Guess who's back?
That's right...it's us and we have some truly exciting news for you so pay close attention.
1. We have missed you so badly and we want to say one more time how much we love every single one of you for the constant support and love you're giving us and this story. It's absolutely amazing.
2. This chapter is a bit shorter because it's a filler one, but despite that lots of info and fluff going on so we're sure you'll like it anyway.
3. Remember how we shamelessly begged for fanart and stuff like that? And then you suggested we set up a tumbler account? And then we said we had no idea how to do it and asked one of you to help?
Well as grateful as we are to every single one of you who offered assistance we would like you all to give a warm welcome to the lovely Caroline who became our little tumbler elf and is working her tush off to make it pretty for us. It is set up and you can go, check it out and submit stuff, talk to us, or just lurk around creepily...we're good with anything :)
The tumblr is called keepmyheartcaptive (and the dot and the tumblr and the dot and the com) so pretty please check it out :)
Onto the new chapter.
All that could be heard in the room was the sound of soft breathing and the soft, wet smack of lips and tongue as Blaine paid homage to every inch of Kurt's torso.
He hadn't gotten the opportunity to properly explore and love Kurt the way he deserved to, as he'd let himself get dragged under all his pent up lust and desire for his beautiful boy, but now… he couldn't stop.
Kurt was a work of art, he knew this already, but what was so addicting about him was that he was his. He wasn't off limits, Blaine didn't have to just admire from a distance, Kurt had given himself over to Blaine with trust in his heart and it was the most intoxicating feeling to lay hands on such a masterpiece and know he was the only one who ever had or would.
After their mutual mind-blowing orgasms they'd fooled around a little more kissing and touching giddily before things started to get uncomfortable in their underwear. They'd separated to clean up and change, Kurt shyly slinking into the en suite with a gorgeous flush across his face and chest while Blaine headed across the hall for the fastest strip down of his life, eager to get back to Kurt and take him in his arms again. The anxious, prickly feeling under his skin rode him all the way through washing the excess gel out of his hair ready for bed, under the cold water coming from every tap. No power meant no boiler, so definitely no hot water unfortunately… but he got through it fast and was rushing back into their shared bedroom in just his black boxer briefs to dive right back into bed with his sub.
It was a change.
Blaine always made sure to wear sleep pants and a top to bed once they had started sharing, not wanting to make Kurt uncomfortable, but now… instinct was telling him not to. Forcing him to try and keep as much skin to skin contact as possible and in the back of Blaine's mind the logical part of him was reminding him that it was a side effect of strengthening the bond with physical intimacy, but it was overshadowed by the sheer feeling driving him. The touch, touch, touch playing like a mantra in his head.
And that's how he found himself between Kurt's parted legs, petting any and all skin he could get his hands on, despite the fact that Kurt was wearing a thin pair of cotton sleep pants, and mouthing at the subs chest and stomach like he wanted to eat him up.
Kurt felt Blaine's tongue curl around his navel and sucked in a sharp, heady gasp, abdominals clenching tight only to relax again as Blaine kissed the tension away. It was the perfect sort of ebb and flow. Blaine would take him right to the knife edge of working him up again only to shy away just at the right moment. It left him with a constant buzz of arousal but nothing pressing or urgent, just a pleasant warmth in his veins that had his body set on a languid, low hum.
He thought the intense intimacy that was pulsing between them right now would have scared him to death, or sent him hiding under the covers at least now that the impulsive burn had faded somewhat, but Kurt couldn't find a single fault in the way things had played out for them tonight. It was romantic and perfect and it only left him anticipating more rather than dreading it, which felt like a huge weight off of his shoulders.
Sex had always been an uncomfortable grey area for Kurt.
He never openly talked about it in detail and never actively let himself think about it because the idea of letting himself be that vulnerable after a life built around keeping up his defences was terrifying and played on every single one of his insecurities as a man and a submissive. He liked the abstract allusions and pretty imagery his mother's fairy tales gave him instead of the crass, blunt statements in the only Sex Ed class he'd attended. He didn't even make it a quarter of the way through before he'd ducked out, cheeks flaming and stomach uneasy.
But this… this was nothing like he'd expected. It was nothing like the harsh, clinical way the teacher in that class was trying to describe it and it was nothing like the almost insubstantial, fantasy way the writer of his books described it either. In the end, it was something all his and Blaine's. Something they'd created together in the language of their bodies and the meeting of their minds and hearts.
It was real and it felt like the floodgates had suddenly opened, possibilities pouring in.
Humming happily as his mind wandered, Kurt curled and dragged lazy fingers through Blaine's damp loose curls rhythmically, loving the feeling of the thick, lush strands separating out and springing back to his scalp in clumps. It was intimate and soothing for the sub to be able to be this close to his Dom and be able to feel the contentment radiating out of him at his ministrations.
It was a little surreal looking down at Blaine, skin golden in the burnt low candlelight and the stark muscles in his back, bunching and shifting mesmerizingly as he scooted down to nip at his hip. Kurt didn't want this night to ever end, he didn't want the lights to ever come back on again.
"I love your skin," Blaine murmured, dragging puffy lips back and forth over the milky expanse just under the jut of skin over bone, as he glanced up through his lashes at him. "So soft. So beautiful. I could kiss you all day."
He did just that, before closing his mouth around his hip and sucking.
It pulled his lower stomach hot and tight once more, but before he could really arch his hips into it Blaine was pulling away, leaving yet another wet, red mark behind.
Kurt liked those far more than he was willing to express at this point.
But the compliments made him glow from the inside stupidly, the sub in him soaking up the praise from his Dom and urging him to do more to elicit it. Tangling a ringlet around his index finger Kurt dipped his pinkie down to brush over Blaine's mark, relishing the shiver it got him.
"I love your hair like this," he admitted on a whisper.
That got him a slow, gorgeous smile as Blaine rested his cheek to his stomach, eyes lit up with easy playfulness. "Tell me more beautiful boy, what else do you love about me?"
Everything… it was on the tip of his tongue and it was like someone poured a bucket of ice water over him.
He loved him.
He loved Blaine.
Wholly. Completely. Soul-wrenchingly.
He knew from the start that he was in danger of it… knew for a while that he was falling harder and faster than he could stop himself… Oh god…
It hurt. This physically felt like someone had smashed their fist into his chest and yanked his heart out to give to Blaine and the fear that came with that realization nearly sent him to hyperventilate. If this is what being in love felt like… what would being heartbroken do to him? Because at this point, it was still a possibility. Kurt knew that Blaine cared for him… he didn't doubt that, but love him? Could he love him? Did he even dare to hope?
"Lovely?" Blaine asked, rising up onto his hands to lean over him, face concerned, beautiful golden eyes worried and Kurt wanted to laugh at himself because he never really stood a chance did he. All that caution, all those walls at the start to protect him from something like this and he'd folded so easily under all the genuine care and affection this Dom showed him.
Blaine was just so easy to love.
He was kind, honest, driven, honorable, gorgeous… the list just went on and on in his favor.
"Kurt, baby? What's wrong?" he questioned again and Kurt didn't even think before he was pulling the Dom down to him desperately, needing some sort of reassurance while his insides went into overdrive at the realization smashing through him.
Blaine settled next to him, following his seeking hands easily enough and sharing the same pillow as he wrapped an arm around his waist to hold him close. He was worried about his sub. Confused at the split second of genuine fear that had flickered across his face before melting into those turbulent blue eyes. "Tell me, lovely."
