Keep my heart captive, set me free

by The Queen of Rose

D/s AU - Kurt Hummel had always dreamed of a fairy-tale bond, a perfect, kind and caring Dom. Blaine Anderson had always dreamed of someone who stands out from the boring crowd, someone real, and pure. When their worlds collide, will either of them get what they had dreamed of?

21. Sealed

Hello lovelies!

We are here finally after much wrestling with this absolute BEAST! Good luck reading this in one sitting ;)

We wanna say a special, massive thank you to everyone that reviewed. Some of them literally blew us away! You are all such lovely, amazing people and its privilege to write for you :) Also everyone's patience while we got a handle on the scene that was driving us crazy!

A heads up for the next chapter, we have actually started writing it but it may be a little while. A is going to be concentrating on the update for OMTGIR and M is finishing off her thesis. Lets all cheer for her while she has to put numbers into boring excel! But we'll keep you updated on our tumblr so check over there every once and a while or send us an ask. We don't mind people asking for the ETA :D

So instead of raising the word count even more with pointless AN stuff... get to reading :P

Love A&M

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They forgot the curtains.

That was the first thought Kurt had when he pealed his eyes open and got attacked by insolent sun beams that threatened to burn his retinas if he didn't show them the respect they deserved and look away. He groaned and buried his face into Blaine's chest, mind fuzzy and unfocused. There was an unusual heaviness deep in his bones that pushed him closer to his Dom. A need for him that he just couldn't completely understand yet as his mind tried to reboot for the day.

Blaine was sleeping soundly on his back, his arms cradling Kurt to his chest and curls falling into his face as he snored lightly. Their skin was glued together and while sleeping fully dressed was something that happened less and less, Kurt was still caught off guard by the amount of skin on display.

They were both naked head to toe, pressed together and clinging to one another as if afraid the other one would disappear if they let go for a second. He wanted to look up, to wake Blaine up and kiss him and mold his body with his own but he couldn't bring himself to move because it would mean unwinding his arm from around Blaine's waist, lifting his head from the crook of his neck, moving his lips from the skin of his shoulder and losing the taste of him and he wasn't okay with it.

He didn't want to let go. He wanted to stay; close and warm and safe.

"Lovely?" Blaine's voice sounded sleep rough and broken but the endearment made him whimper and push closer to him, the space between them always too big for him but seemed like a chasm now for some reason. He wanted every last atom that stood between them go.

"Sir," he whispered back into his skin, a little unsure, a little lost and felt the arms around his back tighten and hold him closer in response.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked when he realized his sub wasn't exactly acting the way he usually did. He was shaking and clawing at his chest, like he was trying to seep into his skin and it alarmed the Dom. Kurt was calm when they went to sleep the night before. Serene after all the drama of them almost losing their minds.

And then it hit Blaine.

Kurt was having a setback reaction to what happened because Blaine was so freaked out he couldn't deal with himself. His sub took the responsibility of caring for him directly after the event and he forced himself to be okay. But now that it was done, now that Blaine was once again in control, his body had recognized. Caved and allowed him to seek out the comfort he needed.

Blaine was more than happy to provide.

"I… I don't… don't go…" Kurt begged softly and Blaine held him tighter, kissing his forehead and running his fingers up and down his back in comfort.

"I'm not going anywhere, beautiful. Just relax and let me take care of you. Breathe." He laced the gentle words with just a hint of command and Kurt's body responded instinctively, curling around him and gulping air into his lungs. He felt more and more lose with every passing moment and Blaine just kept encouraging him and talking him through his haze.

"Sir," Kurt whimpered one more time and it seemed like that was the only word he could push off his lips. Inside his blood boiled, his mind screamed and made him desperate for his Dom.

"What do you need gorgeous?" he asked him, body aching to please him, to make him comfortable and relaxed again.

Kurt gasped but nothing came out of his mouth except a small whine as he clutched him desperately, practically on top of him by now.

"I'll do anything baby, just tell me what you need, huh?" Blaine pleaded, stroking a soothing hand through his hair as he listened for any sound from Kurt that would help him understand what he wanted.

"Y-you," Kurt stuttered after a while and Blaine kissed his temple, pulling the comforter tighter around them, up and over their heads. Cocooning them in darkness and warmth and each other, cut off from the rest of the world.

"I'm here. I'm right here. You have me," Blaine said earnestly but Kurt shook his head and breathed deeply once again.

"Talk," he gasped and Blaine realized what he wanted. He wanted to listen to his voice. To sync his beating heart to the rhythm of his words and ground himself with the sound. He knew that's what made him calmer last night. Listening to Kurt talk to him.

"Okay… um well…" He racked his brain and just decided to wing it and see what fell out. "Wes thinks we should try and find someone who could be big. Says that now that the three of us are almost done with college we should start thinking about becoming relevant in the music industry. Start a record label to go with the studio. Find someone amazing," he whispered into his hair, brushing his lips against the skin of his forehead and feeling him shift with every move he made, making sure there was never an inch of space between them. God Blaine loved him like crazy.

"David thinks we should make a drinking game out of it and take a shot every time Wes says the word 'relevant'," he chuckled and Kurt made a sound deep in his throat that might have been a giggle had it not been for the way his body was too tight, coiled and tense against him. But his voice seemed to be doing the trick since the nails digging into his pecs were now gone and replaced by Kurt's palm, relaxed and warm on his skin.

"I think Wes is right but I don't wanna admit it because it'll make him even more obnoxious. We can't have that, honestly," he joked and it kept going like that. His voice steady and soft in the silence of the room and with every sentence a part of Kurt unwound. His lips fell flat against his neck, his back stopped arching desperately towards him, his legs untangled from his own. He was coming back and Blaine could feel him.

"You are so good to me. So perfect my lovely boy. I'm so proud of you Kurt you have no idea. That's it. Just let it roll off," he cheered him on as he calmed more and more and finally came down, soft and pliant in his arms, face still buried deep in Blaine's shoulder but there were soft kisses there now and Blaine could swear he felt a tiny hint of a smile against his skin.

Finally after a few more minutes Kurt pealed his face from his neck, pushed the cover back to reveal the day again and looked up, flushed and a little shy.

"Hi," he said cutely and Blaine arched his neck down to peck his nose.

"Hey you. Feeling better?" he asked and Kurt looked away, a blush sitting high on his cheeks.

"Yes. Sorry about that," he said bashfully and Blaine tipped his head back up with a finger under his chin.

"No. You never apologize for something like this. Kurt… what you did last night was… it was beyond amazing. It took so much strength and will and you made it. Against your own instincts you got us both out of a potentially bad place, so I'm proud of you colouring out. And I know it must have taken a lot outta you so you take all the time you need," Blaine said and Kurt tilted his head.

"Is that why… I was… like this just now?" he asked and his Dom nodded.

"My best guess is that your body realized I was okay and allowed you to seek out what you needed from me last night. I was in no state to provide it at the time though so it was like a delayed reaction. I'm sorry too," he said sadly and Kurt shook his head.

"If I don't get to apologize neither do you. Don't you see?" he asked, a smile on his face and Blaine watched him in confusion.

"See what?"

"You and me. We really are perfect. We take care of each other and we balance each other out. You needed me last night and I was there for you so that you could do the same for me now. We work, sir," he said and Blaine returned his smile gently but it didn't reach his eyes and Kurt knew… he knew he was still beating himself up over what happened.

"Kurt… about last night-" he started but a cool finger sealed his lips and Kurt shook his head.

"No… what happened last night was not bad, or unwanted, or in any way hurtful for me, sir… I need you to know that. I stopped us because I want to do it… have sex, on our Presenting night. That is the single reason. I wasn't hurt and I wasn't afraid of you and I…" he trailed off a shy blush on his skin.

"You what, baby?" Blaine asked, the knot in his chest loosening as Kurt confirmed everything he had said last night. In his most submissive state he still sought him out, curled next to him and trusted him to protect him. He trusted him with everything he was and Blaine loved him for it even more.

"I… I want you." He blushed harder and Blaine smirked at him teasingly.

"You do? I didn't notice," he joked and laughed when Kurt smacked him on the chest.

"Shut up, sir," he sassed and Blaine smiled to see him coming back into himself. There were still some things to clear up though.

"About the sleeping situation…"

"I hated when you weren't here. It made it worse," Kurt admitted immediately.

Blaine nodded his agreement and traced his thumb over Kurt's ear idly. "Maybe what worked for my parents just doesn't work for us, lovely."

Kurt hummed his agreement, but twisted his mouth worriedly. "But what can we do instead, sir?"

"We're mostly fine during the day… we could take sleeping pills at night? I'm sure there's something we could research to help. We can't be the only couple with this problem," Blaine thought out loud.

"Jared seems to think we're more Dominant and submissive than most any couple though. What works for them might not work for us," Kurt pointed out.

"Don't stress, lovely. We'll figure it out," Blaine reassured.

"Yes, sir," Kurt murmured, trusting in him completely and Blaine was about to kiss him senseless when a knock came from the door.

"Kurt… Kurt your dad is here and he wants to see you," Jared called softly and Kurt frowned. He didn't remember his dad mentioning a visit today. And as much as he loved to see his dad the prospect of parting from Blaine so soon after his submissive episode this morning didn't sit well in his chest at all.

Blaine seemed to sense his hesitation and sat them up so he could kiss him on the lips properly. It was chaste and closed mouthed but it still took Kurt's breath away. Strong hands skimmed down his arms soothingly as he pulled back.

"I'm going to be in the house the whole time," he reassured and Kurt nodded, licking his lips anxiously.

"O-okay, I'll be right down," he called back a little shaky, but resolve firming. He'd like to see his dad, he didn't get to enough these days.

"Why don't you just go down and see him while I grab a shower so you can have the bathroom to yourself for hours after," Blaine offered, teasing about how Kurt always whined when Blaine asked him to hurry up with getting ready.

"Fine… but don't think you're off the hook for the teasing earlier just because my dad is here," he mock threatened, pushing aside his jumpy sub instincts as he pulled his pajamas on and tied his robe around his body, rushing through his bathroom routine in a record time for him.

"Come down when you're ready?" He pecked Blaine's lips on the way out of the door and was out the room before he heard his Dom's response.

He found his dad in the living room, sipping coffee and flipping through the morning newspaper.

"Morning, old man," he greeted and laughed when Burt fixed him with an offended glare.

"Keep it up and the first thing I do when I become Head is outlaw Black Fridays," Burt deadpanned and Kurt covered his heart with his hand dramatically.

"You wouldn't dare."

Burt lifted an eyebrow. "Try me, son."

He delivered the cheesy line with all the finesse of an action movie hero and Kurt couldn't keep a straight face anymore. He burst out laughing and as he went to throw himself in his arms something in his body recoiled and he stopped midway, giving the man an awkward pat on the back before jumping away quickly.

He frowned at the weird sensation and looked to his dad, tilting his head when he found him chuckling.

"Dad?" he asked in confusion and Burt smiled.

"It's the bonding, Kurt. You won't feel comfortable being touched by other Doms. Not even your old man," Burt said simply and Kurt remembered that fact.

"Oh… right. Forgot that for a second. So… what brings you here?" he asked sitting across his dad.

"I have some stuff to go over with Dana in the office. I just stopped by on my way there to… um… well to give you something," he said a little awkwardly and Kurt noticed a small brown bag sitting on the couch next to him.

"Dad… you know gifts are not necessary for the Presenting. You didn't have to get me anything," he said and Burt shook his head.

"I know and I didn't actually spend money on this… well I did but not now… I mean… why don't you just take a look at it?" he said handing the bag and Kurt took it, peeking inside and finding a dark wooden box with a simple cooper lock.

He pulled the box out and set it on his lap, glancing at his dad in question.

"Open it," Burt gestured and Kurt flipped the lid open, gasping at the sight of two cuffs sitting on a small cushion. Kurt picked up the smaller one and turned it around, eyes misting with tears as he realized what he was holding.

"Dad…" he sobbed and Burt ached to hug him but he knew his touch wouldn't really be a comfort for Kurt.

"Do you like them?" he asked and Kurt nodded, numbly turning them between his fingers.

They were soft and worn, made out of buttery brown leather. One smaller than the other but both equally beautiful in their simplicity. Each had a small coopery hoop with a charm hanging off it. The smaller one had a small B on it and the bigger one was decorated with an elegant E.

They were his parent's cuffs.

"I… I love them. I didn't know you had them," he said, hooking the smaller one around his wrist and loving the way it felt against his skin. The B settled close to his pulse point and the placement of it felt so intimate to Kurt.

"Cuffs are not common. They're outdated mostly. But… for us lower class, they are the only way of showing that you… well that you belong. That you're committed." Kurt nodded understandingly. "Eli made them for us. We saved to get the material and the charms for so long but she wanted to make them herself. We wore them all the time," he said looking at Kurt's wrist sadly.

"Why… why are you giving them to me? Don't you want to keep them?" he asked and Burt shook his head with a small smile.

"I want you to have them. To remind you that… even without the Presenting Ceremony, the bond can be real. I know the gossip columns get to you and that you think this will change things but what you and Blaine have is already real, Kurt. You're already bonded. Just like your mom and I were," he said and Kurt forced his instincts down to hug his dad tightly finally. It wasn't as comforting as it usually was but this meant the world to him and he wanted to show him that.

"Thank you, dad," he sniffled into his shoulder and Burt nodded, patting his back.

