Author's Note: This story is a prequel to both Respect and Obey and Punishment and Reward. You do not need to read either of these stories to read this one.


"I hate Shakespeare and Gosling and cakes with white frosting
Two names in a heart-shaped tattoo
I think cupid is stupid and violets are purple not blue
I hate catching bouquets, the honeymoon phase

And letterman jackets don't fit
Your eyes can't hold stars and you'd die if your heart really skipped

I hate love songs
Yeah, I really do
I hate love songs
But I love you"

Blaine sat on a stool near the dance floor, watching nervously as Tina got her groove on with someone she'd just met a few moments before. He was supposed to be watching her purse and coat, keeping an eye out for the guy she'd been crushing on-Mike Somebody. But so far, her crush hadn't shown, and no one seemed to be paying much attention to anyone's stuff just sitting around. They were all too busy kissing, dancing, or making their way back to one of the many, hidden back rooms in the club that were for...special...occasions.

He sighed as he listened to the next verse of the song.

"I hate pink hearts with glitter and Valentine's dinner
And roses just die in a week
We were drunk when we met so we don't know our anniversary, woops
Oh and I'm far too vain to kiss in the rain
The clouds, they aren't numbered to nine
And you make me feel something but it sure as hell ain't butterflies"

He didn't mind listening to some newer country music, especially by female artists who tended to write songs that were a little more pop than country. Even still, he hadn't really envisioned doing this when Tina had pulled him aside a few days ago when she'd come back to their apartment after work, slapping a flyer down on the coffee table beside him.

"Oh, Blainey Days," she'd wheedled, "I know where we're going this week."

He'd looked up from his book at her excited face, not even bothering to look at the flyer. "Where?"

"Lonely Hearts Night at the club," she'd professed proudly.

"Um, no thanks."

"But Blainey Days! I neeeeeeed you to come with me. It will be good for both of us!"

"Nope," he'd replied, popping the "P" at the end of the word. "I'm perfectly happy staying home with my book. Or studying."

This time, Tina had stomped her foot. "You're going with me. You need to get out of the house and let loose a little. I know you're studying for your masters, but you can deal with one night off. Besides, it's almost winter break!"

"That's exactly why I need to stay home," he'd told her. "It's almost winter break which means it's almost time for finals, and I need to study. Otherwise, I won't pass."

That's when Tina had pulled out the big guns: her signature pout, complete with wide eyes as she kneeled on the floor at his feet. "Please, Blainey Days?" she'd whined pathetically. "I need my best gay to score me a hot date with this guy I've been flirting in circles with."

Blaine had pursed his lips. "What's his name?" he asked.

"Mike. And, don't worry. I already asked. He's not gay."

"Uh-huh."

"Please?" she'd begged, folding her hands in front of her and staring up at him. "Please help me get Mike, make him jealous."

At this, Blaine had sighed. He knew she wasn't going to give up. "Fine," he'd relented. "I'll go. But only for a few hours. And, I'm not hooking up."

"Yay!" Tina had screeched, bounding to her feet and hopping up and down excitedly, clapping her hands. "Thank you, Blaine! Thank you!" Then, something a little more serious had washed over her face, and she'd added, her words coming out so fast that they all seemed to run together. "By the way, it's at a BDSM club, and the only way you can go is as a sub. Thank you! Love you!" Then, she'd taken off to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"What?" Blaine had called after her. "What did you say? Tina!"

But she hadn't answered or given him any more details, not until that night before their arrival at the club. Because she was registered at the club as a Dom, she couldn't bring someone else who wished to be labeled as "Dom" with her. A balance had to be created, according to the club's limited and perhaps shady rules, and a Dom could only bring a sub, a sub only a Dom. And, for Lonely Hearts Night, all guests had to be unattached.

So it was that Blaine found himself sitting there, listening to the last bits of the song and twisting the armband he'd been given round and round his wrist, the purple one that proclaimed him to be a sub as well as "Horny and Available," according to the gigantic signs that were hanging all around the club, practically attached to every single flat space they could find. He wasn't sure if that was an entirely accurate description, but he didn't have much of a choice but to go with it, did he?

"And I'll always love you but I don't have to sing it
"For worse or for better" don't rhyme
They say I got the right one so now I should write one
But I'd rather just show you tonight"

He'd been eyeing this guy at the bar for a while, the one and only guy in the entire club that seemed to be at least a little bit mysterious. He was just leaning at the end, elbows on the counter, gazing around the room. He wore tight jeans and a blazer with rolled sleeves over a graphic tee that proclaimed him to be "Most Dangerous." He was standing in the shadows, so everything he was wearing looked black, a detail that only really made the stranger hotter.

Blaine didn't know if the words on the stranger's shirt were a threat or a promise, but the stranger's agile body, perfectly coiffed hair, and piercing gaze made him seem both dangerous and alluring at the same time. Blaine could imagine himself following orders or getting down on his knees for someone like that, though he had no intention of finding anyone to do anything with that night, not even talk. On top of all that, he had no idea if anyone here was gay or if he, himself, even had any interest in a BDSM type of relationship. He definitely didn't consider himself to be a sub. If anything, he was more of a Dom, willing to give people orders and take charge whenever necessary. He didn't particularly like doing that, but that little detail didn't make him a sub. Besides, he wasn't sure he believed that people could have tendencies like that one way or the other. They just...were...right?

Glancing at the watch on his wrist, he was happy to see that he had little more than an hour left before he'd have put in the time he promised Tina, and he could be on his merry way back to the loft and his books.

"Alright, lonely people!" the DJ called out as the last "you" faded away. "If you're a single Dom who's looking for one of those horny and available subs I've been hearing so much about, now is your chance. Find someone who makes you feel all tingly inside and give them a kiss. It only takes one touch to start an encounter for the evening. And, who knows where it might lead." He chuckled over the mic. "I'm setting a timer for 30 seconds, Doms, so find that perfect sub and lay one on them!" There was more chuckling and then the unmistakable sound of click, click, click as a giant timer projected on the club wall counted down from 30.

Blaine glanced at the dance floor to find Tina making out with the sub she'd been dancing with. He sighed. She's clearly not waiting for "Mike" anymore. Maybe it's for the best. He was probably gay anyway.

No sooner had Blaine looked away from the dance floor than his vision was filled with the tall, dark body of the man from the bar. He came closer and closer to Blaine, "Most Dangerous" staring him right in the face, and Blaine barely had time to look at the timer-which read 9 seconds-catching a glimpse of green wristband on the stranger's wrist before his lips were being smothered in a soft yet commanding kiss.

He gasped at the contact, surprised to find himself kissing back. He was further surprised at the mewling sound he made when the stranger pulled back at the beeping of the timer, Blaine chasing the stranger's lips as they moved away. For a second, he stared up into the ice-blue eyes of the stranger, his breath catching in his throat, and his heart beating rapidly. There was something there, something Blaine didn't understand or know how to read shining back, and in a flurry of emotions and realizations, he knew he wanted it, needed it to live. It was as if his whole future was flashing before him, and he knew that he could never let this stranger go. He needed him in such a primal way he felt he might shatter if the stranger walked away. And just like that, the man he'd been kissing moments ago became the most dangerous person in the world.

Thankfully, he was saved from that fearful reality of loss by the stranger leaning in again, his breath warm and wet near Blaine's ear as he said, "I hate this place. Do you want to get out of here, find somewhere else to talk? I feel drawn to you."

"Um…" Blaine began, swallowing hard because suddenly, he couldn't speak and his mouth felt completely dry. "I, um, yes. But…" He trailed off, trying to remember why he would be hesitating to leave with this man. There was something...someone he'd promised something to. Or...something like that.

"I understand this seems weird," the stranger said, leaning in again to speak to him over the music. "I will completely understand if you're not comfortable leaving with someone you don't know, but I can't deny this connection I'm feeling with you. I think maybe…" He stopped, just staring at Blaine's face, caught up in his eyes.

"N-no. It-it's not that. I thin-I think I have someone…" He couldn't get his words out. He wanted to tell him so badly what he was thinking, but he could barely complete a sentence in his head, let alone aloud. He was suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the stranger's scent, the way he was looking at him with something like hunger in his eyes, and how damn good he looked in that outfit, so out of place in this dark, creepy bar.

"Oh...Do you have a boyfriend? Are you not gay? I-I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have assumed. I just thought we were connecting. I kept catching you glancing at me, but...I'm sorry."

The stranger turned to walk away, but Blaine reached out on impulse, grabbing his arm. The small amount of distance this put between them, though, seemed to do the trick, and he was finally able to catch his breath again. "Wait!" he all but shouted, desperate to be heard over the pumping of the music on the dance floor. "Don't go. I-I don't have a boyfriend."

The stranger turned back around, a huge smile across his face. "You don't?" he asked hopefully.

Blaine shook his head. "And, I am gay."

A flash of relief passed over the stranger's face as he asked, "Then, what did you mean you have someone?" He wrinkled his brow just a bit.

Blaine never wanted to not see that smile again. In fact, the only thing he wanted to do was see that smile. Something deep in his soul told him that that smile would somehow be his saving grace, if only he could put the pieces together about what he needed to do. "I came here with someone," he explained. "A friend." He pointed toward Tina who was still busting a move on the dance floor now that the music had begun again, seemingly oblivious to what her friend was doing. "I just need to tell her I'm leaving, even though she'll probably make fun of me."

The stranger frowned at that. "Do you want me to come with you?" he asked. "I don't know why your friend would make fun of you, but I'm happy to come along to explain."

"It's not like that," Blaine reassured him, giving him a smile. "You can wait here. I'll be right back." He slid off the stool and walked the few steps to the dance floor, already feeling like something was missing. He almost felt cold, though he was definitely not chilled here in the club where there were more sweaty bodies than he dared to even think about. Moving carefully past twisting bodies and waving arms, he made his way over to Tina, narrowly avoiding being elbowed in the face by her dance partner when he went to tap her on the shoulder.

Turning to look at him, Tina's face immediately lit up. "Blainey Days!" she exclaimed by way of a greeting. "Did you finally decide to have some fun and come dance with me?"

"No," Blaine replied, shaking his head. "I came to tell you I'm leaving."

Tina's face immediately fell, going from excited to pouty in an instant. "But...it's not time." She pulled her phone from her pocket, clicked the power button, and waited only a moment for the screen to light up. Then, she turned the display toward him, declaring, "You still have almost an hour before you get to go home!"

"I'm not going home," Blaine told her. "I'm going out. With him." He turned and pointed back in the stranger's direction, smiling and waving when the stranger glanced their way.

The stranger returned the gesture, causing Blaine to immediately feel warm again for just a moment.

"Ooooh! Blaine! He's sexy!" Tina exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder and hopping up and down just a little. "What's his name?"

"I, um, I don't know."

Tina stopped hopping then, looking at him with wide eyes. "Nuh-uh," she said. "No way. Are you still Blaine Anderson, my ever careful, every wary friend? You can't be. Where has he gone?" She then started to check his pockets and look behind him, pretending to search for someone else who could be hiding the real Blaine.

Blaine couldn't hold back his grin at that. "I know. I know. It's not like me. But he...he's not like other guys I've been with, Tina. He's…" He stopped, trying to find the words for that feeling Kurt gave him, that feeling of being totally wrapped up in a warm blanket, completely safe yet gasping for air in the best way. He couldn't find the words, so he just said lamely, "He's different."