"I…" love you…
Kurt couldn't say it. He just couldn't, the fear of rejection crippling him, but the buzz of that softly spoken command was tearing at his insides, insisting he obey and a lone tear gathered and slid hot down his temple to soak into the pillow.
"I… really love being yours," he said instead. As close to the truth as he could get and the harsh pull eased off.
Blaine frowned at the tear, wiping away the excess moisture before cupping his cheek on the opposite side. "And I really love you being mine lovely, never doubt that… is that why you're sad? Because you thought I didn't?" he asked concerned, not letting it go.
Kurt shook his head. "No, I know that... I'm not sad I just…" he blew out a shaky breathe and met his Doms eyes. "Tonight was just a lot. I'm processing and getting a bit silly, I'm sorry."
The worry seemed to fade a little at that and Blaine smiled at him. "You're not silly, baby." He ducked forwards to lay a tender kiss to his still tingling mouth. "And don't apologize, never feel like you have to apologize for having feelings."
If only you knew, Kurt thought wryly. But the sentiment did make him feel slightly better regardless and he cuddled in closer to Blaine's warmth, letting him pull away for a second to pull the comforter up and over them.
"Now where were we?" Blaine asked nuzzling their noses together. Kurt sighed, letting that content feeling chase his worries away for now as he fingered delicately at Blaine's strong chin and jaw with the tips of his fingers.
"I was supposed to tell you all the things I loved about you," Kurt replied softly, heart tripping over the word 'love'. Where to start.
"Hmm, well how about you lay there and stay beautiful and I'll tell you all the things I love about you? I'd much rather do that," Blaine admitted, sincerity ringing in his voice and making Kurt smile despite himself. How did he get so lucky?
"How about we take turns?" Kurt asked, taming the screaming of his heart and the hope of being loved that blossomed in his chest, hand in hand with paralyzing fear of not having his feeling returned.
"That's a good idea." Blaine said nipping his collarbones again playfully and Kurt giggled, only half fake, at the silliness of his Dom.
And as Blaine rattled off a million and one things- serious and equally ridiculous- it fuelled this little flame in his heart… maybe Blaine could love him.
The dawn broke dull, grey and foggy in the aftermath of the vicious storm the night before, like that part of the world was taking a break and recovering.
The curtains on the windows were pulled completely away from the glass still, but the light trickling inside was weak and muted, barely enabling warm chocolate eyes to see the figure huddled against their chest.
Nick woke hazily seemingly hours ago to the feeling of warm breath tickling his neck and a set of fragile, pale fingers digging into his sides as they clutched his worn shirt, as if to keep their owner from floating away to someplace he feared, loathed and hated equally.
The Dom had fallen asleep last night holding the sub gently and knowing that, come morning, Jeff would be horrified with where he was and how open and vulnerable he allowed himself to be. But as sleep claimed him and his mind went fuzzy with his intoxicating scent so concentrated and fresh, he also hoped that he would realize Nick kept him safe through the night and nothing bad had happened to him in his arms.
Maybe it was wishful thinking but... just maybe he'd open up even more and allow him to see Nick for who he really was.
Someone who just wanted to love him the way he deserved.
He felt his lip pull up into a gentle smile when the blonde frowned and pushed his lower lip out a bit when a sudden stream of light hit his eyelids, the sun briefly breaking through the overcast and he buried his face deeper into Nick's chest to hide from the offending shine.
His hair was messed up and sticking out in every direction possible, his cheeks flushed red with sleep and the freckles on his nose even more prominent against his beautifully pale skin.
He was beautiful to Nick.
His warm body aligned with his made every instinct in him flare and roar, desperate to make him happy again and he felt his arms tighten around him without conscious thought.
He held his breath, waiting for the sub to wake up and bolt from him but it looked like Jeff's subconscious trusted him enough because he actually snuggled closer, pulling his mountain of blankets after him and making Nick's heart burn with how cute he was as he released tiny, snuffling noises as he fought to stay asleep.
Nick wanted him to stay there forever.
He so desperately wanted to remain cocooned inside their little shelter of blankets and warmth, the sun filtering in and out of the clouds, with Jeff safely in his embrace.
It wasn't as simple as that though.
The lithe body in his arms was slowly tensing, pale fingers were trembling and pink lips disappearing between white teeth… he knew he had to let go and it killed him inside.
Slowly, he pulled his arms from the sub, not wanting to startle the sub, watching him blink those gorgeous eyes open and rise up from their little nest and away from him, leaving the chilled air to assault the skin his body warmed mere seconds ago.
Jeff could feel someone looking at him.
He was awakened from the most peaceful sleep he'd had in ages by a sudden stream of bright light, which went away after mere seconds, but was enough to bring him back to semi consciousness.
He sleepily tried to catalogue and felt his body was pressed against another one; harder, stockier, stronger than his own. There were arms holding him close and his nose was assaulted by the most alluring smell he had ever sensed.
He wanted to drown in it.
Parts of him were waking up one by one and the little hairs on the back of his neck were rising as he felt eyes laser focused and intent on mapping his face, burning through his closed eyes and into the back of his mind where coherent thoughts to flee, battled with scorching need to stay right where he was.
He felt himself tense, a natural instinct now and his fingers started to tremble where they were holding onto something soft.
He was waiting for the inevitable blow to come, for those arms to suddenly squeeze, gripping him too tightly and that familiar yet hated body to cover his own forcefully.
He willed his body to relax and not to show fear; being openly scared only made it worse, made the pain stronger and the torture last longer. That didn't stop his heart from flying away in his chest however, the fast beat the miserable song in his ears.
Taking a deep breath he tried his best to relax his muscles, to appear as small as possible, when he felt the grip on his body loosen and before he knew what was happening he was free to pull back. His instincts immediately had him rolling away from the warmth next to him, before sitting up and turning his head timidly to meet...
The eyes weren't cold.
The lips weren't sneering and spitting insults.
The hands weren't balled into fists or reaching for him.
The Dom who held him moments ago was Nick.
Perfect, sunshine smile and warm chocolate eyes beaming at him in gentle reassurance and he could feel himself melting under that gaze, heart tripping a beat before actually slowing down to a more comfortable pace, still fast, but in a foreign, nice way instead of the panic of before.
"Morning," came the soft, sleep rough greeting and Jeff jumped a bit, pulled out of his own shock at how calm and safe he was feeling… almost serene. The submissive in him was unfurling sleepily and stretching for Nick, lazy and weighted like it had never been before. Like it had spent the night gorging on the physical contact of a Dom, ecstatic after so long without one.
It was unnerving.
It was unsettling and he had no idea what to do about it.
"H-hi," he whispered timidly, taking in the image that was Nick still lying down, the mountain of blankets Jeff thrown off himself piled on top of his thighs. He blushed and averted his gaze.
"Sleep well?" Nick asked, obviously intent of not letting things become awkward between them and Jeff was grateful for it more than he could ever know.
"Um...y-yeah. Sorry for um...smothering you there..." he waved a hand towards his chest, risking another glance at him and blushing harder when he remembered just how comfortable it was to sleep there.
"Don't worry about it. I like cuddling. Also body heat and all that," he winked cheekily and sent Jeff into another blush attack.
"'kay then," the blonde mumbled and the Dom eyed him with a gentle smile on his face. Slow and still a little lax from sleep… Jeff's fingers itched to draw it, capture it on paper so he could have it always.
"So I was thinking… since it's six in the morning and we don't have classes today. Wanna sleep a bit longer?" he asked hopefully and Jeff thought it over feeling his body tingle at the prospect of lazing around for a bit… of lazing around with Nick.
