The sixth day at the sub house was almost as draining as the previous days’ punishment. He hadn’t missed much, only a few more rules about how subs should act and what is to be expected of them. Today they were taught the many different stances they would be expected to use: how to hold yourself when your Master has guests, how to make yourself unnoticed in a room, how to kneel when your Master expects you to simply be on hand, as well as many more situations. Which in theory doesn’t sound too bad, but in reality it was awful. The positions they were instructed to hold were very strenuous and hard to maintain for long lengths of time without limbs shaking with fatigue. Blaine became once again familiar with the Taser, along with most of the others. Surprisingly, the only person to not get shocked at least once was Nick. Something changed in him yesterday, and Blaine isn’t yet sure if it was a good change. Eventually the lessons of the day draw to a close, and shakily the subs rise to their feet before heading back to their shared cell, followed thirty seconds later by a guard coming to lock them in for the night.

Without saying a word, Blaine made his way through to the pathetic excuse for a washroom, having been a few days since he last had access to the toilet for anything longer than a pee, and desperately needing a shower. During his time in the room, a few other subs popped in and out, but none stayed for long, everyone seeming to be in and out as fast as possible. As soon as Blaine stepped under the spray he realised why. He thought the last time he used the shower that it was cold, but that was nothing compared to this time around. He used the cheap shower gel as quickly as possible, and decided to forgo the use of the two in one shampoo this time around, instead favouring getting out as quickly as possible. When he exits the room he heads straight over to the far side; the spot unofficially claimed by him, Nick, and the two girls.

“Hey!” Tina greats from on top of Brittany’s lap.

“Comfortable?” He asks jokingly, sitting down next to Nick as he does.

“For me more than Britt I would expect.” Tina giggled, before then sighing.

“What’s up?” Blaine prompts.

“I’m getting my you-know-what in the next few days, and I have no idea what to tell the guards. I have to, but eeww, talking to guys about this?” Blaine looks confused, he-doesn’t-know-what. “Riding the cotton pony? The jam factory? Paging Edward Cullen? Shark week? I know you gay guys don’t have to ever encounter this stuff, but come on you must have heard people talking about it before?”

At Blaine’s still confused look, Nick speaks up. “Blaine, her period.”

Blaine’s eyes go wide at the realization. He hadn’t even considered that concern for the girls! The other three all laugh at him.

“I… I um… I never really, umm, you know, thought of that.” He says going bright red, which just causes the others to laugh even harder.

“I was hoping someone else would start before me so I could see what I’m meant to do, but it doesn’t look like it will be the case.”

“Maybe someone has?” Brittany inputs. “While at the other place? We should ask.” At this prospect it’s Tina’s turn to go red. Blaine wonders why period talk is so taboo when it happens to every girl. He resolves to get over his little embarrassment as quickly as possible; sharing close quarters with four girls for a year would make it more awkward on everyone.

“Well, they must have something in place. I’ve seen lots of older girls, they wouldn’t have nothing in place for the situation, would they?” Blaine tries to reason. “Umm, would you like me to ask?” He offers, hoping it makes up for his earlier ignorance.

“It’s ok, I think I will brave it up when someone comes back later.” Tina concluded.

It wasn’t very long until a guard did show up, Blaine obviously having spent longer in the washroom than he realised. He was shocked to see it was Slapper, and instantly dropped his head in attempt to make himself smaller. He didn’t want to have anything else to do with the scary woman; however he could tell that the appearance of a female guard helped relax Tina.

“Ma’am?” She asks, the text book version of submission that Blaine had yet to see her do. And in all honesty he didn’t think she could act that way either, but it appears to come naturally to her. Either that or she is a good actor.

“What?” Slapper replies in a tone conveying her annoyance at being addressed.

“W…well, I..I am du…due to-“

“Spit it out.” Slapper interrupts impatiently.

“M…my period is m…meant to start s…soon.” She whispers the word.

“Ok, I will get a menstrual cup to you tomorrow. Now in.” She replies as a matter of fact, apparently oblivious to Tina’s inner turmoil over asking. Tina doesn’t give any reaction to the information, simply turning and pulling herself up to the cage next to Nick’s. Blaine hadn’t noticed before where she was. Slapper makes her way around the room, locking all the cage doors. Blaine is surprised he isn’t asked to cuff his wrists, but isn’t going to do it without being told.

Once Slapper has left and the lights go out, Tina speaks up.

“I have never used a cup before, I don’t even like tampons! How am I meant to use it?” She says to the person directly across from her. Blaine didn’t pay enough attention to know who is in there.

“I know how to.” He recognises the voice as belonging to Brittany. “Don’t worry.”

“Thanks.” He hears Tina reply. As his eyes start to adjust to the dim light, he tries to picture where everyone is. Opposite him is Nick, who is above a male he hasn’t really seen before. Well, obviously Blaine has seen him, but doesn’t really remember him doing anything noteworthy. Below Tina is another female, who has black hair and is about the same height as Blaine. The next two full cages hold boys, and the final two are empty, meaning the last girl must be somewhere on his side, along with the two other boys – of which one of them is below him.

Although he now has a rough idea where everyone is, it doesn’t make a difference to him. Although it is comforting to know he is surrounded by three of his friends – he counts Tina and Britt as friends, aside from Nick they are the closest he will have until Jeff comes to save them.

Lunch time the next day was when the next major event kicks off. It’s the first change in food they have had since being here - as far as Blaine is aware anyway, having missed it on several occasions. It was some kind of porridge mixed with various other food items, all ground into one. It looked and smelt awful, however Blaine surprisingly liked it. The texture was more like how he imagined brick dust, but overall he felt it wasn’t the worst he could be given. He assumes it’s mixed with various vitamins and the other stuff he never paid attention to when his cooking teacher talked about it. He was always more interested in the actual cooking of the food than the worrying about the nutritional value and all that other boring theory stuff. He was never one for having to write in a practical lesson.

He gets about half way through his bowl before the boy in the cage below Nick draws attention to himself for the first time. For no apparent reason he stands up, looking around in a manner that can only be described as ‘come get me, I dare you.’ A couple of the guards around the room turn their heads to look at him, but only one walks over, the rest turning their attention back to the other thirty or so subs dotted about the room.

The guard comes to a stop in front of the sub, before ordering “Kneel.” Unsurprisingly, the tall sub doesn’t, instead sticking his chin out in defiance.

“You get one more chance. Kneel,” he instructs. Instead, the sub – Blaine really needs to learn the names of these people – throws his untouched bowl of food over the guard, before finishing of the action by dropping the plastic bowl and turning to run. He only makes it a few steps before colliding with a second guard, who Blaine recognises as Stretch.

“Come with me,” he orders, pulling both of the subs arms and locking them in his cuffs behind his back. The sub seems to realise his small rebellious act has come to a halt, now detained. Although he does put up a bit of resistance, Blaine can tell it is only half hearted as he is led out of the room.

The rest of the day continues as though the other sub was still with them. Blaine assumes having people missing from their group is becoming less of a rare occasion for them, this being the third day of theirs when someone had been absent, the other times having been Nick twice and him once.

The evening passes similar to the previous one, Blaine washing his hair this time as well, anticipating the cold water spray. Stretch eventually appears with the sub he took earlier, first locking the limping man in his cage below Nick before instructing everyone else in their own as well. As he leaves, the lights all turn of, plunging them into the familiar darkness for another night.