Puck walks into Blaine’s cell, just like he had every other day. Blaine stands up and walks over to Puck, and Puck takes hold of his arm, before leading him to the wash room area. However, after finishing being washed – although still with the lack of a tooth brush, Blaine even able to smell the stench of his own breath – Puck leads him in a different direction, one he doesn’t think he has been in before. Blaine doesn’t ask why, ever since that second day where he ‘tried to run away’, every time either of them spoke to the other it was always kept minimal and impersonal, using Sir and 5226.

The corridor opens up at one side, looking like a large room on his left. The ‘room’ side is filled with tables, much like in a school canteen, while the area directly between the two halves of the corridor was left clear. Sat at the front few tables are 8 men in suits. They pause their conversations as Blaine is walked in, watching. Puck leads Blaine into the centre of the empty area, where there are a couple of piles of long chains. Puck stops walking as soon as one of the piles is just behind Blaine, and Blaine hears the rattle of chains as they are picked up. The end has a pair of cuffs, which Puck uses to immobilise Blaine’s hands behind his back. Looking down, Blaine notices that the chain is bolted to the floor, meaning there are no ways to escape, and no ways to hide any inch of his exposed skin from these strange men. Looking back up, he realises that most the men have gone back to their previous activities, only a few still looking at him.

He thinks back, counting how many days he has been at the centre. Today would be the 10th day, if he includes his birthday, making it the 1st of August. Blaine’s heart plummets, realising these must be the people from the sub house.

After approximately 10 minutes he hears a commotion to his right, and looks to see Puck walking back with a struggling Nick. Nick’s whole body seems to be covered in bruises in various stages of healing, and despite his attempts to get out of Puck’s grasp, he is clearly a lot worse than the last time Blaine saw him a week ago. Blaine also notices that Nick is walking with a definite limp. Nick is led to the chains next to Blaine, secured in the same way but with his other set of cuffs still on.

Once Puck had stepped back against the corridor wall, all conversations halted, as though there had been some auditable instruction, and one of the men stands up. Blaine watches him, and despite knowing his vulnerability he doesn’t drop eye contact. The man walks forwards until he is standing directly in front of Blaine. He appears in his mid-thirties and about 6 foot tall. Blaine has to look up to hold his gaze, however he ends up dropping his eyes after a few seconds, despite every conscious thought telling him not to give in to the man. Instead he grinds his teeth agitatedly.

“Oh no no no, we don’t want you ruining those teeth of yours.” The man says patronisingly, trailing his fingers down Blaine’s cheek in what he assumes is meant to be a comforting manor, but couldn’t be further from it. Blaine shuts his eyes, but stops his grinding. The man stops his hand under Blaine’s chin, pushing gently on the soft area to force Blaine’s head up. “Let me see your eyes.” He says in a seductive tone. Blaine reluctantly opens them, after another finger pushes the sensitive area. He notices the man has intriguing green eyes, and Blaine could imagine getting lost in them if it was a different situation. He quickly adverts his eyes. After what seems like forever, another man speaks up.

“Come on Hunter, we have a lot of distance to cover today.”

The man – Hunter – takes a few more seconds before removing his hand and stepping backwards to get a better view of him. Blaine wishes he could run and hide, but with the confirmation of a quick tug against the chain’s bolt, he knows he isn’t going anywhere. Instead he drops his head once again and slouches, in an attempt to make himself smaller, but keeps watching the man.

Hunter runs his eyes over Blaine’s body several times – taking extra time with his crotch – before walking behind him. Blaine didn’t like the man in front of him, but hates it even more with him behind. After a short time Blaine feels hands touching his brand, causing him to flinch.

“Jumpy little thing, aren’t you?” Hunter asks rhetorically. Hunter starts moving his hands, stretching the skin slightly and pulling it at odd angles, not enough that it would cause pain to undamaged skin, but causing Blaine to hiss at the contact on his still unhealed burn. “This is wonderfully done, don’t think I’ve seen a brand this clear for a while. Well done.” He says off to the side. Blaine doesn’t look, but assumes Sue has joined them at some point. “Ohh, I do like you. I’m going to have to keep an eye on you and save up, I need to replace my current personal sub but you may be even out of my price range. Although being head of the company may allow me to pull some strings.” A shiver runs down Blaine’s spine. He knows sub owners don’t tend to be the nicest of civilians, but this man just seems pure cruel. Luckily he chooses this moment to leave and examine Nick, allowing Blaine to attempt to close the door on all the horrible images floating round his head at the man’s words.