He nodded shyly and went to lie down but the Dom was there, so close to him, all of the blankets were piled on top of him and the pillows were pulled dangerously close to his body.
He fidgeted unsurely, mind steaming with the speed it worked at, trying to figure it out when Nick suddenly moved or if he'd always been that close.
Seeing the indecision, Nick scooped a few pillows and arranged them further away from his own before he took three blankets and aligned them, spreading them beside the fluffed pillows.
Satisfied he lifted up one corner and smiled at Jeff encouragingly.
"Hop in!" he chirped, something powerful but still gentle lacing his voice and Jeff felt his body relax without knowing why, crawling under the blankets and against his own better judgment, allowing Nick to tuck him in with gentle hands before he settled down himself, the room once again quiet and dark.
Jeff lay there staring at the ceiling for a few silent moments before his gaze eventually strayed to the man next to him, mind turning him over.
The Dom had his eyes closed, his long lashes tickling his cheeks, laugh lines spreading in the corners of them. His lips were full and pink and there was a tiny hint of a smile on them even when he was half asleep.
Jeff eased onto his side, close enough that every time Nick breathed out his arm brushed his own curled up in front of his chest, but it hardly registered as he was so caught up in his own head.
Nick was a lovely collection of oddness and quirks. Strong and confident but he was also goofy and sweet and he made Jeff feel whole somehow.
He couldn't take his eyes off of him… and he couldn't help himself when his hand crept from under his blanket and snuck up Nick's side where the Dom's hand was resting on his chest.
Fingers shaking and mind reeling, he allowed his heart to take over when his hand touched Nick's and he pushed his palm under the Dom's.
Friends hold hands, he reassured himself, though it was a faint background murmur at this point, getting weaker and weaker alongside his resolve.
His heart was hammering inside his chest and through the deafening ringing in his ears he could feel another frantic beat under his palm.
He chanced a glance up at Nick's eyes, open now, silently begging for him not to turn him down now that he finally gathered the strength to reach out for him.
His stupid fingers were trembling and he knew his hand was cold under Nick's but before he could snatch it away, warmth enveloped it as it was lifted off his chest and a smiling kiss was pressed on the inside of his palm.
He gasped, feeling hot, damp lips and the beginnings of prickly stubble and locked his eyes with Nick's again but the Dom just smiled warmly and tucked their joined hands under his blanket, closing his eyes and snuggling back down to sleep, leaving Jeff to do the same.
The blonde cast a shy smile at the prone form and cuddled into his mountain of pillows, mind and body lighter than he could remember being in a long time.
Sleep was almost completely wrapped around him when he heard a soft, honey voice speaking up from across him.
"Thank you."
He wanted to ask what for.
He needed to know what was it that he did right that earned gratitude but he was warm, he was comfortable and for the first time in a while he felt like sleep was his friend and not a torture device, so he hummed a little in response and gave the fingers holding his hand a gentle squeeze before succumbing to a dream that was, once again, in color.
"It has been years since a storm like this hit Ohio. In March of 1983 a storm of similar proportions wreaked havoc close to Lima and Westerville and while the older citizens might remember it as the worst they have ever seen, it was still not even close in magnitude to what occurred mere days ago.
Wind was strong enough to uproot trees from the ground and flip cars, the rain was pouring so heavily most of the streets are still flooded and lightning caused a two days long blackout.
Knowing all this, it came as a bit of a shock to find out that the biggest news after the storm settled weren't ruined streets and homes, weren't smashed cars and injured people.
NO.
The biggest news is the solidarity action initiated and coordinated by none other than Dana Anderson and her family.
A source tells us that a few days before the storm Dana called a group of her closest friends and colleagues and asked for their help in donating essentialities to the people of Lima to help them survive the storm.
Dana reached out to the members of the charity board she's the president of and within moments a plan was set in motion, money was being deposited and food and supplies were being bought. The people of Lima got food, disposable cell phones, blankets, baby supplies, emergency kits and there was a medical camp set at McKinley high gym.
While this appears to be a praise worthy action, not everyone seems as happy to hear about it however.
The public seems to be divided to those who regret not knowing of the action so they too could help and those who regret not knowing of the action so they could stop it.
Curious to find out what's been on people's minds, we set off to ask the general public what they think of Dana's charity adventures.
You can find the answer in this week's Vox populi.
'I think we should have all pitched in.'
'It's an admirable action. People are people no matter where they come from and they deserve to have the option of keeping themselves and their families safe.'
'As a parent I celebrate people like Dana. I'd like to think that if one day my two girls should need a helping hand someone will be there for them as well.'
'It's ridiculous. If you can't take care of yourself then nobody should bend backwards to hand them stuff for free.'
'It's a waste of time.'
'It's wonderful.'
'I'm happy people seem to become more in tune with the needs of other people.'
'Disgusting.'
Well, you've heard what the people of Westerville have to say about that particular topic.
Dana Anderson and her family have been dragged through the news for months now because of associating with the lower class.
Have they gone too far now?
Will the most powerful Dom be forced to abdicate her imaginary throne?
One thing is for sure. TV1 will be keeping an eye on that mansion."
TV1 Evening news
"I don't know why I'm surprised by these reactions but somehow I really am," Kurt huffed from his place next to Blaine as they lounged on the sofa, drinking coffee and watching the reports of the storm.
As far as they knew, apart from material damage and a few injuries, nobody got severely hurt and they felt proud that they helped keep the people safe. But apparently, that wasn't as important to everyone as it was to people like them. It truly baffled Kurt how people could be so cold and heartless.
"There will always be selfish and mean people I'm afraid. No matter how much the world changes," Blaine said, voice thick and sad as he listened to people complain about how much money went into helping Lima.
"It's disgraceful!" Kurt spat passionately, finger clenched around his favorite robin egg blue mug. "And to think they spit on someone who showed kindness when nobody asked that of her is shameful."
Kurt was getting worked up, rightfully so, he wasn't too impressed himself that people were trying to bash his mother's character again but Blaine also knew there was no point in giving into the frustration.
Dana was a powerful Dom and the fact of the matter was, that no matter what she did there would always be someone talking crap about her out of jealousy or spite or sheer stupidity. Being in the spotlight with her throughout the years taught him that and he got used to it through necessity, but Kurt was still new to all of that so he got frustrated and angry with the world and Blaine hated to see those sapphires of his darken with negativity.
"Don't stress over it, lovely," he soothed, petting his knee with his free hand. "The people who talk like that aren't worth your attention."
Kurt pursed his lips, the barest of frowns inching his eyebrows down but eventually he sighed it out and Blaine smiled at him approvingly. "Good boy," he praised.
Kurt side eyed him with a smile hitching the corner of his lips. "Hush you."
Blaine chuckled. "You know…I don't think they dragged mom's name through the mud this much since that time she went out in shoes that didn't match her purse," he joked as he flicked off the TV and shook his head for the last time at the ridiculous behavior of the people in his town.
At his words Kurt gasped in offence and scowled at him.
"She would never do that," he stated surely and Blaine looked at him curiously.
"Um…do what?" he asked in confusion and Kurt rolled his eyes at him exasperatedly.
"Mismatch," he said determinately and Blaine barked out a laugh when he finally caught on to what was going on.
"Well she did…once. And they wouldn't let her live it down for ages. They still pull that picture up when they run dry on Anderson dirty laundry," he revealed and Kurt pouted, eyes going a little faraway as he assimilated the information.