"Sure," Tina agreed, nodding but with squinted eyes. "Whatever you say, Blainey Days." She quickly reached out, wrapping him in a hug. "Have fun and be careful," she said when she pulled back. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"I won't," Blaine promised her before carefully picking his way across the dance floor again and back to the stranger's side.

"Everything okay?" the stranger immediately asked, leaning in close again.

Blaine sucked in a breath, doing his best to keep himself under control. The last thing he wanted to do was look like he was needy for attention or something. He nodded, managing to get out a "Mmhm," in response to the question.

"Good. You, um, you ready to go? Need to grab a coat or anything?"

"It's right here," Blaine replied, remembering to grab his wallet out from Tina's purse as well. He hadn't felt like sitting on it, and these jeans were too tight to put it in a different pocket when sitting down. Then, he followed the stranger through the club, their bodies weaving in and out between the tables and pulled out chairs to the door. As he followed him, Blaine was struck by how much taller the stranger was than him. It wasn't a profound difference, probably no more than eight or nine inches, but it made him feel small compared to him, a feeling Blaine was surprised to learn that he liked. Typically, feeling small was something that triggered his anxiety and unease in a situation, but not tonight. Tonight, standing next to this beautiful, handsome stranger, it felt right. He liked feeling small, like the stranger could wrap him in a hug and protect him from anything.

When they were finally standing outside, the pounding of the music dulled by the closed club doors, the stranger let out a long, deep sigh as if he were finally cleansing himself of some disease that had corrupted his lungs. "It feels good to finally be outside again," he commented, tilting his head back and taking in a large lungful of air, his eyes slipping shut. When he finally released it, he straightened back up and turned toward Blaine. "Now that I don't have to shout," he said, "let me introduce myself. My name's Kurt."

"Hi," Blaine answered shyly, looking up at the stranger-Kurt-from beneath his eyelashes.

Kurt waited for a moment, a half-smile on his face before he answered, "Hi. What's your name?"

Blaine wished he could smack himself. Of course he'd want to know his name, too. "Sorry," he replied, his voice breathy. "I'm Blaine."

"Blaine," Kurt said contemplatively.

Immediately, Blaine loved the way his name sounded in Kurt's mouth, the way it rolled off his tongue and felt perfect hanging in the air between them. He never wanted Kurt to not say his name, and he almost let out a tiny whimper of desire.

Kurt gave him a funny look at the strangled sound that did leave his mouth but didn't comment. Instead, he said, "Blaine, do you like coffee? I know the shops around here are closed for the night, but there's this amazing street vendor who stays open late. We could grab a cup? It's only a few blocks away." As he spoke, Kurt slipped on his black coat he'd grabbed on their way out the door, buttoning up the four large buttons in the front and stuffing his hands in his pockets, his shoulders pulling forward to ward off the cold. New York wasn't exactly known for its balmy winters.

"I, um…" Blaine began, not really sure what he was trying to say. He was caught up in Kurt, watching him, staring at him, falling in love with the way he did normal, everyday things like putting on his coat. He couldn't explain why that was so fascinating to him, why he couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from the taller man, but he was stuck there, just watching, unable to form a coherent sentence. Again. Damnit.

Catching his eye, Kurt smiled at him. "It's okay to say you don't like coffee, you know."

"I-it's not that…" Blaine began.

Kurt cocked his head. "Then, what?"

"I, um, well… I guess I'm-I can't-Sentence is...hard." He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck for a moment, feeling a blush rise up in his cheeks at his stuttering and poor grammar. You sound pathetic, Anderson.

"Sentence is hard," Kurt agreed, giggling a little. "How about this instead? If you want coffee, nod. If you don't, shake your head. We'll just use nonverbal cues until you can figure out how to...sentence."

Blaine nodded.

"Great!" Kurt said, turning to the left. He took a few steps then walked backward, twisting his arm around Blaine's before beginning to walk again. "I don't want you to get lost," he explained when the other boy looked at him with surprise on his face.

All Blaine could do was nod again and shiver. The air was chilly, and he was carrying his coat, not wearing it. He hadn't even thought about putting it on before then.

Kurt pulled them to a sudden and abrupt halt, giving Blaine a tiny case of whiplash when his feet continued to move for a moment longer, not catching onto the fact that Kurt had stopped. "Put on your coat," Kurt ordered when Blaine met his gaze again. "I felt that shiver, and there's no sense in you being cold when you very clearly have a coat to wear." He crossed his arms and waited, watching Blaine as he slid his arms into his coat and buttoned it up snuggly, smiling sheepishly up at him when he was done.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"Welcome," Kurt said, twisting their arms together again. "Do you think you can talk now, or do you want me to go first?"

For a moment, Blaine considered this. Could he talk? It certainly didn't seem like things were working out in his favor in that department. In fact, now that Kurt was wrapped around his arm like that and he could feel the weight of his body beside him, he was pretty sure that there was no way he would ever be able to say more than one word at a time. So, snapping out of his head long enough to reply, he said, "You."

"Okay. Thank you for communicating," Kurt told him, jostling him gently. "First things first, I want to apologize for laying one on you earlier. I know it was just out of the blue, but since the DJ was prompting, I thought I'd just take my chances. I'd been watching you, too, about as much as you were watching me, and I thought you looked so beautiful sitting there in your chair across the bar. Every time I looked at you, you took my breath away, and it was so...magical. So, I'm sorry I did it without warning, but I guess I'm not sorry that we actually kissed, you know?" He made side-eyes at the shorter boy-and good heavens was it adorable that he was so much shorter than him-wondering how he would react to that.

To Blaine's own surprise, he was able to get a few words out. "I liked it."

"Good," Kurt returned, turning his head back to face the direction they were headed. "So, I'll just tell you about why I was there, I guess. Maybe by then you'll feel like talking. Um, so, I'm sorta into the scene, I guess you could say." He sighed. "This is so damn complicated," he muttered. "I am into the scene, a Dom, but I haven't found the right sub yet. I mean, I've played around with a few guys, but none that I even bothered to write a contract with. I really hate that club that we were at, though. It's just... Of all the clubs I've been at, it's probably the one with the worst standards, the least rules to keep its members safe, and the most horrible rooms for playing in I've ever seen." He paused, shaking his head, glancing at the man next to him to determine what he was thinking. He couldn't really tell, however. Blaine was giving nothing away. "Anyway," Kurt went on, "I'm not even sure why I went to Lonely Hearts Club night. I guess I just had nothing else to do, so I figured, 'Why not?' I'm glad I did, because I had the distinct privilege of meeting you. So," he said, jostling Blaine lightly, "how long have you been a sub?"

That brought Blaine to life just a bit. "I, uh, I am-I'm not a-not a sub," he stuttered, staring at his shoes as he and Kurt continued down the sidewalk arm in arm.

"What?" Kurt could barely believe his ears. "What do you mean? You were at the club with a purple bracelet on. That-those are for subs!" He felt like he was drowning. He'd just found this beautiful boy, and now he was saying he wasn't a sub? Was he a Dom? Did he actually hate the BDSM scene? What was happening? Kurt couldn't wrap his mind around it, and now, suddenly, being this close to Blaine based on a presumption felt wrong. He pulled back on him until they'd stopped in the middle of the sidewalk before letting go of his arm completely. "I-I'm sorry if I came on too strong. I ju-I just thought you were a-a-a-a sub."

Feeling a bit clearer-headed now that he was no longer attached to this alluring Dom by the hip, Blaine caught the look of panic, fear, and shame flashing across Kurt's features. "Wait. Wait," he rushed, trying to reassure him. "I-I-I could be a-a sub. May-maybe? I don-don't really know much about it, honestly. I was just there for-for Tina. She begged me."

"Who's Tina?"

"The girl I told good-bye to before we left. She was going there and wanted to bring me along to Lonely Hearts Club night. I didn't really know what I was agreeing to until earlier tonight," he admitted.

"So, you're not a sub?"

"I don't know. Maybe? I think, if I knew more about it, that there's a chance. I just…" He trailed off. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Kurt said, his heart breaking a little bit at the crestfallen look on Blaine's face. "I think we're getting off on a strange foot, and I'd like to correct that before we dig ourselves a deeper hole." Sticking out a hand, he said, "Hi. I'm Kurt. Kurt Hummel."

Blaine giggled, accepting the proffered hand. "Hi," he whispered, once again getting caught in the Dom's blue eyes. "I'm Blaine," he managed.

"It's nice to meet you, Blaine," Kurt replied, smiling as brightly as he could at him. Just then, a breeze waltzed down the street, brushing its icy fingers across the boys' skin. "Brr…" Kurt shivered, hunching in further on himself. "Let's keep walking toward the coffee stand so we don't freeze to death on the sidewalk," he urged, turning and continuing to walk.

Nodding, Blaine joined him, falling easily into step next to him.

"Would you like to play a game while we walk?" Kurt asked. "We could get to know each other better that way?"

"Uh, sure?" Blaine agreed, glad for the bit of space between them, allowing him to think just a little bit. Maybe, if he could maintain a bit of distance, he wouldn't look like a total fool in front of this gorgeous man. "Will you go first?" he asked, unsure of what type of game, exactly, Kurt wanted to play.

"Sure," Kurt agreed. "How about Two Truths and a Lie?"

"Okay," Blaine nodded.

"Um, let's see." Kurt tilted his head toward the sky, shutting his eyes for a moment as he thought. "I, uh, I've kissed a perfect stranger. I'm in my sixth year of college. I have a dog."

Blaine chuckled. Kurt was taking it easy on him, giving him a 50/50 chance of getting the answer correct by giving him an obviously true answer. Considering his options, he finally said, "I think the lie is six years of college. You seem like a very smart guy. I bet you graduated early."

"Wrong," Kurt replied. "I guess I picked a sad one to start on. I would have graduated early, but in my first year of college, my dad had a huge, unexpected heart attack. I left school to come home and take care of him, and in my second year, he had another one and passed away."

"I'm so sorry," Blaine breathed. He wanted to reach out and touch Kurt, pat his arms or rub his shoulder comfortingly, but he didn't know if Kurt would accept that. So, he kept his hands to himself, tucked firmly in his pockets.

"It's okay," Kurt confirmed. "I miss him terribly, but I've got some closure on it. I was there with him in his last year, and I know he was happy having me home with him."

"I'm sure that's a relief."

"It was. It is. I'm glad to have those memories," Kurt confirmed. "But now, it's your turn. Try to think of something less sad," he added. "I guess I'm not very good at this game."

"That was important to you," Blaine reassured him. "I'm glad I know."

How perfect is he? Kurt wondered as he nodded at Blaine. "Thank you."

"Let's see. I'm a children's librarian. I live alone. I have never seen Jurassic Park."

"Oh, the last one has to be a lie. Everyone's seen Jurassic Park."

"No. That's the truth. The lie is that I live alone. I actually live with Tina; she and I were friends in high school, and it was an easy choice to make her my roommate when she came out here with me for college."

"Okay, well if you're going to stick it out with me," Kurt said, "you're going to have to watch Jurassic Park. I'm kind of a movie buff in my spare time, and Jurassic Park is a classic."

"I'll bite," Blaine agreed. "As long as you make popcorn. You can't watch a movie without popcorn."

"Agreed. Um, tell me about your job. A children's librarian sounds like they'd have a lot of adventures. Do you like what you do?"

"I love it," Blaine confirmed. "I have so much fun with the kids. It's actually funny that you mentioned you're in your sixth year of college. I am, too. I'm getting my Master's online. The library is paying for it, and I've been promised a senior position in the children's department when I graduate."