“I hear you have been a hassle, late bloomer.” The man snarls at Nick. Although Blaine is curious as to what the man is saying, he zones out, almost separating his mind from his body.

Blaine doesn’t know how long it is before he is snapped out of his daze by a loud voice.

“Right then sluts. Introductions. I’m your Master. You may call me Master. These people work at the sub house with me, you will address them all as Sir. Females are of cause Ma’am. The basic rules you need to know for now, before we reach the sub house: always address a superior as Sir or Ma’am unless told otherwise, don’t talk unless spoken to, and keep your head down at all times. Are we clear?” Blaine and Nick nod, their heads both down. Something about this man causes even Nick to obey. “Ok, let’s get you collared and get going, we have 4 other places to stop.”

Finally, the panic that he should have felt from the beginning kicks in. He starts frantically pulling at the chain, trying to get it to come loose. However he makes no progress. He finally understands what Nick was talking about when he was telling Puck that he had already had his free will taken. Yes, he had already been branded, but that experience had contained a confusing mix of emotions. The realisation that he would be expected to wear a collar like a dog, like a human fuck toy as Nick had put it, makes his stomach drop. Sure, he knew that subs wore collars, but he didn’t know.

He sees Hunter – Master – and one of the other men approaching with identical leers on their faces. Nick is already fighting another man, with Puck trying to restrain him. He looks back at Hunter – he won’t call him Master in his head, he won’t – who is holding a thick black collar, looking robust enough to withstand a lot of force – at least more force than can be used on a human neck. There are three large ring hoops, and a small one next to the locking system, all spaced evenly apart. A little silver metal tag is hanging off the small hoop. As Hunter approaches Blaine, he sees the tag at the right angle, allowing to him read the engraving:

Sub House

Of course, every slave has to wear a collar showing who owns them, and apparently the sub house is no different. Blaine hates the reminder that he no longer has ownership of his own body.

He takes a step back, running out of time and space before Hunter and his colleague reach him, however the chain doesn’t reach any further. He only managed that one step because of his height anyway. A hand grips his hair, and a second one placed on his upper back as a warning, just below the brand.

“Let’s be a good little toy, and do as we are told. Stand still, or I will allow John here to let his hand wonder.” Hunter says, as the hand on his back diverts to squeeze his arse. He squeals and jumps forwards, mistakenly towards Hunter.

“Oh good boy, so eager.” Hunter sneers as he slides the collar behind Blaine’s neck before he can react. The buckle is done up below Blaine’s adams apple, tighter than really necessary. He hears the lock engage, his neck truly to the mercy of Hunter. “If you behave it will get loosened at the sub house.” He says before walking away.

Blaine is uncuffed, and the chain is dropped, hitting the back of his right leg on the way down to the ground. His hands are clasped together by John, and he is pushed in the same direction Nick entered from. In front of him Nick is getting the same treatment, but with two guards instead of one, and most of the other men have come to surround them as they are led out. Hunter is the only one left behind, stood talking to Sue outside of Blaine’s hearing. When he passes Puck against the wall, he sees an expression of disgust mixed with sorrow on the guards face. Without looking at him, Puck turns and walks off, slightly slumped.

They walk out a door Blaine hasn’t seen before, leading into a small car park. Blaine looks around and sees that the area is fenced in. His plan of running was forgotten. Although even if it wasn’t, he doubts he could have made it far, and he would have very soon been identified by his collar – and nakedness.

Blaine is roughly thrown in the back of a large black van with the OSO logo on the side, following Nick inside. He lands on his stomach, luckily managing to avoid hitting his face this time since his hands where uncuffed, unlike on his birthday. He sees Nick struggling to get up, having still had his hands cuffed. He reaches over to help him as they are plunged into darkness with a loud bang.