Kurt had really expected a quiet evening. Like, doing his homework, maybe watch some funny videos on youtube or a relaxing coffee to calm his nerves. For his bad (or good, he doesn't know anymore) luck, he'd decided for a coffee at the Lima Bean, his homework and some funny videos on youtube.

It wasn't so hard. He'd only wanted a coffee. For God's sake was that so much to ask for? He didn't expect to enter the coffee shop and see Sebastian Smythe flirting with his ex.

His ex, currently sitting there with that stupid shy smile and flushed cheeks. Kurt could hear the '-this whole thing bashful schoolboy. Super hot 'part of the conversation. Blaine's cheeks heated up even more and Sebastian got that smug look on his face, the same he wore when they'd entered in the middle of the Warbler's practice. And Blaine only smiled as if he had been told a particularly sweet thing instead of a lame excuse of a compliment.

But it wasn't his place to interfere. Blaine wasn't his sub anymore, he repeated to himself for what seemed like the tenth time in a week. Blaine could have other relationships, he was aware that would happen over time. He had accepted it, even. Then he shouldn't get so jealous that Blaine was moving forward, while he was not. Of course, it's not that there's a long line of suitors waiting for he to be ready to start a new romance. Apparently the lack of gay men in Ohio wasn't an impediment for someone like Blaine.

He couldn't hold a grudge against him, it was just obvious that will happen.

The barista girl yells 'next' just when he turns his eye back to the front. He recites his order and pays it quickly, moving aside to wait for it to be done. It's a full minute after when he sees the hunched, tall figure of Sebastian taking long and fast stomps out of the men's bathroom and through the Lima Bean. He looked a little unfocused on his way out, in fact, if it wasn't for the Dalton uniform Kurt would never have imagined that was the same cocky guy that had received them in the rehearsal room of the Warblers with a scornful attitude. But he certainly looked like the nervous and snuff addicted boy he'd known moments later.

He blinked and frowned as he saw him tripping over the steps once he was out the door and awkwardly walking away. The boy obviously wasn't in good health, Kurt knew. He knew it that day at Dalton, but Sebastian had rejected his attempts to help. He hadn't seemed so unstable on his own feet, though. And of course, he hadn't been throwing himself onto the road, where so many things could happen in such a short time... all the people with bad intentions that were out there, thieves, criminal gangs, reckless or drunken people driving every moment, constantly putting others' lives in danger, so, so many dangerous scenarios that could happen to someone in desease—

"Kurt?"

"Y-Yes?"

The brunette girl behind the counter looked at him suspiciously. "Your coffee,"

"Oh," He said, taking the coffee cup from the girl's hand and trying to achieve an apologetic smile on his face. "Thank you"

"Not a problem," she said before returning to her workplace.

Kurt gave a brief nod and walked away slightly embarrassed. He was just overthinking. Maybe Sebastian wasn't even as bad as he thought. Maybe he just was in a hurry to get out of here and had become a little awkward. He didn't seem so bad when Kurt had entered the cafeteria. Of course, it was only a view from afar. And that didn't explain the tremors, and the way he was hunched and he still didn't know what had caused his discomfort a few days ago.

Ugh. Kurt groaned internally. He couldn't believe he was seriously considering the idea of going after Sebastian Smythe, king of the 'you're nothing but garbage to me' look to help him. Why should he? The other boy had been anything but rude to him and had already made it very clear he didn't need, had made a point of it actually. He owes him nothing. And even while he knows all that…

Sometimes he really hated having a conscience.

He stepped out of the Lima Bean, trying to ignore the little selfish part of his brain that told him he was being an idiot and Sebastian could perfectly take care of himself. It wasn't as if he didn't know. He did. He just wanted to make sure everything was fine. That was all. Really.

It doesn't take too long to find him.

The Dalton uniform making him jump to view as a neon sign. Kurt sees him from afar, leaning over a trash under a Street lamp, vomiting, hunched and trembling visibly. Quite unfortunate that there was no one around to see him, he thought bitterly as he hurried to reach the boy.

"Are you okay?" He asks, getting close enough to be heard, but trying to keep his distance not to invade his personal space.

When Sebastian looked up and noticed him his brow furrowed, just a little, since his face was already a disaster, and rolled his eyes so subtly that if he hadn't been so focused on his facial expressions he wouldn't have given account of it.

"What do you want McKinley loser?" Sebastian muttered in a low, tired voice, but no with less disdain.

Kurt sighed, clenching his jaw to not show his irritation. "I'm Kurt, in case you forgot. Kurt Hummel." Another stream of vomit shoots out into the trash can. And by the sounds Sebastian made as he tried to stop it he supposed it was no time to be irritable.

"Hey, really I don't want to discuss. Let me help you. You look like you could have vomited half of your intestines."

"That a person can't have a fucking day of stomach ache?" Sebastian asked ironically.

"It doesn't seem just that." He pointed out.

Then Sebastian recomposed himself in an upright position and pulled his most condescending smile, raising both arms in the air. "I'm fine! I couldn't be better." He said, just before make another undignified sound and lean down to vomit again, though this time not much came out.

"Yes, I can see that," said Kurt slowly. Sebastian looked at him from the corner of his eye and glared.

"Go fuck yourself, would you, Bummel?"

