“No, you stop. How didn’t you stop it from getting out? How the hell is it out so fast? I don’t care. Contact someone. How could they do this? How do they decide… well, Christ. Do you know how hard I’ve worked to keep this from happening? Do you know how much this’ll hurt- Kurt!”

Kurt had sat up slowly, and taken Blaine’s laptop from him- he was so rapt in his conversation, he hadn’t noticed- and Blaine made a futile grab for it. Kurt had already seen it.

The article was on a website decked out with lurid purples and pinks, all bubbly fonts and grammatical errors. The first line was bold and in caps and made the rest of the words blur into abstract, wavy lines.

FAMOUS STYLIST AND UP AND COMING BLAINE ANDERSON- WHO’S THE SECRET SUB?

Kurt heard Blaine hang up the phone as if from far away, saw in the corner of his eye Blaine reaching for him, hand hesitant. He didn’t twitch away. He was proud of it.

“Read it to me.”

“Kurt?”

“The article. Read it.”

“But I-”

“I can’t read it, I can’t see, I need you to read it.”

“Okay.” Blaine gently tugged his computer back, leaving the hand on Kurt’s shoulder. He took a breath, and began to read. “Kurt Hummel is a headstrong Bostonian stylist, wanted by the best of the best. It was no surprise to anyone that he ended up meeting Blaine Anderson, Hollywood’s favorite child-star grown up, who is famous for the outfits that he let himself be seen in, before, we imagine, someone clued him in. Exclusive here is a picture of the pair in a more than consultative relationship—which poses an interesting question. Blaine Anderson has always been openly a dom, having relationships with several toys in the public eye. Stylist Hummel has always made himself out to be a dom, and according to some he’s worked with, it would be in line with his “domineering” nature. So who’s faking it?

From the exclusive picture we have under the cut, we’d bet it’s Kurt—seated comfily in Anderson’s lap with a dreamy look on his face, we wouldn’t be surprised if he is the secret sub. More pictures to follow.”

Kurt was silent.

“Honey? I know this is an odd time to ask, but Max… What’s his last name?”

“Carson.” He answered, automatically. He remembered thinking about how maybe someday Max would make him wed and take his name. Kurt Carson. It sounded like a bad and alliterative country singer.

Blaine sucked a breath in through his teeth.

“What is it?” Kurt asked, as dread settled over his stomach, hot and weighty. This couldn’t get worse. Could not. And then his eyes followed where Blaine was pointing.
The picture of them was blurry, but had captured clear a private moment. Kurt looked more smitten than he thought he could, and Blaine, of course, looked perfect and tender as always. It would have been nice if it weren’t published to a gossip site.

Something else encroached. It was small, if Blaine hadn’t showed him he wouldn’t have noticed. His first reaction was a sick little twist of humor at how apropos the metaphor was. Him again, pushing into Kurt’s periphery- not close enough to claim, but close enough to make it known that he wanted to own Kurt. In the bottom right hand corner were tiny words in white, generic font.

Photo courtesy of Maxwell Carson.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Kurt said, softly.

Blaine shook his head, and kissed his shoulder. “I’m calling for a retraction. If they don’t do it, we’ll get lawyers on the case, and they could charge Max too. They can’t do this to us. It’s private.”

“It’s not, though!” Kurt croaked, shoving Blaine away and grabbing a pillow that he might do some sort of violence upon. “Name one celebrity who has kept aloof about it. Everyone knows their preference, apparently everyone has the right to. I was just stupid that I thought this could work.”

“What could work?” Blaine said, softly. “Us?”

“No.” Kurt said, quickly. Because somewhere along the line he had considered it, as his mind had been caught up in tailspin. Would it be better if he left Blaine? No. He couldn’t deal with the pain right now. Couldn’t deal with the alone. “That I could fake it. Be above my sexuality. Even be neutral.”

Blaine bit his lip, looking down softly, breathing deep, and then grabbed his hand.

“I’m sorry that it’s not easy for you to show the world who you are. But I’m going to have to be honest- you having to hide it is not fun for me.” Kurt thought about this.

“Dom thing?

“Yeah. But it’s not, like, possessive. It’s just that I don’t want you to be ashamed of me. Us. Mostly yourself.”

“I’m sorry. I can see where that would be difficult.” Blaine slid a knuckle under his chin, and tilted it back up.

“I understand why you are. You were wary about it to begin with, and Max didn’t help. I don’t expect you to be an out and proud sub right now. But that’s not what this is about. It should be down within the hour, but then what?”

“I have to talk to my boss.”

“Okay.”

“And we have to consider the fact that this means Maxwell is following us.”

“Yeah. Let me go talk to him.”

“That won’t help, Blaine. You already told him I’m yours, he’s not going to back down because you have a dom e dom talk.”

“Would it feel like that? That we’re talking over your head?”

“Maybe.” Kurt said, swallowing, blushing a bit.

“But then what are we going to do?”