"Sounds like a sweet gig," Kurt said. "I'm jealous."

"Why?"

"Oh, just a silly dream," Kurt told him. "When I was in high school, I always imagined that I would graduate and find a great job by now, something I loved. I know it's coming, but…"

"What are you studying?" Blaine asked. When he glanced over at Kurt, he saw a tear slowly making its trek down his cheek, slowed by the icy wind that whipped around them as they walked down the New York sidewalk in mid-December. Knowing that Kurt was crying, even though it had nothing to do with him, tugged at his heart, and he grabbed hold of the other man's arm, tugging him to a stop in the middle of the mercifully quiet sidewalk. "Hey, don't cry," he said softly, standing up on tiptoe to brush off the tear on his cheek.

"I'm fine," Kurt sniffed, a little embarrassed to be caught with a tear on his cheek. "I'm not really that sad. I-I don't know what came over me." He laughed a little at himself, brushing at his cheeks with the backs of his hands. "Um, to answer your question, I'm studying fashion. I want to have my own line someday, maybe even my own store."

"Kurt, that sounds amazing!" Blaine replied, smiling at him. "How many more credits do you need to graduate?"

"Eight," Kurt replied. "One light semester in the spring, and I'll finally graduate. What happens after that, well, I have no idea."

"You have time to figure it out," Blaine reassured him, giving him a soft smile. "I'd love to see some of your designs sometime."

That got a real smile and chuckle out of Kurt. "I'll show you my designs if you read me a story, Mr., um, Mr. Blaine."

"It's Anderson. Blaine Anderson," Blaine supplied happily, glad they'd moved past the tears. "And, I'd be delighted to read you a story, Mr. Hummel. Any time, any book."

"Challenge accepted," Kurt said, turning to continue down the street. They were little more than a block from the coffee stand, and he wanted to get there pronto. He was freezing, and coffee would be the perfect thing to warm him up.

There was silence between the two of them for a while, but eventually, Blaine said, "So, will you tell me more about you as a Dom, wh-what a sub is supposed to do? BDSM, even? I-I want to know what I'm getting into with you."

"First of all," Kurt began, "I'm not expecting anything from you. The first rule of Dominance and submission is that the submissive feels safe, and since you've got no experience, I don't have any expectations. In fact, I wouldn't feel at all surprised if you want me to call you a cab or an Uber after we get our coffee. I'm just glad you agreed to chat with me. You were so alluring at the club…"

"I don't want to go home," Blaine said without thinking. "I-I want to get to know you."

"You don't have to," Kurt said again, wanting to be sure the other man understood.

"I want to," Blaine repeated. Then, his voice grew very quiet as he added, "I feel...drawn to you…"

Kurt's heart fluttered at that admission, the feelings he'd felt of protection, love, and want coming up to the surface as he heard Blaine say what he'd, so far, been too nervous to really believe despite saying them aloud. "Whatever you want," he whispered. He was happy when Blaine took a step closer to him, tilting his head to give him the space to kiss his cheek. "What do you want to know?" he asked again, keeping them going down the street. He could see the coffee stand now, and he wanted some of the hot, bitter liquid more than he ever had.

"Anything," Blaine said. "Everything. I wasn't kidding that I really don't know much. There's a Dom, there's a sub who is supposed to obey whatever the Dom says. There's sex. Beyond that?" He shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Okay," Kurt agreed, taking a deep breath. He was trying to figure out where to start. "Um, so you're right that there is a Dom and a sub, but I don't like the way you say 'who is supposed to obey whatever the Dom says.' It's true, in a way, but it's also not."

Blaine furrowed his brow. "That makes no sense."

"I know. So, let me try to explain. A Dom's job is to care for his sub, one half of a couple just like any other relationship. The Dom does this by, yes, giving the sub orders, but the orders are not for selfish gain or just to be lazy. Typically, the sub likes the guidance, likes to be told what to do because he-or she-finds comfort in it, finds safety. The role of the Dom is to care for the sub by making him feel safe, loved, and comfortable in himself and who he is. He's supposed to nurture his sub, help them to be the person they want to be."

"Mmm," Blaine replied. "Then, what's the sub's role in all this?"

"The sub's job is to care for the Dom. He does this, generally, by offering the Dom the gift of his submission, by offering his body and his service to his Dom, putting all his trust and faith in the Dom to use the gifts he's given in a reverent and respectful way. Done right by two people who truly care about each other, it can be a beautiful thing. Between the wrong people, though, it can be an easy way for one partner to abuse another. That's why there are contracts, safewords, and other things of that nature to protect both parties from abuse and use of their gifts in a way that one or both parties don't agree to."

"So, can you give me an example?" Blaine asks after a few seconds of pause. "All of that sounds dreamy, but words are one thing. Actions are another."

"Absolutely," Kurt agreed. "First, however, let me buy you a coffee? This stand is amazing." He gestured toward the stand a few feet away. "That's Marley, the stand owner. She makes the best flavored coffees ever. My favorite is the hazelnut with just a hint of chocolate, but you can get anything. She's even got candy flavors!" He was so giddy about finally getting his coffee, he couldn't reign in his huge smile. "I'll buy yours, so get anything you want," he added. When he could see Blaine about to protest, he added, "Consider it my contribution to your college experience."

"Fine," Blaine relented, putting his wallet back and following Kurt the last few feet to the stand. It put a smile on his face to see the other man that excited and happy, and he couldn't hold back his own grin as he's introduced to the slim, smiling woman behind the stand.

"Marley, this is Blaine," Kurt introduced the two of them quickly. "He's a friend I met at the club tonight. I'm going to pay for both of the coffees. The usual for me, please, and then whatever Blaine wants."

Marley nodded, mouthing, "He's cute," to Kurt before grabbing a cup and beginning to fill it as she asked Blaine, "Any idea what you'd like?"

"Um, I usually like mine black with a splash of almond milk. Is that possible?" he asked, glancing up at her menu for a split second.

"Absolutely," she agreed. "Give me just a moment." Marley worked quickly, fixing up their coffees in short order and handing them off to the men. When Kurt passed her a bill with a mumble about keeping the change, she smiled at them both. "Enjoy your night, boys," she said softly.

"You, too, Marley," Kurt replied, hooking an arm through Blaine's again and leading him away from the coffee stand. "There's a cute little park not too far from here," he informed the other man. "Just about a block. We can find a nice bench and talk there."

Blaine nodded, once again unable to speak. How has Kurt not figured out just how much he affects me yet? he asked himself.

The walk to the park was pleasantly silent, each boy sipping on his beverage and considering what the rest of the night could include. It didn't take long for Kurt to locate a bench, and when they were settled, a mere inch between their thighs, just enough for Blaine to be able to breathe, Kurt asked, "So, you wanted an example of what exactly?"

"I guess just an example of how something like that could work. How a Dom could order a sub to do something or take something from him and it still be considered care and love."

"Well," Kurt started, "that's a little easier said than done, to just come up with an example on the fly because so much of that depends upon the partners, but...give me a second. I'll think of something." He sipped at his coffee for a few moments, lost in thought. Then, he said, "So, if a sub I was caring for was nervous about something, I might order him to sit or kneel on a pillow, close his eyes, and put his hands behind his back. Then, I'd walk him through a series of meditations and visualizing to help calm his mind. All the while, I'd give him praises, maybe run my fingers through his hair if he liked that, scratch his scalp a little. Then, when he felt calmer, we would talk specifically about whatever was bothering him and help him move past it."

Holy shit, Blaine thought, sipping at his coffee to try to hide his quivering hands. Is he psychic? Am I so transparent? How does he know that I'm an anxiety sufferer? As he considered this, he began to grow more and more nervous. Maybe I'm far worse at hiding my insecurities than I thought. Maybe I'm giving off really strong nervous vibes, and he can somehow sense them because of his Dominant tendencies? What if he knows and was using that example to get inside my head? Before he could travel too far down that path, though, his brain did a one-eighty, completely flipping the scales on him. What if he doesn't know, finds out, and doesn't want to see me anymore? I mean, I only just found him, but everything feels right and natural when I'm around him. What if I've already turned him off with my inability to talk? What if he's not who he says he is? What if he's trying to kidnap me? What if I made a mistake? You idiot, of course you made a mistake! There's no way you should have come out to a dark park with a stranger all alone. This is madness. You know better. And, Tina has no idea where you are. Sure, you could text her, but you don't know where you are either. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. At that moment, the other man's voice broke through his mental barrage.

"Blaine? Are you okay? You look like you're having an anxiety attack. Is everything okay?"

He wanted to answer, tell him everything was fine, but he suddenly found that his mouth was too dry. No sounds would come out if he tried to speak.

"Blaine?" Kurt tried again, but he still didn't get a response. What do I do? he asked himself. He knew what he would do if he were in a contract with this beautiful man next to him, but he wasn't. And, at this point, he had no way to get consent. Do I try it anyway? Just until it seems like he feels better? Frame it as a suggestion? He went back and forth with himself for only a few seconds, keeping a close eye on Blaine as his eyes grew wider and he seemed to curl in on himself further.

Answer him! You need to answer him. But he couldn't.

Making a decision, Kurt set his coffee down on the ground beside the bench and kneeled in front of the other man so he could more clearly see his face. "Blaine," Kurt said gently, keeping his voice soft and even but letting the commands come through clearly. "Blaine, I know you can't answer me right now, but I'm going to take your coffee cup." Slowly, he reached out and pried the cup loose from the other man's iron grip. Then, he set it down beside his own before turning back to face Blaine again. "Now, close your eyes and focus on the sound of my voice. I'm not going to stop talking to you for the entirety of this exercise, and I want you to focus only on what I'm saying. Nothing else. So, go on. Close your eyes for me. Good boy." He smiled approvingly as Blaine's eyes slid closed, his whole body trembling on edge. "Such a good boy," Kurt cooed, hoping against hope this wasn't overstepping.

Blaine didn't know why he listened. He didn't have to. Nothing and no one was forcing him to, but beneath the constant river of thoughts racing through him, repeating over and over how stupid he was for having left the club with a stranger and gone to an unfamiliar part of the city, there was also a tiny voice whispering, "Obey." So, he let his eyes fall closed as he obeyed Kurt's simple command.

"Such a good boy," Kurt repeated, rising from his seat. "Now, I'm going to take your hands and place them on your head. When I put them there, I don't want you to move them. Keep your hands on your head and listen to the sound of my voice. You're doing so well, and I'm so proud of you," Kurt went on, taking Blaine's left wrist, working his fingers loose from his other hand, and slowly guiding it up to rest on the side of his head. "Perfect. That's perfect," he praised. "Leave that hand right there and listen to my voice as I bring up your other hand. Good. Good job, Blaine." He placed Blaine's right hand on the other side of his head, continuing his gentle banter. He generally didn't like having subs put their hands on their heads, but Blaine seemed to be incapable of moving at the moment, and his back wasn't easily accessible.

Obey. The word was getting louder in his mind, little by little fighting to take over the other words that his brain was supplying. Stupid. Shouldn't have come. Obey. Might get hurt. Obey. Stupi-Obey. Might ge-Obey.

"You're doing so good, Blaine. Being such a good boy," Kurt whispered to him, bringing a hand up to put it in his hair. "Now, I want you to take some deep breaths for me on my count. Just listen and breathe. That's your only job. So, take a deep breath in and hold it for one...two...three… and release it. Good boy," Kurt praised as he heard Blaine follow his direction. "We're going to do it again. Breathe in, one...two...three… and release. Good." He was scratching the top of Blaine's head lightly, letting his fingertips run through his curls gently as he counted for him again. "Breathe in again. One...two...three… and release. Good job. Keep breathing just like that, and listen to the sound of my voice. You're doing so well."

Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. These words were the only thing running through Blaine's mind now, having completely eradicated the voice that had brought on the panic. But he continued to do as Kurt told him, surprised by how wonderful the words "good boy" sounded to him, how much they made his heart sing and his body lean into the touch of Kurt's hand in his hair, tugging lightly, massaging gently. Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey.

"Good boy," Kurt continued, still petting. "You are safe, Blaine. You are safe with me here. Nothing is going to hurt you; I'm not going to hurt you. You are in control of everything that happens tonight. You decide where you go. You decide what you do. You are safe. You are safe with me." He repeated these words a few more times, waiting until Blaine seemed to be relaxing into the back of the bench before he changed his approach. "You're doing so wonderfully, Blaine. Listening so well. Good boy. You are wanted, Blaine. Even if you only want to have coffee and go home, I'm glad I spent this time with you. I don't regret it. You're remarkable, very cute, and charming. I've enjoyed every moment that I've spent with you this evening. You are wanted, Blaine. And, you're safe." This seemed to work, successfully getting Blaine to relax the rest of the way into his seat. "Good boy."

Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey.

"You're doing so well, Blaine. I'm so proud of you. Whenever you think you're ready, you can slowly bring your hands down to rest in your lap. There's no rush. We have all the time in the world. So, whenever you feel ready, whenever you feel calm, you can bring your hands down, one at a time, to rest in your lap. I'm so proud of you, and you're doing really well. Good boy," Kurt continued talking. He repeated this once more before he saw Blaine's left hand twitch, slowly leaving his head and floating back down to rest in his lap. "Good boy. You can take the right one down, too. Whenever you're ready."

Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey.

"Excellent," Kurt praised when his right hand had joined his left. "Such a good job. Keep taking those deep breaths for me. I'm going to take my hand off of your head and sit down right beside you. Keep taking deep breaths. Keep listening. That's a good boy. You're doing so well. Deep breaths in and out. Good job." Lifting his hand out of Blaine's hair, he let it trail down the side of his face, over his shoulder, down his arm, and to his hand, resting lightly on top of his hand as he took a seat beside him, ignoring the tiniest whimper he'd ever heard come out of Blaine's mouth. "So good," he continued to murmur. "Such a good boy. Whenever you're ready, whenever you feel calm enough you can open your eyes. I'm not going to stop talking until I see those beautiful eyes of yours, so you can take as much time as you need. We have all the time in the world, so don't open your eyes until you're ready. I'm going to start massaging your hands and arms to make sure they have proper blood flow, but keep listening to the sound of my voice, keep breathing until you're ready to open your eyes. You're doing so well."

Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. Breathe. Listen. Obey. Slowly but surely, listening to Kurt's gentle banter continue as he began to rub slow circles into his hand and wrist, Blaine eventually flicked his eyes open, landing on Kurt's bright blue ones, the deep breaths that he'd been taking catching in his throat. "Hi."

"Hi," Kurt whispered back, smiling at the faint smile and the dreamy look in Blaine's eye. "Are you feeling better?"

Blaine nodded. "Thanks," he said softly. "How did you know?"

"Well," Kurt replied with a sigh. "Let's just say that I've got first-hand experience. And, don't worry; I'll explain it to you later if you want to know. But right now, I need to check-in with you. Are you okay? I hope I didn't overstep my-my bounds. I truly didn't know what else to do."

"No. You didn't overstep," Blaine replied. "I-I needed it."

Kurt nodded but didn't say anything. Instead, he continued his massage of Blaine's hands and wrists, switching from the left to the right.

"You don't have to do that. My hands don't hurt."

"It's part of the aftercare," Kurt replied, not stopping. "It's part of taking care of my sub."

That made Blaine's breath catch in his throat. "Yo-your sub?"

"I-I didn't mean-"

"I-I don't know-"

The boys spoke over each other, stopping at nearly the same time when they realized what they'd done. For a moment, they just stared at one another, caught in the other man's eyes. Then, their gazes slowly drifted to the lips of the other person, and their looks filled with lust.

"I-Could...I wanna kiss you," Blaine whispered, pupils blowing as Kurt's tongue darted out and wet his lips.

Instead of responding, Kurt leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to the other boy's lips. He was surprised at how soft Blaine's lips were, how sweet he tasted, how perfectly his lips fit against his, how they felt against his. The kiss, however brief, sent sparks through his body that he hadn't felt in a long while, and when he leaned back, he couldn't keep the smile off his face as Blaine chased his retreating lips for a moment, eyes closed and a tiny whine escaping his throat.

There was silence for a moment between them, Kurt going back to his massage while Blaine stared at him, trying to figure out what he'd just experienced. Who am I? he wondered to himself. I would never be this head over heels for someone. I would never kiss someone, miss his lips seconds after a kiss. I-I even...I miss the dominance. He shivered, thinking of how at peace he'd felt, how much less stress he'd felt as Kurt had taken over for him, guiding him through breathing and making his freak-out dissolve from his brain.

"I have to ask, and it's totally within your rights not to tell me because you're under no obligation, but do you mind telling me what caused your anxiety attack?"

"Um...well…" Blaine swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. "I have anxiety. Full-blown, pretty bad anxiety. And, when I start getting too into my head, my brain runs away with me. So, when you gave me that example about a nervous sub, my first thought was to wonder if you were psychic, if you somehow knew I had anxiety. Then, my brain just sorta ran away. I-I started…" He swallowed, a blush that was barely visible in the dark of the night coloring his cheeks. "I started wondering if you were trying to kidnap me. And then," his voice grew very soft, "I started calling myself stupid…"

"Oh, Blaine," Kurt whispered, his hands stilling and his breath catching. "Honey, you are not stupid," he informed him, not noticing the little pet name that came out of his mouth. "You have every right to be afraid because, as I said, you don't know me. But I do hope that you trust I would never try to hurt you. If you were uncomfortable in any way, I would call you a cab and send you home. The last thing I want to do is upset you or harm you in any way. I hope you can trust me on that."

"I-I do," Blaine replied. "I mean, I always did, the-the whole night. Even more now."

Kurt couldn't deny his heart swelling at that, and he needed a moment to himself. So, he stopped massaging Blaine's hands, satisfied that they were working properly again. Leaning down, he grabbed their coffees from beside the bench, passing Blaine's back to him. "Do you mind if we just sit for a few moments? I need a bit of time to think."

"Could-could I hold your hand?" Blaine asked softly. "I really want an anchor to keep myself calm…"

"Of course you can," Kurt replied, reaching over to grab Blaine's. "You can ask me for anything you need. I promise."

The two of them were quiet for a few moments, both of them thinking about what they'd been told. He's really opened up to me, Kurt thought. And, it's clear that he needs some help. Therapy, I think, would definitely do him good. Perhaps some medication for control. But he also seems to be a natural sub, already asking for an anchor and calming when I give him a little bit of direction. And, I honestly can't deny the connection I felt when I looked at him, the sparks in my chest when we kissed. Have I stumbled across a once-in-a-lifetime connection with a beautiful man? Could it be everything I've been too scared to dream about?

Beside him, Blaine was thinking similar things. I can't believe I told him all of that, but I don't feel bad about that… In fact, it's almost a relief that he knows, that I'm not hiding it anymore. But I don't know what this can be. I don't know what we could be, but I want to explore it. I want to know more. Maybe there's even something to this sub thing. I don't know, but… I want to explore. I want to know more. How do I tell him? Come out and say it? What if he doesn't want it? Not now, Blaine. Don't freak out now.

Just then, a young man came rolling by on a skateboard, a song loudly blaring from some headphones around his neck.

"If it's meant to be, it'll be, it'll be
Baby, just let it be
If it's meant to be, it'll be, it'll be
Baby, just let it be"

As the skateboarder rolled away, Blaine could hear Kurt singing under his breath.

"So, won't you ride with me, ride with me?
See where this thing goes
If it's meant to be, it'll be, it'll be
Baby, if it's meant to be"

"You know that song?" Blaine asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Kurt answered, blushing. "I sometimes listen to some country music. A lot of the female artists in that genre tend to be more on the pop side; I don't mind them."

Blaine grinned. "Me neither."

"Blaine?" Kurt asked, deciding to take the conversation by the reigns. "Do you… I'm gonna sound really cheesy, but do you want to 'see where this thing goes' as the song says? I mean...I-I really like you."

"I...really like you, too," Blaine answered honestly. "And, as much as I didn't believe it earlier, I think… I think there might be something to this sub thing, to submitting and being taken care of in that way. I'm not-I don't know about signing a contract and all that, but… If it's all like it was earlier when you were helping me calm down, I think I could get used to it." He knew he was rambling, but he couldn't help himself. Kurt was like a drug. With him nearby, he either couldn't say a word or he couldn't stop talking. He wasn't sure what was worse, but he couldn't seem to do anything about it. Talking had to be better than not saying a word.

"We don't have to be together like that," Kurt said. "We could just date like any normal couple. Go on walks, get coffee, buy each other flowers, all of that. But there-there's a reason I like being part of the BDSM scene. There's a reason I feel like D/s relationships work, and I, well, I'll give that up if you ask me to, but I don't want to if I don't have to."

"You don't have to. I-I don't know if I want to do it all the time, but…"

"We don't have to. And, we don't have to talk about this now," Kurt rushed to reassure him. "It's probably something we should take slow, especially since you don't have any background in a relationship like this. But I…" He stopped, clearing his throat and taking a deep breath. He needed to take charge of this situation and stop tip-toeing around it. He wanted this, and Blaine deserved to know. "Mr. Blaine," he said, turning his body to face him, "will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

Blaine giggled, his cheeks blushing again. "Mr. Kurt, I would love to go on a date with you. But… Could we go somewhere a little more private? I-I can feel my anxiety starting to bubble up, and I need to be somewhere quieter, a little more intimate."

"Where would you be comfortable?"

"I don't know. I…" He swallowed. "I want to try the-the sub thing again. So…"

"Would you be comfortable going to my apartment? Or yours?"

"I don't know where we are exactly, but Tina's and my apartment was about 20 minutes by cab from the club. And," he sighed, "I'm sure Tina's back there with Mike or whoever she found to go out with tonight. I'd really rather not go back there."

"Would you be comfortable going to my apartment?" Kurt asked again. "I don't want to push you…"

"I-I think I could try."

"Before we go, let's set up a safeword for you. You can use it if we do a scene, but you can also use it to tell me your anxiety is building or you're uncomfortable with something that's happening."

"I'd like that," Blaine agreed. "What would be a good safeword?"

"A lot of people like the traffic light system, but if you have any words that are special to you, those work well, too. Just so long as it's not a word you use often."

Blaine nodded. "Um…" He took a long drink of his coffee, which was barely lukewarm now, thinking. "I love music," he told Kurt. "Maybe...um…"

"Take your time," Kurt urged. "You need three. One for green or good to go, one for yellow or slow down and talk about something, and one for red or stop."

"Um…" Blaine replied, his mind reeling with possibilities. Then, the perfect idea jumped out at him. "Fortissimo, Mezzoforte, and Piano."

A huge smile lit up Kurt's face. "Those are perfect, Blaine. Absolutely perfect. I love them."

Blaine blushed. "Thanks," he mumbled. "I just...those words are special to me."