"You're welcome, buddy. I have to go now or I'll be late but we'll see you for lunch, okay?" he stood up and Kurt nodded, still running his thumb over the soft leather of his mom's cuff.

He couldn't believe he hadn't known about them. How had he never seen them on his parent's wrists? Then again he was only a child when his mom died. Maybe he just forgot about ever seeing them. And his dad never really liked talking about her too much. He tried, for Kurt, but it was always so difficult for him that eventually Kurt stopped asking and just waited for his dad to feel ready to share stories of her.

But this… this was the ultimate gift for Kurt. Solid evidence of the love his parent's shared other than himself of course. The kind of love he wanted for himself… and the kind he had found with Blaine.

If only…

"Lovely?" his Dom spoke from the doorway and he lifted tear stained cheeks towards him, making Blaine frown immediately and rush to him, hugging him to his chest.

"What happened? Is your dad okay?" he asked and Kurt nodded.

"Yeah. He's okay. He… he actually stopped by to give me these. As a gift," he revealed quietly and Blaine nodded towards the cuff still in the box, asking for permission to see it.

Kurt allowed and Blaine lifted the leather into his hand, realizing what he was holding after only a second.

"Your mom and dad's?" he asked gently and Kurt nodded, thumbing the remaining tears away.

"Yeah. I… I don't even remember them wearing the cuffs. Dad says that they were a way for the lower class to show their bond. My… my mom made them," he said tracing the B with his fingers.

Blaine watched him, lost in thought as he caressed the soft leather and he could see how much they meant to him. They were a part of his mom and it was such a precious gift to receive this close to his own bonding.

He watched as Kurt caressed the dangling letter and his breath caught in his throat.

B for Burt.

Or…

Or Blaine.

"Lovely?" he called and Kurt looked up to him in question.

"How would you feel about… about this?" he asked, cuffing the leather around his own wrist and aligning it with the one Kurt still had on his. He saw the blue eyes widening as he realized what his Dom was saying.

"Sir… you… you want to..?" he tried but his words got trapped in his throat as a fresh wave of tears made its way down his pale cheeks.

"I want us to wear them, yes. You already have a B on yours and we can hook the E next to it so you have a part of your mom with you all the time. And we can have the K made for mine," he suggested, not really knowing what Kurt thought about it.

The sub watched his Dom in awe, disbelief etching itself into his words as he tried to speak up. "But sir… they are so humble and not really expensive… why would you…?" he tried to explain his fear of Blaine being mocked for wearing something so common and cheap but his Dom cut him off.

"They represent the love of two people who gave me the best gift of my life. You. They are humble. But to me, they are priceless and I would be honored to wear this on my wrist for the rest of my life," Blaine said with fierce conviction and Kurt couldn't hold it in anymore. He threw himself in his arms and wrapped his own around his neck, kissing every inch of his Dom that he could reach.

Kisses rained on his forehead, temple, cheeks, nose, ears, neck and finally lips as Kurt smiled through his tears and whispered a litany of, "I love you's," into his mouth.

"I love you too, lovely. So much," Blaine answered unhooking Kurt's cuffed hand from around his neck and lining them together, the leather slotting perfectly and the letters shining lightly against the morning sun.

"Perfect," he said and Kurt nodded, kissing him once again.

"Us," Kurt agreed.

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Presenting Ceremony

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He was happy. Unbelievably, incredibly, unexpectedly happy.

It was a feeling Jeff had long forgotten and had long lost the hope of ever finding again. But he was here now. Living with his new Dom, an amazing, caring, loving, gentle man who showed him what it meant to truly submit to someone every day. The feeling of serenity and calm finally filtering back in, like his own skin fit him again.

Currently he was getting ready to attend his best friend's Presenting Ceremony and the idea of it, of that many Doms concentrated in one place, that many people who knew his 'story', didn't affect him as much as it once would have. He would be there to support his best friend, the first person he had let in after Kevin, whom had picked him up and put him back together enough for Nick to find him and finish the job.

He was truly happy for Kurt. And with all the planning the blue eyed diva had put into organizing the ceremony Jeff was sure it was going to be the classiest, most tasteful presenting ever. Helping Kurt put the finishing touches on the plans for the next step in his bonding made Jeff think about his own life and his own bond. It was only natural to be curious, to drift into a daydream of what it could be like right? And it had made him realize that going forward was what both him and Nick deserved.

He was the one holding back. He was the one afraid to broach the Gift subject and ask for something to seal the next step. He was afraid. And as much as he had settled next to Nick seamlessly, as safe as he felt in his arms at night, there was still something deep inside of him that made him hide behind his walls and hold that small part of himself away from Nick… just in case.

But seeing Kurt move forward, as afraid as he too had been for a while made him want to be brave… for himself, for his family… but most of all… for Nick. So he had decided that tonight, before they went to Kurt's ceremony, he would talk to Nick about his Gift. He had no idea what to ask for. He didn't want to ask for too much and offend his Dom by being greedy… but he also didn't want to ask for too little and not satisfy the Bonding step requirement.

Nick would know. Just like always, he could lean on Nick.

With that thought in mind he crossed the narrow hallway of Nick's parent's house from their room to Nick's study and knocked gently. They had been staying with Nick's parents for a few days; both for Nick who wanted access to his private library as he tried to finish a huge project in time and his parents who wanted to get to know Jeff a bit better and wouldn't back off until they got their way.

Jeff found he didn't mind. He loved the people to death and he couldn't be more grateful to them for raising a son and a Dom like Nick.

He waited for a mere moment after his knock to hear Nick's soft voice calling out for him to come in and he gently slipped inside the cozy, beige walls and brown leather room. His Dom was sitting in a brown leather swivel chair, facing the door and smiled at him as he entered; that warm, loving, sunshiny smile of his that made Jeff melt.

"Hi, sir. Are you busy?" Jeff asked quietly and Nick shook his head.

"Not at all, angel. I was just about to call it a day and come find you," Nick answered, piling his papers in a messy binder and chuckling at Jeff's scowl. The blonde just loved organizing Nick's stuff, which was part of the reason he always left them slightly disheveled. And in no time he heard a soft, annoyed huff and footsteps before slender fingers pried his papers away from his own.

"I have no idea how you manage to find anything… ever…" he said and then his eyes widened when he realized how rude and outspoken he had sounded. He turned his head up towards Nick and hastily tacked a sharp, panicked, "Sir," at the end of his sentence.

Nick just did what he learned worked best for the two of them; he smiled and shrugged up at his frozen sub.

"To be honest I have no idea how I managed anything until you came along. Seriously… I wouldn't know where my head was without you," he said sweetly and Jeff's shoulders dropped in relief without them having to make a big deal out of his short panic modes.

Jeff smiled back at him and continued stacking the papers neatly as he gathered up the courage to talk to Nick about his Gift. He was needlessly straightening the edges for the fifth time when he decided to just come out with it.

"Sir… I… I came here because um… I wanted to talk to you…about something…" He twined his fingers as he leaned against the desk with his head hanging a little on his shoulders, making the Dom tilt his head up and under further to be able to look at him.

"Sure, baby. Anything," Nick said, making sure his voice was laced with a little bit of command to reassure him. He had found a little went a heck of a long way with his angel and he always made sure not to pile it on too hard unless he really needed it.

Jeff took a steadying breath before looking up into his eyes, drawing strength from the love he found there. "It's about… um… well… y-you know how Kurt and Blaine are moving f-forward tonight? Another step in their bonding?" he started shakily.

"Yeah I know," he said gently, not exactly sure where his boy was going with it but willing to be patient and wait it out.

Jeff nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat forcefully.

"I just… it… it got me thinking and I… I realized that I… I was holding us back," he said and Nick gasped in surprise jumping in to reassure him.

"Jeff, no," he tried, reaching over to put his hand on Jeff's but the blonde held his hands up in a silent plead to let him continue.

"Please, sir just… just let me say what I have to say… I have it all figured out and I'll lose my guts to say it if you stop me," he smiled a bit sadly, finally letting his Dom get a grip on his hand. Nick brought it to his lips, kissing the pale skin on the back of his palm, nodding and encouraging him.

"Go on, angel," he said softly and Jeff took another steadying breath before starting, words falling over one another and sounding rushed and jumbled but Nick knew it was the only way Jeff would ever say them.

"I was so scared when you claimed me. I thought there was no way you could be all that you seemed to be. There was no way you could be that kind and caring and protective. And I had no idea that a Dom could use his strength and not be hurtful. I… I still am... scared that is. But lately…"

He shook his head and Nick squeezed his hand to let him know he was still here.

"Lately you calm me down in a second, and I… I wake up next to you h-happy and I feel safe and I want to make you see that you do that for me. You make me feel like I'm not messing up everything I do and it means so much, you have to know how much, because for the longest time everything was my fault and I just… I don't feel like that with you… ever… and I like that. I like being with you… and I… I want to show you that I want to stay with you… stay yours… for as long as I can," he ranted himself breathless.

"Jeff," Nick whispered in awe but the sub couldn't stop now.

"I want to ask for my Gift… I want to move forward…" he finished, wavering and closed his eyes against the shocked expression on his Dom's face.

He knew Nick wasn't expecting it. He was always soft spoken and timid and the tide of words that he had just said probably went beyond whatever Nick expected him to say but he didn't care. He just wanted to stay… to belong.

The silence around them stretched thick and suffocating and all the strength Jeff managed to cumulate in his joints just seeped from his body as he listened to his heartbeat drum out the seconds passing with no reaction from the Dom.

Had he messed up again? Was he wrong again?

"N-Nick… please, sir, say something… am I wrong..?" he pleaded, voice broken and small. The fear in it snapped Nick's heart near in half. He surged up from his chair and came around the desk to wrap his arms around that trembling body he loved more than life.

"NO… no, Jeff, angel… I… I am so incredibly happy right now I can't even begin to explain. Just… ask anything you want. It's yours," Nick said as he peppered his face with tiny kisses, gentle as raindrops on his skin.

Jeff hid his face in his neck, inhaling his scent and letting it wash over him, calming his frayed nerves with an incredible ease.

He was safe. Always safe with Nick.

"I…I don't know what to ask, sir. I'm…I'm afraid I'll ask for t-too much… stuff that I have no r-right to ask-" he stammered and Nick took his shaking head between his broad palms gently, making their eyes meet.

"You are entitled to the world, baby. Anything you want," he said again and Jeff stared pleadingly at him, brown eyes begging him to help him think of something.

"I just don't know… you. Sir, you're everything I could have asked for. I… I just can't think of anything," he said and Nick kissed his red bitten lips gently, smiling into it.

He pulled back. "Well… I have a suggestion actually but I don't want you to think you have to accept it. It's just an idea," Nick said slowly and Jeff looked at him, head tilted cutely and eyes curious and awed. Awed because once again, he was proven that Nick truly wanted him to stay with him. He truly wanted to move towards sealing their bond and even after everything, all the soul-searching and self-revelations he just had a hard time wrapping his head around that.

"You… you've thought about t-this?" he whispered and Nick smiled as he looked at him lovingly, warming the deepest, coldest corners of his existence with just that one stretch of his lips.

"You staying with me for as long as I'm alive is the only thing I've thought of since the moment I first saw you. Jeff, darling, I know you're still having a hard time realizing this but you… Jeff you made my life complete, you made me complete and I can't think of another person who could ever make me feel the way you do," Nick said, brushing Jeff's hair from his forehead to look into his eyes unobstructed by golden strands. They were glassy with unshed tears but Nick wasn't worried, not this time.

This time he knew Jeff was happy and that he wanted to stay with him.

Jeff curled himself into his side and Nick felt his body tighten minutely as he braced himself to place a barely there kiss onto the skin of Nick's neck. He was still so closed off when it came to anything physical, so careful, so wary. Nick could see the desire in his eyes sometimes but it took coaxing him and encouraging him and praising him to get him to make the first move. He would tense and shift closer to Nick so slowly, shoulders hunched and head bowed down as if he was waiting to be pushed away, told he wasn't wanted. And every time Nick would return the embrace, every time he would return the kiss, he would let out a relieved sigh and melt into his arms.

Nick knew he was scared to want, to show that he wanted him but he was doing so well and right now, when those honey flavored lips pecked his neck and trailed upwards to claim the tiniest of kisses from his lips he knew they could overcome anything together.

"So… do you want to go check out what I thought could be your Gift?" Nick asked and Jeff jumped with a beaming smile on his blushing face.

"Right now?" he squeaked and Nick giggled at how cute he was, bouncing on his toes and looking a step away from clapping his hands excitedly. It was perfect. His body language loose and opened, the complete opposite from the anxious squirming he did a few moments ago.

Nick calmed him. And he loved it.

"Yes, angel. Right this moment," he answered and Jeff practically dashed towards the door, hand already gripping the knob when he froze and turned around, eyes wide and guilty.

"Kurt's Presenting Ceremony. I… I don't want to be late," he said and Nick reached him, twining their fingers as he pulled him down the stairs, stopping barely to grab a couple of jackets before he was tugging them out the door towards his car.

"Sweetie, its noon. We have about three hours before we have to be there. I will get you there on time," Nick teased as he mock pushed the blonde into the passenger seat and rounded the car to hop in as well. He started the engine and pulled out of his driveway going south. They drove for a little while, Jeff recognizing most of it from the time he used to live in Westerville with his parents. Nick turned off at the expensive dry cleaners that was opposite the park and proceeded up a small hill Jeff knew held the newly built apartment complexes that were still waiting for the Westerville elite to be sold to.

