You left me hanging from a thread we once swung from together
I lick my wounds but I can't ever see them getting better
Something's gotta change
Things cannot stay the same
-Goodnight, Goodnight by Maroon 5-

Exhaustion.

From Sunday afternoon and well into Monday they slept, arms and legs wrapped around each other. The darkness remained in Kurt, and slept as well. As long as Kurt was near Blaine, Blaine's body was warm and his breathing normal.

Kurt finally woke up around 3:30 pm. He scrolled through Blaine's phone and called the offices of Huntel, Wellington and VanSant. He told the receptionist that Blaine was ill and would be out the entire week. He was glad she didn't ask additional questions. She would let Mr. Huntel know and hoped Blaine felt better soon.

Kurt looked at his phone. There were tons of messages and texts from Etienne, Daveed and his dad. He listened to the last one from Etienne.

"Kurt, if I don't hear from you or Blaine within the next hour I am going to call your dad. Please let me know that you're okay."

Crap. That was Sunday night around 8:00 pm. Kurt saw his father had called several times and left a few messages.

"Kurt, it's dad. Listen, Etienne called and said you left for New York after going to the hospital. Kurt...please call me. I need to know you're okay. What's going on? Call me."

Kurt sat down at the kitchen table. He sometimes wondered if there would ever be a time when he could tell his father the truth about his relationship with Blaine. Blaine's parents knew Kurt was their son's slave. Elaine never mentioned it and of course, Blaine had no relationship with his father. Blaine told Kurt that Elaine preferred not to think about or discuss her son's powers. She knew he had them and she knew what they required. She didn't want to know anything else. As for telling Burt and Carol...Kurt knew the answer was probably, never. After all these years, he'd never even told Mercedes. Kurt had only told Warren. It was just too hard to explain. How do you explain that you are a slave? That you want to be a slave. Kurt knew it would be almost impossible for his father to comprehend, much less accept.

Kurt decided to call Etienne first. He owed him an explanation and an apology. Besides, Kurt wasn't a great liar. He needed to practice before calling his father.

"Kurt! You asshole! Are you okay? I've been worried sick about you! How could you do that? I knew I shouldn't have left you with Daveed. He's such a horny idiot. And then you go and attack me like that! Do you know I have a bump on my head? What the hell is your problem! Are you okay?"

Kurt spent the next 20 minutes apologizing profusely and begging for forgiveness. He told Etienne that Blaine was very sick and Kurt had to take care of him. He didn't know why he freaked out Saturday. Maybe it was just a really bad nightmare.

"Kurt, that was not a nightmare. It was like you were possessed."

Kurt tried to explain it away by saying he used to have night terrors as a child. Maybe they came back.

Once he appeased Etienne he called his dad. He gave him the same story. He'd had a really bad, vivid dream, and Etienne had overreacted by taking him to the hospital. Yes he was in New York because he really needed to see Blaine. Kurt couldn't tell if his father bought the story or not. Burt just sounded relieved to hear his voice.

After his father and Etienne Kurt didn't have the strength to deal with Daveed or work. He sent Pierre a text stating that an emergency had come up and he would not be back for three weeks. His apologies to everyone. He figured Etienne would let Daveed know he was okay.

Phone calls out of the way, Kurt climbed back into bed, wrapped his arms around Blaine, and cried. He couldn't help it. Every time he looked at Blaine he thought about what had happened. What could have happened. And, he wondered how it happened. How on earth did Jace steal Blaine's darkness? When he was in Paris, he could feel the danger Blaine was in. He could sense the trap, but he didn't really know what happened. He remembered the pain of being pulled by Jace's darkness and the pain of Blaine and Jace's darkness fighting, but he didn't understand how they ended up fighting.

But he knew it was his fault that Blaine lost.

Blaine was weak and vulnerable.

Because Kurt had left his master.

Kurt pulled Blaine closer to him, and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, master. I'm so, so sorry."

X-X-X-X-X

Late Monday night Kurt took a shower. Afterward he stood in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection. His skin was dark. Despite all the crying, his eyes were clear, but two shades darker. Kurt took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could feel the darkness pulsing through his body. It felt like being actively aware of your blood pumping through your veins. How did Blaine do it? To have so much energy and power literally coursing through your body all the time. Once they were safely in the loft, the darkness had calmed down completely and grown very quiet, but Kurt was still keenly aware of its presence. He felt stronger and more powerful, but it was exhausting. The constant flow through his body was strange. He was ready for the darkness to return to Blaine.