"Hummel"

"Whatever" Kurt rolled his eyes. Sebastian was looking into the dumpster, as if waiting for something particularly interesting to come out of it.

"You're done throwing up?"

Sebastian made a threatening sound, almost like a growl and Kurt didn't know whether to feel exasperated or amused by the attempt.

Well, it had been pretty obvious from the beginning that Sebastian didn't want his help, so maybe he shouldn't complain about being treated badly, he hadn't exactly been expecting to be greeted with endless gratitude to his humanity and benevolence, not from Sebastian surely. He had done it for... truth to be told, he still wasn't sure, but seeing the scene before him he knew it was the right thing to do.

Sebastian wouldn't say it but he'd have to be an idiot not to realize that he didn't happen to be fine. He wasn't in a position to walk around all alone, much less drive to Dalton.

Either he didn't think the same or didn't care. After spitting a couple of times in the trash and clean his mouth several times he turned around, starting to walk away, Kurt was almost considering leaving, just then in that moment Sebastian tripped and fell on the ground when a car passed too near the sidewalk. Kurt's face crinkled in guilt and rushed to help the boy to his feet.

"It's okay. I'm okay." Sebastian said quickly, pulling Kurt's hands away from his body before he could even touch him. "I'm just a little dizzy and... I think my blood pressure is low, I don't see very well and I... I need to go back to Dalton..." He said, looking a little overwhelmed by the environment. "I guess... could you, perchance, call me a taxi, maybe?"

"Yes. Yes, of course." Kurt nodded really quickly, looking for his phone in the pockets of his pants. Umh… uh, oh! "Umm, I think I forgot my phone."

"You think?" Sebastian said, almost incredulously.

"It's just a minor setback. It must be in my car, we just need to go back to the parking and-"

Kurt stopped himself, looking to where Sebastian was half sitting on the pavement and trying to stand up. "Oh, let me help you."

"No, no. I can." Sebastian moved away again, but this time, Kurt doesn't back off as he did before. Ignoring his words he approached the other boy and took him by the arm before he could say anything else. "Don't be proud. It's just a couple of streets."

As he put Sebastian back on his feet, positioning his arm over his shoulder and lifting him up he felt the other man's body growing tense with every move until he was completely rigid on Kurt's shoulders.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He heard Sebastian make an ugly sound, though at the moment it was impossible to see the boy's face, hidden as it was very close to the back of his neck.

"Nothing, nothing, just... let's do it quickly."

What a way to thank. "Sure."

Sebastian didn't say anything more so Kurt decided to ignore it, probably it was just Sebastian being a whiner, even if he felt so bad as he seemed a little awkwardness for being carried for about ten minutes was not that much problem.

He begins to consider his thoughts again a few minutes later, when the state of Sebastian seems to get worse with every step he takes.

Kurt holds him with all the strength he has, grasping his waist against him and keep him walking by himself, even if he is doing almost all the work. Sebastian doesn't seem inclined to cooperate however, in fact, every time Kurt holds him more tightly to help him, Sebastian seems to try to get away from him as much as possible, to touch him as little as possible. Kurt doesn't understand it but he's not one to judge; he had a big problem with personal space for many years, still today it was difficult to leave someone too close.

Thinking a little about it, and now seeing the real state of Sebastian, he didn't believe that sending him to Dalton with a taxi driver was a good idea anymore. But... perhaps it was better to handle it one step at time.

They walked past the Lima Bean to where Kurt's car was. Kurt struggled to find the keys and opened the car with a touch to the remote of the keys. Rear door open, he more or less threw Sebastian on the back seat. To his surprise the boy didn't even try to resist, falling into the moderately comfortable surface and breathing deeply to control himself.

Kurt couldn't help but sniff. There was something odd in the air. Something... peculiar. It reeked of cigar and sweat and vomit but it wasn't quite that. It was something much more... appealing.

"Your phone?" a small voice came from the interior of the car. Sebastian was hardly looking at him but he was trying to. Now Kurt could see him better, back there it had been dark, been barely visible to the other. Under the car's lighting Sebastian's face looked haggard, his eyes tired and sunken, pale, his chapped lips and his hair looked like straw instead of perfectly comb over as he was sure had been less than an hour ago. His clothes were stained with what looked like coffee and some residues of his vomit and the little of his skin that could be seen under his shirt was bruised and limp and he was so thin that Kurt was sure that if he could see it his ribs would be visible.

"Ahh you… You aren't on drugs are you?" he heard himself asking.

Sebastian intended to mock but the sound came out more like a whimper. "Oh come on stop being stupid. I'm just a little sick"

Kurt doesn't point out that "a little sick" does not cover everything he had mentioned earlier. Instead he gets into the driver's seat, reaching for his phone in the places where he usually puts it.

"Here it is," he mumbled after he found it forgotten between his seat and the shifter.

"Please, tell me you have battery."

It indeed had, but after all that Kurt wasn't likely to call a cab. Not yet anyway.

"Um, no. I think I leave some application open and it died." He lied. Looking at Sebastian Kurt knew he wanted to complain but something stopped him to say any sarcastic comment he was thinking. He had to take the fleeting moment of tranquility. "You can't go to Dalton like that." He said. "And I'm not going to take you."

"I think we agreed on a taxi. I'm sure there must be one around here somewhere."