They were short buildings, only a few stories high; light beige with dark red, almost purple rooftops and round windows on the attic floor that looked like boat cabins, adding something interesting and unique to the look of them.

Jeff had liked them since they started building them a few months back, admiring the speed in which they seemed to sprout out of the recently empty ground. He was wondering who would get to live there, who would get to stare through those round windows at the posh town below and sip coffee before greeting another day with a smile and a kiss from a loved one.

He was so deep in thought he didn't even realize Nick had pulled in front of one building that was a bit higher up on the hill than the rest of them. It was surrounded with tall trees, branches now bare and dry but come full spring, Jeff new they would create a wonderful shade and cast inspiring patterns on the walls of the building they were shielding.

He loved the place.

He just didn't really know what they were doing there.

"Sir…um… why are we here?" he asked as they got out of the car and reached the entrance of the building.

"Well… I kind of want to show you first and then explain okay?" Nick asked over his shoulder, at Jeff's nod he punched in the entrance code to open the door.

He led the blonde inside and Jeff saw it was a lobby area, every wall and floor flawless in white and beige. Nick didn't stop moving so Jeff barely had time to take in the entryway before he was face with a pair of elevator doors. Nick smacked the button to call it and Jeff peered over his shoulder to locate the staircase against the furthest left wall. The doors slid open and they stepped in and pressed the button to the top floor. It rumbled into life and Jeff felt the small somersault in his belly and he wasn't sure if it was because of the elevator's jump or the fact that he was seconds away from finding out what his Gift might be. He gripped Nick's hand tighter and his breath caught when the silver door opened to the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his life.

The clear, empty, completely open space took his breath away. The floors were light brown and wooden, matching the ceiling beams perfectly. It was just waiting for someone to come in and give real life to it and Jeff tried to push away the desire for him and Nick to be the ones to do that. The side walls were an off white color, bare and empty but Jeff could see the potential there, the amazing things that could decorate them; family portraits, photos from trips and so, so much more.

The wall opposite him however was what made his head spin.

A dark red color, intercepted only with a beautiful round window that showed the clear sky and the tips of branches from outside. The soft beams of light shimmered on the floor and Jeff wished for his paper and charcoal so he could paint that beautiful space and Nick in it. Smiling and looking happy and a little bit proud of himself for some reason.

"Do you like it?" he asked and Jeff stared at him in wonder.

"Yes… I… it's beautiful. But what are we doing here?" he asked, slinking towards Nick and cuddling into him, uncertainty making him feel cold.

"Okay, um… here's the thing," Nick began rubbing his hand over the back of his neck sheepishly. "I… a few months back I came here to look at an apartment. And I wanted to buy one. For us. If you ever accepted me," Nick said and Jeff gasped staring at him wide eyed and awed.

"Wait… you…you bought this…for us? This is our apartment?" he asked and Nick barked out an amused laugh.

"Well, not exactly. There's not exactly plumbing up here is there. See the stairs there?" he asked pointing to the corner to Jeff's right were, indeed, stood an end of a spiral staircase in dark brown wood, polished and shiny.

"Y-yeah." Well he saw them now. He had completely missed them before.

"The apartment is down there, if we decide to keep it that is. I'll show you around in a moment, but let me just tell you this, even if you don't like this apartment… I want us to live together somewhere that isn't at school. I want us to find a place of our own," Nick said sincerely and Jeff felt his eyes water as he stared at the beauty that was his Dom.

How did he end up being so lucky when his life was so miserable? How did everything turn so right when he was sure he was destined to be alone and scared forever? He didn't know but he was so, so happy that it did.

"I… I want us to live together too. And I know I'll love the apartment. I knew you'd know what my Gift could be. I knew you'd know," Jeff said quietly wrapping his arms around Nick's neck, careful of his mark, and gluing himself to his side.

Nick held him close and rumbled a soft laugh.

"The apartment is not a Gift for you, Jeff. We'll both live in it. We'll both use it," Nick said and Jeff tilted his head in question.

"Oh… but then… wha-?" he tried to ask and Nick untangled them, took his shoulders and turned him to look at the attic room again.

"This room…I um…I thought this could be your art studio. We could put easels, shelves to hold paints and canvases. We could frame your art on the walls and stuff… um… you can decorate it however you like. I just thought-" Nick rambled and then stopped when he saw Jeff's expression. "Baby…we can think of something else… I just thought that you'd li-"

"NO!" Jeff gasped and Nick almost jumped in surprise at his tone.

"Angel?" he asked and Jeff shook his head urgently, fighting to get the words out.

"No I don't want anything else. Nick… sir… this… god this is the most beautiful place in the world," he said awed and Nick broke into the biggest smile ever.

"You like it?" he asked and Jeff launched himself in his arms, face hiding in his neck and arms tightening around him as he nodded.

"I adore it. I love it so much. We… we get to live here… together… and… and I get to paint here… and I… I get to stay with you..." he exhaled the last part and looked up, his entire face illuminated with happiness and awe and gratitude. "I get to stay with you," he repeated as if that was the first time it had really sunk in. Like it was the first time it made sense to him.

Like it was the first time he knew for sure… he was Nick's irrevocably.

"I love you," Nick said in answer and Jeff felt the fire burn in the pit of his stomach.

His breath caught, heavy and burning and his fingers closed into his fist, the desire to touch and taste making him mad. He had never felt that way, he never knew he could, he never thought he was allowed to.

But he was, wasn't he?

He was allowed to want, to feel, to touch. He was allowed to take if he wanted to.

He wrapped his arms around Nick's neck again and with a final questioning glance he pushed his lips against his Dom's, gasping at the warmth. He shivered when Nick circled his waist with his strong hands and pulled him in, their bodies flush together from head to the tips of their toes.

Nick's broad palm spread on his lower back and he moaned softly when tips of his fingers grazed the swell of his ass. Tongues met in the middle and the heat rose, thick and sticky, beads of sweat breaking their skin and Jeff's body felt on fire as Nick pushed him softly until he was pressed against the wall.

The weight of his Dom's body made his head spin and he gasped for desperately needed air, threading his fingers into Nick's hair pulling gently when those sinful lips cascaded kissed down his jaw and neck as he panted.

"Sir..." he breathed and Nick's hands tightened on him in response.

"My beautiful angel… god I love you like this… I missed you like this," he groaned and Jeff closed his eyes at the sound of praise that loosened his insides and made him pull at Nick's hair harder.

His Dom ground his hips against his own and Jeff knew… he knew he could feel him, hard and wanting against his thigh. He tensed for a single second before Nick's voice stopped his inner battle.

"My gorgeous boy. So hard for me. Let me hear you, baby," he whispered and his hand slid down, cupping his ass and squeezing, pulling his aching cock to grind against his own, his lips never leaving the pale skin of his neck.

Jeff moaned, so much louder this time because feeling Nick's palms on his ass had felt like nothing ever had before and he just couldn't keep it in anymore. Pleasure rippled through him and a small part of his mind was screaming. Told him to shut down, to get away, to rein his desire in and make sure Nick was satisfied like he was supposed to. But his body responded to what Nick was doing and he knew he couldn't stop anymore. He didn't want to stop. If there were consequences to be suffered he'd suffer them later. But now… now he just wanted to feel.

Nick's lips on his collarbones. Nick's hands on his ass, his thighs. Nick's chest against his own. Nick's warmth enveloping him and swallowing him whole. Nick's hips swaying with his in tandem. And Nick's voice, in his ear, praising, encouraging, loving…

…and then another voice.

"Well boys. Does this mean you're taking the apartment?" They jumped away from each other as if scalded; Nick smug and chuckling and Jeff hiding behind him, red as a tomato and willing the ground to swallow him whole.

A tall, dark haired man, dressed in a smart suit and sporting the biggest, smuggest smirk in the world winked at them in greeting.

"Oh... hey, Grant. Jeff, baby this is the real estate agent I've been talking to about this place," he introduced easy as you go as if he wasn't still sporting a semi and Jeff just whispered a short, "Hi," as his cheeks burned at being caught debauched like that.

But the other man seemed completely unconcerned by what he saw.

"Nice to meet the man Nick talks about so much. But to the point… taking it or not, Duval? I have people waiting to look at this place," he said and Nick hugged Jeff and pulled him close.

"As a matter of fact we are. Right, baby?" Nick turned to Jeff and the blonde just nodded, mortified, making the other two chuckle as the other whipped out the contract and signed it all in record time.

Before Jeff could even comprehend what happened he had a new place with Nick… his Dom.

They had a home.

---

The day of his son's Presenting Ceremony found Burt at the doors of the Westerville Hotel on meet and greet duty.

It wasn't a task that had been asked of him or expected. In fact, he received many odd looks for his conduct when there was a perfectly good army of employees milling around, as well as frantic valets who were hired to do the exact same thing. Burt liked feeling useful however. What was he gonna do inside after all? Sip champagne and look pretty? He snorted at the very thought.

He'd arrived early himself with Carole, wanting to make sure Kurt was alright and settled because he knew his son and he was bound to be shaking out of his skin. He found him exactly like that and had done his best to try and put him at ease though it was a difficult task. But now the guests were timed to arrive and he was seeing them in with handshakes and smiles while Carole stayed up in the room with his anxious son as Jared switched back and forth between both Blaine and Kurt.

Some guests he knew. Some he didn't and it was the latter, smaller group that were grating on his good mood. He persevered though and grinned and bore it, after all, this was what politics was all about right? He should get used to playing this game.

"Burt!" Dana called out to him as he fidgeted in his suit for the billionth time; felling stuffed and uncomfortable and itchy. He was lucky it was spring and the weather was clear and breezy today, otherwise he could have been melting too. Thank god for small mercies.

He turned towards the source of the voice and smiled when he saw the petite Dom, looking fierce in her stunning burgundy gown, coming up the steps while a steady stream of cars and people flowed behind her. She was dragging a tall, curly haired man behind her that made Burt cock an eyebrow in interest feeling a faint stirring of recognition he couldn't place. She had had a few things to sort out for the big day so couldn't come early, but Jared had accompanied Kurt here earlier this afternoon. Maybe this person was what she had to sort out?

"Hello, Dana. You look wonderful this evening," he greeted warmly. Both her and her family had become good friends to him and he couldn't be happier about the fact that his son was now a part of it, joining their families together.

"Why you old charmer you. Don't let that wonderful sub of yours hear," Dana teased, a sparkle in her eyes and Burt huffed out an amused laugh, admiring Jared for having the guts to approach the ball of life and endless energy that was Dana Anderson. She truly was a handful.

"I wouldn't worry about that, Carole's not the jealous type. She knows she's the one for me," he grinned.

The gentleness in this rough looking man's voice was so genuine and soft that it made Dana smile warm and happy.

"Where is Carole? I swear to god if I don't have a conversation with a decent female person in the next five minutes I will murder someone. And blood does not come out of silk," she said and Burt laughed, full bellied and loud, attracting looks of disdain and disapproval from those who held themselves too classy for such displays of emotion.

"I believe she's trying to save the buffet from Finn and April, his Dom," he said and Dana looked around with interest.

"Oh Finn is here? Delightful. I can't wait to meet him," she said clapping her hands happily and Burt nodded.

"Got here about ten minutes ago and the snack table was put out not too long before that so you'll probably have to wait until all the food is gone and he is forced to find other forms of entertainment I'm afraid," Burt joked and Dana laughed just as freely as he did a few moments ago, proving once again that she was real and free of the confines of what society wanted her to be.

"It's a 'light buffet'," she teased and wrinkled her nose up in humour because they both knew better. It was basically fancy finger food. "And I am a patient woman, I can wait. In the meantime let me introduce you to Cooper. My eldest son." She tugged the hand of the man who stood behind her, looking carefree and happy as he threw winks and shook hands left and right as people still streamed into the entrance, being directed by the staff now Burt had given up his position. They actually looked relieved, less like lost sheep.

At the mention of his name Cooper turned around, a blinding smile radiating from his face and his eyes twinkling with mischief. He was Dana's son, alright.

"Cooper Anderson. Pleasure to meet you." And it suddenly hit Burt. He was some kind of newfangled movie star right? He extended his hand and Burt took it, his grasp firm and determined. Not only a celebrity but another powerful Dom in the family. Poor Jared.

"Burt Hummel. Nice to meet you too, son. I've heard a lot about you," he said, returning the grasp and smiling at the man in front of him.

"I'm not even gonna ask what you've heard because it might hurt my feelings," he said teasingly and Burt chuckled. He liked the man already. He seemed like a fun, easygoing person despite the fact that he was clearly in the spotlight, evidenced further by the woman who came up to him and asked for his autograph.

"I'm sure your massive ego will protect your feelings you twat," a voice came from behind them and Burt turned to find Nick sticking his tongue at Cooper as Jeff hid behind his shoulder shyly. They definitely scrubbed up well and together they made a handsome picture.

"Nicholas Duval. I have to say I was hoping to avoid you tonight. It's just not my lucky day," Cooper said loudly and the woman scurried off looking a little put out he wasn't paying her anymore attention but happy with her prize. Burt got confused for a moment, not sure if they were joking or if a fight was about to break out. Dana's amused smirk made him feel a bit better but the look on Jeff's face made it clear that he didn't notice that detail. He slid next to the boy and clasped his shoulder gently, feeling him relax minutely as he watched the weird exchange.

