Blaine eats for comfort. It's not just a bad habit, it's a problem - one he asked Kurt, as his Dom, to help him with. And Kurt does. He monitors Blaine's sugar intake, chooses his meals, ensures he exercises, charts his progress, and he rarely uses sweets as a reward. They have an understanding that under no circumstances is Blaine to purchase any pastries, cookies, or candy on his own, or eat them without permission. If he does, he could have privileges taken away…or worse. Because even though Kurt is a fair Dom, some of his punishments can be severe.

Kurt sees rule breaking as a serious infraction, especially since this rule affects Blaine's health. Even though Blaine's parents are in excellent health, diabetes runs on his fathers side of the family, and heart disease on his mother's side. Kurt wants to keep Blaine around for a long, long time.

And Blaine, eager to be obedient and make his Dom proud, is normally very good about sticking to the rules that Kurt sets out for him.

Which is why Blaine knows that when Kurt walks into the loft and catches him digging into a cronut, there's going to be trouble.

Only this time, Blaine doesn't care. In fact, he's asking for it.

Blaine is exhausted – mentally and physically. It's been an insufferable few weeks, with standardized testing at his school putting a crunch on his curriculum, and rehearsals going into overtime. To make matters worse, Kurt's work schedule has become unpredictable and inconsistent. Kurt has deadlines, and Blaine knows it. His life is hectic, his job important to him. Blaine understands what that means. But lately, it seems Kurt's never around, letting his work consume him, sacrificing his time with his sub for it. He rarely calls to check in with Blaine anymore, and hasn't sent a text more substantial than, “I'll be late,” or, “Don't wait up,” in over a week.

Blaine's been doing his part, keeping the loft spotless (even if Kurt doesn't mention it), and making sure dinner is ready for his Dom when he comes home (though Blaine's found most of those meals sitting in their Tupperware containers in the refrigerator the next morning). So Blaine didn't make the decision to break the rules lightly. He has a reason, something other than acting like a brat, which Blaine can very well turn into when he feels he's being ignored. No, Blaine's not petty. Blaine wants Kurt's attention, but he needs Kurt's direction. Blaine struggles with anxiety, and can become scatterbrained when life bears down on him too hard. Without his Dom's guidance, he feels like he's floating aimlessly, without an anchor to tether him to sanity.

This isn't the first time Kurt's been busy for a stretch; it's happened several times before. The difference is when Kurt worked late those other times, he sent Blaine text messages to keep him on task - little reminders of the things he was expected to accomplish before Kurt returned home, of the rules Kurt knew were hardest for Blaine to remember, and a mention of the rewards he could look forward to for being an obedient pet. But most of all, Kurt told Blaine that he was a good boy, that he couldn't wait to see him, and that he was loved.

Blaine knows that what he's doing is important, maintaining the home that they live in, and that is its own reward, but he's juggling two jobs, plus striving to be a perfect pet. That's not worth more than a three word text message?

Blaine doesn't want to be disappointed in his Dom, but he's beginning to feel cheated.

These are the thoughts that help gird Blaine as he takes his time preparing his snack, clearing his mind and quieting his pounding heart. It's a bizarre separation – having his heart feel one thing and his head another. He almost doesn't know which one to obey. Both their arguments are compelling – one steering him towards obedience, the other desperate to mend something that's starting to break. Blaine sits down at the kitchen table and starts in on his snack, devouring it slowly, making sure there's enough to last. He bites into his cronut without even tasting the glaze on his tongue. He realizes as he eats that he's not really eating it to enjoy it. He's eating it because he knows that Kurt will probably be stopping by to pick up the portfolio he left behind this morning in his rush to be out.

Blaine wants to get caught. He needs to get caught, because he doesn't know any other way to start this particular conversation.

How does Blaine tell his Dom that he's failing him?

Blaine is three-quarters of the way through his cronut, afraid that Kurt might not show, when he hears footsteps hurry along the hall outside the loft. He waits until the door slides open before he pops another piece of pastry into his mouth, giving Kurt, standing in the doorway, a full view of his disobedience, so there'll be no question what Blaine's doing. And while Kurt seethes, Blaine licks his fingers one after another, tasting the cronut for the first time.

It's sickeningly sweet.

Kurt slams the loft door shut, more so than Blaine thinks necessary.

“You know,” Kurt says, dropping his messenger bag in the doorway, “we talked about this.”

“I know, Sir,” Blaine says, reaching for his napkin with a shaking hand to wipe his mouth.

“And I really don't have time for this.”

Blaine's stomach lurches at the tone of Kurt's voice, as if Kurt taking care of his sub was a menial chore, and not the special relationship that they chose to cultivate together.

“I know, Sir,” Blaine says, straining against tears/anger in his voice.

Kurt doesn't seem to like that answer, or Blaine's tone. He strides over, then past him, heading to the other end of the loft.

“Bedroom,” Kurt commands, not looking at Blaine. “Now.”

Blaine stands from the table, his instinct to comply strong, so he has to bite his lower lip to remind himself to stop.

“No,” he says, his voice wavering but firm.