"It's too dangerous," Kurt replied.

"How is it dangerous?" Sebastian squirmed in his lying position. Perhaps not so much for the discomfort but for the unpleasant argument. Sebastian didn't seem the type that gave in easily.

"And what will you do once you get there? Crawl to your room and hope that no one will notice and try to help you? There's not even need to see you right now I think I could smell you a mile away. "

Sebastian was starting to object when he suddenly froze. "Smell me?"

Kurt didn't have to respond, Sebastian was sighing heavily with an air of defeat. It gave him a good feeling.

"Fine" Sebastian mumbled, and his tone wasn't morose as Kurt would have thought, strangely it sounded urgent. As if now that he had decided it the option wasn't even worthy of consideration. It wasn't the first time he heard the words of Sebastian today, but it was the first time it felt like a real victory.

"Co- Would you take me to a hospital, I don't… I don't feel well right now."

"Yeah, I've noticed." He almost smiled, even though he knew that it wasn't the right time for it.

He got out of the car until he was back in front of the back door. "There is one not far away. Get in correctly so I can close the car."

Sebastian did, not without complaining in the process. And he Complained all the way to the hospital.

Kurt doesn't know if he only is being fussy and whiny or if he really can't help the small noises of pain coming out of his mouth every time the car changes direction or moves a little rough. But if he feels like he looks, probably he was doing a great job keeping the noises low. Kurt can't help thinking that there's something terribly familiar about this.

He still remembers the first time Finn got his sickness. It happened just over a year ago; not long after they had moved out into a new house. It was very late at night and his new step-brother had been feeling listless all day. First he'd taken it as a simple discomfort, but it had continued to worsen for several hours despite medication. Being both Burt and Kurt doms they hadn't understood at first, and when they began to suspect something strange Burt called Carol to the hospital. Being a nurse, and especially a sub she confirmed that this must be it. She had asked Finn to calm down on the phone and that same night they had taken him to a specialized clinic in helping the submissive population in such situations.

When a sub starts a new cycle, a process by which their bodies pass to absorb all the endorphins necessary for the proper functioning of their bodies, and at the end of which these were discarded, they would need domination, would need to submit to someone, to a dom, who can help them to release those endorphins. Cycles were different for each sub, but normally would last between 24 and 30 months to complete one. The first was the hardest, he'd heard, although it wasn't scientifically proven to be more physically painful.

When a sub was in need there were always these clinics, they weren't pleasant for anyone, at least Kurt doubted it. But if there was no one available it was the most logical choice. The clinics were all perfectly clean, have professional staff and the guarantee that no one would take advantage of the situation, but Kurt was aware of how depressed it made some subs being forced to use one. It was a reminder that nobody wanted them enough, that there was no one in their life they could be good for. And only that knowledge depressed a lot of doms as well.

That night Finn had made no protest, it wasn't like he was in a very favorable position. He and Rachel had broken a few weeks ago and Quinn was now with Sam. Kurt had wondered days later if Finn was sad, if perhaps he would've preferred to call and ask Rachel, but they haven't had time for that.

Finn had stuck to his hip as a gum, all the way from his room to the hospital his hardly overcame crush had been touching him all over, making him horribly uncomfortable. Finn was so tall, so big, and he was acting like he wanted to make himself so small that Kurt could completely cover him, touch him on all parts that he could not for their height difference, looking at him as if expecting him to say something, anything, whatever to give him a clue how to act, how to be what he wanted him to be... It'd driven Kurt crazy.

He was always aware that all that was completely platonic, Finn was his friend, his brother now, he was only seeking relief in the closest Don he could find. It wasn't as if the sickness completely clouded the ability to decide for oneself. Finn was still his brother, just a little more clingy. The whole experience itself had been disturbing.

Kurt knew that Sebastian was a dom, but seeing him gasp and fall apart in the back seat of Kurt's car he couldn't help to associate the two cases.

He inhaled, remembering the striking– and yes, luscious,– scent that had flooded his senses and made him slightly dizzy, but when he tried to find the same smell he just found a musty smell combined with cigarette and... he shook his head, just something that must be the remains of Sebastian's cologne.

Kurt parked the car as close as he could from the Hospital's door and despite the negatives of Sebastian his feet were still unreliable and with the vertigo of the road was no surprise that he fell once or twice in the attempt to stand up. When he almost fell for the third time on his way to the building Kurt ignored all complaints and dragged him to the emergency room.

Two men helped him climb a stretcher while a nurse asked him to go to the waiting room. He frowns all the time since Sebastian is carried away, feeling anxious as the memory of the boy disappearing behind the small door doesn't leave him.

…

Kurt looked at his watch for the fifth time in ten minutes. It was over eight now, and outside the night was all its glory.

He'd been waiting here for about an hour and no one has approached to say anything and he didn't know what to do. Leaving would be the most logical thing to do, Sebastian had asked him to bring him here, not to wait for him like his babysitter. But it seemed so irresponsible, he couldn't just leave him here, maybe he had something serious, perhaps he had lied and right now they were giving him a stomach pumping for some kind of drug and... the thought made him sick.

He didn't understand why he cares so much; he barely knew the boy, he had not said a single kind word towards him since they met, and here he was, looking a thousand different scenarios of what could happen, and God, what would have happened if Kurt didn't come in that moment to get him out of that dustbin where he was throwing up.