"Your day got lucky the moment you saw my gorgeous face, Cooper. You're not fooling anyone," Nick said and there was a moment of silence before Cooper jumped and scooped Nick up in a bear hug of epic proportions, lifting him off the ground and giving him a small twirl.

"Did I miss something?" a female voice interrupted this time as a tall, blonde woman showed up next to Dana, head quirked to the side and a teasing smile gracing her pretty face. She wore a champagne coloured, lacy dress that did wonders for her olive complexion and warm green eyes.

Dana twined her hand through hers and shook her head.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this, darling. But now you can go and find yourself a normal Dom," Dana replied dead serious and the girl nodded.

"Can I hit him on the head first?" she asked, the posh sounding, British accent making the statement a lot funnier than it actually was because of how formal and classy it sounded wrapped around such a blatant threat.

"Oh I insist that you do," Dana replied as Nick and Cooper finished their enthusiastic greeting and turned back towards their half stunned, half amused audience.

"An explanation would be nice," Burt huffed and Dana threw her head back as she laughed at the scene in front of her.

"Absolutely. I think it's time for some introductions. Burt this gorgeous creature is my son's sub, Alexandra. Alex, darling, this is Burt Hummel, Kurt's father," Dana introduced them and Burt took the girls hand in a gentle squeeze as she smiled politely, a picture of grace and sophistication.

"It's absolutely lovely to meet you, Mr. Hummel. From what I have heard of Kurt and your family you are truly a Dom to look up to," she said and the older man blushed at the compliment. He was nothing special. Just a man trying to do things right by his family. He told her as much and she shook her head.

"It takes a great Dom to raise a sub the way you did Kurt from what I hear. Trust me, I would know," she said and there was more to her statement that met the eye but Burt figured it wasn't his place to pry so he just smiled and nodded.

"Thank you. And please, call me Burt," he insisted and she inclined her head gracefully.

"I will do so. Now, who is the man who cost me my Dom?" she asked as she turned to Nick who had the audacity to wink at her and throw an arm around Cooper, stretching onto his toes to do so because of their height difference.

"Nicholas Duval. The long-term joy of Cooper Anderson's life," he said puffing his chest proudly.

"I see. It is peculiar how I've never heard of you before now," she said and Nick clutched at his chest in mock betrayal.

"Cooper, how could you? I thought what we had was special," he cried in outrage, releasing his hold on the older man and slinking back to Jeff, wrapping himself around the blond like an octopus.

"Comfort me, angel. I think my heart was just broken," he wailed and Jeff stared at him not quite sure if he should laugh but feeling the need to all the same. The events of the day had made him loose and happy however so he naturally felt a chuckle slip through his lips gently and wrapped his arms around Nick's neck.

"You still have me, sir," he said timidly, not sure how his joke would be received but Nick beamed and stuck his tongue out at Cooper.

"Ha! I win," he declared and Cooper laughed as his attention turned to Jeff.

"So you're Nick's Jeff?" he asked and Burt watched as the blondes face paled and he shrunk back into himself, nodding and looking everywhere but at Cooper. The older Dom was ready to protect Jeff from Cooper if he needed to but Blaine's older brother seemed like a kind man despite his huge personality.

"Yes," he confirmed shyly, still not meeting his eyes.

"Blaine's been telling me you've got our Nick tied into knots. Good for you. He needed a sub to take him in hand," Cooper said easily, not caring that his sentence was completely backwards. It snapped Jeff's eyes up to his in surprise however.

Him take Nick in hand?

Nick saved him from answering when he laughed and pecked Jeff's blushing cheek. "He's got me tied around his pinky finger and I love it, so there."

Jeff felt warmed through with the admission and he hid his pink face in Nick's collar making the people around him coo.

"Has the ceremony been changed to outside and no one informed me? I would have put more hairspray on my hair," Sebastian drawled as he and Dave came up behind the group; the Dom looking smart in a simple black two piece and Sebastian showing his flair for style in a patterned three piece suit. They were joined by the hand, Seb's free one slung in his pocket in a blasé way that was still elegant and Dave's bulky arm was wrapped around a perfectly wrapped present in green and silver.

"Subtle as ever, babe," Dave lightly reprimanded him and Seb huffed but didn't fight it.

"Always lovely to see you, Seb," Nick joked and Sebastian simply cocked an eyebrow that said; Yes it is. I know. "You know that you weren't supposed to bring a present right?"

"I wouldn't advise going there," Dave warned, but too late.

"Well I knew how it felt not to get so much as a card on my Presenting day and I'm sparing Kurt the horror," Sebastian said matter-of-factly. Nick opened his mouth to comment but he was cut off swiftly. "And if you make one joke about already getting the best present of all by bonding to Dave then I will get my lovely gift of a Dom to punch you on the nose."

Cooper burst into guffaws, clearly impressed with Sebastian.

"Seb," Dave reprimanded and the sub screwed up his mouth but did as he was told when his Dom ordered him to, "Play nice."

There was a brief second of silence around the group which Jeff broke awkward and innocently. "Hey, Seb. You look nice."

The sub smiled, going significantly softer around the edges like he tended to do around the likes of the blonde, Thad and Kurt too. "Thank you, you too. Armani right?"

He nodded. "Kurt helped me choose it."

"So are we going to head inside so I don't have to get strange looks for carrying this anymore?" Dave questioned.

"They're just jealous they're not as refined or thoughtful as us, sir," Sebastian waved off airily.

"He makes a good point though. We should really get in there," Dana commented and Burt nodded in agreement.

"I should be seeing you guys in then getting back to greeting the other guests."

"You know they have people to do that?" Cooper commented as Burt waved him off but realized he should probably stop bothering the kind people who were just trying to do their jobs.

"Hurry up, sir. If we miss my Kurt's fine ass getting married to Blaine's fine ass then I will not be a happy sub," Corrine's distinctive voice could be heard next, getting closer.

"Okay. We should definitely go in. It's getting crowded and we're causing a bit of a jam," Alex said and the group nodded, moving towards the wide double doors.

Burt fell into step beside Jeff and Nick. "Jeff, you mind going up and seeing Kurt? He's a little nervous and he'd like to have his best friend there I bet. Same goes for you, kid, with Blaine."

The couple nodded dark and light heads in sync. "Sure thing. Where are they?" Nick asked.

"Kurt's in the penthouse and Blaine's hired out the whole floor below."

Nick snorted. "Possessive much?"

"You talk to me when it's your guys' ceremony," Burt stated candidly and Jeff stuttered a step, face going up in flames while Nick simply looked dazed and immensely pleased all at once for the subject to have been brought up.

The older man hid a smile and shooed them off towards the elevators across the lobby.

"Burt," Dana called from the front of the group. "Don't go back to loitering in the doorway, I've just seen someone I wanted to introduce you to. The staff will be fine seeing the rest of the people in."

Burt huffed and he met the conciliatory look Cooper threw him over his shoulder. There was nothing to do but obey the word of Dana Anderson. And so he ended up making nice in the lobby for quite a while, Dana introducing him to person after person before she excused herself to go upstairs and check on everything and see the rest of her boys.

Jobs taken from him Burt had nothing to do but enter the main room and try and make himself useful in there.

Stepping inside the function room for the first time since they had finishing decorating it to the very specific instructions and standards Kurt had laid down, he could see that Kurt had outdone himself.

It wasn't a surprise to Burt exactly that his son would have come up with something this elaborate without it feeling overpowering, and all despite where he grew up. It was a testament to their political campaign and just the sheer strength of talent that could be found in anyone regardless of their background.

The venue was the same as the stuffy, gaudy one Burt had rushed to all those months ago to comfort his son on the day of The Showing, but today it was transformed. Gone were the tacky crimson carpets that served to stroke the egos of the rich and the mighty. Along with them went the awful flower arrangements and golden spoons and crystal wine glasses. Instead, the room was the picture of class; the kind of class you couldn't buy with all the money in the world. The kind that looked expensive purely because it was so clean and simple and elegant in its subtlety. The kind that the harpies who loved to put his son down would never have and Burt felt the rush of primitive satisfaction at that thought as he inspected the room.

The stage was draped in a backdrop of soft turquoise fabric, which hung from above like a waterfall with real flowers and vines of ivy woven in. Scattered over the floor were the petals of a hundred different flowers, making up a stunning rainbow carpet, the only bare spot the perfect circle in which Blaine and Kurt would stand to give their vows.

The front section of the main floor nearest to the stage was empty completely, leaving room for the gathering of people to stand and bear witness to the union and the back half was made up of tables. No offensively bright and tacky table centerpieces or flower arrangements were in sight, everything was natural with slight twist and perfectly in place. Clear fishbowls sat in the middle of every table, pretty blue and green stones at the bottom and an arrangement of lilies dusted with silver and turquoise glitter on the insides hanging over the edges thanks to Mae's brilliance. Classic silver cutlery was arranged on every table, a cursive B & K scrawled into every set. The napkins were the same turquoise as the drapery's and chair ribbons and they added lovely, bright spots of colour throughout the room making it feel airy and light instead of oppressing.

All the stressing and pulling his hair out seemed to have been worth it in the end and he watched as all the guests that had turned up cooed and appreciated the tasteful display of beauty. It was mostly friends that made up the guest list. Both the Hummel's and Anderson's were low on immediate family, but that was fine. Everyone who meant anything to both Blaine and Kurt were in attendance. Even Blaine's elusive older brother who Burt had the fortune to meet a few minutes earlier.

"Burt Hummel?

Snapped out of his head he turned around to see a tall thin man in an expensive, probably Italian or something, suit. He had salt and pepper hair cut into a classic style that showed his age, few lines around his eyes and mouth that showed he rarely smiled and a champagne glass held in one hand like it was a frequent accessory. He was so obviously old money that Burt was cautious but not impressed. It took a lot more than posturing to gain his respect.

"That's me," he acknowledged and squared his feet. He'd let the man come to him.

He closed the short distance between them with an easy grace and stood before him all elegant lines to his rough edges. They couldn't have been more opposite if they tried.

"Forgive my interruption, I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Richard Decroux," he said smoothly, green eyes dull but confident. He held his hand out to shake and Burt took it strongly. He was showing no weakness here because he could feel this Dom sizing him up.

"Nice to meet you," he returned gruffly though he didn't mean it. There was something about this man, something that screamed self-satisfied and cocky that Burt wanted to wash off of his skin. There was a few of those types here, high society Dom's and subs that Dana was unfortunately obligated to invite to her son's bonding.

"You have no idea who I am do you?" Richard said, almost amused.

Burt raised a brow. He'd learnt from Kurt that scathing little inflection. "Sorry, Dick. Not a clue. "

A faint crease furrowed Richard's brow for a second before he smoothed it out and recomposed. Burt almost smirked in triumph that he had ruffled him at least.

"I would have thought since you were running for Head you would have checked out your competition," the Dom commented, taking an idle sip from his glass.

The shock of what he revealed took a minute to sink in. This man knew he was running? They hadn't even made the announcement yet!

"Yeah well apparently I have people for that so… sorry, bub," he played off nonchalantly and Richard frowned deeper this time at his flippant attitude.

"Quite."

"Anything else? My only son is getting bonded today and I've got things to do," he said pointedly.

"Oh well don't let me keep you from your son. He is a special talent isn't he? I heard he came up with this whole spread himself," Richard commented gesturing to the interior with a lazy, thin finger.

"He knows his way around flowers and fabrics yeah," Burt said neutrally. The Dom was so straight faced that he couldn't even tell if that was an insult masquerading as a compliment or actual praise. He wasn't going to fall into it either way.

Richard nodded. "Well wish him luck for me. And I imagine we'll be seeing each other a lot more from this point onwards."

"Sure thing, Dick."

He watched Richard clench his jaw at the nickname but smile and shake it off. "May the best man win as they say."

And then he was gone, melting into the crowds and Carole was stepping up beside him. "Sir?" He turned his head and smiled down at her, hand automatically rising to rest on her hip. She looked especially lovely tonight, her green dress fitting and flattering all her best angles and bringing out her eyes. "Everything okay?"

He nodded, trying to put the incident out of his mind. Today wasn't the day for any of that crap, this was for Kurt and Blaine and nothing was going to ruin it. "Just meeting the locals. Kurt alright?"

She laughed a tucked a stray strand from her up-do away from her face. "Yes. Just jittery still but Jared's got it covered. He says he misses Blaine and he wants you to go and check on him for him."

"On Blaine?"

"I think he's scared he's going to run away," she chuckled.

Burt rolled his eyes. "He think he's gonna jump out the window or something? My boy is smart but damn is he stupid sometimes."

"It's his hormones, he can't help it. And I'm just relaying the message, sir." Her eyes were sparkling with mirth.

"Fine, but then I'm going to find that son of mine and shake some sense into him," Burt grumbled as he headed off towards the elevator of the hotel.

"Oh and Kurt said to tell you if you scare him off then he will never forgive you," Carole called lightly after him and Burt shook his head in despair. He'd be glad when this day was over and all those jumpy submissive hormones that had been going rampant for days were finally settled.