“I… I don’t know, Blaine.” Kurt sighed, and let Blaine gather him into his arms.

“We’ll figure it out. Together. In the meantime, are we okay?”

“I’m still yours, for a while.”

“A while.”

“Or more.”

“Thanks, for that.”

“Mm.”

“Stressed, though?”

“It’s like all the things I was scared of about being a sub are coming true.”

“Oh, Kurt.” Blaine reached up and caressed his face, frowning softly.

“Don’t be sad. All the best and most unlikely things I was hoping for about being a sub are coming true too.”

“Oh my god, you’re a closet sap.” Blaine said, nuzzling into his neck.

“I feel like I should be offended by this.” Kurt chuckled.

“Don’t. Now, are you sure you’re okay? I mean, like, really okay?”

“Yeah, I’m really okay.”

“Then can I show you something?” Kurt tilted his head questioningly, and Blaine smiled- Kurt was pretty sure that this was an attempt at disarming, and fuck all, it was working.

“Sure.” He said, breathing in through his nose.

“That’s a good boy.” Blaine flashed him a smile, and kissed him on the temple. “Close your eyes, honey.” Kurt obeyed, fluttering them closed. Blaine ran his thumb over Kurt’s lips, and he sighed. “Open for me.” Kurt dropped his jaw, and Blaine smiled, slipping a soft something into his mouth, and tying it behind his head. “Hum the Jeopardy! theme for me.” Kurt opened one eye and looked at him questioningly. “Kurt.” Kurt shrugged and closed his eye, and then hummed the familiar. Down, Up, Down, Downdown Up Up Down- “Alright, good. That’s your safe signal, since you can’t speak. Now, we’re not going to do anything sexual, but I’m going to ask you if I can blindfold and cuff you. Is that alright?”

“Yeah.” Kurt answered truthfully. Blaine nodded, and Kurt felt the blindfold slip over his eyes. Kurt wondered where he was getting these things so quickly, but was distracted. The cuffs were soft- not fuzzy, but padded.

“Lay down, Kurt.” He said, pressing gently on his shoulders and guiding his head to the pillows. He pushed his laptop to the foot of the bed, put his cell phone on the bedside table, and arranged Kurt’s limbs carefully. Then he wrapped his arms around the small waist, kissing his lips, although he was loosely gagged. “Now listen to me, darling. Focus just on my voice.” He inhaled softly, and started to speak, his voice low.

“Many subs experience something called subspace. It’s a feeling that you are completely protected. Loved. Now, I can’t make you go into subspace on command, and it may not even exist for you, but I’ve given you a good start. You can’t see. You don’t have to move, say anything. No pressure. I will love you and appreciate you and approve of you no matter what, because you only have one option. Be good. Right. Safe. And just like that, you’ll have been a perfect boy for me. Sounds good?”

Kurt nodded, mulling it over. It sounded good. Sounded like something that could happen for him, something that he knew that Blaine could make happen for him.

“Just breathe. Just take whatever I give you.” Blaine said, dragging his fingertips over his chest in slow circles and nuzzling against his shoulder. “You’re safe here.”

“I know.”
***

“Oh, my god, where did you learn how to do this?”

“College experimentation.” Tina said, digging her thumbs into where his skin stretched between his shoulder and collarbone, pushing the muscles until they relaxed, and dragging his fingers down to his back, digging her knuckles into his back and prodding the knots away. “That boy not giving you enough massages? You’re wound tight.”

“He calms me plenty, I just develop panic too fast.” Tina giggled and hummed suggestively.

“Oh, calm yourself.”

“Casey loves you. Don’t worry about it.”

“He really doesn’t like people calling attention to the company.”

“The article was up all of forty five minutes. Besides, you were the wronged party here.”

“I know that, and you know that, but will he really see it that way?”

“Yes. He has to.” Tina spun his swivel chair around and tapped Kurt on the shoulder. He got up, and turned around to kiss her on the cheek.

“Thanks, Tee.”

“You’ll be fine. Promise.”

“Mm.” She pushed him forward and opened the door for him as his phone jangled. He unsheathed it as he walked toward the elevator, pressing the call button and opening the text.

Chin up. You’ve done nothing wrong. You’re strong, confident, charming, and most likely, he won’t be able to resist you. He has to see your side. –Blaine

He tapped out a quick reply before turning off his phone, pocketing it again and pushing the top button, as the floor stuttered down, and then back up, dinging at the top. He stepped out, head up, collar showing- but the dignity went unnoticed- a secretary sitting behind the desk in the administration area waved him to a polished oaken door, which he went through, after a breath.

The office suited him well. It was rustic and polished and old timey but expensive. The person behind the desk blended well- a neat mustache, salt and pepper hair, a stylish cut suit, leather bound planner spread out in front of them.

“Kurt. Can I call you Kurt? What brings you up here?” He was warm and cordial, his eyes polite and untroubled.

Kurt sat across from him, crossing his legs and looking him in the eye.