He sent a message to his father about half an hour ago, saying that a friend had a medical problem and they were in the hospital so it was possible he couldn't come at the curfew. Sebastian wasn't exactly his friend, but that was irrelevant.

Burt understood but he did advise that the most prudent would be to notify the parents of the boy. The problem was that Kurt had no idea how to contact Sebastian's parents, so he'd ended up staying.

He looked at his watch again and grimaced when only three minutes had passed. He sighed.

"Smythe?" Kurt looked up to see a dark-skinned, middle-aged man in a white coat holding a clipboard with several sheets and looking around with an expectant look.

Kurt stood up from his seat, approaching the man that noticed him immediately and put a neutral but cordial smile on his face.

"I'm with him. How is he?" Kurt asked directly, without offering a greeting, nor a name, but that didn't seem to be something important at the moment.

The man nodded, looking back to the sheets on his hands without bothering with courtesies more than Kurt had. "Are you his dom?"

Kurt blinked at the man, confused.

"What? I'm not, I don't-what?" He was expecting some kind of correction, something that indicated that the Doctor had realized his mistake and corrected himself, but that never happened.

"Sebastian is a dom why would I…" he struggled with his words, his frown under the doctor's skeptical look.

"Well, if we're talking about the same kid, Sebastian Smythe, he is a sub."

Kurt shook his head, unable to believe the man's words. "There must be a mistake, that... that can't be true." Kurt said, his mind going to every conversation he had with Sebastian since that day at Dalton; all the times when Sebastian had tried to give him orders...

And then he remembers the tremors.

He felt his whole face decompose and a wrinkle forming between his eyebrows as the realization came to him. He tried to look less overwhelmed, but inside he was still not sure he could believe it. "Are you sure?"

The doctor took a deep, almost compassionate breath. "Like 110%. His records and the blood tests we did to him assure that. What he's experiencing are the reactions to his sickness. From what we could observe it must had started some time ago, two, three days maybe. He's lucky that there hadn't been major consequences. "

For a moment Kurt feels so shocked by the idea he is unable to say anything coherent. Sebastian was a sub? Sebastian, arrogant, stubborn, and insolent Sebastian was a sub?

It was like imagine Santana as a sub, it was... bizarre. And Blaine, he'd been clearly flirting with Blaine at the Lima Bean, at Dalton, it wasn't Kurt's imagination...

The other man waited a moment, perhaps for Kurt to accept or deny the facts, but when he said nothing the doctor returned his gaze to the sheets on his hands and continued.

"Mr. Smythe is already better. We gave him a tranquilizer for emergencies; it might serve him for the next few hours but I highly recommend take him to a specialist clinic as soon as possible. "

"Yes, sure," Kurt said calmly.

The doctor nodded. "As the Don who accompanied you must sign some papers, then you can go immediately."

"Okay. Thank you, doctor." Kurt smiled, or at least tried to. He was still a little dizzy from the new amount of information. The doctor returned the faint smile and walked away by the same door he'd come.

Kurt followed one of the nurses to the main office of the hospital, where he was handed a couple of sheets billing charges for medical care and the sedatives they injected Sebastian and requiring his signature as dom responsible for the patient leaving the hospital.

Kurt signed everything without stopping much in the small letters, his nerves were too high to concentrate on reading. He paid the charges and the nurse incited him to sit in the waiting room while they discharged Sebastian.

When the other boy finally walked out the door of one of the rooms was with a smug smile and a prideful step. He didn't look much better than when Kurt found him throwing up in that dumpster but Kurt could see again the Sebastian he knew days ago, and he couldn't decide between being happy that he was visibly better or irritated that his fastidious personality was back.

"As good as new, uh?" Kurt said, a persistent serious grimace on his face. Sebastian shrugged and kept walking towards him, the triumphant smile on his face wasn't giving him a good feeling.

"Let's go Hummel, get out of this dump." Kurt opened his mouth in dismay when he walked past him, working his way toward as if he owned the place. Kurt didn't find anything else to do but to follow. The air outside was cold the only lights illuminating the venue were the few lamps of the hospital.

Sebastian kept pace, walking down the large steps to the sidewalk with Kurt three feet behind him trying to reach him. He still was smiling when he started to talk.

"Hey, I don't know what they gave me but I feel fantastic." He said in a high, joyful voice, as if suddenly all his problems were gone to not come back. Which was so not what was really happening.

"Sebastian, they drugged you." he declared, but Sebastian didn't look one bit annoyed by this fact.

"Yeah? Well, they should pass me the recipe. I feel amazing. It is quite useful."

Kurt frowned, he didn't think Sebastian truly understood the situation.

"The relish won't last you. The effect will pass after a few hours, tops."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, thoughtful. "You think I can come back for more?"

"No, you're not understanding me." Kurt came to grab him by the arm but Sebastian jerked away. "Sebastian why didn't you tell me you were a sub? We could've skipped all this and go directly to a specialized clinic."

The skin around Sebastian's eyes tensed, but it was only a split second just before he let a nasty laugh out of his mouth. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You don't have to lie to me anymore. The doctor told me. How could you? You've been ignoring your sickness for too long, don't you know it could kill you?"