He reached the second from top floor, Blaine had gifted the penthouse suite to Kurt to get ready in of course, and stepped out into the hallway. Dana was there a little way down the corridor going over some last minute instructions with the older woman they had asked to officiate the bonding. Mellissa Vandair had been a Validator for many years so was more than used to any special requests in regards to the ceremony, not that Blaine or Kurt had wanted anything wildly out of the box anyway. Despite the back and forth and the what if's Kurt had settled on a traditional ceremony and Blaine was happy to go along with anything Kurt wanted as long as it got them bonded faster.

He walked up to the two slowly, hands slung in his pockets. "How's things?"

"Fine. Kurt just asked me to double check everything," Dana said and Burt almost laughed out loud. Christ this was ridiculous. He wondered if his Elizabeth would have been like this? Kurt was a spitting image of her in so many ways that he could imagine it alright, and it made him smile sadly. They'd never gotten to officially bond. Oh they were scrimping and saving up for it once upon a time but then Kurt came along unexpectedly and then Elizabeth got sick and every dime they could get their hands on went towards that. It just wasn't meant to be. But he was happy in the knowledge that official or not it had been a Permanent Bond to them all the same.

"That menace. He has me checking that your son is still in the building," Burt commented wryly.

"As if you could get him to leave even with strapping a rocket to his back," Dana scoffed. "He's been unbearable for weeks! Moping around and sighing like lovelorn sap before snapping at me for the silliest things. 'When can I bond with, Kurt?' 'Is it time yet?' 'I'm gonna die if I can't bond with him in the next second'. It's like having that pouty five year old again who threatened to hold his breath until I bought him that Star Wars Lego set, then when that didn't work rammed a skateboard into a teddy display!"

"I have no problems believing that," Burt snorted, lips twitching. "They're made for each other for sure. I'll have to tell you about the tea party incident of 2001."

"I have a feeling this will be an eventful ceremony," Mellissa commented almost to herself after watching the back and forth like a tennis match. They suddenly turned to give her the most beseeching looks she'd ever seen.

"Please excuse them their flaws and bond them," Dana begged, clasping her hands in front of her chest as if in prayer.

"I know they seem crazy," Burt continued.

"But they're only crazy about each other!"

She began to laugh and held up her hands to stay any more. "I'll bond them don't you worry. If only for your peace of mind."

Dana blew out a gust of air in heavy relief. "I love those boys I do. But I can't stand another moment of the hormones or whining."

"Here, here!" Burt grumbled.

"I mean, I wasn't as bad as this. I have no idea where he gets this flair for the dramatic from," Dana declared and the Validator gave her a frank look. Every couple was like this before bonding, it couldn't be helped. Of course the degrees varied, but still.

Burt cleared his throat and thumbed over his shoulder. "I'll just go check he hasn't built a ladder and tunneled up through the floor."

"I wouldn't put it past him. He was pretending his cutlery was him and Kurt last night at dinner and made them bond over dessert," Dana informed them seriously.

"That's… new," the Validator admitted. She had thought she had seen it all. She shouldn't have jinxed herself.

When Burt finally made it to Blaine's room he found the young Dom exactly as he thought he would.

"You don't stop smiling kid you're gonna have an aneurism," he commented from the doorway and Blaine span around away from the mirror he was absently staring into while thinking about Kurt.

"He's been practically purring like the cat that got the cream for about half an hour now," Nick said dryly from the gold chaise he was sprawled on near the window, uncaring if his suit got wrinkled even though Kurt would have a meltdown when he saw him. He had to have some rebellion after the sub made him wear this damn bowtie… though, he had to admit, he looked pretty damn sharp. Kurt was kind of a genius at this whole clothing thing, but the principle of the thing was the same!

Blaine span on his heel and pointed straight in Nick's face. "You shut your face, Nicholas. This is the second best day of my life and I'll freaking be on cloud nine if I want to be."

He asserted the sentiment so strongly Nick had to hold up his hands in surrender.

"Second best?" Burt questioned, closing the door behind himself.

"Well when I saw him for the first time was the best," Blaine flushed a little and Burt rolled his eyes at his cheesy soon to be son in law.

"Uh, bro… you do know he was like crying all night because of that," Nick interjected.

Blaine scowled at the reminder, glaring with murderous intent towards his best friend and Burt stepped up to him to squeeze his shoulder and prevent a homicide. Kurt would never forgive him if he let his intended be arrested on his big day.

"He doesn't feel like that now, kid. Don't let Chuckles get to you. Kurt's a floor away practically vibrating outta his skin to bond with you. If you asked him about that night now I'd bet he'd have a different opinion on it."

Blaine smiled a little and huffed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Burt."

"No problem, kid. But if you make him cry like that again I will come after you and there will be nowhere on this earth you can hide," he finished almost casually and Blaine was left staring wide eyed at him. Even Nick was inching away from the elder Dominant a little.

"Uh. Got it?"

Burt nodded and clapped him on the shoulder again, harder this time. "Good. So… you ready?"

Blaine composed himself from the threat and nodded his head. "I was ready about two seconds after I claimed him right here in this building."

Burt could believe that alright.

"Dana told me you were playing dolls over your dinner last night, practicing for the big day. Were you the knife or the fork?" Burt smirked trying to lighten the mood and Blaine flushed bright red while Nick cracked the hell up as he caught on immediately.

"Oh. My. God," Nick choked out clutching his stomach over guffaws. "The spoon! I bet he was the spoon!"

"Shut up, Nick!" Blaine shouted at him walking over and punching him in the arm repeatedly which only added fuel to the fire. Burt felt the spike in the Dominant hormones that were already saturating the air and knew the younger Dom was barely hanging onto his control right now.

Maybe joking hadn't been the best idea.

"Okay, break it up," he ordered, grabbing Blaine by the arm and yanking him back. "You mess up that suit and Kurt's not bonding with you. Now go fix your hair in the mirror… no more gel though, it's like an oil slick on your head right now." Blaine growled, pupils dilated, but did as he was told. "And as for you," he said to Nick who was still laughing. "Shut your yap or get out."

"B-but… spoon."

Blaine rumbled again, ready to spring but Burt beat him to it. "Right. Out you go."

"Oh… I'm sorry. I promise to behave!" Nick whined as he was dragged to his feet and across the room.

"Behave yourself outside the door."

He shut it behind him with a resounding click.

"Dana! They're being mean to me," they heard on the other side and Burt rolled his eyes.

"Why are you friends with him again?" he asked the younger Dom.

"Lack of judgment and willpower," Blaine stated forlornly, fiddling needlessly with his lapels before clenching into fists. He fell forward and rested his head against the cool mirror. "I'm going out of my mind, Burt. I don't think I can wait anymore. One minute I can't wait to get down there and then the next everything in me just wants to go upstairs and lock us in a room together, official ceremony or not."

Burt took the statement quite calmly for someone listening to a Dom talking about wanting to defile his submissive son. He heard Elizabeth's sweet voice in his head admonishing him. 'Make love and bond with him permanently, Burt. Don't be so crass.'

He rubbed a hand over his face.

"Listen, Blaine. I know I haven't really said it before but… I respect the hell out of you, kid. You're strong, kind and have good principles. Everything a good Dom should have and be, so I'm not worried okay. I know you'll do right by my boy. You'll go down that elevator and stand in front of all your friends and family and those random people we don't even know and do this thing properly."

Blaine turned around and looked at him in shock. "You really believe all that?"

"I aint in the habit of sayin' things I don't mean, kid," he said frankly, crossing his arm over his chest and Blaine swallowed still looking shaky. Sweat was beginning to bead on his forehead and his pupils were still blown out wide. "You love him right?"

"Of course!" Almost a bark.

"Well then you'll take a deep breath and get a hold of yourself. For him," he told him calmly, stepping up and pulling out a handkerchief for him to wipe his brow. "He's feeling just as antsy as you but the difference is he's gonna be relying on you for support. You're his Dom and are going to be for the rest of your life after today, so start as you mean to go forward."

Blaine took the offered fabric and sat down heavily on the bed, wringing it between white knuckled fingers. Burt watched him with assessing eyes.

"Want me to see if I can step things up? Kurt might not be happy about it but I'm sure he'll get over it once he realizes that you'll be bonded faster this way," he offered.

Blaine looked up at him with hopeful doe eyes that had no right being on a Dominant this far gone. The stare shuttered after a moment however. "But even if we do bond earlier we still have to wait all night before we can…" he flushed and avoided Burt's eye wisely. There was only so much a Dominant father could take after all. "This is torture. Who came up with this system?"

"You can thank all your fancy friends for that. Bonding never used to be as big of a spectacle as it is now," Burt shrugged. "Now, I'm gonna send your stupid friend back in and try not to kill him while I go check on my son."

"No promises," Blaine grumbled but then perked up and got to his feet. "Can I go with you to see him?"

Burt gave him a look. "You think I came down with the last shower of rain, kid?"

Blaine scowled, something hot spiking inside of him at the refusal. "I just wanna talk to him. I don't even have to see him, I can stand outside the door."

"And you'll talk to him in about an hour. I'm sure you can wait."

Blaine growled low and deep, body tensing as if ready to spring and Burt knew they were now treading in dangerous waters. He was a young, stupidly strong Dominant hyped up on too many hormones and with a deep desire to seal his bond. Nothing could be more volatile than that combination and Burt didn't want to set him off.

"How about I give him a message?" he suggested cautiously.

Blaine worked his jaw for a moment as he considered it. He just wanted Kurt. Kurt was his. Why was everybody trying to take away what was his? It made the fire that was burning in him flare brighter and hotter.

"Blaine, you know better than this," he said, not willing to pander to him fully. "I'll pass along a message but you're not going up there with my son when you're like this. You haven't got a scrap of control in you to keep from pouncing him and that aint happening before you get yourself bonded properly. I will string you up if I have to."

"He's mine!" he burst out darkly, advancing on Burt. "He's mine and no one else's."

"He isn't yours yet and he won't be unless you get a hold of yourself," Burt growled back not backing away an inch. He just held his ground even though he knew, age or not, experience or not, Blaine was simply the stronger Dom here.

Blaine flew into a rage at those words but instead of attacking Burt he walked over to the free standing mirror and smashed it to the floor where it shattered on impact. It showed that he still had some of his senses at least but he was giving in to his Dominant urges a little too much, which made the decision of not to let him near Kurt so soon firmer in his mind.

Dana and Nick came rushing into the room a few moments later. "What the hell!"

"Blaine's a little worked up," Burt told them dryly, keeping his eyes on the panting Dom standing over the mess he had just created.

"Blaine Devon Anderson I did not raise you to be a spoiled little brat… Cooper has that area well covered thank you," Dana said sternly, hands on hips.

"You're all trying to keep him away from me," Blaine accused them hotly, moving forwards to make his way out the door. All three Doms blocked his way.

"We are doing no such thing you ridiculous boy. Now sit down," she ordered using the full effect on her Dominant voice to overpower him. He snarled at her with actual teeth but did as he was told. In years to come she wouldn't have a chance in hell of getting him to listen to her, her son was destined to be a far more powerful Dom than her, but for right now she held the authority in the room. Happy he was subdued at least for now she then turned to Burt. "Go check on, Kurt. I'll deal with him."

Burt nodded then looked back to Blaine. "I still got faith in you, kid. Don't prove me wrong."

Blaine either didn't here or didn't register those parting words. He was stuck staring down his mother challengingly, probably waiting for her to waver so he could jump on the weakness. And it looked like Dana knew the game he was playing too.

"Blaine, you need to get a hold of yourself right now. This is no way for you to behave minutes before you bond to that wonderful boy who's counting on you to do the right thing," Dana almost growled, looking between her son and Burt who still hung by the door, torn between wanting to see his son and helping her keep the almost feral Dom in check.

At her furious tone Blaine slumped his back against the wall, shoes crinkling over the broken glass as he deflated, eyes desperate and pleading, his hands shaking where he had them fisted in his pockets.

"Just need to see him. Need to know he's there," he started repeating over and over again and Burt realized there was no one but Kurt who could reach into his mind and ease it now that he had spiraled so far.

"Would a phone call help?" he asked and Dana's head snapped up towards him.

"What?" she asked and Burt walked towards the dresser, taking Blaine's phone and handing it to her, a plan forming in his mind.

"I'm gonna go to Kurt's room and call Blaine's phone from his. Make sure he answers it would ya?" he asked and she nodded, clutching the phone in her hands and staring at her younger son who was still repeating Kurt's name under his breath, craving but unable to get his fix.

With a final nod he rushed out of the room.

---

"Kurt?" Jeff called softly and the brunette slowly turned his head towards the sound as if in a daze. He was perched on the Italian leather sofa and hadn't moved for about ten minutes. It worried the blonde despite Jared assuring him that it was normal for a submissive to fall into this kind of sub headspace this close to a bonding. That he had gone through the exact same thing when waiting to bond to Dana.

"Is Blaine still here?" he asked for the thousandth time, voice worried and needy.

Jared stroked his hand over the back of his neck, just under his mark. He was very careful not to touch the actual mark because the skin there was hypersensitive in the time leading up to the bonding. Kurt's body readying itself for the change. "Of course. He's right under us. Your dad is going to go check on him remember?"

"Mm," Kurt hummed absently, staring at the floor like he could somehow develop x-ray vision.

"Now. Are you gonna get out of Blaine's hoodie so we can get you dressed?" Jared asked patiently. Kurt had barely gotten out of the shower and into some underwear before he'd lost focus and crawled back into the hoody they had struggled to wrench off of him in the first place when Jeff arrived not too long ago.