“What?” Kurt snaps, stopping and spinning on his heel. When the word passes Kurt's lips, it starts out a hiss, appalled at his sub for talking back, but ends confused. They've had their fair share of ‘reds', not many ‘yellows'. But ‘no' is something different. Blaine never says ‘no' to a command, not even during scenes, so it catches Kurt's attention right away.

“No,” Blaine repeats, searching his quivering insides for confidence. Confidence is one thing that has a tendency to fail Blaine at inopportune moments. It's a problem he and Kurt work on through specially crafted scenes. Right now, Blaine shouldn't have any under the disappointed glare of his Dom, but ironically, Kurt's presence gives him strength. Kurt being there, even frustrated and short-tempered, gives Blaine the ability to continue. “Yes, I did something wrong, Kurt. And yes, I should be punished, but then you should be punished, too.” Kurt's brows draw together in that, ‘Are you psycho?' expression of his, where his lips part, his eyes burn, his cheeks flush, and Blaine nearly retracts everything. But he can't. Not when he's gotten this far. “You're supposed to be here for me, and you haven't been. Not for the past two weeks. And I know you have work, and I know it's important to you, but I'm supposed to be important to you, too. That's what we agreed on. You and me, together. You're supposed to text me, remind me, support me, guide me…tell me that you love me.” Blaine takes his first step away from the table, his first step toward Kurt, his heart moving up in his chest and pounding harder. “You…do still love me…right?” Blaine hadn't originally entertained the idea that Kurt had fallen out of love with him, and that being his Dom had, indeed, now turned into a chore. That fear pushes him another step, makes him want to run into Kurt's arms and drop to his knees, beg him to reconsider.

“Or course, I love you, Blaine,” Kurt says, his turn to sound hurt, but also guilty. “I'll always love you.” Kurt crosses his arms, his expression the same except he starts chewing on his lower lip.

That's a good sign. A positive sign. Kurt chews on his lower lip when he's giving a matter sincere thought.

Blaine's pounding heart settles.

“I know that intimacy isn't always easy for you.” Blaine takes a pause when he sees Kurt's jaw tighten, knowing he's treading into dangerous territory. “And I'm so grateful that you do those things for me, but…” Blaine feels his mind start to drift. He hasn't had to plead his case like this to anyone for a while, and never before to Kurt. Blaine's afraid he'll lose his point somewhere in the middle. But he knows Kurt's thinking. He can see it in the subtle shift of Kurt's eyes, bouncing back and forth between arguments. Blaine backs off, giving Kurt a moment, hoping that he didn't take something that had been starting to cleave and shatter it completely.

Kurt nods, coming to a decision.

“You're right, Blaine,” Kurt says, shaking his head. He looks chastised - not by Blaine, but by himself. “I've been taking you for granted. I haven't been taking care of you the way I'm supposed to, and I'm sorry.” Kurt sighs, dropping his arms to his sides and putting his hands on his hips.

“Kurt” - Blaine takes another step, but this time, Kurt takes one, too - “you don't have to…”

Kurt puts up a hand, silencing him. “So, how do I fix it?” Kurt asks, straight-to-the-point, no nonsense, in his signature Dom style.

Blaine is taken by surprise that Kurt would ask his opinion – not that he hasn't before, but this feels different. It feels like Kurt's asking Blaine how to be his Dom, even though that's not exactly what he's doing. Kurt wants Blaine's insight, he respects Blaine's opinion, and that says a lot.

“I think…we go back a bit?” Blaine says, a half-question, half-suggestion. “Start over a little?”

“Okay,” Kurt agrees. “I can do that.” Kurt taps his finger on his hip as a new problem presents itself. “But, there's still the issue of this cronut.” Kurt raises a stern eyebrow over his teasing stare. “Should I just ignore it?”

“You're…”Blaine chuckles as he finishes the question, the thought absurd to him, “you're letting me decide?”

“Of course,” Kurt says with a shrug, dismissing the power he appears to be giving away, but only because he knows what Blaine's going to say.

“Well” - Blaine looks over his shoulder at the close-to-finished cronut on the table, the bulk of it weighing heavy in his stomach - “I don't think it should be ignored. Do you?” Blaine turns back to Kurt, unsure if that's the correct answer, or more to the point, the answer Kurt is looking for.

Kurt makes a face, but doesn't say a word. He pulls out his iPhone from his pocket and starts sending a text. Blaine doesn't dare peek over, but he's too curious not to ask.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

Kurt smirks.

“Did you forget something there, pet?” Kurt asks, glancing up quickly from his screen. Blaine smiles at the possessive glimmer in his Dom's eyes, his body filling with nervous heat.

“What are you doing, Sir?” he amends, trembling as anticipation wells up within him.

Kurt shoves his phone hastily back in his pocket. He grabs Blaine by the back of the neck, pulling him in and kissing him roughly, biting his lip so he can hear the delicious sound of Blaine whimper.

“I've cleared my schedule for the afternoon,” Kurt says, threading his fingers into Blaine's hair and tugging hard. His free hand clamps over Blaine's rapidly hardening erection and squeezes tight. “Now, about that cronut…”