Mr Anderson glared down at his son and servant. For what felt like forever a dangerous storm of silence engulfed the three of them. Kurt had jumped away from Blaine's side once he had heard the exclamation, and now they stood at arm's length away from each other. The cold wind swirled around the three but only one shivered, and Blaine knew he couldn't just offer his coat this time.
"What is going on here?" Mr Anderson asked his son, his voice way too low and calm for the situation.
"What do you mean?" Blaine asked as calmly as he could, but his expression didn't fully match up to the tone of his voice.
"I saw you holding hands." He replied, tone ever the same as before. Both boys felt bittersweet about the moment. On one hand they hadn't been caught kissing, but on the other hand they now had to find a justifiable story as to why they were holding hands.
"He was helping me, sir," Kurt spoke up bravely. "I fell and he helped me up." The sharp, piercing eyes were on him the minute he had opened his mouth.
"Speak when you're spoken to, kid!" He growled, raising up a hand in warning. Kurt instinctively flinched back a step with a faint little gasp. Blaine clenched his fists into his jacket as he watched his father interact with Kurt.
"He's right." Blaine said. "He merely fell, there is no crime in my helping him."
"There's no pride in it either." Mr Anderson said firmly. "I may have given this kid a job here, but it was to pick up the slack for the other servants. Don't think we owe them anything." Kurt looked slightly crestfallen from the declaration. He knew his master was a nasty piece of work, but he'd thought he'd been taken in by whatever goodness the man had. After all, he had filled Kurt with hope when he announced that Kurt would not be harassed by any of the family's sons. "I told you I didn't want you around this servant."
"I came out for a walk in the gardens and he fell so I helped him." It was easy to see that Blaine was getting frustrated. Mr Anderson's face went red.
"Fine then." He gripped the open collar of Kurt's white buttoned up shirt. Thankfully it didn't strangle him because his top two buttons were undone, typically because he expected this sort of thing. Mr Anderson began dragging Kurt towards the building. Blaine followed after, shouting as Kurt was forced to stumble along at a walking pace that doubled his own. Blaine noted how Kurt wasn't even trying to free himself, and it made his heart sink as he thought of how many times this must have happened. As they entered they quickly got the attention of the female servants. Maria slapped her hands to her mouth as she gasped, eyes filling with tears. "Everyone in the reading room, now!" Barked Mr Anderson as he hurried off. Kurt gulped and looked at Blaine in terror. Apparently he knew what was happening but Blaine somehow didn't.
Moments later when everyone, minus Blaine's mother who was resting, arrived in the reading room. Kurt had been slung on the floor and Mr Anderson stood beside him, arms crossed. Blaine stood away from the servants. Mrs Amaro had a stern look on her face once she realised the situation, Maria was softly weeping, Puck looked confused, and Justin looked livid. Blaine was just ashamed he couldn't stop what was happening right now.
"It seems I cannot get through to my son when I tell him to stay away from a certain servant." Mr Anderson said clearly, as though he were discussing the weather over a cup of earl grey. "So since I cannot get through to him I have no choice but to lock the offending servant away." Kurt's head was down but even Blaine could see he was shaking. His eyes were wide open in terror and Blaine could see the water beginning to show in his eyes.
"What do you mean?" Blaine interrupted. Mr Anderson looked to his son and tilted his head up a little.
"I have no intention of firing this servant, but I cannot let my orders be ignored. And so, this boy needs to re-learn his place."
"Please, sir!" Maria chirped up. "Please don't lock him in there!" Blaine looked over at her, noticing how distressed she looked and how much effort it took not to begin sobbing.
"What's going on?" Blaine asked firmly, staring at his father.
"The attic," Justin answered for him. "When a servants needs punishment but does not need to be fired they are sent for one week to the attic. It is impossible for the person in there to keep track of time, so it feels like forever. The room is cluttered with whatever it has gathered over the years. The servant is given no supplies but has to clean the room by the end of the week. They're allowed out at random times by another servant, but only to use the bathroom next door. Food and drink is supplied randomly throughout the days." Blaine could not believe what he was hearing. His father would really do that to Kurt? Or any of the servants for that matter? This was barbaric, he couldn't do something like this. At the explanation Maria began sobbing into Mrs Amaro's chest, as said woman held the girl in a motherly way. Mrs Amaro's face was like a detailed work of art, you got what you saw but that didn't mean you knew exactly what was going on. Blaine could never tell what she was thinking, but he did know that from reaction alone that Maria must have been sent to the attic before.
Kurt gulped and avoided looking at anyone in the eye. He looked down and was shaking, but he wasn't crying. However, before Blaine could approach his friend someone else beat him to it. Justin had run past Mr Anderson and had knelt by the younger man, pulling him to him slightly. He had an arm around him, almost as if supporting him. He was whispering to him, but what? Blaine stepped closer and realised that Kurt wasn't just scared, he was actually panicking.
"He hates dark, isolated places," Justin said with a glare to his master. "He's been that way ever since he got attacked in a dark alley before he came to work here. Our quarters are different because he knows we're down there with him." Blaine processed this new information. He knew Kurt was afraid of being in town, but he had no idea that Kurt had actually been attacked in an alley and developed a phobia. Suddenly he found himself thinking of when he surprised Kurt in the alley. The reaction he'd gotten was the result of his mother have been in a similar situation. Turns out it was that and his phobia at work. No wonder he seemed a lot more shaken up. Why hadn't Kurt told him this before?