They watched Kurt toy with the sleeves before bringing them up to his face to nuzzle, curling his body further into the sofa and tucking his knees inside the oversized sweater; Dalton emblazoned over his knees now.

"I think that's a no," Jeff said glancing at the ornate clock hanging over the fireplace worriedly. This suite of rooms really was all kinds of ridiculous and it reminded him heavily of Sebastian and Dave's place. "We're going to be late."

Jared waved the concern away. "No good Presenting Ceremony starts on time. If it's on time then it's not a very good match."

"Blaine's a good match. He's the best match," Kurt mumbled into the fabric still in front of his face. His pupils were still far too blown out for him to be clear headed but at least he wasn't completely ignoring them anymore.

"Yes he is. So you want to get dressed in that suit you worked so hard on so he can be your match?" Jared coaxed and Jeff hurried over to grab the suit in question.

Kurt frowned over at the expensive fabric hanging from Jeff's hands. "Why can't I see him? I want to see Blaine."

"You can if you get dressed, Kurt," Jeff told him softly. "Come on. You've been planning this forever."

"I want Blaine," he whispered again, hiding his face and trembling all over, flinching when Jared's hands touched his skin again and making the man step back and away from him.

"He doesn't want to be touched by anyone anymore. I'm afraid we'll have to find a way to get him dressed and down to the stage faster than I thought because if we don't..." he trailed off and Jeff stared at him, wide eyed and scared.

"If we don't... what?" he asked timidly and Jared shrugged, face pinching a little worriedly.

"I don't even know, son. Let's try and get him out of this funk, huh?" he said striving for optimistic and upbeat, approaching Kurt as slowly as he possibly could.

"How do we do that?" Jeff asked again, trying to think of something to help his friend but the sight of him so distressed and out of it made him tremble and he could almost taste the flashbacks lingering in the back of his mind.

He remembered being so far gone for all the wrong reasons and as much as he knew Kurt was just aching to be close to his Dom again, and it was the exact opposite of what Jeff wanted back then his mind refused to see logic. He forced himself to close the gate in front of his subconscious so he could make sure his friend was okay, but his muscle memory fought so hard to make him bolt to safety somewhere.

"I might have an idea," a voice sounded from the door and both subs turned to look at Burt while Kurt just burrowed further into his nest made out of Blaine's clothes.

"I'm assuming Blaine is in a similar state?" Jared asked, reaching for Jeff and wrapping a comforting arm around the frightened sub. The blonde calmed minutely showing just how starved for a comforting touch he was and Jared made a note in his mind to go and find Nick as soon as they snapped Kurt out of it.

"He smashed a mirror with his fist and is now trying to convince everyone to let him come and see Kurt," Burt answered frankly, rummaging through his son's bag and coming out with a phone held in his hand triumphantly.

"What was your idea?" Jeff asked quietly, his heart calming down at the sight of Burt so collected and level headed. If Kurt's dad knew there was nothing wrong he should believe it too. Kurt was just anxious to be with his Dom.

"Have them talk on the phone," he said as he dialed the number and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Dana? Okay... I'm here...no... he's not really doing well so... put Blaine on," he said and watched as Kurt's head shot up at the sound of his Dom's name.

"Blaine? Is he here?" he asked, watery eyes imploring just like when he was a kid and asking why his mom wasn't going to be coming home. Burt pushed the phone into his trembling hand, closing the slim fingers around the device.

"No buddy. He's on the phone," he answered and flinched when Kurt gasped and the tears that had been collecting there spilled from those gorgeous blue eyes.

"He's not here? He left?" the pain in his voice was so strong, so concentrated the three men felt their own hearts badgering inside their chests as they looked at the young sub shaking in the armchair, wrapping the beloved hoodie around himself tighter as tears spilled down his cheeks.

Burt had never seen Kurt so utterly taken over by his submissive side. His son was just naturally so in sync with the sub in him that it didn't really register for Burt anymore after all these years but this… this was an extreme to which he had never witnessed and it made him ache as a father and a Dom to fix it.

"No... Kurt, no. He didn't leave you. He would never leave you. Just talk to him and you'll see, bud." Burt realized his choice of words was miserably misleading for his son and his reassurance seemed to do nothing to ease Kurt's mind. He was just rocking in his chair, looking broken beyond repair.

"Put it on speaker for him. Maybe if he can hear his voice," Jeff suggested tentatively, fighting the urge to cuddle with Kurt to try and sooth him. Burt fumbled with the state of the art device for a moment before finding the speaker button and touching it gently.

Immediately Dana's voice broke through the speaker.

"Son, you need to be strong for your sub... he needs you right now," she said on the other end and Burt lifted the phone up, closer to his lips.

"Dana? You're on speaker," he told her and she sighed.

"Tell me things are better on your end."

"'fraid not. Kurt's out of it, convinced Blaine's left him and I can't get him to calm down so please... you need to make Blaine talk to him," he said desperately and for the next few endless minutes the only sound in the room was her insistent whispers heard over the phone and Kurt's soft little hiccups and gasps until a voice broke through the silence.

"Kurt?" Blaine called, voice shaking and edgy but it looked like he was winning the fight against his own nature for the sake of his sub.

Kurt flinched at the sound of his Dom's voice but felt drawn to it all the same as he snatched the phone out of his father's hands and pressed it to his ear in despair, not caring that it was still on speaker.

"Sir..." he gasped and his voice broke on a quiet sob that left his mouth.

"Kurt, lovely, don't cry. Why are you crying?" he asked and every single person in the room could tell just how tortured he was, how desperate to hold and comfort his sub.

"Why don't you w-want me anymore?" he struggled to get out and the room got breathless with the sound of Blaine's outraged cry.

"Who told you that? Lovely... I'm the floor below you, waiting to be bonded to you forever. Kurt... I will always want you," he said fiercely and the pain in his voice was so clear. The struggle so loud and resonating it made Kurt sniffle and cower inside his hoodie, desperate to feel his Dom close.

"You're not here. You're not with me and I can't… I don't like it... I…" he broke off as he continued to cry into the phone, trying futilely to express himself but he was so far under that it was almost impossible. Blaine took a deep breath on the other side, making it obvious how hard it was for him to stay on the phone when he sub was so distressed, right within reach but impossible to get to if he wanted to do this right.

"Shit, Kurt you're killing me, lovely. Just… it's just for another few minutes, baby. Then we can be together all the time. Forever," he said, almost begging him and Kurt thumbed the tears from his cheeks but more fell to take their place.

"How?" he whispered, gnawing at his thumbnail in anxiousness. How was he supposed to do this when all he could think about was Blaine?Everything else was very far away.

"You need to get dressed and meet me on that stage. We get to bond, baby. That's what we wanted right? And then we never have to be apart again," the Dom promised, a hint of a command lurking under it all and Kurt's eyes cleared a little from the submissive haze they were covered in in response.

Burt was damn proud of Blaine, for him to be pushing through everything, all that rage and the control issues and stepping up for his sub. He was proving every single thing he had said about him true already and it filled Burt with a quiet sense of warmth that his only child would forever be so looked after and loved.

"You... you still want to, sir?" he asked around the digit in his mouth, small and timid and it broke Burt's heart to see him like this but as he looked at Jared the man mouthed how normal it was for them to behave that way so close to their bonding.

"I will always want you my lovely boy. Now Kurt?" he said gently, but there was an obvious hint of dominance lacing his words and twining around Kurt's tightly wound body, relaxing it effortlessly.

"Sir?" he answered, almost a relieved sigh.

"Go get dressed and meet me downstairs. You have half an hour," he ordered and Kurt's mind came back from his haze, body jolting and alive and ready to please.

"Okay, sir," he said gently and Blaine hummed happily on the other side.

"Good boy. I love you baby. See you soon."

---

"It is time," a soft voice spoke from the stage and the command in it was so crystal clear, so compelling, so effortlessly there that the entire crowd just turned towards her and fell silent. The lights dimmed around them on her cue, leaving only a beautifully iridescent circle that lit up the edges of the petals on stage where she stood, dressed in the usual Validator garb; a smart pantsuit with the Validator logo emblazoned on the breast pocket.

Dana, Jared, Burt and Carole stood closest to the stage, their hearts beating almost in sync as they waited for their children to take one of the most important steps in a person's life together. Dana and Jared knew how it felt. They knew what it meant to stand next to each other, in front of the Validator and swear their love for each other, promise the eternal belonging that they felt from the moment they laid eyes on each other. They knew how entirely calming and overwhelming the experience was. Knowing that the person you wanted was now completely yours and if you gave it your all they would be yours… forever.

Jared took Dana's hand and gave it a light squeeze, feeling his Dom grip back immediately and loving the way the gentle interaction soothed and reassured him of the fact that she was right there next to him. It was exactly like this on their Presenting day. He didn't think she let go of his hand once.

Burt wrapped his arm around Carole's shoulders, leaning into her and relishing the comfort her presence brought. They weren't each other's first choices as life rudely reminded them both how unfair and unpredictable it could be by taking away their loved ones. But they were each other's support and balance and strength now after all the ugly things, and the thought of Kurt having that same someone made his heart burst with joy.

If only his mom was there to see him now, he thought as the Validator on stage spoke once again.

"The Presenting Ceremony is the most important step in the life of both the Dominant and the submissive person. All the steps they take since the moment the claim is laid lead to this. Their bonding. Their promises to each other in front of the important people in their lives. Promises to love, respect, obey and protect each other for as long as they shall live. Promises to follow what comes to them instinctively; fundamentally making each other happy."

There was a murmur of agreement throughout the room, every bonded couple and hopeful single Dom or sub listening to her words with rapt attention.

"So without further ado… allow me to call Dom Blaine Anderson to the stage," she said and the crowd watched in awe as Blaine stepped out into the gentle circle of light in front of her, body tense and tightly wound but his eyes were blazing; radiating with desire, want and most of all love.

He was dressed in a light grey suit, the jacket snug and accentuating his slim waist, with black trimmed pockets and lapels made out of an interesting, slinky, watery looking black material going down his torso and creating a deep vee that revealed a crisp white shirt and black tie. His legs were hugged by the soft grey suit pants and his feet clad in the latest Italian leather oxford shoes, giving him that old school, old charm sort of look that suited him best. His hair was styled with gel but not glued to his head, as per Kurt's request, so it kept a little bit of curl and the look of power and strength he gave off was enough to make the silent room seem even quieter as he took his spot in front of the Validator.

"Dom Anderson." She turned to him and Blaine faced her, a look of quiet determination set firmly on his face.

This felt so surreal but he was going to be strong and he was going to endure and be a support system for Kurt. He was going to behave and control the urge to just scoop him up and hide them away from everyone like his body was screaming at him to do. He was going to do things right.

"Yes," he answered, proud of how leveled his voice came out.

"You are here to make your bond to submissive Kurt Hummel official?" she asked and he nodded his head, pride evident even with only a part of his face visible to the audience.

"Yes," he repeated the same answer.

"Call him to you," she instructed and his body shivered visibly at the thought of having that delicious warmth, that calming presence next to him again after almost a full day away.

"Kurt, come," he commanded, shoulders square, an audible dominance lacing his words and wrapping around everyone who heard it, making the subs squirm and the Doms acknowledge the presence of a force stronger than their own.

The silence that accompanied his command settled heavy and demanding over the hall making the approaching steps echo hollowly as Kurt stepped out into the light, head bowed and hands clasped before him demurely.

Blaine stared at his beauty, mesmerized by how entirely natural it all seemed, how unforced and untrained his stature was. Completely submissive… and of his own will. Instinctively he knew how to posture his body to appeal to his Dom and Blaine felt the earlier desperation to take him in his arms return full force as he clenched his fists against his thighs.

Even more so because Kurt looked stunning.

He always looked stunning but the subdued look he sported tonight made him seem ethereal. A submissive god come down to walk among lesser beings and he could hear the rumble of approval. The ripple that spoke of just how affected people were by just his mere presence and it both satisfied and burned in him at once.

Kurt's suit looked like a plain, black suit at first but in true Kurt Hummel fashion it had an interesting twist. His jacket was splashed with patches of that slinky, black material that tied his look perfectly with Blaine's without them matching at all. He wore a simple white shirt and a black skinny tie and his long legs were made to look even longer by a single shiny stripe of that same watery material down his sides. He finished it all off with silver oxford shoes, finding another detail to make him and Blaine truly look like a couple.

Blaine couldn't believe his eyes. He hadn't seen Kurt in his outfit and the sight of it made his knees weak. He looked like an angel. A gorgeously submissive, sinfully beautiful angel made just for Blaine and the thought made him delirious.

The Validator's words barely reached him as he stared at Kurt wishing for those impossible eyes to look at him, to ground him, to anchor him to reality because right now he felt like he would drift away.

"Look at me," he whispered and the ground beneath his feet shifted with the weight of never-ending blue trained towards him.

"Sir…" Kurt exhaled when he saw the look Blaine was giving him. His entire skin flamed and he felt himself shaking as Blaine closed the remaining distance and took his hands in his, thumbs running circles over his knuckles. Even that small touch had him smothering a cry; moan or sob he didn't even know at this point. He was wound so tight, all in knots and he needed Blaine to ease him while at the same time he could feel the deepest desire to do the same for Blaine. It was an exhausting state of being, trapped between here and there and ordered not to move.

"My lovely boy," he heard his Dom say and he squeezed his hands tighter as his body screamed for him to mold itself to Blaine's and stay there forever. He whimpered and shook his head slightly. No. No. No. We have to bond. I want to bond. Blaine wants to bond.