"I feel like I just found out that Santa isn't real," he whimpered and Blaine chuckled, setting his mug down on the coffee table before wrapping his arms around him in comfort.
"There, there sweetie. It was the nineties. Nobody matched then," he consoled and Kurt considered for a while before nodding.
"I guess it's okay if it was in the nineties," he relented in mock surrender and Blaine pulled him in tighter by the waist to kiss that adorable pout away from his lips.
There just wasn't getting enough of him.
Blaine knew since the moment he saw him he would want him forever and he had counted on the constant hum of his dominance at the sight of him. But he was not prepared for this all-consuming need he had to hold him all the time, to kiss him and to make him smile and to just keep him close.
It felt like every minute away from him was burning his skin and he hated that pain, so he sought him out and wrapped himself around him again and again and again.
The world fell apart whenever he kissed him and he knew he would never want anything else. Nothing made sense without Kurt anymore.
He let their lips part when his phone signaled a new text and he pulled it out of his pocket, swiping his thumb along the screen, a smile blossoming on his face when he read it.
"I've got good news," he almost sang and Kurt cocked an eyebrow at him in that special Kurt way in question. "Wes says that the school board loved the idea of a fashion show soooo… you get to set it all up."
He beamed at his sub in pride for a while until he noticed Kurt hadn't moved a muscle since the words left his mouth.
He sat there, petrified, eyes wide and lips parted, heart hammering in his chest.
"Lovely?" Blaine asked, taking the mug away from him to set aside with his own in case he dropped it.
Kurt shook out of his stupor with a loud inhale.
"They…they want me to…to do it?" he asked and Blaine nodded.
"For real?"
Blaine smiled a little wider. "It was your idea so you'd know what to do best. I'm proud of you," he gushed and Kurt shivered at the praise, head already swimming with plans and ideas.
He had so much work to do!
"History is trying to kill me," Thad moaned woefully, banging his head down on the desk he, Kurt and Jeff were sharing. "It's reaching out from the past and boring me to death."
They had a free period together at the end of every Wednesday and seeing as Thad and Kurt had to wait for their Doms anyway, they'd gotten into the routine of meeting at the library to complete homework or study.
"No wonder you're in the drama club," Kurt sassed, absently twirling the blue highlighter in his fingers around and around as he stared at the open folder in front of him.
There were color coordinated schemes spread on large sheets of paper; blue marking the ideas he hadn't suggested to other people yet, red marking the ones that were too 'out there' to be possible to pull off in a month and a half, and yellow marking the approved and realistic ideas that he already had people working on.
Thad sat back up and shoved his arm playfully, causing him to wrinkle the edge of one of his maps and scowl at him threateningly, making the small boy cover in mock fear. Jeff smiled at them, shaking his head before flipping another page in his textbook, he was getting used to the bickering subs by this point and the ease with which they carried themselves around each other made him feel lighter; made him think that if he tried to jab and pick at them as a joke they wouldn't snap at him and hurt him. It was a nice feeling. Safe.
"Just because you've already done the assignment," Thad grouched pouting up a storm.
Kurt rolled his eyes when he glanced up and saw it. "Save the pout for Ryan. It wasn't that hard."
"Ry would have done it for me. It's boooring!" he whined petulantly and Jeff giggled at the drama he was causing.
"Says the math geek. You can't get any more boring than math," Kurt teased and laughed when he saw the gasp of indignation.
"You take that back!" he said in mock offence, clasping a loving hand across the notebook he dragged wherever he went, that was filled with complex formulas and problems he liked to do in his free time. Weirdo.
Kurt simply raised a superior brow that clearly said bitch please and turned back to the notes he was compiling. Really, he should have been using the time to study, he was still behind in most of his classes after all, but ever since Blaine told him he had the go ahead for his charity night idea he just didn't have room for anything else in his head. Ideas and colors and designs were all swirling around and he'd spent the better part of this hour putting it all to paper. He couldn't wait to get home and talk to Dana about it all when she got in from work; maybe print out swatches of colors, look at the designs she had if she'd let him. Hell if he felt brave enough maybe he could let her see some of the designs he'd sketched over the years.
He had so many ideas he almost couldn't find a way to put them all together but he was doing his best.
So far he had come up with a way to include everyone: people around the school were designing and sketching and signing up to offer sewing skills for those designers who couldn't turn their designs into reality.
The drama club would take care of the stage and the lighting, the Warblers would provide musical background along with the school band and the entire afternoon before the main event, the school sports teams would organize small friendly competitions to raise money from the tickets, the art club would set up their art for sale and the cooking club would provide refreshments for everyone.
He had found a way to get everyone included and there was just so much to do he barely had time to sleep.
But he was proud of himself and that's mattered the most.
"Do you think students would sign up to walk in the show if I posted a signup sheet on the bulletin board?" he found himself asking aloud.
"Definitely," Jeff said immediately and Kurt raised his eyes to his best friend in question. "Every day is like a fashion show to them."
"Hey! Every day is like a fashion show to me too. It's not a bad thing to want to look your best," Kurt frowned a little and Jeff's stomach dropped in fear he'd insulted his best friend.
"You and them have a different way of going about it, trust me," Jeff smiled sadly, his voice holding just a hint of panic and Kurt hooked their feet together under the table in silent support to the bad memories he knew his friend was experiencing. Saying without words that he wasn't mad. That he understood as best he could without being in Jeff's head.
"He's not wrong," Thad confirmed with a little shrug, tapping his pencil against the table top. "Some of the boys and girls around here can get brutal."
Kurt pursed his lips in thought. It was true that he was a diehard fashion enthusiast, but he was never outright vicious with it. He appreciated clothes, what they could do to a person's body, how they could lift you up in confidence and self-esteem… but he also appreciated them as more than even that. He had come from a place where not everyone had even the simplest of necessities in clothes, where the latest trends were far, far down the list of desirable qualities and things like warmth and if they were even whole came first and foremost.
"Well I don't want to turn this into some kind of popularity contest," he said warily. "This is for charity, not so rich kids can fight over who is wearing McQueen and who's wearing Marc Jacobs."
"Why don't you choose people yourself to ask instead of letting just anyone sign up?" Thad suggested. "That way you can keep control on numbers and make sure you're happy with the people."
He perked up at that solution and immediately scribbled it down creating a column for girls and boys.
"I need another book," Jeff sighed rubbing at his forehead tiredly as he untangled their legs and stood up. "Or five."
"Me too… you can reach the high ones for me," Thad grumbled and they headed off together, leaving Kurt to his frantic scribbling.
The obvious choice for the girl models would be Corrine. That girl was stunning in all the right ways and a sweetheart underneath with all that fierce sass to boot, so she was top of his list. He thought about Miriam for a second… she definitely had the height advantage over Corrine and she was very pretty too in an understated way, but he wasn't sure whether walking a catwalk was her thing. He made a note to ask her and see what she said before he ruled her-
"We can only ask ourselves, have the Anderson's truly lost their minds?" Kurt's head snapped up, train of thought petering off, and around at the sound of that familiar smug tone and his new families name.
Brad was there, hair tousled, blazer buttoned, walking towards him with a vicious smirk on his face and an unsettling light in his green eyes as he read to him straight out of the magazine he was holding. "The latest incident of the controversial family, the bonding of the youngest son Dom Blaine to a nobody out of Lima of all places, we can only hope is a joke. A tasteless one, but a joke nonetheless."
Kurt flinched visibly at hearing his bonding reduced to that by someone and cursed himself for it when Brad caught the action and his mouth tipped up higher at one side. He hated giving this idiot the satisfaction of getting to him, of letting the ignorant people in that magazine to play on his insecurities but when he opened his mouth to tell Brad to go to hell… nothing came out.
