Sue stood on the other side of the curtain. "Ill take you to the castle."

"I dont believe you," Cooper said, brushing past her. 

"Im telling the truth," she insisted. She grabbed Coopers arm. He shook it off and kept walking. 

"I know a shortcut," she said. "Two of them."

"Let me guess," Cooper said, "one takes me back to the beginning."

"Yes."

"I thought so." This place sucked. Even if Blaine never spoke to him again after what hed been put through, Cooper couldnt leave him in this fucked up environment. 

"But," Sue continued as if he hadnt started walking away again, "the second shortcut takes you from the beginning straight to the castle."

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to help me? I thought your stupid confetti cannons were more important."

"My sister." Sue eyes filled with tears. Either she was a brilliant actress or she was being sincere. "She had Down Syndrome. I had to take care of her cuz my parents were off hunting nazis. I loved her dearly, but it was so hard having to be an adult when I should have been able to be a kid. I wished her here and I couldnt solve the maze in time to free her, so I stayed."

A tear slid down her cheek. Cooper hated when girls cried. He never knew what to do besides stand there awkwardly and hope they stopped. "Im sorry," he said.

"Me too. Kurt doesnt know - this was way before his time. Jean died a while ago. My sister would be ashamed I kept you from your brother when I hated being kept from her."

Cooper knew this was the moment that would decide Blaines fate. If he guessed wrong, there wouldnt be time to get it right. Could he trust her despite all the lies? Jack Sparrow said that you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Its the honest ones you have to worry about. Cooper knew, sometimes, you simply had to believe. In the end, Harry trusted Snape and it had been the right decision.

“I'll go with you,” Cooper said. If she lied about this, it was time embrace his inner Jules Winnfield. Because Samuel L. Jackson would shoot every last mother fucker without a second thought. Now all he needed was a gun.

The trek to the beginning of the maze passed uneventfully, as did the shortcut to the end. Sue lead Cooper up to the front door of the castle. “This is as far as I can go,” she said. 

Cooper surprised both of the them by giving her a hug. “Thank you,” he said. She waved her hand dismissively. “No,” Cooper insisted, “I mean it. I couldn't have done it without you.”

“Us celebrities have to stick together. You better go. The clock's spinning. Tick tock, tick tock.”

His smile turned into a grimace as he opened the door. It looked like a fucking MC Escher painting or Hogwarts - stairs all over the place that seemed to twist on therm selves. It made him dizzy just to contemplate trying to walk upside down and backwards to get anywhere. 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Kurt blinked his eyes open. They had both fallen asleep. He knew he shouldn't have left Blaine gagged and tied to the bed, but after all the vigorous sex, the poor boy needed his beauty rest. The hickies and come splatters left a lovely pattern on the tan skin barely covered by the silk sheets. He wanted to take a picture to remember this moment forever. 

Taking the gag out and removing the restraints would likely wake Blaine. And he'd been fine for the last…however long they'd bee sleeping. It would be fun to return with bite-size food and feed Blaine, letting him suck on his fingers and maybe something else for dessert. Kurt wanted to come in Blaine's mouth this time.

Snack first, more sex after. 

Then he needed to talk to Blaine about staying. 

Kurt's stomach twisted painfully. Blaine hadn't made a single reference to anything “after.” They hadn't talked about Cooper, or feelings, or what happens at thirteen o'clock. He had to say something and he had to say it soon. Bringing it up after time ran out wouldn't be even pretending to give Blaine a choice. And maybe he should peek in at Cooper who would be sitting in the middle of the forest in a drug induced haze, having forgotten who he was. He'd worry about Cooper later. This was more important. 

He'd need to plan a coronation with a huge celebration. They could have live music and even have Blaine preform. It would be the perfect way to introduce Blaine to the kingdom. Everyone would fall in love with him just like Kurt had. 

What songs were about kings or royalty? 

Kurt ran through several. King of Anything? That didn't set the tone of Kurt being in charge. Royals? That implied Blaine didn't want to be royalty. Killer Queen? Blaine would give Freddie Mercury a run for his money, but at a coronation? Blaine liked Disney. I Just Can't Wait To Be King might be funny. Kurt could ask Blaine what he wanted to sing. Ugh, he was going to end up letting him sing Katy Perry. 

He imagined Blaine smiling shyly, and saying “I want to sing Not Like the Movies and at the end I'll announce I've met my prince.” And he'd play the piano when he sang. The whole city will cheer and they could live happily ever after. 

Kurt shook his head. He was way off on a tangent and starting to sound like Rachel. No way no how was he going to start acting like her. He was going to wake Blaine up and tell him this wasn't going to work. Cooper would rescue him like all the other wishers, take him home, and that would be that. 

Except that *wouldn't* just be that. He'd spend the rest of his life alone and miserable, sitting on his throne, dying a little more each day. Kurt laughed at himself.

What he was going to do was get a tray of food, and maybe some coffee, and take it to Blaine. Kurt would wake him up with kisses. He would feed Blaine and say, “I love you and I want you to stay.” Blaine would throw his arms around Kurt and say, “I love you too, and of course I want to stay forever.” So he'd have to untie Blaine first if he wanted it to play out like that. On the other hand, leaving Blaine tied up would force him to listen. No, he'd untie him. Their relationship was uneven enough in terms of balance of power and he had to make it as fair as possible when he asked. 

Dozens of Blaines paraded through Kurts mind in a rainbow of outfits. It would be so fun to dress him up. They would have to hold an event every week so Kurt would have a reason for all the clothes. He'd need some new outfits for himself, too. 

Kurt leaned over and kissed Blaine, then headed for the kitchen. He'd be gone two minutes getting the snacks, five tops.