X-X-X-X-X

Around midnight Blaine opened his eyes. He slowly sat up and looked around the loft. How long had he been asleep? He looked down and saw Kurt lying next to him. When did Kurt get here? He searched within himself. Where was the darkness? He closed his eyes and started thinking.

And thinking.

And remembering.

And the more he remembered, the angrier he became.

He climbed out of bed and started pacing.

No. No. No.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

Jace...

Blaine grabbed his head and squeezed his eyes shut. No. He couldn't even think it. Wouldn't think it.

But he couldn't help it.

Jace...

Jace... stole...by...

Blaine screamed.

Kurt fell out of the bed.

"Blaine! Blaine stop!" Kurt ran over to him and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him.

"Blaine stop! Stop screaming! It's okay! You're okay!"

Blaine looked at him, his eyes wide with rage and fear. He noticed how dark Kurt was, how dark his eyes were. He could feel the heat rolling off of Kurt's skin.

"Give it back!"

"What?"

Blaine screamed. "Give me back my darkness!"

Kurt jumped and looked at him. He felt scared. Of course he was going to give it back, but...Blaine didn't look very well.

"Blaine, maybe we should wait until...

Blaine was enraged. "Are you fucking crazy? Give me back my darkness now! Now, Kurt! Right fucking now!"

Kurt looked at him. They stood, staring at each other for half a minute. Kurt folded his arms across his chest.

"No."

"What?"

"No. I'm not giving it back until you calm down and stop screaming at me! You aren't...well. You need to..."

Blaine lunged at Kurt, pushing him to the floor. He slammed his hands into Kurt's chest and screamed. "Give it back!" Kurt screamed as the darkness grew hot and started swirling furiously inside him. The darkness had been listening and growing angry. Why wasn't Kurt obeying Blaine? Blaine was the master, not him. Yes, it was time to go back to Blaine, but not before teaching Kurt a lesson.

The darkness raced through Kurt's body, burning him on purpose. Kurt screamed in agony. Blaine's eyes grew wide as he realized what was happening.

But...

He didn't try to stop it.

Instead he sat back and watched Kurt burn. He listened to his screams. The darkness tore through Kurt's body. Angry. Angry at what had happened and angry that Kurt had just argued with his master. It screamed at him. Everything that has happened is your fault! You never should have left! You are a horrible slave! Horrible!

After several minutes Blaine moved back on top of Kurt and pressed his hand against his chest. The darkness stopped burning Kurt and immediately flowed into Blaine. Blaine screamed as it flooded his body. The darkness raced around inside him. Home, home, home. Finally home.

Blaine rolled off of Kurt and lay still, breathing deeply and relishing the feeling of being whole again. Complete. Full. He lay there for a few minutes before looking at Kurt.

Kurt was lying on his side, curled up, hugging himself and crying silently. This was crazy. Absolutely crazy. Between Blaine and the darkness, he was going to end up dead.

Blaine rolled him on to his back and climbed on top of him. He leaned down and kissed him softly. "You can't ever do that, Kurt. You can't...deny returning the darkness to me. Never, ever do that. Do you understand?"

Kurt nodded.

"Say it, Kurt."

"Y-yes. Yes master"

Blaine picked Kurt up and carried him to the bed. He laid him down and went to look at himself in the mirror. He was very, very pale and incredibly weak.

Weak.

He'd been so weak, Jace was able to...Blaine squeezed his eyes shut. No. He didn't want to think about it.

But wait...Blaine looked at Kurt. Kurt was sitting up in bed, fearfully watching Blaine.

"How did you get my darkness?"

"I...I attacked Jace. I threw myself on him like I did to you when we were in Cincinnati. The darkness jumped from him to me."

Blaine relaxed and exhaled. Okay. Kurt didn't fuck Jace. He turned back to his reflection in the mirror. So pale and so weak. He was tired of being pale and weak.

It was time for shit to change.

He slowly turned to Kurt.

"Come here, Kurt." Blaine's eyes were black and fiery. Kurt could almost feel Blaine's body growing hotter and hotter with each passing second.

"Blaine..."

"Come here!"

Kurt scrambled off the bed and fell to his knees in front of Blaine. Blaine grabbed his hair and harshly pulled Kurt's head back. He stared into his eyes, trapping him.

"Who are you?"

"I am your slave."

"Who am I?"

"You are my master."

"Say it again."

"You are my master."

"Louder!"

"You are my master!"

Blaine was screaming. "Louder!"

"You are my master!"