Brad smiled wider and carried on in his best derisive tone, close enough now to lean his hip jauntily against the desk. "We can only call Dana's authority into question. Has she lost control of her family? It is fact that her sympathies had always leaned towards the lower circles, a weakness that could be ignored by most, but it was never more apparent than it is now that she has welcomed a sub of no breeding or consequence into her home with open arms, snubbing far more worthy candidates. Kurt Hummel must be very pleased with the prize he's managed to snare, highlighting the fact that the Anderson Doms might not be as powerful as we thought if they were so easily taken in."
Snare? It caused his heart to stutter. Did people really think that? That he'd gone to that Showing purposefully to hook himself a powerful, influential Dom?
His throat bobbed over the lump lodged there. "Stop."
"We only hope Blaine comes to his senses sooner rather than later. That he gets this experiment over and done with so he can properly bond with someone of proper standing in society. Our two worlds were not meant to mix and-"
"Shut up!" Kurt hissed at him finally reaching the end of his emotional rope with all those words Brad had purposely stressed crashing against each other inside his skull.
Nobody. Joke. No breeding. No consequence. Not worthy. Experiment.
It's like they had lined up all of his buttons and smashed them all at once. Playing on all his weaknesses and not just about himself. He felt responsible for the fact that people were viewing Dana and Blaine like they were somehow less now that he had come along. That they were weak and susceptible instead of the strong, commanding people they truly are and it hurt him to think of the pain he might have been causing without even knowing it.
Had Blaine seen these articles? Had Dana and Jared?
It was very likely that they had shielded him from it so far and he felt like a naive fool for thinking everything was fine. That the uproar that had been caused, that had been camped outside their front door for days even, had remotely died off.
He'd been so wrapped up in cotton wool that he forgot there was many people just waiting to tear it off him.
Brad being chief among those people.
"What's the matter, Hummel? I was just reading," Brad asked innocently, but his gaze was cutting. "That's what you do in libraries after all."
"Take your attempts at being clever somewhere else and leave me alone," he gritted, feeling his cheeks go hot, fingers clenching hard around his pen. Brad noticed the action but then his eyes dipped lower and it took him about five seconds to catalogue his color coded scribbles.
"You've got to be kidding me," he burst out disgusted and Kurt self-consciously shut the folder even though it was too late now. "They got you to help with the charity night?" he laughed harsh and short. "The charity case helping the charity cause. Now that's one for the headlines."
"That's rich coming from the billboard face for jealousy," Kurt snapped back trying his hardest not to show how deep this conversation was hitting but failing spectacularly. There was none of his usual sarcastic bite behind his retorts, they came out thin and defensive instead.
Brad arched a brow and laughed again. The sound grating on every open nerve he'd exposed in Kurt. "Me jealous of you?"
He knew it was true. They both did. Brad had wanted Blaine for himself, that was abundantly clear at this point, but right now Brad was simply better at playing pretend than he was.
"Please… I think this sums up exactly why I don't need to be jealous of anything," Brad finished holding up the magazine before dropping it on the table in front of him.
The cover was a shot from outside of the house that first time they'd tried to leave to visit his family after Blaine had claimed him. Kurt was hiding behind a frustrated looking Blaine, staring at the ground and trying to avoid the cameras, questions and eye contact of everyone surrounding them.
He looked like a scared little boy.
And heading this picture was the title; Anderson's, out of control!
"Take a look. I think you'll find it informative, sweetheart," Brad simpered falsely, then leaned in closer to whisper. "The novelty of you is gonna wear off for everyone sooner or later."
And then he was straightening up and walking away, leaving Kurt staring at the page in front of him with sick fascination, Brad's words echoing in his ears.
He should just throw it away. Throw it away and forget about the whole thing… but somehow he found himself flipping to the three page spread of cutting words and insults maligning not only his character but everyone he cared about. Tears were actually stinging his eyes as they reduced his and Blaine's bond down to nothing more than rebellious lust on Blaine's part and gold-digging on his. It hit harder especially since his revelation that he was actually deeply, truly in love with Blaine and his fears that Blaine didn't love him back and now he was reading about how they didn't think any of that was real.
This is how Jeff and Thad found him when they came back, arms heavy with books of different sizes.
"Hey, what's that?" Thad asked as they came closer.
Kurt's head snapped up and he quickly shoved the magazine in his bag, panicked. "Oh, nothing… I uh… I was just… researching a few things," he managed to stumble out, feeling his heart going wild in his chest as he avoided Jeff's eyes. He knew his best friend would notice almost immediately there was something wrong with him and he didn't want to weigh him down with his problems when things were just starting to brighten for him.
"That's not researching!" Thad exclaimed as he thumped all the books down and gestured to them. "That's researching."
Kurt forced his mouth into a smile and opened his folder back up, trying to steady his shaky hands and look busy. Jeff retook his seat opposite him and nudged his foot with his own trying to get his attention.
Kurt took a deep breath before glancing up.
"What's up?" Jeff mouthed to him, brown eyes concerned.
Kurt shook his head with another fake smile and mouthed back, "I'm fine."
The rest of the period crawled by with Jeff's gaze hot on him and his heart hurting, a prickly feeling all over his skin.
He wanted Blaine. He wanted him to hold him and kiss him and fuck… he wanted him to say he loved him. Loved Kurt exactly as much as he loved Blaine, with his whole heart and soul.
The bell finally rang and Kurt collected up his stuff and shoved it into his bag, avoiding looking at the magazine as best he could. They walked Jeff back to the dormitories and Kurt was grateful for Thad's cheery presence as it prevented his best friend from questioning him on what was wrong any further.
They hugged goodbye, the blonde holding him tighter than usual and whispering a, "Call me," in his ear before they were heading outside to meet their Doms.
As soon as Kurt spotted Blaine talking to Ryan by his car he made a beeline for him, hurrying across the lot and flinging himself into his arms, tucking his face into his neck.
"Hey," Blaine breathed out surprised, wrapping arms around his waist. "What's wrong, lovely?"
It was the question Kurt had been dreading and he swallowed hard. "I missed you," he admitted in a murmur.
It wasn't a lie… but it wasn't the truth and it made him uncomfortable, like the truth was trying to push its way forcefully up his throat. He clenched his jaw and pushed himself tighter into Blaine.
"Well I missed you too, baby," was cooed back to him, hand smoothing over the short hairs at the back of his head and Kurt closed his eyes at the endearment, soaking it in.
This wasn't contrived between them. He refused to believe it.
"I'm gonna get trouble over here home so I'll see you tomorrow Blaine. Kurt," Ryan said from next to them holding a dangling Thad by the waist as the sub hung from his neck.
"Bye, Kurt," Thad chimed in and Kurt shot them a soft smile from under Blaine's chin.
"See you guys," Blaine said for them before turning his attention back to Kurt and pressing a tender kiss to his forehead. "As nice as this is, we're gonna have to get you home, lovely. I've got to meet Wes and David at the studio for a little while."
Don't go, don't go, don't go… he thought frantically. "Okay, that's fine. I've got some planning and studying to do anyway," is what actually came out of his mouth.
Blaine laid one last kiss to his head before they climbed into the car and were on their way home. He pulled into the driveway and idled, looking over at him with a smile that Kurt couldn't help but return.