"You don't have to explain yourself," Kurt reassured him. "I'm just glad we were able to find some words that you feel comfortable using. That will be very helpful, no matter how we choose to move forward tonight or what we do."

Nodding, Blaine replied, "Are we ready to go now?"

"Sure. Do you feel like walking? We're only a few blocks from my apartment building, but we can grab a cab or an Uber if you'd prefer."

"We can walk," Blaine replied, standing up. "I wanted to ask you a few questions anyway."

"Ask away," Kurt replied, rising and heading down the sidewalk right next to Blaine. As they passed a trash can, both the boys tossed their coffees away, and it took a few minutes before Blaine worked up the courage to ask anything.

"So, um, what would we do if we, uh, if we tried another sub thing?" he asked cautiously, glancing at Kurt out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, first, it's generally called a scene," he supplied helpfully, smiling at the shorter man. "And, if you want to do something like that, it might be good to know what your limits are. Or, what you'd like to try if you have any ideas."

"What are limits? Like, stuff I think I'd hate?"

"Exactly. Things that make you uncomfortable or turned off. Despite a lot of common misconceptions, scenes are supposed to be fun for you. They're supposed to help you reach subspace, and the only way I can help with that is by knowing what you don't like and what you do like. Does that make sense?"

"Absolutely," Blaine replied. "But what do you get out of them?"

"I enjoy helping my subs reach subspace, and the orgasms I get during scenes usually make it totally worth it." He grinned at Blaine. "You don't need to worry about me; all I'm worried about is you."

Blaine was quiet for a minute, thinking about this new information. Eventually, he asked, "So, what do people usually put on their limits list?"

"There are all sorts of options," Kurt informed him. "There are typically two sections: the soft limits and the hard limits. Soft limits refer to things you might want to try at some point. Hard limits are things you never want to try. For tonight, let's start simple. Just tell me some things you've done in the past that you enjoyed."

"Um, well, I, uh, I like blowjobs. And, when-when someone plays with my-my nipples. Is-is that good?"

"That's a great starting point," Kurt reassured him.

"And, I-I really like to bottom."

"Good," Kurt complimented him, hoping to keep him talking. "What about things like sensation loss? Would you be okay with a blindfold or your hands tied or held above your head?"

"Maybe? I've never tried it. I don't think I would be opposed to it, though."

"That's a good answer. We can keep it as an option, and I would be sure to ask before I implemented anything like that into a scene."

"Kurt, I also like, well, I really liked what you did earlier."

"So, maybe some breathing exercises would be a good idea?" Kurt asked, trying to get a clear sense of exactly what it was that Blaine had liked.

"And-and the praising." His cheeks blushed a bright red, but he refused to take his words back. He had liked it, and Kurt deserved to know.

"That can be arranged," Kurt told him, "but this is my building. So, let's get up to my apartment, and we can have more of this conversation there."

Blaine nodded, wordlessly following him through the glass doors and into the lobby. The doorman nodded at them silently, and the boys got onto the elevator.

Kurt pressed level eight, and as the elevator began its ascent, he said, "Just so you know, I do have a roommate. His name is Elliott, but he's not here tonight. He went home for winter break, so he won't be dropping by to interrupt, either. I just wanted you to know in case his bedroom door is open. He's a really sweet guy. Gay and into the scene, too."

"He sounds nice," Blaine commented, not sure what else to say. He was suddenly feeling very much like he was about to panic again, and he was kicking himself for agreeing to this in the first place. Why, oh, why do you never learn? his brain continued to ask him. What are you doing here?

It didn't take long for Kurt to notice that Blaine was suddenly very quiet, looking like he was backed into a corner. "Everything okay still?" Kurt asked him as the elevator dinged.

Unable to speak for fear the thoughts running through his head would come out of his mouth, Blaine just shook his head, squeaking out a "No."

Kurt nodded, taking Blaine's arm and guiding him firmly out of the elevator. "Just hold on for one minute," he murmured, fishing his keys out of his pocket. "I'm going to take care of you as soon as we get into my apartment. I just need you to listen to the sound of my voice, take deep breaths until we get inside. Just listen to the sound of my voice." He kept up his patter as he unlocked the door and pushed inside, immediately guiding Blaine toward his couch. He pulled a pillow off of the couch and tossed it on the floor. He made quick work of unbuttoning Blaine's coat and taking his scarf off, tossing them carelessly onto the couch cushions. "I want you to kneel down here for me, Blaine," he told him softly. "Keep listening to my voice, keep breathing, and kneel on this pillow. Put your hands behind your back. Good boy. You're doing so well."

Having Kurt immediately take charge was keeping the worst of Blaine's thoughts out of his head, but the words that had started in the elevator were still present as he settled down on his knees, his hands clasping behind his back in a way that felt almost natural to him. Why do you never learn? What are you doing here?

"You're doing a great job, Blaine. I'm proud of you. You're doing so good." He continued to keep up the patter as he stripped off his own coat, shoes, and scarf. Then, he came back to the man kneeling on his pillow, threading his fingers through his hair and massaging his scalp, just as he'd done in the park. He took a deep breath, centering himself and letting a bit of dominance leak into his voice as he said, "Tell me what you're thinking, Blaine."

"I-I don't…" Blaine trailed off, fighting with himself. He wanted to tell Kurt, but he was scared, terrified actually, that once he opened his mouth, he wouldn't be able to get the horrible thoughts to stop.

"You can tell me," Kurt urged him. "I'm safe. This is a safe place. I can help you get through this, move through it, but you have to trust me. You have to tell me what's going on."

"I-I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what, Blaine? You're doing so well, listening so well, but I need to know more. What are you afraid of?"

"That...That…"

"I'm listening, Blaine. You're safe. Tell me what you're afraid of."

"That I'm making a mistake," Blaine blurted, shoving through the discomfort and the little voice that was trying to shut him down with panic and anxiety. "My brain-" He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the feel of Kurt's hand in his hair, giving him the strength to finish saying, "My brain is telling me I'm making a mistake, asking me why I never learn. And, I don't want to feel that way because I trust you. I want to experience this."

"Blaine, that was wonderful," Kurt praised, bending to press a kiss to his cheek. "You were amazing. Thank you for telling me, and now we're going to work on it. Okay? If you understand, tell me your safeword for green."

"Fortissimo," Blaine breathed out.

"Good boy," Kurt praised again. "The first thing I want you to do is take one deep breath. Really deep. Do it with me. In," he urged, sucking in a breath dramatically. "And, out."

Doing as instructed, Blaine took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly through his nose, settling into the feeling of Kurt's fingers slowly massaging his scalp.

"Good. Now, I want you to repeat after me: 'I am making the right choice for me right now.'"

"I am making the right choice for me right now," Blaine repeated faithfully.

"I am allowed to make decisions for my pleasure."

"I am allowed to make decisions for my pleasure."

"I am smart."

At this sentence, Blaine stuttered a bit. "I a-am s-smart."

"Again. Confidently," Kurt instructed. "I am smart."

"I am-am smart."

"Once more. 'I am smart.'"

"I am smart."

Kurt smiled at the strength in Blaine's voice, his resolve. "Good boy," he replied, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Tell me how you're feeling now," he instructed. "Take your time, lots of deep breaths. You're doing so well for me. I'm so proud of you."

Blaine couldn't keep the little smile off of his face, loving the praises Kurt was giving him. "I'm...better. I can still feel that little voice in the back of my head, but it-it's quieter."

"Good," Kurt replied, his mind immediately racing, trying to figure out what he could do to help further. "I would like you to try something for me, Blaine. I want you to tell that voice to go away."

"Um…" Blaine began. "I-I don't understand, sir." He didn't mean for the name to come out, but he couldn't help it.

Kurt didn't acknowledge the name. He would worry about it later. Right now, he needed to focus on Blaine, bring him completely out of his panic before he could focus on anything else. "I want you," he explained, "to pretend that that voice in your head is a person, and I want you to tell it to go away."

"Oh…" Blaine whispered, trying to focus on what he'd been asked to do. "Um, go-go away."

"Blaine, give it some more oomph. Really mean it," Kurt instructed. "Tell it to go away."

"Go away," Blaine stated again, his voice a bit clearer.

"Again. Make me believe you want it gone."

"Go away! Go away!" Blaine cried.

Kurt could tell that they were on the verge of something, that Blaine was about to really give that panicked voice in his head hell. So, he spurred him on, urging him to do it again. "Once more, Blaine. Really tell it how you feel."

"Go away!" Blaine yelled. "Go away and leave me alone! Get out of my head! I hate you! I hate you making me feel like crap, taking me out of my life and into my head, making me miss all the fun things I've wanted to do with my life. Get out and leave me alone!" Then, he collapsed into Kurt's arms, his own arms coming out from behind his back to wrap around Kurt as he sobbed into his lap.

"My good boy. My good, good boy, Blaine," Kurt murmured, petting his head as he maneuvered them so Kurt could sit on the couch and hold up more of Blaine's weight. He continued to pet him, moving his hand from his hair to his cheeks, brushing some of the tears away as Blaine sobbed out his problems from years of panic and stress. "My good, good boy," Kurt continued to praise. "I'm so proud of you. So, so proud of you. You've done so well. You did wonderfully. You did everything I asked, and you told your anxiety to leave. I'm so proud of you. I'm so glad I found you tonight, honey. You're amazing. You're a treasure. Mon trésor."

Blaine sniffled, wiping at his eyes before looking up at Kurt curiously. "Wha-what does that mean?" he asked. "Mon trésor?"

Kurt felt his cheeks color a bit, but he answered honestly. "It means 'my treasure.' I, um, I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable. I took a lot of French in high school, and, um, that was a phrase I always loved. I, well, I always wanted to call my someone special that name, and it just kinda slipped out tonight. I'm sorry. I-I hope it doesn-"

"Kurt, it's fine," Blaine cut in. "It didn't bother me at all. I, well, I kinda loved it. Did you-did you mind that I-I called you, um, sir?"

"Not at all," Kurt answered. "In fact, that was something I thought we could talk about later tonight. That's um, that's a name a sub traditionally calls his Dom, and I, well, I think we should talk about that. But I want to make sure you're okay, first. I didn't expect you to have another anxiety attack, but I could tell immediately that you weren't feeling okay. What brought that on, honey?" he asked softly.

"Just…" Blaine shrugged helplessly. "That just happens. I get a few moments of quiet and get caught up in my head. I can't seem to help it, to fix it."

Kurt nodded. "Do you see anyone? A therapist or a doctor for any medication?"

"No," Blaine replied sadly. "I'm so busy with school… And, I'm too nervous to go alone."

"Don't worry," Kurt said, running a knuckle softly over his damp cheek again. "If you decide that you'd like to have a relationship with me, give something like this a try, I'll help you. We'll get you there."

"Thank you," Blaine whispered, new tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. "I-I don't even know what to say besides that. Thank you. Truly."

There was silence between them for a few beats while Kurt continued his petting and Blaine tried to get his composure back. Then, Kurt asked, "Would you like to come up here, sit by me and talk? You're welcome to stay on the floor, but I'm worried about your knees."

Nodding, Blaine rose, moving to sit on the cushion next to Kurt, snuggling into his side just a bit. "What do we need to talk about?"

"Well, I think that the best way to end our night together might be to get you to relax and just feel instead of think. You've been doing a lot of thinking tonight."

Giggling, Blaine replied, "Yeah. That's an understatement."

"But there are a few things I need to talk with you about before we get to that. First, are you going home tonight? I don't want to pressure you into staying here, because, as I've said so many times already tonight, we don't know each other well. I do know, though, that if I'm successful in getting you to relax, you'll sleep like a baby after our scene."