Blaine reached down, pulled Kurt to his feet and smashed his mouth into his. His kisses were hot and demanding. Kurt drowned in the passion and desperate desire of Blaine's kiss. Blaine pushed them to the bed. Kurt fell back and immediately spread his legs. He cried out as Blaine slid two fingers inside him, followed by two more, just seconds later. Kurt arched his hips and groaned. Blaine didn't wait. He couldn't. He had to erase what happened to him, the only way he knew how. He slammed into Kurt with no warning. The force left Kurt breathless. He scratched his nails across Blaine's back, digging them in until he felt blood.

Tonight was going to be brutal.

Recapture.

Blaine needed to recapture his strength, his confidence, his mastery, his very being. Blaine's thrusts into Kurt's ass were hot and fierce. Kurt screamed from the intensity and the merciless assault. Blaine lifted himself up and stared into Kurt's eyes, trapping him; his hips never pausing, fucking him with unrelenting ferocity.

"Are you mine, Kurt?"

"Yes...yes master!"

"Are you my slave?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Say it!"

"I'm your slave!"

"Again!"

"I'm your slave! I'm your slave! I'm your slave!"

Kurt kept screaming the words while Blaine fucked him harder and faster with a ruthless force. Blaine could feel his orgasm swimming deep inside him, but he wasn't ready to come. He needed to fuck Kurt all night. Kurt gasped as Blaine pulled out and reached over to grab the cock ring out of the night stand. Kurt groaned. He was in for a night of sexual hell. Probably days and nights of sexual hell. Blaine was going to fuck him until he collapsed. The thought made Kurt's body shiver. They might be here for months.

Cock ring in place, Blaine pulled Kurt off the bed and turned him around. He pushed him down on to his stomach. "Up on your knees and stretch you arms straight out on the bed." Kurt quickly did as he was told. Blaine took a black scarf and tied Kurt's hands together. He carefully spread Kurt's legs apart, making sure he remained kneeling. He tied the end of another black scarf, around Kurt's right ankle and tied the other end to the bed frame. He did the same to the left. Blaine stood back and viewed his handiwork. "You look like a beautiful, porcelain frog." Kurt whimpered. He felt so vulnerable, open and exposed. Blaine stood behind him and ran his hands over Kurt's smooth ass. So beautiful.

"Whose ass is this, Kurt?"

"Yours master."

Blaine placed small kisses over each ass cheek. He slowly ran his fingers along the crack of Kurt's ass, before sliding his fingers inside. He wiggled them around and watched Kurt strain to push against his fingers. Blaine released the control, wrapping it tightly around Kurt until he started gasping and whining. Blaine climbed up on to the bed, leaned over Kurt's back and whispered to him. "I am going to keep you like this all night." Kurt moaned. Blaine slowly slid his cock inside Kurt's tight ass. He settled completely inside and then slowly pulled out. He repeated this over and over, sometimes waiting a few minutes, to make Kurt wonder when the next entry would come. Kurt's body shuddered with each entry and exit from his ass. This was almost worse than being fucked hard. It was so slow and tormenting, and the anticipation was mental torture.

After awhile Kurt was weeping loudly. A high pitched weeping, mixed with low groans and gasps.

"You may not come, Kurt."

Kurt wailed. "Please...please master..."

"No. You may not come until I give you permission. And you are not getting permission anytime soon, so don't ask." Kurt groaned.

Blaine continued his torture, slowly sliding all the way in and then all the way out. Kurt grew dizzy. He was drowning in the suffering and the struggle not to come. Just when he thought he would pass out, Blaine spoke.

"Beg."

"What?"

"Beg me to fuck you."

Kurt groaned. "Please master, please fuck me. Please fuck your slave."

"No."

"Please fuck me!"

"No."

"Please..."

"No."

"Plea..."

Blaine pulled the cock ring off, grabbed Kurt's hips tightly and plunged into his ass. Kurt screamed and struggled not to come. Blaine came in seconds, screaming as his release hit him. Kurt lost his battle. The sound of Blaine screaming, sent him over the edge. His body shuddered as he came in a powerful rush. The control held him in place, so he didn't fall forward. Instead he cried out, grateful for the release, but terrified of the punishment.

Once he recovered from his climax, Blaine crawled up the bed to look into Kurt's eyes. They were glazed and filled with lust and fear.

"Damn Kurt. You just can't obey for shit. But that's okay. I'm happy to punish you. You fucking deserve it."