"I'll only be a couple of hours. I'll text you if I'm longer," he promised before leaning over and gently pressing their lips together. Kurt pushed into it with a helpless whimper, desperately needing that deeper connection between them. Blaine gave into his unspoken plea and deepened the kiss, cupping Kurt's cheek and tilting his face to a better angle to lick into his mouth.
Kurt was leaning forwards so far he would have either fallen onto his face or straddled Blaine's lap – probably the latter- if his seatbelt wasn't still on, but too soon Blaine was pulling back and Kurt was helpless to follow.
"If we don't stop now I'll never leave," he lamented, staring at his lips intently.
"Blaine…" don't go.
He let it die on his lips.
"Hurry back," he whispered and Blaine pecked him once more, quick and hard.
"As quick as I can," he murmured into his mouth.
Next thing he knew he was staring at Blaine's car driving away from the doorway.
"Kurt? Are you gonna stand there all day honey?" Dana asked from behind him and Kurt turned around startled to see the small Dom, looking pristine in a chiffon blouse and charcoal pencil skirt, her dark hair upswept.
Kurt closed the door behind him. "I didn't think anyone else was home."
She shrugged elegantly and winked. "I had a long lunch and decided to take the rest of the day off. What's the point in being your own boss if you don't take advantage of the perks once in a while huh?"
Kurt smiled a little shyly. He really liked Dana but he'd been so caught up in Blaine, Blaine, Blaine, that he hadn't had many opportunities to spend one on one time with her.
"Is Jared here too?" he asked.
She snorted fondly and led the way into the kitchen, Kurt trailing her happily enough. He didn't want to be on his own right now. "My darling sub doesn't know the meaning of a day off. I have to force vacations onto him for his own good."
Kurt set his bag down and took off his coat and blazer to hang on the back of the chair for now, before sinking into a seat at the table to watch Dana flit about pulling out mugs and tea bags.
"Tea or coffee?" she chirped.
He wanted something settling. "Tea please, the-"
"Honey one," she smirked over her shoulder, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Blaine made me, Jared and all the staff aware that it had to be stocked at all times because it was your favorite."
Kurt blushed feeling butterflies explode in his stomach and have a party while Dana laughed happily, flicking the kettle on. "No need to be shy… it's lovely to witness."
If anything that made Kurt shyer and the stain on his face worse. She turned around and propped her small frame against the counter, meeting his eye and smiling brilliantly at him. "You're all I hoped for you know… though you took your sweet time getting here mind you," she teased the last with a wink.
Getting such praise from Dana was similar to getting it from his dad, it made him happy and light, but in a completely different, less intense way then what he experienced with Blaine. "I'm sorry? I was… washing my hair?" he asked it as a question with his own teasing smile on his face.
Dana laughed. Bright and clear before the kettle flicked off and she turned to make them their tea. "He was always looking for that perfect one," she continued pouring the boiling water. "Didn't have a clue what he thought was perfect of course, silly boy, but he was adamant."
The sound of a spoon clinking echoed before she was approaching the table, setting his tea down before settling opposite him, catching his eye.
"And then he saw you."
Kurt's heart jolted and tingles spread from his head to his toes. "I'm not perfect," he said quietly.
She grinned and took a sip of tea. "You are to him. Just like Jared is to me," she said simply and Kurt found himself smiling stupidly despite himself, finally hiding it behind his own steaming cup.
"Blaine's perfect," he found himself voicing out loud. Dana arched a brow. "And not just to me… it's like… universal," he tried to explain.
His Dom was everything that was good, sweet, charming, charismatic, gorgeous… as he thought on the first night of the blackout. His admirable qualities were far too many to list.
Dana snorted a laugh. "You two are meant for each other."
"What?" Kurt asked, knowing there was something more to that laugh.
"Oh mother, Kurt is just so amazing. I'm so lucky I claimed him before anyone else did. I don't know how he managed to go unclaimed for this long, he's so perfect," she quoted in a bad impression of Blaine's voice.
Kurt couldn't help but giggle and gape at her. "He did not say that! And he doesn't sound like that!"
"I birthed the little devil, he'll sound however I want him to," she sniffed faux haughtily, before her sparkling eyes caught his. "And he did say that… almost exactly word for word."
Kurt shook his head, feeling warmed from the inside at both the second hand words and Dana's presence.
"So, how's school so far?" she asked changing tracks.
"Fine… I'm a little behind but it's not a surprise," Kurt admitted, before jumping in with both feet. "They're letting me plan the charity night."
Dana beamed, all perfect white teeth. "That's wonderful! Blaine mentioned that you wanted to do a fashion show?"
"As the main event but I have loads of ideas to include most of the clubs at school… I was wondering if maybe you'd help me with the fashion show though?"
She leaned forwards intrigued. "Go on."
He pulled out his folder and set it open in front of them, angling it to face her so they could both see before launching into his ideas.
"Oh Corrine would look lovely in this new piece I just put together," Dana gushed, tapping a manicured nail against the page, seeing the barely started column of candidates for modelling.
Kurt's brows rose to his hair line. "You… you'd want to put your designs in there?"
He wasn't ashamed to admit that he had thoroughly Googled the hell out of Dana's fashion house, Red, and all her lines thus far.
They were breathtaking.
He could only dream of being as good as her one day, so that she was potentially offering to put some of those wonderful pieces in his fashion show, a show that he may well have been thinking of putting a few of his own designs in, was mind-blowing.
"Why wouldn't I want to put my designs in one of my family's shows?" she asked smiling at him knowingly. "I can't think of a more fitting place. Pun intended."
Kurt beamed at her, bouncing excitedly in his seat. "This is going to be so amazing!" he squeaked and Dana laughed fondly at him. And somehow he forgot all about the horrid article in his bag for now as he began to chatter ideas at Dana enthusiastically.
That's how Blaine and Jared found them when they got back from their respective works. Kitchen table full of swatches, pencil designs, charts and pictures.
The men looked at one another before smiling lovingly at their bonded partners and getting started on dinner.
Dana glanced around herself as she hung her coat on the back of her chair and settled in the middle of a long, square table covered in dark burgundy table cloth and decorated with a rich centerpiece filled with dry flowers and artificial fruit. Jared settled next to her quietly, recognizing her need to arrange her thoughts before everyone else got there.
The room she rented provided privacy and comfort for what she was about to do and the money she spent for it more than paid off when she realized the room was completely separated from the rest of the restaurant, sound proof and came with a private set of waiters that didn't mingle with the rest of the guests, lowering the chances of them being overheard and the information spreading before it was time for it to be public.
Dana knew what she was about to do was risky at best; completely life ruining at worst and she was already walking a thin line between being worshiped and despised for how she'd behaved lately regarding the social questions they were faced with. But she knew the people she called to meet her were trustworthy and she felt safe in her determination to explain her plan and her ideas to them.
The politics of the world they were living in was complicated, threads binding things that didn't seem connected on the surface and forcing you to fall into a trap of causing a side effect of your actions you couldn't even fathom going into something.
Each bigger city was considered a political unit on its own along with gravitating smaller cities bound to it. The grouping of towns under the same leadership was called a Circle and the biggest town in a Circle, representing the economical, business, political and social "soul" was called the Centre.
Westerville presented the Centre for a few smaller towns surrounding it, including Lima.
While all of the Circles belonged to the same general government and the same president, each and every one of them had their own board consisting of twelve leaders, led by the Head and elected anew every four years.
The elections were democratic and each person wanting to be in the board had to run with a full program they would have to instill during their mandate. The person who won the most votes became the next Head and the twelve people with the succeeding highest number of votes became the Board.