For a moment, Blaine didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected to find someone like this tonight when he went out with Tina. He hadn't expected to find the man of his dreams, the man he'd been too nervous to ever even dream he'd find. Now, he was sitting next to him, snuggled up, feeling better than he had in a while because he'd been talked down from two anxiety attacks tonight in a loving and firm way. "Well, I'm-I...I trust you. You've proven yourself to me tonight, taking care of me, talking me down from anxiety attacks when you had no reason to. You could have just left me in the park or the elevator, and you didn't. You talked me down and reassured me when you had no reason to. So…" He swallowed hard, telling-once again-that little voice in his head to back down. "So, if you don't mind, I-I think I might like to stay here tonight."

"Good. That's good. And, perfectly fine with me," Kurt reassured him, reaching out to take one of Blaine's hands in his, squeezing it tightly. "I'm gonna make you feel so good tonight, so relaxed and free."

"I believe you," Blaine whispered. He was finally feeling excited, ready for some sex and to put his excitement and need in Kurt's hands.

"Let's talk about a few other things," Kurt said. "Normally, before we did a scene like this, I would want to write up some sort of quick, temporary contract. However, I don't feel like we need that tonight or like we have the time. So, instead, I'd like to make a few verbal agreements. How are you feeling about that?"

"Good. This whole thing feels good," Blaine told him. "For the first time, I'm saying that honestly."

Kurt nodded in agreement. "So, I want you to remember that even though I'm the one calling the shots, you're in charge. Your safewords are there for you to use whenever you need to. Anytime anything feels off to you, you can tell me right away, and I will honor your safeword. That is a promise I make to you. As soon as you breathe out a mezzoforte or piano, I will stop what I'm doing and work to solve your problem. You have to be honest with me for this to work properly. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"Yes," Blaine nodded. "Y-yes, sir." The dominance in Kurt's voice, the assertiveness was going straight to Blaine's crotch, and he could feel his whole body begin to thrum with the excitement of what this evening with Kurt could bring.

"Good. The next thing: I want you to name me three things you'd like to do tonight, and that's all that's going to happen during our scene. I don't want to even come close to one of your limits, so the best way for me to do that is to get your input. Tell me what you want. I'll decide what order we do them in and how we get there, but those will be our three destinations for the evening. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah…" Blaine agreed, swallowing hard. "Um, b-blowjob, um...that-that blindfold thing you mentioned earlier, and, um, uh, I-I'd really like to, uh, to, um, to bottom."

"That all sounds perfect, mon trésor," Kurt reassured him. "We can do those things. I promise. Now, the last thing I wanted to talk to you about: as we talked about earlier, while I was helping you through your anxiety attack, you called me 'sir.' There is nothing wrong with that at all. I want you to call me whatever feels natural to you in the moment. It can just be 'Kurt,' it might be 'sir.' Some people prefer 'master,' but it's all up to you. Tonight is all about you being relaxed and comfortable. Okay?"

"Mhm… I know. Thank you."

"I may get caught up in the scene tonight as well and call you names. I most often use 'honey' and, with you apparently, 'mon trésor.' I've also used 'sweetheart' and 'pet' in the past. Are those all okay with you?"

Blaine nodded. It all sounded perfect, and now that all the blood in his body was rushing to his cock, he was finding himself having a hard time saying anything at all.

"I need words, Blaine, even if it's just your safewords."

"Fortissimo."

"Good boy." Kurt reached out a hand to smooth over Blaine's cheek once more. "Do you think you're ready to get started?"

Once again, Blaine found himself nodding, leaning into Kurt's touch. "Yes, sir," he whispered, already wanting nothing more than to listen and to feel.

"Good. I'm going to stand up now, take you by the hand, and lead you to my bedroom. Once we arrive, I want you to strip down as much as you'd like. You can be naked or any sort of undressed in between, okay? As long as you're comfortable, I'll be happy."

"Yes, sir," Blaine replied breathily, standing as Kurt stood and following him to the bedroom like a puppy following its master. He was already in deep with this man, this very dangerous, very handsome man in his blazer and graphic t-shirt. For once, however, that knowledge didn't bother Blaine. In fact, it made him proud. He was taking a stand for himself for once, and he couldn't be happier.

Walking into Kurt's bedroom, Blaine's breath caught in his throat, and he gasped aloud. Kurt's bedroom was stunning. The walls were a beautiful gray, and the first thing that caught his eye was the massive bed in the room with four tall posts and a swath of light, shimmery material spread over the tops like a canopy. There were deep purple sheets on the bed and comfortable, soft pillows. There was a soft, light-colored carpeting on the floor and several pieces of darkly stained, wooden furniture surrounding the walls. The thing that made the air catch in Blaine's throat, however, were the large rings attached to each of the tall posters of the bed. There were leather cuffs hanging from two of them, and Blaine immediately imagined himself lying naked and prone on the bed, his hands and feet bound while Kurt used him, teased him, and explored his body. He mewled at the thought, his eyes squeezing closed.

"You okay?" Kurt checked, squeezing his hand.

"Uh-huh," Blaine reassured him. "I was ju-just imagining…" He gestured lamely toward the bed. "The cuffs…"

"Do you like those?" Kurt asked, whispering in a dark, sultry voice in his ear. "I'd love to use those cuffs on you, mon trésor. I'd love to see you all spread out and needy, unable to do anything to get your release faster, completely at my mercy."

"Ohhhhhh…" Blaine moaned, the imagery and Kurt's voice going straight to his cock. "Siiiiir…"

"God, the things you do to me, Blaine," Kurt murmured, letting go of his hand. "Go ahead and strip down as far as you want. I'm going to sit over here on the bed and watch you, beautiful boy."

Blaine moaned again, but got to work on his clothes, peeling off his shoes and socks, pants, and outer shirt and bowtie. When he was left in only his tight, black boxer briefs and his white, ribbed undershirt, he padded over to the bed and slid up next to Kurt, snuggling into his side immediately. "I'm ready, sir," he whispered. He was a little surprised at how quickly he'd taken to calling Kurt that name, but he had no desire to change. Kurt was, at least for now, his sir. That was the end of the story and required no more thought.

"Perfect," Kurt whispered, turning toward Blaine and claiming his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. There were only a few beats before Kurt began swiping his tongue over Blaine's lower lip, seeking entrance to his warm, wet mouth. When Blaine's lips parted, Kurt dove in immediately, exploring every square inch, tasting everything his sub-because that's what he was, at least for tonight-had to offer him. When he finally pulled back, they were both panting, lips swollen, and pupils dilated. "Lay down on your back," Kurt commanded. "I want to explore your body."

Not needing to be told twice, Blaine did as instructed, lying down and sighing in contentment at the cool, sleek feel of the sheets against his skin.

Kurt came to kneel beside his body, bending and pressing kisses against his forehead, right along his scalp. He trailed kisses down the left side of his face, across his jaw, and down his neck to his shoulder. Then, skipping over the strap of his undershirt, he pressed kisses down Blaine's arm and wrist, stopping at each finger to kiss down it and back up the other side, leaving a grouping of three little kisses on his palm. Then, he switched sides, doing the same thing to the right side of Blaine's body. By the time he was finished, Blaine was wriggling beneath his lips, moaning soft and breathy sounds through his cherry lips, pumping his hips in tiny thrusts into the air. His erection was straining even harder than it had been against its clothing prison, but Kurt wasn't ready to let it out of its cage yet. "How are you feeling, mon trésor?" he whispered in the other man's ear.

"Wa-want you, sir. Need y-you so, so bad. Please." His voice was strained and full of need and lust.

"Oh, we'll get there. But you've got to have patience, sweetheart. Patience," Kurt told him, nipping at his earlobe. "Would you be comfortable with me taking off your shirt?" He tugged lightly at the hem of the offensive piece of clothing.

"Mmm…" Blaine replied, shifting closer to Kurt as one of his fingertips grazed over Blaine's overheated skin.

"I need words, Blaine. If I can take off your shirt, give me your safeword for green."

"Fortissimo."

"Good boy," Kurt praised, grabbing hold of the bottom of the shirt once more. "Sit up just a little so I can get it off of you."

Blaine did as he was told, lying back down on the cool sheets again, pressing his body down into them to try to cool his overheated body. What Kurt did next didn't help his natural reaction or his body temperature.

Bending, Kurt immediately latched onto one of Blaine's nipples, remembering his confession about them making him crazy. His reaction was everything Kurt had ever wanted.

Immediately, Blaine's back arched off the bed and a loud, "Ohhhhhhh," escaped his lips which turned into a strung out, "Kuuuuuuurt."

Kurt sucked and nipped at Blaine's nipple, loving how it pebbled up with the slightest attention from his mouth. Then, he switched sides, giving the other nipple the same treatment, running his tongue around and around before biting down for just a moment, getting Blaine to jump slightly in pain before licking again, then sucking. When he felt he'd given Blaine's nipples enough attention, he climbed off the bed, going over to his dresser drawer.

"Sir?" Blaine asked the second the bed dipped, indicating that his Dom was leaving him. "Sir?" he asked again, his voice beginning to shake. "Where did you go?" He knew he could open his eyes, look around and see if Kurt was still in the room, but he had been feeling, had been out of his head. And, at that moment, he was feeling all of his negative, panicked thoughts threatening to come back. "Sir?" His plea, this time, betrayed how close he was to tears. Then, he felt a warm hand on his arm.

"I'm here, mon trésor. Right here. I was getting you a blindfold. I didn't leave. I'm right here." He ran his other hand down the other man's cheek. "Open your eyes for me, sweetheart. Let me see those pretty eyes."

Blaine did as he was told, fluttering his eyes open and looking up at Kurt with wide, golden-flecked eyes. "Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," Kurt replied. "Can you tell me where your head is? Are you nervous, worried?"

"No, sir. I-I was just feeling with you, and when you left, I had a moment of panic. Now that you're back, I-I'm okay."

"Good boy," Kurt praised, leaning in to kiss his head. "I'm sorry for leaving you without saying anything. I will try to remember to let you know if I'm going somewhere. The last thing I want to do is hurt you or give you a reason to panic. All I want to do is take care of you, honey. I want to make you feel good."

"You do, sir. You have. A-all night."

"Well, I'm not done with you yet. Are you still feeling alright, ready to keep moving forward?"

Blaine nodded, making a humming noise as Kurt rubbed his arm and pressed a kiss to his temple.

"I need words. Use your safeword, Blaine. I have to hear your voice."

"Fortissimo, sir. Fortissimo."

"Good boy. I'm just going to slide this blindfold on you," Kurt informed him. "So, I need you to raise your head just a bit so I can slip it over your head and tie it behind you."

Blaine obeyed, lifting his head from the mattress. Kurt slipped a soft, black cloth over his eyes, completely blotting out his vision. His brain had a moment of panic, feeling as though he'd made a mistake, but he shoved it away, focusing on the sound of Kurt's voice as he climbed back onto the bed.

"You've been such a good boy for me, Blaine. Such a good boy. I'm going to give your body exactly the praise it deserves, and then, if you feel like you're ready, I'm going to give you a bit of a surprise somewhere I think you're really going to like." He walked his fingers over Blaine's thigh, completely bypassing his cock and up to his navel. Then, he leaned in, breathing hot and wet in Blaine's ear as he whispered, "If you're ready to get started, let...me...hear...your...safeword."

"Fortissimo," Blaine breathed out. "Sooooo fortissimo."

