Chapter 28

December 13, 2012

"It tickles," Kurt squirmed a little and Blaine eased his hold.

Having the slave's arm around him gave Kurt a strange sense of safety. A tiny frame behind him, no matter how fragile, made him feel as if there was nothing that could hurt him as long as this lovely boy was there to protect him.

"I'm sorry," the boy responded lightly with a smile that Kurt couldn't see but could definitely hear.

"You are not," the teen laughed and took Blaine's hand in his own.

The slave squeezed his hand gently and spoke again. "I'm sorry it tickled you but I don't regret doing it," he explained.

"I liked it," Kurt said. "Um, thank you... for coming here. You are good at cuddling."

Blaine laughed at that and the boy could feel his breath on his neck. "My friends used to say that when I go to college I should major in hugs and cuddles. Apparently I was that good," he said and his breathing hitched when he realised what he had just said.

Even after all the online research on slaves that Kurt had done before moving to the States he never pretended to understand what it was like to lose your past life. He had read various stories but reading about something and experiencing things were totally different. He could only make guesses and in that moment his guess was that for someone like Blaine the topic of his past, his family and friends must have been the most difficult to talk about. That was why he chose to ignore the slip up and change the topic since he didn't want the boy to feel uncomfortable.

"Well, you are comfy," he said staring through the frosted window. Now that they were just lazily lying on the bed with no eye contact it felt like it was a perfect time to talk things out. "About earlier... First of all, I'm sorry that you got to see it. It had been a few intense days and it just sort of happened, you know?"

"I get it, Kurt... You don't have to apologise," Blaine said and ran his thumb over Kurt's hand in a soothing manner. "We both just kind of lost it today. Let's just say that today is not our day."

"No, today is my favourite day," Kurt smiled to himself, "because I got you back. I'll admit it was pretty difficult to tiptoe around you, not knowing how to help you."

"I'm–"

"Please, no more apologising, okay? It was hard but we got through it, right? I know it must have been more difficult for you thank for me. I don't know how you feel but I was thinking of what I would do if I were you and I wouldn't trust me or my dad either. You don't know us well and here we are, locking you up in our house. I know you don't trust us and probably won't for a long time but I promise I will do everything I can to earn your trust."

Blaine let out a heavy sigh. "I want to trust you, I really do..."

"Let's give it some time, okay?" Kurt said and heard a loud growl from Blaine. "We need to feed that monster, otherwise it will eat me."

"I'll tell it to be gentle with you," Blaine giggled with a faint blush on his cheeks.

Kurt wiggled out of the slave boy's grip and sat up in the bed. "I didn't know it was possible to eat someone gently."

"It's possible with girls but I'm not sure about the guys," Blaine said and Kurt looked at him with big eyes.

"Did you just..."

"I think I did," Blaine's blush deepened.

"Oh my god," Kurt laughed and they both stood up to leave the room. "You just... you are full of surprises, you know?"

"Just the lack of filter sometimes," the boy shrugged, a smile plastered on his face.

Kurt shook his head. "Okay, let's go. Gently or not, I don't want to be eaten."

They descended the stairs and went into the living room. The episode they had just started watching when Kurt burst into tears was stopped and Kurt assumed Blaine took care of it before going upstairs to comfort him. It was amazing how thoughtful the other boy was.

"Do you know if Puck is coming today?" Blaine asked when they sat down on the couch and started eating.

"He didn't go to school today so he won't be bringing my assignments," Kurt responded after swallowing a big bite. "He's been avoiding me since the incident... I told him I forgave him but I think he still feels guilty about it."

"So do I," Blaine mumbled.

"You couldn't have known it would happen," the teenager uttered. "You wrote those rules because you felt comfortable having them. I should have warned Noah about them beforehand and he shouldn't have turned to violence before talking things out. You are not at fault here."

"He didn't hurt you badly, did he?" Blaine asked since he hadn't been brave enough to ask Kurt how he was doing before.