The Heads program would then be revised, improved with the best ideas taken from the Board's programs and then instilled into the Circle for the four years to come.
The General laws clearly said that anyone could run and vote but the thing was, it was mostly the well-off people did it because they could afford to hold a campaign, they could afford to advertise and travel around collecting votes; they were also the majority of the ones who voted seeing how voting places were usually located in the Centre and most people couldn't travel or afford to travel that far to circle a name.
The entire process was in shambles and no matter how ideal it seemed on paper it just didn't work that way in theory, leaving the less fortunate under the foot of whomever the rich voted for.
It was obvious to someone who wanted to take notice that something had to change and Dana was more than ready to be the one to pull the trigger. She had the means, she had the influence and she had the balls to step out of her comfort zone and fight for what she believed was right.
As the current Head, she was supposed to be facing the elections in less than three months. The campaigns were just about to begin and she believed she had the perfect idea and the perfect people to help her put it into motion.
Back straight and face proud she smiled as the people she extended the invitation to entered the secluded room and greeted her with beaming smiles and friendly jabs at how secretive and "James Bond" she was being.
She shifted to the right slightly to allow the people to settle around the long table and she shook her head in amusement when she realized they were sitting down in a way that made her look like she was sitting at the head of the table.
The power they all saw in her floored her sometimes and she had to remind herself that with it came a huge responsibility to use it to change things for the better.
Which is exactly what she was trying to do.
"Thank you all for coming," she started when the scraping of chairs on the floor died down and the fidgeting of people arranging their limbs, fixing their clothes and falling into a comfortable circle around the table, trickled into the sound of a curious hum in the air around them as they looked at the petite Dom.
"Well we wouldn't pass the free lunch," Carmen Harwood winked from her seat earning herself a slap on the shoulder from her wife Madeline.
How the two loud, rambunctious women managed to raise such a sweetheart of a son like Thad was beyond everyone but their eclectic, weird little family worked perfectly.
Carmen was a real estate agent, loud, outgoing and madly successful while her sub Madeline was an esteemed artist, working mostly with wood in creating her famous sculptures. They'd been together for years before finally deciding to adopt.
They went in dreaming of a sweet little girl with pigtails and freckles but the moment they laid eyes on a tiny, two year old boy playing with a calculator in the corner and staring at them with wide, dark eyes they were sold.
Thad With No Last Name became Thad Harwood and grew up into a tiny, cute math genius and theatre geek. Soon bonded with his hulk of a Dom both of his mother's absolutely adored and developed an impressive amount of patience for all the fussing the three of them did over him collectively.
They loved to embarrass him and he loved them all way too much to complain about it.
"I thought you were on a diet, Car," Vanessa Thompson jabbed from under her husband's arm and he chuckled into her hair as she teased his business partner who seemed to be on some kind of diet since the eighties.
She'd be successful at it if it weren't for the…well…food.
Carter Thompson and Carmen Harwood were best friends since they were little kids. Going to the same kindergarten, middle school and high school to end up starting a business together at the age of twenty. It blossomed from there and together they created an empire for themselves, keeping their integrity and trustworthiness in a world of sharks only out there to cross you any way they could.
It was Carmen's, albeit unintentional, doing that he had met Vanessa.
His best friend broke her arm and since Madeline was out of town for an exhibit she had called him to take her to the hospital in the middle of the night. Vanessa was on call and the rest, as they say, is history.
"It's a special occasion," the blonde woman shrugged and everybody laughed at her carefree nature and easygoing personality.
"Besides she's beautiful just the way she is," Madeline cooed and Carmen smiled at her lovingly kissing her temple.
"Okay…that's all very sweet but I'm hungry and I'd very much like to eat now," Hikaru said in his usual booming, but regal voice and Tara, his sub rolled her eyes at him.
"You bought a hot dog off a street vendor not fifteen minutes ago," she said and he shrugged.
"I've got a fast metabolism," he said in excuse and she sighed in exasperation as he rubbed his stomach making them all laugh.
Tara was Hikaru's second sub, a companion bond between them forming after his first wife died in a car accident and her first Dom getting caught in a crossfire between a bunch of muggers and a guy attempting to be a hero and stop them from robbing a liquor store.
He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she was left alone.
She had met Hikaru when she was admitted into Dalton as the new manager for the tech support team and over the next few months they met each other every day, exchanging simple pleasantries and sharing lunch now and then.
What started as a simple friendship morphed into deep, steady affection and even though she was years younger than he was, both their families accepted their bond easily, happy they had found someone again. Wes and his little sister Lee adored Tara and she completed their little family effortlessly.
"It'll be a while until we order lunch. We're still expecting someone," Dana informed them and Paul Karofsky eyed her curiously.
"Who is it that we're waiting for?" he asked lighting up a cigarette and frowning when his wife plucked it from between his lips and stubbed it against the glass of the ashtray.
"We agreed you'd quit," Margareth said in a sing song voice and he glared at her in defeat.
"No…you agreed," he stated petulantly and she shrugged.
"Me and your medical reports agreed," she bit back and he slumped down in his chair knowing he had lost the battle once again.
His coronary report had been horrible at his last check up and she had been on him like a hawk ever since.
"We're waiting for Lillian and Jeremy Sterling," Dana announced chuckling at the bickering couple, offering no further explanations because she knew most of the present people would recognize the name.
"The Sterling's? I haven't seen nor heard of them in almost two years," Dominic Smythe said seemingly deep in thought, scratching at his chin and his wife Anna nodded thoughtfully.
"It was awful what happened to their son. Just awful," she said quietly, tears springing in her eyes and shocking everyone around her.
She was who Sebastian inherited his fierceness from.
Red haired, blue eyed and larger than life, she must have been the only sub in the world who could keep up with Dominic as he took the courtrooms by the storm.
As a paralegal she was the one who had his back for years before he gave up on chasing after damsels in distress and realized he wanted a heroine to save him when he fell in too deep.
There was only one weakness she had and it was Sebastian.
"Nobody knows what happened to him though," Alisa Sanders said quietly. "Miriam mentioned him a few times but it seems like he's not told anyone about his past."
Her sub Jack nodded in agreement, thinking back to a few conversations with his daughter where she mentioned the blonde sub but nothing concrete came up about why his family dropped off the grid so suddenly.
"Of course he's not talking about it, but Corinne said his mark is ruined. There's only one thing that can cause something like that. We all know it," Carla Madison quipped fiercely, feeling her hand tremble where her Dom held it tightly, his heart skipping a beat at the thought of his beautiful girl mistreated like that and Marcus smiled at Vanessa in gratitude that her son treated his daughter like she was made of lace.
"I can't believe someone would do that to someone so precious," Tanya Moore said, sitting with her husband Daniel next to the mothers of their son's sub and thinking of the precious little math enthusiast and unable to imagine someone would ever dare to lay a hurtful hand on him.
"People like that should be locked away. For good. Those Landon folks walked away with their heads held high while that beautiful boy was left to feel like he would never be loved again. It's nauseating," Lucy said with a fire in her eyes that made them all flinch.
"You're awfully passionate about this, Lu," Carmen said and Lucy nodded in affirmation, offering no words of explanation so her husband took it to himself to explain.
"Nick…Nick is in love with young Jeffrey. He's been trying to get through to him for weeks but the boy is so scared, so closed off that he keeps waiting for Nick to hurt him and it's…it's painful to watch your child suffer like that," Andree said in a thick, French accent when a voice came from the door.
"Imagine how painful it is to have a child who went through abuse and not being able to do a single thing to punish the monster who hurt him."