He repeated the mantra in his head, hoping to find some stable ground but the Validator turned to them after addressing the audience and he wasn't ready but he knew it was time to be strong and to follow the rules Blaine had explained to him.

"Dom Anderson and sub Hummel. You are now going to validate and confirm your bond with each other. As is customary you can say your vows before we move to the formal section of the Presenting. Dom Anderson?" she gave him first word and he lifted his hand up to cup Kurt's cheek, watching in fascination as Kurt turned immediately into the contact like he was desperate for it.

He took a deep breath and blew it out through his nose as he composed what he wanted to say in his head, pushing and fighting for room against the pheromone drunk part of it.

"Kurt, my lovely boy, the first time I saw you was right in this room." He wanted to glance at that spot where he stood when his life found purpose but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the beauty in front of him who had refocused at the sound of his voice and was staring at him with big blue eyes full of rapt attention.

"Of all the shiny, sparkly, flashy people trying to get my attention you… you were the only one who did. And you didn't even try. You just had to be and I fell for your beauty first and when you gave me the chance, for the unbelievable person you are." He skated his thumb over the sharp, lovely arch of his cheekbone before continuing, "I know our start was rocky but I can promise you the only thing you'll ever have to do is be, and I will love you... fiercely, irrevocably, eternally. You will always be the best part of what I am," he finished heartfelt and passionately and Kurt felt his hand shake in his own, palm clammy against his skin and he knew he was just as desperate for the completion of this ceremony so their blood could cool down.

"Sub Hummel?" the Validator gave him the word and Kurt looked back to Blaine, blush high on his cheeks and insides squirming with the need to give in and just be Blaine's completely. Finally. It was like he had been working up to this moment all his life. Every time he sat with his mother and she would read him fairytales of faraway, happily ever after bonds. Every time he looked around McKinley and felt a little more hopeless each day. Every time he comforted Jeff after the hell he went through… it was all leading to Blaine finding him and tipping everything he thought he knew, believed, hoped for on its head. And in its place was this. This man, this life, this happiness, this love. He was truly blessed and he didn't think he could rightly do justice to the way he felt in words but words were all he was allowed here so he would have to try.

"Sir, the first time I stood in this room I was so frightened. Of who you were, of what you wanted from me, of how I felt for you," he whispered, but he knew his Dom could hear and that was all that mattered as he cupped his hand over the back of Blaine's where it still rested on his cheek. "I… I guess I never really told you this, but, even through the fear and uncertainty… I knew I was meant to be yours. I'm so grateful you took a chance on me. So grateful you never listened to the people who told you I wasn't good enough, because, sir… I promise I am. I will do whatever I can to make you happy and I'll love you forever. You'll always be the best part of what I am," he finished softly, glancing through his lashes and smiling, suddenly feeling so shy underneath all the burning desire for Blaine.

There was a pull from deep inside his stomach and he took an involuntary step forward and swayed on his feet, Blaine's hand settling on his waist to hold him close and steady.

"Sorry…" he muttered blushing, but his vision was still swimming, trying to suck him down into that headspace from earlier and Blaine shook his head, trying to brush it off but the closeness was getting to him too. More and more, the longer he stood next to his beautiful sub and he was sweating with the force it took to keep himself standing there and follow this through to the end.

"Don't worry, lovely. I'm here for you." he reassured him and Kurt nodded, swallowing against the burn in his chest and taking a deep, grounding breath. It helped and didn't at the same time. The air was heavy with the weight of the scent Blaine was putting off in waves and it both soothed and inflamed him at the same time.

"It is time to start the formal part. Are you two calm enough for it?" she asked knowing how out of it partners could get at this point and the worried look she was giving them didn't exactly speak of how well they were doing at this point. Kurt's fall into his Dom spoke more than words, but they were determined. They could do this.

"I am. Lovely?" Blaine asked, fighting for every scrap of control he could get his shaky fingers to and Kurt braced himself with a palm splayed over his heart, seeming to take strength and comfort from that.

"Please sir," he whispered desperately and Blaine nodded to the Validator.

"You can commence then," she instructed after assessing them for a second and Blaine turned back to Kurt eyes flaring and every cell in his body going wild.

"Kneel," he commanded and it felt like Kurt was a puppet whose strings were cut suddenly. He just collapsed to his knees, head bowed and body relaxing minutely, knowing he didn't have to be strong anymore and Blaine felt like roaring out loud his approval.

The moment his knees touched the ground Kurt felt liberated. He didn't have to fight anymore, he didn't have to push himself. He was Blaine's. He could just be. Just like his Dom said. He could be, and Blaine would take care of him.

"Good boy," Blaine praised him and he felt as well as heard the gasp of their audience as his body shivered visibly at the praise. He was so responsive and Blaine couldn't get enough so he stepped closer and carded his fingers through the hair above his ear.

"Dom Anderson, before you kneels your strength. Your balance, your sanity. Do you accept his offer?" Mellissa asked and he felt Kurt tense minutely under his fingertips.

"I do. Completely," he said and that lithe body relaxed as if he had doubts that he would be accepted. Silly boy.

"Before you kneels the one you're supposed to protect and cherish and love. Do you promise to do so?" she asked again and he nodded, eyes trained on that gorgeous bowed head he loved so much.

"I promise with all my heart," he whispered but his voice was so sure, hard like steel. So convinced, that gasps could be heard around the room.

"Before you kneels the other half of who you are. Your completion. Do you recognize and worship that?" came next and he forced his voice to be the most dominant, the most powerful, the most honest he had ever had it because this… this was the promise he was giving with every last atom of his body.

To worship the best part of him. Kurt.

"I'll worship him for the rest of my life," he said reverently, the words etching on his soul, and hitched a breath when he saw a crystal glint of a tear drop to the ground. In that moment he had no idea if it was his or Kurt's but he knew they were both feeling the same. Complete.

"Sub Hummel. Before you stands your strength. Your balance, your sanity. Do you accept his offer?" she asked the same question and Kurt shivered with the power of it.

"I accept it," he said, quiet and shaky, but more sure than he ever was before.

"Before you stands the one you need to calm, soothe and love. Do you promise to do so?" she modified the second question for the sub and he nodded.

"I promise it with all my heart," he said, mind clearing a little with every line that was binding him to Blaine and felt his Dom's fingers slip from his hair to his cheek, thumb brushing his heated skin.

"Before you stands the other half of who you are. Your completion. Do you recognize and worship that?" she repeated and Kurt felt the dying urge to look up. He needed Blaine to see it. He needed to say it to him.

So he took a deep breath and turned his head up, time freezing when their eyes locked onto each other. The air electrified, tensed and sparked around them, the rest of the world fading to nothing as they fed off each other's energy.

"I'll worship you for the rest of my life," he said and somewhere behind them they could hear the Validator instructing them on what to do next but they both knew it without her.

Their bodies knew it. Their souls knew it.

Blaine's fingers slipped back into his hair, over his scalp and down to his neck as he leaned forward. Kurt tensed, not in fear but in anticipation. He wanted it. Oh how he had longed for it and he fought the urge to bow his head and arch upwards into the touch he knew was coming. It was the very tips of Blaine's fingers that lingered for only a moment before gliding down over that pale blue heart on his neck, like lightning hitting a raw nerve as they brushed the sensitive skin, and their lips met in the most mind numbing of kisses. Drowning out the strangled whimper that Kurt couldn't have kept inside.

They could both feel the stares on them getting more and more bewitched by what they saw. The bonding of two of the strongest of their kind. The most powerful Dominant they had ever seen, bonding with his perfect counterpart. They could all feel them… but nothing touched them as they existed in their own space. Their cells rearranging themselves to fit the other one into their very core.

Blaine's fingers were still so light on his mark, barely there, but at the same time the strongest touch he had ever felt and Kurt trembled and clutched the lapels of his jacket to beg him to bend further into him as he kissed back and allowed his soul to twine with Blaine's. Their mouths met like they had never done before and Kurt's body shivered under the onslaught. The untamed dominance pouring off Blaine, that beautiful fire that raged and burned so brightly inside him, found its home within the confines of Kurt's chest, the cool stream of his submissiveness eating up the flames.

"Mine," Blaine rumbled, mind barely aware of the need to round up the bonding.

"Yours," Kurt breathed back unashamed and the tension in the air scattered and eased with the admission, a sense of calm flooding in all of a sudden. An abrupt lift from the fog that was blurring their vision and the quicksand that was tugging them under.

Kurt's eyes fluttered open in surprise to meet burnished gold and their mouths slowly pulled apart, wet and swollen.

"Dom Anderson, sub Hummel in the eyes of the law your bond is complete. May you live a long and happy life respecting and keeping the promises you have made in front of each other and your loved ones. Thank you," Mellissa finished bringing them back to reality and Blaine removed his fingers from his mark. Kurt prevented himself from crying out at the loss and instead took the hand Blaine offered to him, pulling him to his feet and his arms. Kurt sighed at the full body contact finally, his head resting on his Dom's shoulder as they shared a single breath, a single heartbeat, two souls binding, forever.

It was like he could feel it. The fibers that made him up reaching for Blaine's and tangling in infinity knots across their bodies and he never wanted to not feel this way. So tangled up in Blaine and it made him wonder how he was ever able to function without this for so long. Something that felt so essential to his existence.

It was a long stretch of time before they moved.

The lights had come up and the Validator had stepped back to allow them some privacy in the middle of the petal circle to calm down and bask in each other as their bond settled.

"How are you feeling?" Dana asked when they came shakily off stage as the lights went up.

It was also respectful and customary for all other guests, excluding family, to remain where they were to give the newly bonded couple a few moments to calm down before they met them.

And Kurt and Blaine definitely needed that time.

Kurt was still clinging like a limpet to Blaine and never wanted to let go. Was sure that if he even attempted it then his legs would give out anyway, because his mind might be clearer now but he was still very much too close to the submissive edge. And the way Blaine was clutching at the material of his shirt under his suit jacket to keep him glued to his side suggested that he was in a similar mindset.

"Like there's too many people in this room," Blaine eventually said, voice a little hoarse.

The Validator came down the steps after them and made sure to step around to face Blaine to show she wasn't a threat. "That was the strongest bond I've ever officiated in all my long years of doing this so it's going to take a little longer for your hormones to settle and you'll find that the calm probably won't last as long as is typical," she warned.

"How long?" Dana asked.

"You'll be able to get through the blessings on your bond and dinner no problem but as for any longer you'll have to play it by ear," she addressed to Blaine even though it was Dana who asked. It was a simple technique to transfer the power and authority in the conversation to Blaine to settle him further by making him feel less threatened.

Kurt whimpered and buried his face in Blaine's neck. It seemed like such a long time before they could be alone again and he hated the prospect. Blaine turned his face into him in response and began kissing at any skin he could reach to sooth him and they were left alone until they were settled. Dana and Mellissa backing away discreetly to give them space.

Time melted into an indefinable haze, Kurt only aware of the heady pheromones Blaine was giving off and the hand that had raised to his neck, tracing a torturous pattern around the hypersensitive mark on the back of his neck. He shivered every time he came close to actually touching, remembering the earthshattering feeling of fingertips brushing it so lightly during their bond.

"I want to see what this looks like," Blaine whispered to him, hot into his ear, skirting another slow heart shape around the edges. "I bet you look so good with my mark on you."

Kurt could only nod urgently, feeling the words deep in his chest and stomach as it flipped hotly.

"I can't wait to get you upstairs, lovely. You look so beautiful. I can't believe you're finally mine. All mine."

"Sir," Kurt sighed breathlessly, pushing in closer and nosing at the tendon in his neck.

Blaine kissed his temple softly and breathed him in as he steeled his resolve. "We've just got a little longer to go. A few more hours and then it'll be just me and you, lovely boy."

Kurt made a noise of discontent and Blaine hushed him.

"Can you be a good boy and do this for me?" he asked and Kurt felt a fierce desire to do anything Blaine asked of him. The request taking over his body and washing through him like cool water over his prickly skin.

"Yes, sir."

"You are perfect," Blaine hummed happily, the pride and satisfaction there bleeding that happiness into Kurt as well. It felt euphoric.

They detached somewhat until they were as they were before, with Blaine's arm at his waist under his jacket and Kurt tucked as much as he could into his side. They came forwards towards the crowds like this.

Burt smiled gently at his son as they walked over. "Okay, bud?"

He didn't trust his voice to speak just yet so simply nodded.

"That was quite a show you put on there, huh?" he joked and Blaine gave him a tight, sheepish smile while Kurt just blushed.

"I'm so happy for both of you," Carole gushed from his side.

"We're getting the line ready for when you are," Jared came over to say softly. He gave the newly bonded couple a gentle smile. "I'm proud of you two."

"Thanks dad," Blaine murmured, squeezing Kurt's waist in reflex like he was making sure he wasn't a dream or something.

"We better go get a spot in line then," Burt said. "Be good you two."

They watched them go and were about to move to the appropriate spot to receive the line of blessings when they were interrupted by-

"Squirt!" Cooper's obnoxious voice rang in Blaine's ear as his arm snaked around his neck to hold him in a pseudo chokehold. Blaine let go of Kurt and the sub took a few steps away from the commotion even though he hated to be parted. "I never thought I'd see the day but, here we are! And I must say that you do not deserve him. He is far too good for you."