"Listen, I don't know shit about what you're saying, so shut the fuck up," Sebastian said, his voice much louder than it'd been before. Kurt noticed that his feet were beginning to give heavier steps as he walked and his shoulders looked tight, as if trying to look taller or stronger. Kurt though he only looked... forced.

He could now recognize it for what it was, he'd seen Dave Karofsky do something like that at the beginning of last year, especially when talking to other members of the football team and a couple of times when he tried to intimidate him not to tell anyone about the kiss he had given him in the locker room. But for some time, since he and Dave had fixed their differences he had not seen the boy do anything like that if anything he rather tried to shrink in the presence of Kurt every time he had seen him since. But that was because of… other reasons.

"I think you do" he murmured reflectively, but Sebastian seemed to take it as an attack, because he immediately turned on his feet, facing him and looking daggers at him.

"Hear me princess. This has nothing to do with you. You can now disappear to you insignificant life and forget I exist, that I'll do the same. I don't know what stupid things that mediocre doctor told you but I'm perfectly fine, and as sure as the sky is blue I'm not a sub. "

Kurt sighed, perhaps the best way to take this was calmly. "Well, your records don't say so."

"I don't care what the fuck my fucking records say. Haven't you see me? I'm nothing like a sub, I'm nothing like a sub is supposed to be, anything that says otherwise is bullshit."

"You can say that but the fact that you've got your sickness say something else." He says once Sebastian has turned around again, continuing to give heavy steps ahead of him.

"Please, my blood pressure decreased only a little but I'm perfect now so go to hell,"

Kurt paused, reminding himself that hitting a sub in his sickness wasn't something ethical to do, but Sebastian was crossing a line and despite his resolve to be calm about it, he could not help thinking that the boy needed to be taught a lesson.

"That's because you were given a sedative for subs" Kurt stressed the word. It wasn't technically true, Kurt didn't know if what they gave to Sebastian was exactly for that, it could quite be just a side effect, but he wouldn't clarify that point.

Sebastian snorted anyway, incredulous and as arrogant as ever. "Don't make me laugh, princess. Come on now, give me an order, I guarantee you I won't move a finger."

And oh-oh, he really didn't think it was a good idea. Not that he had a great experience on the subject but he remembered something like him and his father dragging Finn out of bed, Kurt nervously saying ´You'll be okay, don't worry, you'll be okay´ before he realized that his brother was hyperventilating for failing to meet what his instinct thought were the demands of the nearest dom.

Oh but it was tempting, he had to admit to himself. It would be a quick and easy way to prove his point, no possibility to any discussions. All he had to do was say something, anything, and he would have won the argument.

But no, no. He wasn't going to be that kind of guy.

"Hey," Sebastian says a few moments later when it becomes obvious that Kurt is not trying anything, but he still refuses to stop following the other boy. "Stop it, yes? Thank you for helping me and bringing me here, I guess. Now I'm better so leave me alone."

Until today Kurt didn't know it was possible to sound so insolent while saying thank you, but apparently Sebastian could handle it perfectly, even make it look like an art.

"The effect is going to pass in a few hours, you understand it right?" He had to check, because there's no way someone who knows all those things would agree to ignore the reality. "You'll return to be the same or worse and that will continue until you're-"

"I said enough!" Sebastian spat the words through clenched teeth and Kurt shivered in the hostile tone in his voice. "Listen, no one in Dalton can know that I am- no one can find out what my records say okay? If I go to a clinic they'll send a notice to Dalton, who are sure that I am one hundred percent a dom and that my records attest that information."

"You gave them false records?!" He asked impressed, he wasn't even sure that was legal. In fact, it probably wasn't.

"-and it will not take long before everyone knows it." Sebastian continued, without taking importance to his intrusion. "It's that what you want? Me being kicked out of school for such a stupid thing?"

He quietens his protests that this is without a doubt not a stupid thing, they are talking about Sebastian's physical and mental health for the love of god, but he didn't want to sound like a broken record.

"I cannot risk it. Even if they took pity on me enough to not kick me out I don't… I can't have everyone knowing… I just can't." He ends with a stubborn look on his face, but his voice does not sound angry anymore. It sounds almost pleadingly, as if he can not bear further discussion about this.

Oh, sure he can't. He's been in sickness for three days, how do he manage to even stand still?

"And you really prefer to go through all this, risking your health just to not have anyone knowing you're a sub?" He says it as it's something ridiculous, he can't imagine someone to deny so deeply his own nature to not care about the pain, the permanent burn that he knows extends beneath his skin.

He needs more than dominance, he needs someone to take care of him.

Sebastian puts an ironic and nasty grin on his face.

"It's easy for you to say it princess, you were lucky."

"Luck has nothing to do with it. We are what we are, period. And you are a sub."

"Shut up!"

Kurt actually swallowed down his speech, divided between being shocked and worried about what that comment may be doing to Sebastian's body right now. He can see his muscles tense up even more, his arms trembling just a little at his sides and the corner of his mouth jump a few times, but besides that there is nothing showing any pain. He could tell himself it was just the drug, keeping Sebastian of feeling too bad at the moment, but he knows that if he has spent the last four days in this situation he must be a hell of an actor if no one had noticed until now. Even he had only had a passing thought of the idea before discarding it as impossible.

