Kurt sighed, his fingers lazily brushing along Blaine's face. "I guess I had kind of put that aside."
Blaine nodded, not speaking.
"I guess it's not entirely fair if I ask if you want me to?" Kurt ventured.
"Well… it's not…usual of you to ask." Blaine murmured.
"No. I suppose not. I don't know why I'm so conflicted about it. I think about our discussions this weekend and how mad I was… And I do need to apologize about the other day. I shouldn't have brought up stuff from when we broke up, I felt bad as soon as I said it—I can't hold that over you—"
"I know. I'm over it, Kurt. Honest."
"And I'm over this too, I meant what I said outside."
Blaine pursed his lips, thinking. "I guess that's why I ask now. You… said you didn't punish me before because you weren't in the right headspace before."
"I did."
"And now?"
Kurt was about to reply but there was a timid knock at the bedroom door, causing them to both stiffen in each others' arms, suddenly aware they were not entirely dressed.
"Blaine?" Mercedes called.
"Y-yeah?" Blaine stuttered back.
"It's getting about time to leave for Monday night dinner. You two coming?"
"Uh…" Blaine exchanged looks with Kurt. "Yeah Mercedes, we'll—we'll be down in a minute."
They heard Mercedes footsteps down the stairs.
"Well I guess that gets you out of punishment for the moment anyway," Kurt remarked, reaching around for his clothes.
"Lucky me," Blaine said quietly.
Kurt studied him as he got back into his pants. Finally he commented, "I know you were sorry about everything. And honestly I'd be okay with letting things go at this point."
Blaine grimaced slightly, not responding. He put on his clothes in silence.
"What are you thinking?" Kurt asked.
"I'm… almost always sorry when I get in trouble. At least most of the time."
"Heh. That's true. Rachel's the one who gets sorry after."
"My point is, I don't get punished to… get sorry. Not usually." Blaine said quietly.
"You want me to?" Kurt asked.
Blaine shrugged. It was hard to talk about.
"You think you'd feel better?"
"Well I don't like getting punished—if I did I guess it wouldn't be a punishment."
"I can be strict with you," Kurt conceded.
"It's… our arrangement for you to be. When I need that anyway. And usually you're… better at figuring out what I need. So it might be kind of a relief if I didn't have any consequences for this but I guess I would just kind of feel like I got away with something. If you didn't." Blaine admitted.
"I can see that."
"Usually you decide these things."
"I do."
"You know I'll regret what happened either way. But, I've been in trouble for… lesser things before. Rachel too. And I guess I feel like with my relationship with her… you told me you spanked her for blowing off the chores she traded with me yesterday?"
Kurt nodded.
"Can you really say this was any less than something like that? I did it to spare your feelings but I let it get so out of control… it wasn't fair to you but if I don't get punished at all, I can't help but think it's not really fair to her somehow."
"I see your point."
"I'm going to respect whatever you decide, don't get me wrong—"
"I know," Kurt assured.
"But if I'm honest about it… I feel like I earned it. Earned something, anyway."
Kurt nodded, thoughtful.
"You guys!" Sam yelled up the stairs.
"Coming!" Blaine yelled back, rushing to put his shoes on. Once they were tied, he stood and Kurt put a hand on his shoulder.
"Okay," he said at last. "I do think you've learned a lesson, but it sounds like you could use some closure here. I felt like I couldn't before because I wasn't honestly ready to let you have that closure. And now, well- I'd be okay with letting things go at this point, but you're right that that wouldn't be consistent and…what matters more now is what you need. And it sounds like, whatever the reasons, you need to be disciplined."
Blaine looked at the floor. "Now?" he whispered.
Kurt shook his head. "Tonight. After Monday night dinner. Bring your school stuff so you can stay over tonight and we'll take care of it."