"It's okay, honey," Mrs Amaro spoke up, her voice soft and caring. Before Blaine knew it all the servants were sat on the floor with Kurt, each one showing a kindness that Blaine didn't see too much of in the world. Mr Anderson looked annoyed, but Blaine decided to join them on the floor.
"We're here, Kurt." Blaine said gently.
"Your family." Maria said, squeezing his hand. "We love you." Kurt's breathing gradually slowed and became normal again as he clung to Justin, who held the stoic persona of a protective older brother who had no choice but to stand aside.
"Enough of this." Mr Anderson growled as he yanked Kurt up from the floor. The others bolted up to their feet but Mr Anderson had stepped away from them.
"Mrs Amaro will be the first one to bring his food and take him out for the bathroom." He ordered, to which he received tears and glares in response. Kurt looked so scared and kept avoiding the eyes of the others. "This is all brought on by this boy and my son." He said, sending a glare at Blaine. "If you choose to blame anyone, blame the man who risked his own status. Now, if any of you follow me then I'll lock him up longer. So stay where you stand."
As he left the room a deathly silence drifted among the servants and Blaine. He'd messed up. He thought back to how Kurt was when he met him. Kurt was so aware of his status that he was insistent that any friendship between the two would not end well. Blaine had forced his friendship and that had make Kurt happy to see that someone cared, but now it was getting him in trouble. He looked to the servants. It had taken a long time to gain their trust and even now he still didn't know their stories. Maria was tearful and being half hugged by Mrs Amaro, whose stern expression held a million phrases that Blaine would never hear. Justin. Justin looked angrier than them all. He had warned Blaine that his interfering would cause trouble for Kurt, but Blaine hadn't listened. He thought he could protect them, but it turns out he couldn't. If he busted Kurt out then Kurt would only suffer more. He didn't have the power here and it was a terrifying lesson to learn.
"You did this!" Justin growled, forgetting his place as he stormed up to Blaine. "Kurt doesn't need this shit in his life, it's hard enough without you making things worse for him!" Maria had rushed forward and held onto him from behind.
"J-Justin!" She squeaked. "Don't, we'll get in trouble!"
"Why couldn't you just be a passive aristocrat?" He challenged. "Why couldn't you just ignore us? Then Kurt wouldn't be locked up, then we wouldn't have to feel this betrayed!" Blaine looked at him, expression softening. "You don't know us, you know Kurt." He continued speaking. "You took the time to learn about Kurt. You don't know what kind of suffering the rest of us had to endure before we ended up here. You're like them, you act first and never think of the consequences!"
"Stop!" Maria exclaimed. "If you keep speaking we'll be on the streets again!" Just that sentence was enough to make Justin shut up. He looked down, panting and shaking with rage.
"I'm sorry," Blaine said. "But I wanted to help you all. And Kurt returned my friendship too."
"But Kurt has been telling you he's worried this friendship you have will make things worse, he told you he wants no part of your stupid plan. You pushed them aside thinking they were insecurities. Blaine Anderson we do not trust you anymore." Blaine stared at him. No-one said anything more and slowly Maria and Justin left the room. Blaine dropped onto a windowsill seat and put his head in his hands. He had only been trying to do what he thought was right. He couldn't in good conscience just let the servants lives continue to be devalued. He thought of how much he hated his status. He had no future in the sense that his future was decided by his parents. He would marry someone of whom he did not love and live under the thumb of his father no matter where he went.
"You're a good child." A voice spoke up, startling him. It was Mrs Amaro. She walked to him and he felt like what she'd said, a child. He felt like a parental figure was speaking to him. "The world is not as black and white as we'd like it to be. Justin did speak some truth, you should take the consequences more seriously." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Think of how things will work out if you can. I know in your position that is difficult, but you are starting to try, aren't you?"
"If I get Kurt out of there he shall be punished. If I leave Kurt alone in there, he shall suffer." He said, looking distressed. "What am I supposed to do about that?"
"Give him support in little ways for now, dear, don't just into a situation on a whim. Maria and Justin will come around. There is more, isn't there?" Blaine hesitated for a while, checking that no-one was in the room. He had to admit to her what he had admitted to himself.
"I… I love Kurt." She smiled softly and nodded as though she had expected it all along. There was no judgement from her, no disgust or confusion. Just acceptance.
"I am sure he feels the same, but he does not understand completely yet. I think a little space will do you two a little good, certainly with your father. Mr Anderson does not like the rebellious side he is getting from you and thinks it's because of Kurt. If he sees a better improvement in your behaviour he is sure to gradually forget. After all, the master does not dwell much on us servants." Blaine nodded slowly.
"I… I understand. But… is this right?"
"It's certainly not wrong to think of how an action will affect another person," She said slowly, trying to get the words right. "And it isn't wrong to evaluate the best way to help that is not too difficult for the other person to accept." She moved her hand to his and squeezed it.
"It's just so difficult."
"I know, dear," She said with a small smile. "Just remember, you can help the person you care about see a light in their dark tunnel."
AN: Boom, next chapter. Again any mistakes will be edited and fixed as you read, but I just don't want to keep you all waiting after that large pause in the story.
How about a little teaser for the next chapter?
Coming up: While in confinement Kurt discovers a secret hidden among the boxes.