"I can't let you do this,..." Kurt says softly. "I have to take you to a clinic."

"Why do you have? Why do you care? It is not any of your business," Sebastian says, much less surly this time. He's not fighting him back, he's just saying what's on his mind. Kurt wonders if it is because he begins to understand, or just because he doesn't know why someone would insist so much on helping him. The thought makes him squirm with sadness.

"I am a dom." He responds, as if this fact alone should explain, but Sebastian is still looking at him in confusion. "I can't let a sub do these things, to hurt oneself this way... It goes against everything I believe."

Sebastian looks for a moment as if he couldn't understand what kind of creature he was.

In fact he hadn't questioned this a lot, despite the two hours stuck in the waiting room. It had simply been something obvious, what he was supposed to do, not only because he was a dom but because he was a decent human being. You don't find someone dying in the street and then leave them to their fate as soon as you can. Well, he certainly does not. At least he'll ensure that the other guy is totally fine before allowing himself to get back to despise him for his dreadful personality.

"Hey, Let's make a deal." Sebastian says suddenly, his expression something like a mixture of apprehension and hope. "I invite you a coffee and we talk about it."

"No, I'm taking you to a clinic." Kurt didn't hesitate, he was tired of this senseless fight, Sebastian wasn't going to recover from a drug dose in a hospital in the suburbs and much less based on denial.

He moved to reach Sebastian's arm, but he pulled away as if the touch had burned him, even over the thick fabric of his jacket.

"Then I don't go with you," Sebastian argues, glaring at him, his arms crossed over his chest in a distrustful gesture. "You agree to talk to me or no deal."

Kurt rolls his eyes, expression denoting disapproval, but there is not much he can do against it. He's not Sebastian's mother, not even Sebastian's friend, he can offer help, but if the other guy doesn't want to take it, all he can do is try to convince him.

"Fine. Deal." He accepts.

Sebastian tightens his eyes suspiciously. "You have to promise me."

Kurt tried to smile but the gesture only came flat. It wouldn't be a terrible idea; make Sebastian get into his car and take him to a clinic despite everything. But that would be unfair. And again, he wasn't that kind of guy. "Fine, I promise." He looks into Sebastian's eyes. "But after, I'm taking you."

"We'll see" Sebastian mutters, a little sly smile showing up, making him doubt for a second.

Then he bowed his head, telling Kurt to lead the way.

...

The café located around the corner was rather lonely at this time of night. Strange, considering the size of establishment you'd think that would have a great demand. It was quite nice, with round tables of different sizes that matched the brown carpet and pale walls all over the place. Only a few of them were occupied, an old couple sitting near the window in a much larger table they needed, a group of five nurses talking and laughing loudly and a man in his thirties reading a book on a sofa away from the counter.

Sebastian rushed to a small table with two chairs more or less away from everyone, flopping on the red cushion on wood and spreading his legs wide as if wanting to occupy all the available space, giving Kurt one expectantly look.

He raises an eyebrow but didn't take much importance to it, walking away to go to the counter.

The only barista in sight, a boy with dark hair and big glasses with headphones about the size of his head looked up to see Kurt walking toward him. He seemed to have much better things to do at the time since it would not stop making faces and irritated noises when he was forced to remove his headphones from his ears while Kurt dictated his order. He didn't know how Sebastian took his coffee so he ordered a black coffee and milk powder for him and his regular order.

After another short moment of ignoring the impatient sighs as he paid Kurt went back to the table to wait for the coffee to be ready.

Sebastian was almost exactly the same when he returned, except now his arms were crossed over his chest again and was looking down at the battered table material. Kurt said nothing and pulled the chair back and sat, staring at the front door not wanting to bother Sebastian with his gaze.

After a few minutes drawn into silence though, Kurt couldn't stop himself from being a little curious.

"You don't smell like Finn," He said thoughtfully, daring to take his eyes from the door to look at the other guy across the table.

Sebastian barely moved his eyes, "Thank you? And whose Finn exactly?" Sebastian asked, slightly knitting his brows and mouth.

Kurt blushed a little on the cheeks, embarrassed by his foolishness.

"Finn's my brother. I... Well, he's a sub." Sebastian made a vague gesture with his hands that clearly meant and...?"

"He uhh, he smelled kind of… different, when he got his sickness."

Sebastian mocks, though he looked vaguely satisfied. "That's because I obviously don't smell. I'm telling you princess I'm not what they think I am."

Kurt doubted it, but he made no further comment on the subject of the smell.

"How have you managed to lie to everyone? It's… it makes nonsense,"

Sebastian shrugged. "It's not that difficult."

His eyes had returned somewhere where they wouldn't meet Kurt's. His green eyes moving up and down as he watched something in the distance. There was something particularly strange about this boy and it wasn't just his rude attitude. Kurt can't decipher it but something stops him from running away and leave him in front of a clinic whether he want's to use it or not. It is not just his conscience, either. He'd like to know what it is, it stirs something uncomfortable in his stomach and he has to stop thinking about it before it gives him nausea.

Eventually, the thick and unsteady barista's voice called his name and Kurt goes to the counter to pick up the two cups of coffee. When he returns he put Sebastian's coffee right under his nose, not bothering to sit down again.