That was all the encouragement Kurt needed. He immediately dived back into his boy's body. He licked, sucked, and kissed his way from the hollow of Blaine's neck to each of his nipples, giving them a bit of extra attention before he blazed a trail down his chest, over his abs, and back to his waistband, He did this a few times, starting over from the top, and each time, Blaine made more noises, twisting this way and that while delicious moans and whiney, needy pleas of sound fell from his lips. It was Kurt's favorite symphony, the best composition he'd ever heard, and he never wanted it to stop. Besides all that, he loved the way Blaine's skin felt beneath his mouth, warm and firm, smooth and inviting. He traced his trail a few more times than he'd intended before finally pressing a long line of kisses just over the top of Blaine's waistband. Deciding to torture him for a few more perfect moments, Kurt went back to his boy's ear, his breath tickling as he asked, "You're so perfect for me, mon trésor. So perfect. Tell me how you're feeling."

"Fortissimo," Blaine panted out once more. "Please. I-Fortissimo."

"Oh, you'll get your reward; don't worry," Kurt assured him, claiming his lips once more in a searing kiss before backing off and down to his boy's waist. Grabbing his waistband, Kurt ordered, "Lift up," before tugging his boy's underwear down and off, a small gasp escaping his lips as he took in just how perfect a man Blaine really was.

He. Was. Gorgeous. He was clean-shaven there as the rest of his body was, completely hairless, and Kurt realized he'd never appreciated a well-groomed man more than he did in that moment. Blaine's cock was standing tall and strong, red and leaking precum, a fact which caused Kurt to lick his lips in anticipation. He let himself just stare for a moment, appreciating Blaine's body, his scent, and his twitching cock, just begging for him to do something about it.

Blaine felt like he was simultaneously dying and flying. He was buzzing with anticipation, hoping that, now that he was naked, Kurt was going to touch him where he'd been longing for attention since the moment they'd decided they were going to play together. He just didn't know what Kurt was going to do, but he was falling quickly into just feeling and not thinking. He could feel Kurt's presence nearby him, and that was good enough despite the fact his body was buzzing with anticipation.

Kurt took a deep breath, centering himself for what he was about to do. Then, without warning, Kurt bent and swallowed down Blaine's cock, feeling the tip of it hit the back of his throat.

"Ohhhhhh!" Blaine was loud, not holding back as his needy cock finally got the attention it had been desiring. The heat and wetness of Kurt's mouth felt like heaven, and Blaine couldn't hold back further moans as he felt Kurt swallow around him, his tongue licking up the other side as he pulled off.

"Do not cum until I tell you," Kurt ordered. "I will not make you suffer, but you can't just take your pleasure whenever you want. If you feel like you're getting too close, use your safeword for yellow, which is…?"

"Mezzoforte, sir."

"Good boy. Use that if you want me to stop and give you a breather. If I don't hear the word, I will not stop what I'm doing. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy," Kurt told him, rubbing his thigh. Then, he dove back in, swallowing him down again and sucking a bit before he started bobbing all the up, almost to the point of coming off completely. Then, he'd sink down again until the tip brushed the back of his throat. After a few reps of this, he began to swirl his tongue around the head, his tongue dipping in and out of the slit every once in a while, loving the way that made Blaine go crazy, twisting his hips, his breath coming out in little pants and tiny mewls that Kurt was sure he had no idea he was making.

Kurt's mouth was sinful. His tongue was worse, but Blaine loved the torture. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt something that heavenly. Just another reason Kurt's perfect, he thought to himself.

Deciding to do something a little bit different, Kurt brought a hand up to caress and squeeze at Blaine's balls. He began kissing Blaine's cock, starting at the tip and kissing down the underside, using his teeth ever so slightly to graze over the bulging vein. When he reached Blaine's balls, he kissed each one before taking one into his mouth, sucking on it for a few moments before switching to the other one. Then, he kissed back up Blaine's cock before sinking down again.

"Mmm! Ahhh!" Blaine couldn't hold back his moans, his fingers digging into the mattress as Kurt bobbed up and down on his cock again. Then, he started humming, the reverberations sending Blaine into a flurry of stuttering his hips into his Dom's mouth. "Kurrrrrrrt," he managed to get out before he was suddenly aware of a tightening in his core and his balls. "Mmmm...Uhhhh… M-mezzoforte! Mezzoforte!"

"Good boy," Kurt complimented him, pulling off his cock and moving up to Blaine's ear to whisper, "I'm so proud of you, Blaine. You're being such a good boy." He began to press kisses along Blaine's jaw and cheekbone. Then, he began to kiss along the blindfold, whispering little praises to his boy between kisses. "Such a good boy. So beautiful and sexy. So sweet. I'm so lucky to have found you, so lucky that I get to spend the night with you. You're so perfect, such a good boy. Doing so well for me." Once he was sure that Blaine had himself better under control, he kissed his way back down his cock, sinking down on it again. He wanted Blaine to cum fast, and he was determined to get him there fast so he would have time to get hard again before the last surprise of the night.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit," Blaine chanted as Kurt began sucking his cock in earnest. His chanting grew louder, switching from words to pure instinctual noises as Kurt switched up his routine, bobbing for a few moments before switching to swirls and tongue dips, then back to bobbing, coupled with humming and other noises. He could feel his balls beginning to tighten again, signaling an impending orgasm, and he wanted it so bad. He wanted to feel his release because the part of his brain that had taken over, the part that only felt each and every movement of the Dom over his body, was promising him that this was going to be the best orgasm he had ever experienced. He could tell that the tightening in his stomach, the pool of heat that seemed to be burning a hole in his pelvis was hotter and deeper than any other release he'd ever felt before, and he wanted to fly as high as Kurt had promised him out on that couch. But he was a good boy. Kurt had told him so, and he wanted to live up to that bit of praise. He had listened. He would obey. Just as he was about to tell Kurt his safeword once more, he heard it, the most glorious sentence ever spoken in the history of the English language.

"Cum for me, mon trésor."

He didn't need to be told twice. With one last suck from Kurt, he was cumming down the Dom's throat, his fingertips turning white as they pressed into the mattress, his hips stuttering up and into Kurt's mouth, pulsing as he felt his release with his entire body.

Kurt sucked him through his release, lapping up every last drop of his cum until he was clean. Once he was finished, he gave the head of Blaine's softening cock one last kiss before crawling back up the bed and claiming the sub's lips in a passionate kiss, his tongue dipping into his sub's mouth, giving him a moment to taste and savor the flavor of himself on the Dom's tongue. Then, he lay down beside Blaine, petting at his hair and his cheeks, whispering little praises and reassurances of how beautiful and perfect he was, how well he'd done, how glad he was that he was the one to get to see him like this, so strung out, needy, and handsome.

It took a few minutes for Blaine to descend from the place he'd gone when his orgasm had ripped through him like a rocket, and he'd sailed off into a new place that was beautiful and vibrant, full of the sweetest things he'd ever seen. When he fluttered his eyelids back open, he saw beautiful blue eyes staring back at him, a smile and a sparkle making them the most gorgeous eyes Blaine had ever had the distinct pleasure of looking into. "Hi," he whispered, his lips curling up into a drunken grin. At some point, Kurt had apparently removed his blindfold, and the light in the room seemed bright despite only coming from a lamp somewhere to his side.

"Hi," Kurt whispered back, bending to press a kiss to his cheek. "Did you fly, mon trésor?"

Nodding, Blaine answered, "So high."

"That's good. That's what I wanted for you," Kurt told him. "I wanted you to just feel, to have a good time, enjoying the sensations and reactions of your body."

"Can-can that happen all the time?" Blaine asked. "I mean, do-does it? With-with subs and-" He cut off, not sure how to finish that thought.

"If I'm doing my job right, it can more often than not," Kurt replied, giving him a smile. Then, he turned behind him, coming back with a bottle of water. "Can you drink a bit of this for me?" he asked. "There was one more request that you had, and I don't want you to be too dehydrated for that part."

Blaine's eyes went wide even as he took the water, knocking back a few long swigs. "There's more?" he asked as he handed the water bottle back. "I mean, I-I know I asked for more, but sir, that-that was amazing already! Can't I, I mean, don't you…?"

"Like I told you earlier, Blaine, tonight is not about me. It's about you and the things I want you to experience, to feel at my hands. I want you to know that there's nothing to fear from this arrangement, that subs are in control and take what they need, give what they can to their Doms. It really is beautiful, Blaine, and I wanted you to experience that tonight, to put your trust in my hands." Kurt felt like he was pushing, but he had to let Blaine know that there was no pressure to reciprocate, no need to feel as though he owed Kurt something. His mind raced as he tried to figure out the best words to explain this to his sub. "When I saw you tonight, Blaine, sitting across that bar, watching your friend and checking your watch obsessively, I knew I needed to talk to you. And, the more I've learned about you tonight, the more that I've realized that I needed more than that with you. It was as if my heart knew something that my mind and my body couldn't fathom yet, that my hands were meant to hold you, fearlessly and forever. And, tonight, all I've wanted to do is show you that, show you how magical this can be, how beautiful and perfect I think you are. So, if you'll let me, I'd really like to give you the last thing on your wishlist. Please."

Blaine had been watching Kurt through his whole speech, staring at him as though he was an alien yet the most perfect creature he'd ever seen, feeling his heart flutter right out of his chest and land in Kurt's hands so gently. He thought he should be afraid of that, afraid of giving his love and devotion to a man he'd known for less than six hours, but he couldn't help it. What Kurt was saying made sense. He wasn't going to say that there was divine intervention or something otherworldly guiding them together, but he was going to say that, based on what he'd experienced that night already, he never wanted to go back to being the anxious library nerd living with Tina Cohen-Chang. He didn't know what it was, what he'd call it, or what he'd do with this new knowledge, but he knew that this felt right, and he wasn't going to fight, wasn't going to let his mind take over and raise the alarm. "I'll take anything you want to give me, Kurt," he breathed when he finally found his voice again. "Tonight has been better than anything I've ever experienced. I haven't stopped thinking and just felt at any other point in my life as much as I have tonight. I've always been locked in a cage in my mind, and tonight, you broke me free for the very first time. I don't want to ever go back, so if you can show me how to fly again, how to make me feel like I've left our plane of existence and become part of some other, sweet world, then I will do anything you want, follow you anywhere you want to take me. I am 100 percent yours, Kurt Hummel, to do with as you please. Your trésor." He loved the smile Kurt gave him, full of mischief, joy, and excitement at the prospect of what was to come.

"I've never heard anything more wonderful in my whole life," Kurt whispered, diving in to kiss Blaine again. It started out sweet, each one caught up in their emotions and the poetic words they'd spoken to one another across the mattress. But when Kurt dove in to explore Blaine's mouth, his tentative licks across his bottom lip growing more insistent, the kiss grew heated, tongues tangling, mouths opening wider, breath caressing skin and teeth and tongues, coming out in pants and moans as they kissed. When Kurt pulled back, he took in the blown pupils of his sub and grinned. Getting off the bed, he quickly stripped himself out of his jacket-how had he even managed to keep the damn thing on for so long?-his graphic tee, and his jeans. When he caught sight of Blaine watching him, he made a show of removing his navy blue boxers and his black undershirt, pouncing on the bed and immediately beginning to mouth at Blaine's nipples. His cock, which had been at some level of hardness all night, was swelling, and when he let a hand roam to check on Blaine's progress, he found his sub standing at attention, already leaking.