“Mr. Casey-”

“Call me Jonathan.”

“Jonathan. There’s really no way to say this, but there was an article online that-”

“I saw it, Kurt.”

“You have?” He said, voice sounding smaller than he was aiming for.

“We keep tabs on wherever the company or its best employee is mentioned.” He said, tilting his glasses down and looking at him.

“R-right. Well, I wanted to apologize for any trouble this has caused the company. I know it’s not exactly smiled upon to form a public relationship with a client.”

“That’s true.” He said, like he was conceding it.

But I never meant it to get out. Not a lot of people know I’m a sub, and I really wanted to keep it that way. I’m sorry. I’m really very sorry.”

“The way I see it, you don’t have much to be sorry for. You were being discreet. It isn’t your fault that the article got out. I didn’t know you were a sub, though.” He said, eyes darting to Kurt’s blank collar. “You’re really very good at your job for a sub, Kurt. You don’t let anyone push you around.”

“I don’t know that it’s about whether or not you let people push you around.”

“Fair point.” He said, smiling. “I like you, kid.” Kurt felt a sinking feeling, like what he’d feared was coming true- his boss wanted to take advantage of him because of his submissive nature. But then the other man loosened his tie, and pushed down the crisp material at the neck of his shirt. There was a collar, padded and soft looking, that read simply “Good Boy.” Kurt tilted his head, shocked, and Mr. Casey gave him a sheepish look, rolling his eyes a little.

“You of all people should know that things aren’t always what they seem.” Kurt let out a startled little laugh, and Mr. Casey did up his tie again. “Don’t let them get to you. And don’t be ashamed. They can’t bring you down if your head is held high. Meanwhile, take a break. Some time off until this blows over.”

“No, God, I really don’t want to lose my job over this-”

“That’s not what I said, kid. Take a long vacation. Spend it with your dom. He is your dom, right?” Kurt nodded, shyly. “It’s Wednesday now. I don’t expect you at work until Monday, you got that?”

“Are you sure?”

“You’ll be with your primary client.” The older sub teased, stretching and closing the book on his desk. “So it doesn’t much matter.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“We’ll stand by you, kid. You’re a valued member of this company.” They shook hands over the desk, and Kurt nodded in thanks, everything feeling lighter as he left the office.
***

“Can I take you out to dinner?”

“What?” Blaine asked, chuckling down the phone line.

“I have a proposition for you. And I want to take you out.”

“I’m… I’m surprised. I mean, I don’t mind you taking me out, and it doesn’t mean anything about which one of us is the dom, but I would have thought you wanted to be,,, you know, in private, after what happened.”

“Two people in these past few days have told me not to be ashamed. I’m not going to be.” Blaine was so silent that Kurt looked at his phone. The call was still connected. “Blaine?”

“You’re really incredible.”

“So, we’ll go to dinner in the caf� car of a southbound Amtrak?”

“Wait, what?” Blaine, laughing again.

“My boss gave me some time off, said to spend it with you. And I thought maybe we could go down to Ohio.”

“You want to meet my mom?”

“What? No, I want you to meet my dad.”

“He lives in Ohio? My mom does too.” Kurt laughed.

“Well, isn’t that convenient. Yeah, Lima, Ohio.”

“I know where that is. We lived in Westerville.”

“Small world.” Kurt said, biting his lip.

“Aw, don’t. You sound nervous. Don’t be.”

“I understand if you think it’s too soon. I really do.”

“Only if you think it’s too early to meet my mom?”

“No! Thank you, Blaine.”

“God, I wish I could see your face right now.” Blaine said, his voice muffled. Kurt held his phone up to the opposite ear and sighed.

“I’m elated, actually. My father will love you. Would love you regardless.”

“I’m not worried about you. I like seeing you happy. And I also really want to feel how soft your skin is. And the way you look when I kiss you breathless.”

“Blaine….”

“I’m guessing you wouldn’t want to do that kind of thing in public, so maybe I should pick you up for the train station. Like, an hour early?” Kurt bit his lip and spun around a bit.

“Okay. So you’ll be at mine at seven tomorrow morning?” e asked, teasing, and Blaine groaned, vibrating in Kurt’s ear.

“You, or sleep. Tough call, but I’m going to have to say yes, I’ll be there at seven. I hate Maxwell. He makes me want to touch you, and bite you and run my tongue-”

“Oh my god. Blaine, we’re not doing this.”

“I know. I’m giving myself time to cool off, which is why I’m not at your place right now. So when I get there in the morning, it won’t be in reaction to that bastard.” Kurt laughed in spite of himself. “In the meantime, I’ll play our song until I fall asleep.”

“We have a song?”

“Sure do.”

“What is it? And why don’t I get any input?”

“Because you’ll agree as soon as you figure out what it is.”

“I have to figure it out? You won’t just tell me?”

“Not a chance, love.”

“You’re awful. I’ll see you in the morning.

“Love you too.”

“Yeah.”