"You have your coffee now. Time to go." He says as he takes his bag from the chair and throws it over his shoulder, watching Sebastian's eyes open comically.

"Hey, wait! We agreed that we'd talk about it, remember?" He says, suddenly looking a lot more nervous.

"It makes no sense. Unless you have someone who can take care of you should go to a clinic."

"You said we'll talk and we are going to talk. Sit down..." Sebastian hard tone faded with every word that came out of his mouth. He looked down and his hand that trembled a little when he moved to hide it under the table. "You... would you?"

Kurt realizes then why his sudden change of mood. It wasn't even half an hour since they injected him the serum in the hospital, it was hardly time for the effects to disappear. But he wasn't helping very much, trying to force Sebastian to follow him.

He flopped down in the chair again, slightly embarrassed by his behavior, but still determined to do what he had to do. Anyway, he could see Sebastian relax a little when he sat down.

"Why do you insist on prolonging this? You'll have to go anyway." He makes sure the last part didn't sound like an order, he really didn't want to make this worse. Normally, a sub wouldn't be forced to follow any order, they could feel the urge but it was never forced. However, he knew that the sickness could significantly lower the ability of a Sub to resist any kind of order, intentional or not.

It could become rather dangerous to ignore it more than a few hours, he didn't want to think about what it would be for someone with more than two days exposed.

Sebastian settled in a more casual position but he still could see the stiffness in his body by the way his arms seemed static.

"You're being quite insistent. It is impolite. What happened to all that 'is my body and I decide what to do with it?' Was it just cheap propaganda to make us believe a lie about an evolution that we are not having?" He asked sarcastically. Kurt looked away momentarily, ignoring the comment. He remembered the commercial, it had drawn much attention last year and set up great polemic. In his point of view, although the heart was in the right place the short film was very inaccurate. Of course every person should have the right to decide happened with his body, but in the case of the sickness... well, sadly there wasn't much that could be done.

Sebastian looked just as happy not to have an answer. He remains silent as removing the lid of his cup of coffee and reached for the sugar packets. He carelessly rips the yellow paper and pours three... four... god, six envelopes sugar on his coffee, he tastes it and takes two more envelopes and damn that's a lot of sugar.

He is so stunned by this act that he almost misses the hands Sebastian's hands start to tremble again when he cuts in the last envelope and put the lid back in place, spilling a few drops of coffee on the table in the process .

"It is happening effect, isn't it?" he asks defiantly, seeing the perfect opportunity to make a point.

Sebastian hissed, hiding his hands under the table again. "Don't mock Hummel. You have to understand my reasons. Nobody knows that I'm... not exactly a dom okay? And I want to keep it that way."

Not exactly a dom. Nice.

"Why? What's wrong with being a sub?"

Sebastian made an impatient noise. "You obviously wouldn't understand. As a dom the only thing you know is to command and automatically expect that what you say is law. Just like now."

Kurt was hit momentarily by the acussatión, but he wouldn't let Sebastian divert the conversation that way. "It's not about you obeying me is about saving your ass." He answered impatiently.

"My ass is pretty fine, just in case you haven't noticed." Sebastian gave him a careless wink and Kurt was divided between ignoring it and roll his eyes, but he was too tired to make even that effort.

"Anyway, I'm not being arbitrary. Didn't I act fair with you? Haven't I agreed to bring you here?"

"Yeah but you keep insisting."

"It's for your own good." Kurt retorts and he's starting to really lose what little remains of his patience with this guy.

"Let me worry about my good, yes?"

"Yes, and what am I supposed to do, leave you here to your sickness to come back and get hit by a car on your way to Dalton, or worse." He couldn't even start thinking about all the things that could happen, not again, not after all that time he had had to imagine it in the hospital.

"Nothing will happen to me, I'm perfect."

"No, you're not. And you don't know what may happen."

"Yes, I am and yes, I know, just like I know I'm not a damned sub so you can take your dom bullshit and stick it up your ass." His hand hit the table between them with a muffled thud. Sebastian did not have a good temperament, he was confirming quickly. His dull skin flushed with anger, eyes displaying rage, irritation, contempt… all just there.

Kurt felt something heavy settle in his chest, causing an ugly feeling by an irrational desire to take care of this person.

He let out a long sigh, his eyes falling down to prove he wasn't in for a fight. "Look... I'm really sorry that you're something you don't like to be," Reaching across the table he tried to grab one of Sebastian's hands but stopped, distressed, when Sebastian shuddered away. "But you still need to take care of yourself, of your needs, it's only once every two years or so, is that too much to ask to keep you healthy enough?"

Anger washed off Sebastian's expression, immediately replaced by a look of sorrow.

"You just don't get it," He mumbled, and he looked like he was wringing his hands under the table.

"Maybe not, but... I can help."

"I'm not made for this. If your little subs want this shit well, but I will not be part of this twisted society." hi lips curled in disdain.

"And what are you gonna do? Let yourself get worse and worse until... I won't leave you."

"I'm not asking for your permission. And besides, I don't need your pity." Sebastian's voice was low and dismal.

"I don't have you pity. In fact, I think you're really stupid."

Sebastian saw him then, a new expression that Kurt had never seen showing on his face. It seemed like... incredulity, although there was some sort of judgment there as well, and for some strange and perverse reason all his body smoothed.