Again with that sinful mouth, Blaine managed to think as he moaned under Kurt's tongue laving over his nipples, his body unable to control its movements as he wriggled, his hips thrusting up into Kurt's hand when he felt it near his cock. His eyes had slipped closed at the first touch of Kurt's lips against his body, and he was so focused on feeling that he missed what Kurt said to him.

"Sweetheart?" Kurt asked softly, stopping his sucking on Blaine's nipple and lifting his head to look at his sub's face.

"Mmm?"

"I asked if you'd ever bottomed before."

"Oh...Um, yes. Once. Long time ago."

"Do you ever stretch yourself?" Kurt asked. He felt bad; he probably should have asked these clinical questions before they dove back in, but he hadn't been able to control himself. He'd needed Blaine's mouth, his tongue immediately, and he'd taken what he needed.

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy. One more question, and then you can go back to feeling, just like you were," Kurt promised him. "I was recently at the clinic for a health screening, and I have a clean bill of health. Do you? Also, we don't know each other, so I wanted to know from you if you want me to use a condom tonight."

"Sir," Blaine answered, opening his eyes to look his Dom in the face. He needed him to know that he was serious and honest in what he was about to say. "I haven't been with anyone in almost three years. My last health screening was four months ago, and at that time, I was clean."

Kurt wasn't sure what to make of what Blaine had told him. He had many questions now, chief among them being, "How could any gay man who's ever laid eyes on you resist you?" but now was not the time to ask, and he could feel a string of jealousy trying to fight its way to the surface. He shoved it down, telling himself that for now, he needed to love his boy. "I want the condom decision to be up to you, Blaine. I trust what you're saying, and if you don't want me to use a condom, I'll be fine with that. If you do, I'll do that, too. Whatever you're comfortable with. I can even show you my papers if you want to see them."

"I…" Blaine blushed, averting his eyes from the Dom's face as he mumbled out, "I'd like to go bare."

"What was that?" Kurt asked, feeling his heart flutter. What he was asking for was such a gift of trust.

"I'd like to go bare," Blaine repeated, his voice a bit stronger. "I trust what you say, sir. I don't need to see your papers. I-I've never done it bare before, and I…" He stopped, not saying any more, and Kurt didn't need him to.

"Thank you for choosing, mon trésor," Kurt praised him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I'm so proud of you. The hard part is over now. I just want you to relax and feel." Grabbing hold of one of Blaine's hands, then the other, he brought them up and over Blaine's head, pressing them into the mattress. "I'm not going to restrain you and you won't be in trouble if you move, but I want your wrists to stay where they are, out of my way," he instructed softly. "I know you can do it, sweetheart. You've been amazing all night."

"Yes, sir," Blaine breathed, falling back into his "feeling" brain quickly as his eyes slipped close and he listened to the gentle sounds of Kurt's voice, the soft caresses of his fingertips as they walked down his arms, across his armpits, and to each of his nipples, tweaking them momentarily. "Ung!" Blaine moaned, his back arching a bit. Then, Kurt's mouth was back on them, and he began moaning in earnest at the attention.

Kurt didn't spend too much time there, making his way back down Blaine's body to his cock where he gave it a bit of attention, a few kisses and licks around the base up his length and back down, and a few quick sucks to the head, leaving him writhing and wanting more. He reached back to his nightstand for the lube, glad he'd remembered to grab it from the drawer while Blaine was coming back down from his high the first time. He lifted Blaine's left leg up to rest on his shoulder then snapped the cap, squirting some lube onto his finger. He warned Blaine, "This might be a bit cold," before reaching down to spread his cheeks a little, pressing his lubed finger against Blaine's entrance. He doubted the sub heard his words, too lost in feeling to listen well, but he didn't mind.

When Blaine felt something wet and cool touch his entrance, he arched away from it for a moment, relaxing when he felt Kurt's hand on his leg, rubbing in a soothing pattern. He was vaguely aware of someone mumbling, "Good boy," over and over again, but he didn't pay much attention to the words, focusing instead on the sound of the calming voice and relaxing back into the touch.

Rubbing his finger gently around his hole, Kurt spent a few minutes getting his sub used to the feel of someone touching him in such an intimate area before applying a bit more lube and gently beginning to insert his finger, slowly and carefully stretching him just a bit. He had no idea how often Blaine stretched himself, how long it would take for him to be used to the feel of someone else touching him, and he didn't want to rush him. Three years was a long time to go without penetration, and Kurt was determined to keep from hurting his boy more than was necessary. They couldn't avoid pain altogether, but he could be as gentle as possible to keep the pain at bay until the last moment.

Eventually, however, Blaine had had enough of the slow, gentle pace that Kurt had set, and he urged him on with a slurred, "More, sir," that was a little more moan than word.

Kurt got the message loud and clear, however, and added more lube and a second finger, scissoring now. He could tell from the way that Blaine tensed then relaxed quickly that he was more used to this than Kurt had first imagined, and he didn't wait too long to add a third and fourth finger, stretching Blaine to the best of his ability. He couldn't hide the fact that he was almost as eager as Blaine for this to happen. His cock was rock-hard, red, and leaking between their bodies as he finished stretching his boy open. It had been a while since he'd felt this much connection to someone, and the need to be as connected as possible, as close as possible to this amazing boy was overwhelming his senses and sending shoots of need and desire straight to his cock, making it bob and dance in anticipation.

Lubing himself up, he lined himself up at Blaine's entrance, rubbing and patting at Blaine's leg until he felt that he'd brought the other man back to himself just a bit.

The entire time he'd been stretching him, he'd been making the most delicious sounds, thrusting his mostly untouched cock into the air in a helpless attempt to find more friction, more satisfaction. At the rub on his leg, however, Blaine's body relaxed back into the mattress, and he was able to ask, "Sir?"

"I just want to make sure you feel ready," Kurt told him. "You're all stretched out, but since you haven't bottomed in a while, this may hurt a little."

"I'm ready, sir," Blaine reassured him. "Want you in me, want you to fuck me. Gonna feel so good, sir."

"My good boy," Kurt told him with a smile on his face. He was careful and slow as he double-checked his positioning before sliding the first inch into Blaine. Even from there, he could tell that his boy's body was going to feel perfect, amazing against his cock, so tight and hot and needy for him. He wasn't going to last long, exploding quickly like a schoolboy, but that was okay. He didn't want to stress Blaine out for too long, and he knew it was likely not going to take much for his boy to fly.

He pushed in slowly, inch by inch, giving Blaine's body time to adjust between each movement, loving how his breathing changed, how it came out in a little gasp when he moved, a pant as he got used to the feeling, and a low moan as Kurt adjusted his hips, preparing to push in a little further. When he was finally seated, he stayed put for a moment, giving Blaine time to adjust, but Blaine didn't want to be patient. He wanted to go. Now.

"Sir!" he called out, pushing himself back onto Kurt's cock. "Please, sir." His hands, still above his head where Kurt had placed them, fluttered a bit as though they were going to move down and help things along, but he fought the urge, desperate to be a good boy. "Please!" he tried again. "Sir!"

Kurt gave him what he wanted. He began to move, slowly at first and then faster and faster until he'd set a decent, quick pace, the sound of their bodies connecting adding to the symphony of gasps and moans that the two of them were making. He'd been right. Blaine felt heavenly around him, his body a tight, perfect heat that pulled him closer and closer to his orgasm.

Wanting the two of them to finish as close together as possible, Kurt reached out and wrapped a hand around Blaine's cock, pumping it a few times. He could feel his own balls threatening to tighten, and if the sounds Blaine was making were any indication, he was already so close to flying, to letting go and being free that his sub was about to burst with anticipation and need.

Blaine couldn't remember the last time anything had felt so good, save for the orgasm he'd had from Kurt's mouth not too long before. Kurt's cock filled him up perfectly, and he was grazing the tiny bundle of nerves in Blaine's body each time he pulled out and pushed back in. When he felt his Dom's hand around his cock, pumping him, urging him toward orgasm, he suddenly remembered his words from earlier. "Do not cum until I tell you." Does that rule still apply? He tried to ask, opening his mouth to address his Dom when he heard the words he'd wanted to hear: "Cum for me, mon trésor."

He didn't need to be told twice. Almost as if they were responding directly to the command, Blaine felt his balls tighten and that pool of heat grow and spread. All it took was one more brush of Kurt's cock across his prostate and one more pump of his hand down his length and he was cumming all over his stomach, Kurt's name on his breath, though he wasn't sure if any sound came out.

Seeing Blaine so blissed out was all Kurt needed to let himself release his load into Blaine's perfect body, so tight and wonderful. He rode out the waves of his orgasm, chanting Blaine's name over and over again, his hips stuttering as his pace slowed to match the ebbing waves of his release. When he was sure that he was finished, he slipped out of Blaine's body, coming up to lay beside him, brushing gentle fingers along his cheek and whispering words of love into his ear.

Blaine didn't know how long he floated, how long he spent walking on a cloud of marshmallow fluff as his brain took him on wonderful adventures, slipping and sliding down strings of licorice twists and bouncing over the tops of gumdrops. The whole world was colorful and exciting, far more wondrous than any place he'd ever seen in his life, especially the gray parts of his mind that were so often filled with anxiety and despair. Nothing could be more perfect, and he never wanted to leave. But slowly, the sound of Kurt's voice began to draw him back to Earth, and when he finally felt like opening his eyes, he caught just the end of Kurt's murmurings. "So beautiful. So perfect, mon trésor. You were wonderful."

He blinked his eyes open, squinting for a moment against the light before looking into those perfect blue eyes once more. "Hi."

"Hi," Kurt greeted in response, smiling at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I've felt all my life," Blaine answered, and he found that he meant it.

"Good. That's how I wanted you to feel. Here." Kurt passed him a small bar of chocolate and the water bottle he'd used earlier, urging him to eat the whole thing and finish the water before they did anything else.

Finally, when Blaine's bones didn't feel so much like rubber, Kurt was able to get him to the bathroom, giving him a washcloth to clean up while he changed the sheets. He apologized so many times, telling him he'd wanted to clean him up, look after him, but in his desire and lust for Blaine, he'd forgotten to put down a towel.

Blaine had tried to reassure him that it was fine, that he didn't need to be cared for any more that night because Kurt had already done a wonderful job, but the Dom would hear none of it. "That's part of my job description as your Dom," he kept repeating.

When the sheets were finally fresh and the boys were as clean as they were going to get, both the boys lay back down on the bed, Kurt behind Blaine, cuddled up close. The light was off, and there was no noise save for the sound of cars on the street below as they snuggled together, both on the verge of sleep.

Finally, Blaine's voice broke through the silence in the bedroom. "Kurt?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Earlier tonight, you mentioned a contract. Do-do you think we could work on one of those."

Kurt's heart soared higher than it had all night, beating louder and faster at Blaine's words. "Is that something you want?" He could feel Blaine nod beside him.

"Mhm. More than anything. This is something I need, something I want with you. Only you. You've convinced me."

There was no hiding the smile on Kurt's face as he replied, rubbing a comforting hand up and down Blaine's arm. "That's absolutely something we can work on. We'll talk about it all tomorrow."

Happy with that answer, Blaine cuddled in a little bit closer, yawning widely.

He didn't say anything for a few moments, and Kurt thought he might have drifted off. Then, out of the darkness, he heard Blaine say, "Thank you. Good night, sir."


Author's Note: The title and lyrics at the beginning of the fic are from Kelsea Ballerini's song I Hate Love Songs. The lyrics the boys hear in the park are from the song Meant to Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line.