"A couple of tiny bruises so no big deal," Kurt assured him and took another sandwich. "Eat before I finish everything without you... Not that I would, I mean, I would make more if it wasn't enough and–"

Blaine smiled at him and cut him off. "I get it, it was a joke," he smiled and took a bite of his sandwich.

"I guess we will just need to learn how to communicate, huh?" Kurt laughed and they finished eating in silence, Blaine drinking his cold tea from time to time.

After there were no more food left and the mug stood on the table empty the boys decided to clean up before having a marathon of Friends. They went into the kitchen and Blaine washed the plates while Kurt took care of the ingredients they had prepared for the soup before their argument. They were almost done when Blaine broke the silence.

"I was wondering... I mean, you can say no... I just... Um... You know, never mind," he laughed nervously. "Forget I said anything."

"What was that?" Kurt asked and closed the fridge door.

"Nothing," Blaine smiled at him and put the plate on the dish dryer rack.

"Oh, so I will finally hear you sing?" Kurt asked with a smirk, pointing at the rules where it said that if Blaine didn't talk freely, he would have to sing a verse of any song.

The slave looked at the paper. "Oh... Um, I still have a sore throat so it won't be good..." he tried to get out of the punishment.

"I'm sure it will be great," Kurt encouraged him. "Any song you want."

"Can I think about it?"

"Sure," the boy said. "You have until I clean the table."

He then went to find a wet cloth, cleaned the table, and dried it with a kitchen towel. After it was done, he looked at Blaine expectantly.

"Okay, I thought of something," the boy said and lowered his eyes as if he couldn't dare look at Kurt when singing the words out.

Is it really all they say it is

I'm trynna make sense of this

They always say

Never join the circus

Will they really take care of me

Love me like I wanna be

I've heard before

This life can leave you empty

Kurt looked at the lost boy, who nervously wriggled his hands while voicing out his biggest fear. It was something he couldn't tell him directly but right there, through the song, he was telling Kurt that all he wanted was to be loved. He just feared they might not.

When Blaine finished the last note Kurt took his hand, making the boy look up at him, and continued the song.

It's hard to see it from the bottom

When your light is still shining

It's time for you to hurry up now

Cuz your time is rising

It's hard to see it from the bottom

When you wanna give up now

You gotta keep on going

Cuz your time is rising

While he sang Kurt could see tears starting to swell up in Blaine's eyes and he could feel his own eyes watering. It didn't stop them from singing the chorus part together though.

Oh, you feel it coming now

You feel it falling down

You gotta keep yourself together

You feel it coming now

You feel it falling down

You gotta keep yourself together

This time Blaine looked straight at Kurt while singing, as if sending him a message – he wasn't the only one who needed strength, Kurt needed support as well. But when the chorus ended, he couldn't help but look past him.

Is it really all they say it is

I can feel it getting breathless

They always say

The camera is contagious

Will the room start to cave in

When my steps start shifting

Cuz I've heard before

Don't lose what you believe in

Still holding Blaine's hand Kurt smiled at him encouragingly, wiping one last tear off his cheek.

It's hard to see it from the top now

When your light is still blinding

No time to close your eyes now

No time for hiding

It's hard to see it from the top now

When you wanna fall back down

You gotta keep on climbing

Cuz your time is rising

Just before the chorus Blaine took Kurt's other hand and they both sang their hearts out.

Oh, you feel it coming now

You feel it falling down

You gotta keep yourself together

You feel it coming now

You feel it falling down

You gotta keep yourself together

Oh, you feel it coming now

You feel it falling down

You gotta keep yourself together

It wasn't the full chorus but it was good enough for them. Once again they had tear-stained faces and looking at each other they laughed, unknowingly for the same reason.

"We are such babies," Kurt said and rubbed his aching eyes with his right hand, his left one still holding Blaine's.

"I was thinking the same thing," Blaine giggled. "We need to watch some comedy before we start crying again."

"Friends it is," the teen said and they went back into the living room, still holding hands. "We sound good together. Well, we will when you get better and when I get to sing not right after crying."