They all jumped and turned to look at a tortured looking blonde Dom.
Once bright, smile scrunched eyes were now dull and pained and the platinum blonde hair he had passed on to his son was streaked with white hairs that were a testimony to the suffering the family went through.
His voice was filled with rage simmering under the surface and his sub wrapped her arm around his waist in silent support as the other couples in the room shifted nervously.
Tears in her eyes Lucy stood up and walked to the tiny family offering a hand to the parents of the angelic boy that held their son's heart without even knowing it.
"Please...we cannot even begin to understand what you've been through and how you feel. But rest assured, we will find a way to make that sorry excuse for a Dom pay for what he has done."
Lillian Sterling looked at her for a moment, tired eyes scanning her plump body before taking the offered hand and giving her a delicate squeeze.
"Thank you. But it's not your battle to fight," the petite woman replied tiredly and Andree shook his head coming to stand next to his wife; two families bonded by the love of one boy towards the other.
"Quite the contrary. The happiness of your son is directly linked to the happiness of ours since he's...to put it mildly, quite taken with, Jeff," Andree said and Jeremy tensed, fists balling and anger filling his words.
"I will not let my son get hurt again!" he seethed and Andree raised his hands in silent surrender.
"I assure you. Nick is a respectful, caring and sweet young man. He would never do a thing to hurt Jeff. We haven't heard a word other than, "Jeff smiled at me today" and "his hair is so pretty" and "he's everything I've ever wanted" from Nick for weeks. Believe me. If your son ever chooses to accept him, he'll be treated the way he deserves, the way every sub in the world deserves," he said with burning conviction and Lillian allowed her tears to spill.
"It sounds nice. But we have a hard time believing things that have to do with our son. He's been through too much," she stated honestly and at this Dana rose from her seat and cleared her throat.
"Lillian, Jeremy, first of all welcome and thank you for joining us. And second of all if it helps, Nicholas is Blaine's best friend. As Blaine is a Dom Jeff seemed to trust the most outside of his family, I assure you Nick has Blaine's complete trust. He won't hurt your son," she said and it seemed as if the mention of Blaine eased the tortured parent's minds a bit because they nodded and sat down at the vacated places next to Lucy and Andree.
"Now allow me to introduce you to everyone before we order our food and I'll tell you why I've invited you all here," she said addressing everyone with a confident ease of an established Dom. "You have probably heard of the kids Jeff hangs out with so it'll be easier to keep track since all the people here are the parents of Blaine's closest friends. First of all you have already met Lucy and Andree Duval, Nick's mom and dad. Hikaru and Tara Montgomery, Wes' parents, and Alisa and Jack Sanders, Wes's sub Miriam's parents. Vanessa and Carter Thompson, David's parents and, his sub Corrine's parents Carla and Marcus Madison. Carmen and Madeline Harwood, Thad's parents and his Dom Ryan's, Tanya and Daniel Moore. Dave's parents Paul and Margareth Karofsky and his sub Sebastian's parents Dominic and Anna Smythe. Finally this is Jared Anderson, my husband. Everyone this is Jeremy and Lillian Sterling, Jeff's parents."
Everyone exchanged polite nods and smiles as Dana went around and made introductions and they finally settled down to order food.
"Remember it's all our treat so go crazy," Jared joked and the tension broke a bit as they picked their menus and chose their meals in relaxed chatter.
Dana rubbed her palms against her thighs nervously and Jared grasped her small hand in his.
"Relax, my lady. It'll go great. I know it," he reassured and she leaned in to kiss him gently as the waiters took their orders and disappeared towards the kitchen again.
She could feel curious eyes boring into her and she knew the moment to confide in them had arrived.
"Okay. I guess now is the time to tell you why I called you. The new round of elections is upon us…" she started but Carmen cut her off.
"Sweetie there was no need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on us to ask us to vote for you. We will anyway because we believe in you," she said and Dana smiled gratefully but powered through her next statement.
"I'm not running this year actually," she said and there was a collective gasp around the table.
"You're not?" Dominic asked and she shook her head gently.
"The recent events made me realize something. I feel like I have to do something and I was hoping to have your support as I do it," she said and they looked at her in surprise.
"Why don't you tell us what it is first?" Jack said and Dana nodded in assent.
"Having my eyes opened by the young sub of my son's was a rough wake up call for me. We've been in a sheltered little world where money can buy you just about anything and we went with it…I went with it for years. People are starving, walking around cold and afraid, unable to bring food to their families, unable to work, unable to fight the bastards who hurt their kids," she stated and looked as Jeremy took Lillian's hand, shame and regret and failure as a parent written all over his too old for his age face.
"It has to stop. Things need to change and I feel like the elections are the perfect first step," she said and Andree eyed her curiously.
"I assume you have a plan?" he asked and she nodded.
"I was thinking that instead of running we could all donate the money I would use for my campaign to finance the running of someone who can't afford to run a good program. Let's give the chance to someone who can change our Circle for the better for everyone," she said and silence fell over them, thick and opaque.
"I like it," Hikaru broke it after a few minutes. "It's completely crazy and possibly life ruining but I like it. I'll help."
Tara shook her head but nodded at Dana in calm support.
"I'm with you too. I saw enough when we went there during the storm. It's no way for people to live," Vanessa said with a convinced support of her husband.
"I'm in as well. Artists were always the first ones to stand against injustice," Madeline quipped and Carmen hugged her in assent.
"You can count on me too," Dominic nodded regally and Anna squeezed his hand proudly.
"Us too," the Moores added at the same time as Paul and Margareth Karofsky nodded in agreement along with every single person around the table.
The Sterling's watched them in silent awe and shock still not sure what they were doing there.
"I admire your initiative but…my wife and I have lost everything. We can't support your cause as much as we'd like to," Jeremy said and Dana smiled.
"You're here because we want to know what needs to be changed. You've been a part of both worlds just like Paul and Margareth. We will need that knowledge to pick the right program we can finance. If we do this we have to make sure that the program that passes has all the changes that need to happen to even the scores between our worlds. So tell us," she said and they stared at her in silence until a voice broke it.
"The first thing that has to be done is punishment for those who abuse the sanctity of the trust a sub puts into their Dom. We cannot allow another bastard get away with it like Jeff's Dom did." And surprisingly, it wasn't Lillian or Jeremy that said it.
It was Lucy.
"My son loves that boy. And I want the person who hurt him then and whose actions are hurting the both of them now punished for it," she explained and Lillian squeezed her hand gently.
"It needs to make sure that the jobs are assigned based on capabilities, not connections and family names," Paul said earning a fierce nod from Jeremy.
"Schooling. Our kids can't go to a school that's falling apart over their heads with no books or computers or a decent library. Educational equality," he said and Dana wrote it into her pad.
The ideas flowed around them and pretty soon they had the guidelines for a program they could finance with complete conviction it would win and make a change towards equality.
The food went cold beside them as they poured ideas and suggestions and criticism to the way things were now.
"We need to make sure we put the voting posts into every town. Or to a few places in every town so we can be sure money is not an obstacle to someone voting," Marcus said and Dana added that to her pad.
"Also we need to make sure we include the finances for the traveling of the person who runs. We need to make sure his ideas are heard everywhere," Andree supplied and the suggestion was written down immediately.
They were getting tired and their heads pounded but as they toasted to each other at the end of it they realized what they did that day was more than worth it.
They were making history.
They were creating a better world.
And that night they slept with smiles on their faces eager to see what the next few months would bring.
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