated numbers near the ceiling, seeing that the elevator hadn't moved an inch. He'd come barreling in so fast and gotten distracted by his tears that he'd forgotten to push a button for another floor. So it had just stayed where it was, waiting for someone else to call it. He was just lucky that no one else had need for it.

"Find the nearest bathroom." Kurt ordered and Blaine clumsily stood, reaching out to push the button for his floor. He wanted to be as far away from his father as he could.

He attempted to fix his appearance but he had no doubt that some of his co-workers noticed his red rimmed eyes and rumpled clothing. Keeping his head down, he passed his desk and headed straight towards the bathroom in the east corner.

It was immaculately clean, smelling the mixture of a faint whiff of disinfectant and a clean breeze. The stalls were black, painted metal, matching the dark granite counters. Upon, entry he saw himself in the mirror and noticed how bad he really looked. His dark curls were escaping from the gel and he desperately needed a touch up. Each of the sinks were fashioned to look like metal bowls sitting on top of the counter. On the far wall, there were a row of eight urinals.

"I'm here." Blaine whispered, wondering what he was supposed to do next. He didn't understand what he was doing in here but he wasn't going to argue.

"Go into one of the stalls. Lock the door behind you."

Blaine shivered in anticipation and walked over to nearest stall, locking himself in. He stood facing the porcelain bowl, staring at the tiled wall above the toilet.

"Sir, what—"

"Don't speak, just listen." Kurt softly reprimanded him. Blaine closed his mouth, still not understanding.

"Using one hand I want you to hold the phone and with the other, reach down and unzip your pants. Let them drop to the floor. Then do the same to your underwear." Blaine nodded dumbly, forgetting that Kurt couldn't see him. But Kurt didn't require a response, so he unbuttoned his pants and shimmied out of them until they passed his hips and fell to the ground with a soft rustle. Naked from the waist down, he could feel the cool air caress his buttocks. He looked down at his chastity encased penis, hearing the small lock smack against the plastic with every movement.

"Touch yourself." He heard Kurt say over the phone, though his voice didn't have the erotic intonation that meant he was getting aroused. He was simply stating the words, trusting that Blaine was doing as he was told.

Blaine wrapped his hand around his length, feeling the hardness of the plastic and the weight of it in his palm.

"Now close your eyes and listen to my voice." Kurt instructed. Blaine's lids close instinctively, a dark void taking over. There was no one in the bathroom besides him. Kurt's voice was the only thing he could hear.

"That chastity represents my feelings for you. No matter where you are, no matter who you're with, I will always be there. I hold the key to those bonds." Kurt took a deep shattering breath, the emotion in his voice palpable.

"You're perfect the way you are, Blaine. You don't have to change for your dad and I am so sad that he can't see what a wonderful person you are. But he doesn't matter. All that matters is that you understand that you're not alone, there are people who love you."

Kurt's pause was one of the most painful moments in his life. He could sense the words that Kurt wasn't saying, the words he desperately wanted him to say.

"I…" Kurt, for the first time since Blaine had met him, was having trouble saying speaking, overcome by what he was feeling. He hadn't meant to become this emotional but hearing Blaine sobbing had ignited something within him. Kurt needed Blaine to hear these words.

"I love you. I know it's only been a week and maybe we're moving too fast but I can't imagine life without you in it." Kurt said, after a few shaky breathes meant to regain control.

"Sir…" Blaine spoke without permission, eyes flying open, tears falling from them like waterfalls. "I love you too!" he burst out, unable to keep the words to himself. And in that moment, everything with the world was alright. Because the man he was in love with, loved him back.

Kurt smiled over the phone, his happiness evident.

"Your just a glutton for punishment aren't you." He said with a watery chuckle.

"Ooops…" Blaine said and the snapped his lips shut. He realized his mistake too late but for once, didn't fear the repercussions of his slip. He had no doubt that Kurt would come up with a suitable punishment and couldn't wait to get off of work to find out what it was.

"Will you be alright for the rest of the day?" Kurt asked. He had plans in motion but he needed to make sure Blaine wasn't going to do anything drastic.

Blaine almost considered not answering but doubted that Kurt wanted him to ignore a direct question.

"Yes… I can't wait to come home." And by home, he meant Kurt's apartment.

"My apartment is closer than yours." He said, seeming to understand what Blaine was really saying.

"Don't dawdle after you get off, I'll be waiting." Kurt said and after one more exchange of love, they both hung up. Blaine clutched his phone against his chest, right over his heart. Forgetting that he was still at work, he reached down and grabbed his chastity one more time. He could feel the love of his Dom, wrapping around him like a cocoon.

He stood there for another five minutes, hand wrapped around his dick, till someone entered the bathroom loudly, slamming the door open against the wall behind it. Whoever it was sounded pissed and Blaine was wary of being found in this position. He pulled up his pants and underwear, quickly buttoning them and straightening his jacket

It was time to get back to work. After all, he still had to finish his resume before Kurt picked him up later that night.