Blaine untied Kurt's hands, moved them behind his back and retied them. Kurt grimaced as he saw Blaine take out the butt plug from the nightstand. Blaine slid it in slowly, pushing it in until Kurt yelled. Oh, his ass was so hot, raw and sore. Blaine turned the setting to five. Kurt screamed.

Blaine moved back up the bed. He sat down, leaning against the headboard. He sat there for a few minutes, watching Kurt suffer. Then he scooted down until his cock was right by Kurt's mouth.

"Suck and don't let go."

Kurt obediently opened his mouth and started sucking. After a few minutes, Blaine changed the setting to seven. Kurt screamed around the cock in his mouth, but did not release it.

"Suck faster, harder."

Kurt's head bobbed up and down faster. Blaine changed the setting to nine. Kurt didn't let go. Instead a low, muffled groan came from deep in his throat. Right as he was about to explode, Blaine changed the setting to ten. He reached down and held Kurt's head in place as his cum flooded his mouth. Kurt was whining desperately and loudly moaning. "Swallow slave. Swallow all of it, and then clean me with your tongue." Kurt struggled not to pass out. He slowly licked Blaine, and then laid his head on the bed. Tears rolled down his face as he moaned from the cruel sensations flooding his ass.

"I should make you stay like that all night. What do you think, Kurt? Shall I keep you like this? All night?"

Kurt couldn't speak.

"Answer me before I fuck you again!"

Kurt slowly raised his head. "Whatever...pleases you...master."

Blaine nodded. "Yes. That is how it's going to be from now on. Whatever pleases me. Not you! I've been a terrible master. I've spoiled you rotten. Rotten. Absolutely rotten. And as a result, you almost got stolen and I almost got killed."

Blaine started yelling. "Do you know what he did to me, Kurt? Do you know how Jace stole my darkness? Do you? Do you?"

Kurt wailed in agony. The butt plug was still in him, vibrating at ten.

Blaine was in a rage.

"He fucked me Kurt! He! Fucked! Me! Me! I don't get fucked! I don't bottom! But he fucked me! He fucked me and stole my fucking darkness! Do you know why he was able to do that? Huh? Do you Kurt? Do you? Because you fucking left me! You didn't take care of me! You're always trying to leave me! Stop leaving me! Stop leaving me!"

Kurt screamed. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Blaine continued screaming. "You are my slave! Mine! I own you! You belong to me!"

Kurt was crying and screaming. "I'm yours! I'm yours! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Blaine pulled the butt plug out of Kurt, threw it across the room and viciously fucked Kurt again. Kurt continued to scream and wail. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Blaine was screaming as he fucked into Kurt. "Mine! Mine! Mine!"

As his orgasm swirled up and flooded his body, Blaine screamed, "Come Kurt! Come!" They came at the same time, in a fit of howls and screams. Kurt's body remained trapped by the control. He sagged against it, as he passed out. Blaine staggered backwards, almost falling. He steadied himself and managed to untie Kurt before collapsing on top of him. Kurt lay on his stomach with Blaine on top of him. As he lost consciousness, Blaine whispered, "I love you."

Tuesday morning Kurt woke up in bed alone. He rolled his aching body over and watched Blaine staring at himself in the mirror. Last night had left him slightly darker. Kurt was glad to see this small improvement, but he knew they had a long way to go.

Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

"You can fuck me until your skin turns black."

Blaine climbed back into bed and kissed Kurt softly. "I plan to." Kurt settled against Blaine, his head lying on his chest. Blaine wrapped his arms tightly around him. Kurt closed his eyes and sighed contentedly.

"I won't go back to get my things until you're done with your internship."

"Of course not. You're not going anywhere. Ever."

Blaine's stomach grumbled loudly.

"However, you may go to the kitchen and fix me breakfast."

Kurt slowly climbed out of bed and walked to the kitchen. Oh, his ass. His ass was in indescribable pain. Kurt relished the feeling. Punishment. Punishment from his master. His Blaine. He never thought he'd feel so grateful to suffer Blaine's punishment, but he was. The fact that he had almost lost Blaine...He pushed the thought from his mind. He never, ever wanted to experience that again.

Kurt fixed a huge breakfast of eggs, toast, bacon and sausage. They both ate every bite, and Kurt ended up making more.

After breakfast they took a shower and settled on the couch. Blaine sat on one end while Kurt laid down on his stomach, resting his head on Blaine's thigh. They sat in silence for a long time. Finally Kurt began.

"I'm sorry, Blaine. I'm so sorry I left. I never, ever should have left you. I'm a horrible slave."