"You have a beautiful voice," Blaine praised him as they sat down on the couch. "Countertenors are very rare."

"Oh, I know, I was a star of my glee club back in Paris," he said, pride in his voice.

"Do you miss your friends?"

"I do, really. We text each other on Viber but it's not the same..."

Blaine nodded thoughtfully and pulled Kurt closer. "Come here, we both need some comfort right now," he said and let Kurt snuggle to his side.

It felt a bit strange for Kurt. For the past days he was the one, who had to be the strong one, taking care of the poor slave. Being held by the same boy who needed his protection was weird. Good weird though because even the strongest people sometimes need to be taken care of.

"Like I said before, very comfy," Kurt said with a smile. "Before we start with Friends... You don't think that after the punishment I won't ask you to tell me what it was about, do you?"

"Oh, um, if I don't, will I have to sing another song?"

"Yes... Yes, you will."

"Then we will cry some more," Blaine said with a laugh. "I, uh, I wanted to ask you if I could sleep with you... Or somewhere else. Not... not the guest room. If that's possible?"

Kurt frowned looking at him. "What's wrong with the guest room?"

"The... the mattress on the bed is too soft. I had been sleeping on concrete for so long that I can't sleep on that mattress," he said self-consciously.

"You told me you had been getting at least seven hours of sleep," the teen reminded him in confusion.

"I slept on the ground," Blaine confessed. "And since your mattress is firmer, I was thinking maybe you would let me... I know it's stupid. That's why I stopped myself from asking the first time."

"It's not stupid," Kurt argued. "You should have said something earlier... Of course you can sleep with me until we figure out what to do, okay?"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. We will move your bedding to my room later. Let's get our moods up now, shall we?"

"Okay," Blaine agreed and Kurt started the ninth episode from the beginning.

Somewhere around the sixteenth episode Kurt fell asleep on Blaine's chest and the slave turned down the sound of the TV to make sure the teen could get some sleep. He was aware that Kurt hadn't been getting nearly enough sleep and he blamed himself for it. Kurt had been putting way too much energy in interacting with him and taking care of his well-being. With the pile of assignments and homework on top of that the boy didn't rest as much as he needed to.

Running his hand through the sleeping boy's messy hair Blaine looked back at the day they had had. It had been so emotional that it was no surprise that Kurt fell asleep on him.

It felt good to finally voice his thoughts to Kurt but it wasn't the arguing in the kitchen that left his mind occupied. It was the other boy's outburst. Seeing him crying, beating himself up for silly things made his heart ache. It also gave him hope that maybe Kurt was different.

He really, really wanted to believe him. It was just too hard. After his experience with his parents, his brother's wife, the Karofskys, and many residents of Lima, it was hard to trust anyone. It was easy to pretend though. Lying there in bed he wasn't Blaine the slave. He was Blaine Anderson, comforting his one of many friends. For a second he forgot where he was and what might happen if he put trust in those people. A heartbreak. It was always just that.

Not wishing to start crying again at the painful memories the slave boy started listening to the TV more attentively. He loved Friends. It was still funny even though it wasn't the first time he watched it. He particularly liked Phoebe, who had been through a lot but still stayed positive. She was his spirit animal.

It was dark outside when a car pulled over and soon Burt walked into the house. Blaine could hear him going into the kitchen and a few minutes later he walked out of it.

Don't come in here, don't come in here, don't come in here...

Unfortunately, Burt did and in the TV light he saw the boys cuddling. "Evening, boys," he said loudly.

"Evening, Mr Hummel," Blaine greeted him in a whisper. "Kurt is asleep."

"Oh," Burt scratched his head and began whispering, "is it comfortable for you? He isn't hurting your bruises, is he?"

He didn't know why but Blaine felt intimidated by the man. So far he had been nothing but nice to him, always asking him how he was feeling but still, he was a big man, who could easily hurt him if he wanted to.

"I'm okay, he is not hurting me," he said when Burt sat down in the armchair.

"I saw some shatters in the kitchen bin. What happened?" the man asked and he could feel the blood drain from his face.