"Fine." Sebastian said, not meeting Kurt's eyes.

One of his eyes shrank into a frown. Had he heard right? "Fine?"

"Yes, fine," Sebastian repeated in a flat voice. "You're right. I can't drive back to Dalton, so you'll have to take me."

"What? No. There's a clinic less than forty minutes away from here, it's time enough."

Sebastian sighed, regaining some of her self-irritant. "If you want to help me so much take me to Dalton. I have a friend there, maybe you can help me."

It was being too easy, he was too willing. It made sense, after everything they had said and the visit to the hospital. But he still, for some reason, suspected it shouldn't like this.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to know." He observed.

"Better one than everybody right?" Kurt wasn't sure what to say, this new easy attitude taking him by surprise. He knew what he had to do, what a responsible dom would, but he wasn't just a dom, he also was a person with feelings and Sebastian's aversion for clinics and everything to which they could lead it was impossible to ignore.

"Okay, I'll take you, but I'm not leaving until you're better." He said and this time he wouldn't let Sebastian convince him otherwise.

"God Hummel who made you my babysitter?" Sebastian asked, looking pleased for having gotten away with it.

"I found you this way and it's my responsibility to look after you until you're in the hands of someone competent."

"Whatever you say, deal?" Kurt turned his gaze to Sebastian's arms, he didn't know if his hands were still shaking but his muscles were stiff, perhaps voluntarily, as a way to avoid the trembling and maybe now that he didn't have to worry about going to the clinic he was less nervous . He was doing the correct thing, he tried to convince himself.

"Yes, okay. Deal." He accepted, a little hoping Sebastian would take his hand from his lap to shake his but he knew it was unlikely.

He didn't, instead he rose from the chair, picking up his coffee with a much more stable hand. "Now change that face and let's get going. It's a long way."

…

The hallways of the dormitories at Dalton were, rather, one long and elegant corridor with red carpet and blue details to match the shield of the school, white walls without imperfections and art paintings hanging on them adorned by frames that if Kurt didn't know better he would think were actual gold.

Kurt had been so impressed by all this the first time he was here, he knew the kind of people that attended to Dalton, but he hadn't stopped to think about what this meant. No wonder why he'd felt out of place here. Burt earned a considerable sum of money with the shop, sometimes even enough to give him the satisfaction of some of his more extravagant tastes, but yet he still was only the son of a mechanic, these people were children of politicians, successful businessmen and who knows what else. The whole time he was here he had been waiting to do something wrong or reckless and as silly as it seemed he preferred to be high class at McKinley to rabble at Dalton.

Although it has its advantages. Behind the wooden doors at the sides of the hall the rooms were tasteful and spacious, maybe not as much as their students could be used to but it was exactly the same size Kurt's room at home, with the difference that here wouldn't be allowed to remodel every year to match the new trends of Vogue.

So yes, he could miss some things from Dalton but he was quite satisfied with his decision to return to his normal life. He wouldn't have lasted long without redecorating anyway.

He didn't realize until they went through a certain door that he knew the place too well. That used to be Kurt's room. Which meant, they were in the doms dormitories.

Sebastian's room should be here somewhere too, he'd been very clear on the fact that everyone was sure he was a dom, the most logical thing was that his room was here somewhere. The bedroom of Sebastian's friend was close to his, Sebastian assured him and both agreed that Kurt would leave him as soon as Sebastian was safe with him.

Speaking of Sebastian... he hadn't said much, to not say anything in his way here, he'd been limited himself to look at the road through the window while Kurt drove.

Kurt hadn't commented again about his condition but it was good to see that Sebastian could walk without problems, it had been two hours so it was good that the drug was still taking effect.

It was also good that the prefect wasn't in sight, otherwise he'd been escorted out as soon as been seen in the halls, possibly he'd decided to go to bed earlier today. Sebastian, he noticed, was as surprised by this as he was.

They stopped just around the hall, first door to the left.

Sebastian turned to face him, his face educated on a nonchalant expression. "Done. It's here, you can go now. I'll see you in another life Hummel." He said, making a point of heading toward the door.

"No, wait, I want to talk to your friend," Kurt argued, his voice just a matter-of-fact.

"For what?" Sebastian asked, ogled towards him, without waiting for an answer he leaned near the door again.

Kurt raised his hand abruptly, the gesture meant to drawn Sebastian's attention. "I want to see if he's competent."

Sebastian pinched the space on his nose between his eyes, showing exhaustion.

"Let it go Hummel, come home, take a bath, relax." Sebastian said, his face turning languid as he reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small, silver key and proceeded to insert it into the lock.

Kurt frowned. "Why do you have the keys?" Of what he knew Dalton had enough funds to give every student a private dormitory.

"Because this is my room." Sebastian said in a dry tone, pushing the door open and getting in, closing the door right on Kurt's face.

Kurt stood there, wide-eyed, lips slightly parted, looking at the thick wooden material.

Sadness was the only thing Kurt felt at this moment. There was no anger, not even disappointment that came to him.

At least he tried, he told to his destroyed pride. Walking out of Dalton he thought he maybe overestimated himself. Sebastian was a strange sub, even in his sickness he didn't feel the slightest urge to follow orders, any advice he could give would mean nothing to him, Kurt could very well let him take his own decisions and face the consequences.