"No you're not. You're a beautiful slave. I'm a bad master. I let you go. I shouldn't have let you go."

Kurt shook his head. "I should have known better. You said it was dangerous and I should have listened."

They were quiet for awhile. Kurt was scared to ask the next question, but he needed to know.

"Blaine...last night you said Jace...to steal your darkness..."

Blaine tensed. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to think about it.

"Blaine?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Kurt."

Kurt shut up. That told him what he needed to know.

They sat in silence. Finally Blaine spoke.

"It was my fault. I fucked up and let him."

"No, Blaine. You didn't let him. He trapped you. I felt it when I was in Paris. I could feel the danger you were in. That's how I ended up in the hospital. I could feel what was happening and I was screaming and trying to warn you, and then I felt all the darkness fighting and Jace's darkness trying to capture me."

"When were you in the hospital?"

"Etienne thought I had lost my mind. He called an ambulance."

"Oh."

"Blaine...this wasn't your fault. I never should have left you."

"And I never should have allowed you to leave, but I also should have stayed away from Jace. I wanted him, Kurt. I wanted him bad. I wanted to fuck him and he knew it, so he used it. I was weak and I fell for his trap. I fucked up. On so many levels."

"But you wouldn't have wanted him if I'd been here. He wouldn't have stood a chance if I'd been here."

Blaine looked into Kurt's eyes. "Yes. That's true. That's one of the levels I fucked up the most."

Kurt sat up and settled next to Blaine. Blaine took Kurt's hand.

After a few minutes, Blaine looked at Kurt quizzically. "Why couldn't Jace enslave you?"

"Don't you know the answer to that?"

Blaine frowned in concentration. He shook his head.

Kurt smiled at him.

"Love."

"Love?"

"Yes love. Sure Jace had your darkness, and yes, I could feel the pull of your enslavement of me coming from him. But...it wasn't right. Something felt off. Something was missing. Love. Jace wanted me, but he didn't love me. He would have never loved me. Only my one, true master, loves me. No matter what, I always know you love me."

Kurt leaned over and kissed Blaine passionately, their tongues tasting the other softly. Blaine pressed Kurt's head to his, deepening their kiss and causing Kurt to moan quietly. They stayed like this for a while. Just kissing. Kisses full of love and relief.

When they stopped Kurt laid his head on Blaine's shoulder as they held hands. Blaine's eyes turned three shades deeper as he started to speak.

"I do love you, Kurt. I love you more than anything, and that is a problem. I love you too much. I never thought such a thing was possible, but now I know it is. O told me to put my love for you before my control of you, but that was bad advice. I'm supposed to control you, Kurt. I'm supposed to have you with me to protect me from allowing the darkness to get out of control. Well the darkness lives next to sex. When I fuck you I get stronger and more powerful, but it also calms me, grounds me. It protects me from allowing the sexual side of the darkness to get out of control. We never thought about that. We only thought of it in terms of letting it roam free and getting too strong. We forgot about the other side. I didn't have you to fuck, so I was horny as hell and it make me vulnerable. Jace knew how badly I needed to have sex, and he was smart enough to also tap into my need to feel powerful and the darkness's desire to feel strong. I wasn't vulnerable just because you weren't here to keep my strength up. I was vulnerable because you weren't here to keep me grounded. I was weak in so many ways. So many ways. Stroking my cock and telling me I could fuck a master...I didn't have a chance."

As Kurt listened, a ripple of fearful anticipation ran through his body. He could sense it. Things were about to change. Drastically.

Blaine sat up and looked into Kurt's eyes, trapping him.

"From now on, Kurt I'm treating you like a slave. I have spoiled the hell out of you, and I take full responsibility for that. It's my fault. I am the master. I'm supposed to control you. I'm supposed to demand what I need. What I want. Instead I let my love for you take over. That shit is over. Over, Kurt. Over. Do you understand me? I cannot have you running all over the place doing whatever the hell you want. I. Need. You. More than I think you realize. Well let the events of the past 72 hours be a lesson to you as well as to me. I need you, Kurt. I can't survive without you. You are my slave. Mine. I own you. I control you and it is time for me to start acting like it. I'll never abuse you. Never. But I will demand, push and punish. And I am going to punish you, Kurt. Oh, am I going to punish you. Hard. Very, very hard. I'm retraining you. We are pushing the reset button on our relationship. I am your master. You are my slave and it is damn well time we started acting like it. Do you understand me?"

"Yes master."