"Sir, I'm sorry, I broke that plate. I promise, I'll pay for it, I don't know when but–" he said as quickly as his hushed voice allowed.

"You did it?" Burt asked and, surprisingly, smiled. "Well, I owe you one I guess. That ugly thing was a gift from my mother. A great woman, big heart but no taste whatsoever. Even I can see that! So if you ever feel like breaking anything just look for the same pattern and smash it. We have plates, cups... Whatever suits you."

Blaine looked at him with nothing to say. He never knew what to think of the man because he was nothing like any other adults he had encountered. His relationship with Kurt was making him jealous and Burt treating him the same way he treated Kurt was making him confused.

Before an awkward silence could fall between them, Blaine felt the boy in his arms start to squirm and in a moment he opened his red eyes. "Dad?" he asked when he saw the dark figure.

"Yup, it's me," Burt said and turned the light on.

"What's going on?" Kurt asked covering his eyes from the bright light.

"You kind of fell asleep on me," Blaine explained very well aware of Burt's eyes on him as the man sat down.

"I told you that you were comfy," Kurt laughed with a blush colouring his face.

The slave boy didn't miss the man's questioning look that the other boy didn't notice. "Um, may I go to the guest room to read, please?" he went into the slave-mode just in case Kurt's dad didn't appreciate him being himself.

Both men said it was okay and the boy left. Kurt followed him with his eyes and when he looked back at his dad he was met with a knowing look on his face.

"It has to happen on his own record," Burt warned him.

"What do you mean?"

"He has to make the first move."

"I don't get it."

"Your heart eyes, buddy, they can be seen from the moon!" Burt explained, trying not to speak too loudly so that his voice couldn't be heard upstairs. "Anyway, as I was saying, if you want anything to happen between you two it has to happen because Blaine makes the first move."

Kurt didn't get it. His dad probably didn't understand that the boy would never gather the courage to make the first move. He could hardly ever ask for anything he wanted or needed. But if he just got Blaine to see that he was interested and if the slave boy liked him back, then maybe something would happen between them.

"But if I showed him that I liked him–" he was about to reason with his dad when the man interrupted him.

"He might be a bit better now, speaking more freely with that one rule but there is still a slave personality in him that might see you as a master a little bit. You making a move on him would seem like using him or forcing to be together."

"But I would never–"

"Imagine you asked him to be your boyfriend," the man gave him a lovely visual. "What if he thinks we will throw him out if he says no? Or kick him out when you two break up? You will never know if he is with you because he really wants to be or because he is scared..."

"Why can't my life be ordinary for once," Kurt whined and felt like a kid, who was about to throw a tantrum.

"Ordinary is boring," Burt said and stood up. "Just remember my words. I know you are smart, buddy."

"Don't worry, dad. This is probably just a crush. I'll get over it," he said and saw his dad leaving the room. "Where are you going?"

"I'll go see if Blaine wants to catch a game with me later. There is a football match in an hour," he explained.

"Aren't I invited?" Kurt teased him.

"Actually, I'd like it to be the two of us only if you don't mind," the man looked at him guiltily. "I don't spend enough time with Blaine and if we want him to be comfortable enough to want to stay I have to step up my game. And you could use an evening to yourself. I've been putting too much pressure on you with Blaine and all," he finished with a sigh.

Kurt appreciated his dad's words but he knew it wasn't the man's fault. "It's not you, it's the situation. You can't not go to work because you just started there. I, on the other hand, can afford missing a few days of school."

"Still it feels like I'm always asking too much from you."

"You just treat me as an adult and I appreciate it," Kurt said. He always admired how his dad managed to treat teenagers as equals.

"You matured too early..." the man said with a laugh.

"Well, someone had to take care of you," the boy teased him.

"Your mother would be proud of you, you know. I am," Burt said and Kurt felt like tearing up again.

"Thanks, dad. Now go and bond with Blaine or whatever," he said and stood up as well, only one thing on his mind – a scented bubble bath.