Blaine began a steady growl, not only from the challenge to his strength, joking or not, but also from the way his brother was talking about his newly bonded submissive. The ceremony had certainly calmed the raging fire within his chest for the time being but Cooper was always able to get a rise out of him.

"Cooper I swear to god-" Blaine gritted his teeth.

"But I missed you, and you missed me too. I know you did. Kurt took all your attention away and you never call me anymore," he whined, trying in vain to cuddle strangle him while Blaine tried to find a hold that could throw him off.

"I never called you in the first place jackass!" Blaine bit back.

Kurt simply watched the back and forth with wide eyes.

"Sir, please stop hanging on your brother on his Presenting day," a classic British voice said from the struggling Anderson's and Kurt craned his neck to see a beautiful submissive walking towards them. She smiled at him warmly. "Hi, I'm Alex."

Cooper's submissive and she was not what he was expecting.

Kurt had heard many a tale about the eldest Anderson; the antics he got up to, the way he drove Blaine crazy to this day, but hardly any about his submissive. And seeing her now, clean cut and elegant next to Cooper's apparent childish, brashness was a startling contrast.

"Kurt," he managed to remember to get out.

"You planned a lovely ceremony and Dana told me you designed your suits yourself?" she inquired and Kurt licked his lips nervously. It was obvious that this woman had style and taste so he really wanted her to like what he had put together.

He kept getting distracted by his Dom however. He felt so adrift without his skin touching his and he didn't like the feeling at all. "Y-yeah… um… she let me use her studio and helped me put them together in time," he eventually murmured.

"And here my only talent is being able to roll my tongue two ways," she joked, grabbing his attention momentarily, enough time to see her teasing smile and Kurt felt a little tension ease out of him and he smiled back.

"That's one more than me so bravo."

She laughed and they watched as Blaine managed to fight his way out of Cooper's clutches and shove him backwards. Kurt rushed to his side and snuck under his arm again, arms wrapping around his waist to make sure they weren't separated again.

"If you know what's good for you Coop you'll go to the very back of that line," Blaine gritted out, eyes flashing, but the fire in them banking at the touch of his sub.

"Aw don't be sore, baby bro. I was just playing. What else is a big brother supposed to do on a day like this?"

Blaine gave him an incredulous look but a tiny spark of humor was threading back through. It was hard to be serious or mad in the face of Cooper's sheer ridiculousness. "Literally anything else other than trying to choke me!"

"It was a hug," he said indignantly.

"Sir," Alex broke in softly, laying a hand on his forearm and Cooper sighed. More like huffed.

"Fine! You've ruined our reunion, squirt. I hope you're happy," Cooper whined petulantly and Blaine stuck his tongue out at him.

"It was too much to hope that old age would make you more tolerable," Blaine fired back, lips twitching at the corners.

"Old age!?" he spluttered. "I am in my prime you whelp!"

"Cooper Anderson. Are you annoying your younger brother again?" Dana's unimpressed voice came from behind him and Coop winced.

"Now look what you've done," he hissed at Blaine accusingly, the younger smirking triumphantly, before turning to his mom. "Of course not mother dearest. I was simply congratulating him."

"Don't even try it young man. Now get here and leave him be," she ordered and Cooper pouted but did as he was told. "Take your places, boys. This won't be that painful," she said to them with an encouraging smile before following her eldest.

"So that was Cooper," Kurt said.

"That was Cooper," Blaine agreed, voice exasperated. It was clear that he was glad to see his older brother though.

Kurt leaned into him and kissed at his jaw soothingly until he felt Blaine relax again.

"You ready, lovely?" Blaine asked softly.

"As I'll ever be, sir," Kurt replied and Blaine nodded before he steered them to the front of the stage and the first of the guests were waved over.

Most of it was like a conveyer belt of the same praise in different voices and a different word order but the couple appreciated the sentiment coming from their nearest and dearest. Blessing their bond was an old school practice that was said to bring prosperity, happiness and harmony to the Dom and sub and though neither of them really believed in it because they made their own, it was still nice.

"Oh Kurt, that was so beautiful!" Mae exclaimed as she approached, checking with Blaine as was custom before moving in to embrace him. Kurt squeezed her back just as tightly.

"It would have been nothing without you, Mae," Kurt whispered back to her and he was struck by just how true that was in both senses of the word. Yes, the ceremony and room wouldn't have looked nearly as lovely without Mae's practiced eye but the more prominent realization was that if Mae had never hired him to help her set up The Showing then he would never have met Blaine.

He couldn't even comprehend it. It was so hard to remember his life pre-Blaine when he was so wrapped up in post-Blaine and all the wonderful things that came with it.

Mae waved him off though as she stepped back. "Nonsense. I was just following my client's very exact specifications."

Kurt blushed a little. He was aware he had turned into a bit of a nightmare during this whole planning thing.

Mae noticed his embarrassed discomfort and laughed it off, easy and free as always. "Sweetheart, you have a great eye. I was happy to follow orders for once."

She winked at him and Kurt laughed remembering all those late nights, early mornings and long days of creating horrendous display after horrendous display and how they had spent equal amounts of hours complaining and bitching about it.

Blaine finished talking to David's parents and turned to greet Mae properly with a big smile. "Mae, I'm so happy you could stick around for the ceremony. I know we had you up early this morning."

She smiled back at him warmly and Kurt couldn't have been happier as he was shown yet another display of Blaine fitting seamlessly into his life, Lima or otherwise. He sunk further into his Dom's side, stopping just short of laying his head on his shoulder and burying his face in his neck.

"I'm used to it," she smiled, waving him off. "It was very nice of you to hire me a room so I could get changed. I'm sorry my Dom couldn't make it but when business comes up we can't afford to turn it down," she explained and Blaine shook his head kindly.

"You don't have to apologize for that. We'll meet him another time I'm sure."

"We'd like that," Mae agreed happily. "And I have to say it, even though I'm sure a hundred and one people will tonight. But you two… you two are just perfect for one another. Watching you up on that stage was like watching the origins of why we have bonding's for Doms and subs, it was that powerful and I'm privileged to have witnessed it."

Kurt and Blaine were lost for words momentarily. It had felt like that to them but they were so caught up in one another that they didn't realize just what impact it had had on everyone else in the room.

Mae smiled like she knew exactly what they were collectively thinking. "Now, I'll stop holding up the line but you mister, better get your butt back in my shop pronto. We miss you," she said pointing sternly at Kurt and the tension broke as he grinned.

"Love to."

Mae nodded and gave a quick kiss to Kurt and Blaine's cheeks before she was gone and the next in line came forwards to congratulate them.

Finn and his Dom April, a pretty amazon of a girl that was more than a match for Finn's height, with curly caramel colored hair and dark eyes were next. She was one year older than them and had set her sights on Finn as soon as she saw him towering above all the other subs at McKinley, so gangly and awkward and unsure of how exactly he fit as a submissive. It took April to show him that he didn't have to try and be something that he wasn't. He didn't have to try and lead just because he looked like he should and take everything on his shoulders. That he didn't have to try and fill the Dominant spot his father had left in their family. He could let someone take care of him for once and guide him through.

The hulking sub came bounding over like an excited puppy. "Dude! You got bonded little bro!" he cheered and April smiled, dimples revealed in her cheeks as she came up behind him.

"Did I?" Kurt joked back with a fond roll of his eyes as he accepted Finn's bone crushing hug.

"Your vows were lovely, Kurt. And it's nice to finally meet you, Blaine. Welcome to the family officially," she winked.

Blaine smiled and squeezed Kurt's hip in his hand. "No getting rid of me while this one is around. Sorry."

Kurt flushed happily and bit his lip to keep from smiling stupidly.

"I'm not sure how these brother to Dom conversations are supposed to go but once I work it out I'll give you a call," Finn said seriously to Blaine and the Dom did well to keep from laughing as Kurt huffed in exasperation.

"They're already bonded, dummy," April laughed at her sub, clearly endeared by him still after all this time of listening to things like that fall out of his mouth. It was love.

Finn cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. Well… on principal I'll still have to do it. Sorry, dude."

"I'll look out for that call," Blaine chuckled and Finn nodded, happy that all had been arranged to his satisfaction.

Kurt shook his head in amusement. "It's your guys turn next, I'll help plan it of course."

Blaine gave him a flat, incredulous look. "You want to plan theirs after nearly killing yourself over ours, lovely?"

"Killing myself is a little of an over exaggeration, sir," Kurt countered with a blush.

"Our Kurt is a perfectionist alright," April grinned. "But we would love his help if we ever save up enough money for our ceremony. Right, Finn?"

Finn smiled at his Dom, then back down at Kurt. "Yeah, man. You know I'm no good at all that stuff and this room looks pretty cool… you know, if there were less flowers."

Kurt shooed them away after that in case he flip out over the fact that there was the perfect amount of flowers! He made sure there were, so there.

It carried on like that for a time; faces such as Captain Ericson and his family pleasantly coming out of the woodwork, making Kurt and Blaine think nostalgically of their time spent away on that magical boat trip. He declared that there was no doubt in his mind that he'd see them right here the first time he met them and they were all smiles for each other.

Eventually they got through everyone and they were seated for dinner. Kurt, Blaine, their parents, family and Nick and Jeff seated on the table in the middle of everyone else's and the rest seated in groups that knew each other.

Blaine pulled his seat so that there was no space between them, an arm thrown over the back and curled around his sub's shoulders. In return Kurt sunk down a little and turned sideways so he could throw his legs across Blaine's to be as close as possible, damn table decorum.

A couple of bottles of chilled champagne were set in buckets of ice on each table and Kurt made grabby hands for his favorite beverage as soon as he saw the gold bubbles starting to be poured. His dad caught his eye, a clear one glass as Blaine poured some out for both of them into simple flutes with delicate, spiraled stems.

"To you, lovely," Blaine toasted in an intimate whisper right into his ear and Kurt shivered pleasantly, turning into the contact and brushing their noses together.

They locked eyes and Kurt whispered back. "To us, sir."

Blaine's smile spread slowly across his face like a horizon. "So smart."

They sipped to seal the toast and then Kurt chased the taste on Blaine mouth after, feeling drunk and lightheaded already from how happy he was.

"Get a load of the love birds PDA'ing it up at the table," Cooper catcalled across the table and got a smack upside the head from Jared.

It knocked Kurt and Blaine out of their bubble as was intended and they found themselves facing the table with red faces. Because they were at a table with other people. Like civilized humans. That was a thing that was happening right now.

"Don't mind his manners everyone. I dropped him one too many times when he was little," Dana joked and got a scowl from Cooper and a laugh from everyone else.

"I am an impeccable human being. I have no idea what you're inferring mother," he said, swirling the champagne in his glass lazily.

"Impeccably stupid," Nick snickered and Jeff smothered a giggle in his napkin.

"I always feel so sorry for you, Alex," Blaine consoled the beautiful blonde woman and she gave him a cheeky quirk of her mouth.

"Oh he's not all bad," she demurred, giving her Dom a wink and he puffed up under her attention, leaning in to smack a kiss on her full lips.

"We will give birth to a superior species," he declared when he pulled away.

"Second to ours," Blaine countered.

"You wish, squirt. Kurt's pretty as all hell, yeah. But you?"

"I don't know. The curls are cute," April pitched in.

"Those eyebrows though man," Finn said.

"I like his eyebrows," Kurt defended fiercely, laying a few kisses over the left lovingly. Blaine purred happily under the attention.

"Hey, don't count me and my angel out!" Nick piped up.

"Why are they talking about this like its actually possible?" Burt questioned incredulously and Carole chuckled.

"Kids."

"So competitive," Jared sighed, rolling his eyes but sharing a knowing smile with the rest of the parents.

And the chatter carried on like that for a while, the families getting to know each other and laughing like they were old friends already. The only lull came when Nick and Jeff excused themselves to the bathroom.

"Sir?" Kurt frowned glancing around the room where scattered tables were now filled with their friends and family as they enjoyed the array of starters the waiters were beginning to bring out.

Well, they were filled with their friends five minutes ago, at least, he thought they were? He had been kind of wrapped up in all things Blaine but he could have sworn everyone had been seated not too long ago. Now however, it seemed like half the people were gone and Kurt worried his bottom lip as he tried to figure out if their party was boring the guests and if there was something he could do to fix it.

But they were just starting the dinner and there was no way people were bored with eating when they had hardly even started yet!

"Yes, lovely?" Blaine asked, lifting the arm that was still wound around his shoulders, bending it at the elbow so he could reach his mark. It was like now that he was allowed it was suddenly his favorite thing to do, drawn to it like he was completely done with resisting the impulse and Kurt was not going to complain about that when it felt so damn good. Addicting really.

"Um… is there something wrong with our party?" he asked and Blaine bugged his eyes out, not understanding what his sub was talking about. He did an amazing job organizing the whole thing and people were clearly enjoying every bit of it.

"No, baby. The party is amazing. Why would you think there was something wrong?" Blaine asked and Kurt looked at the empty chairs, eyebrows arched pointedly.

"The number of chairs matches the number of guests. So if they are empty that would mean our guests are running for the hills. What other explanation could there be?" he said sadly and Blaine looked around to find that he was right. There was a number of vacated seats scattered through the room and he was trying to figure out who left and why.

His eyes snagged on Nick and Jeff's next to them and dismissed it because they'd excused themselves to the bathroom… ten minutes ago. Frowning he glanced around again and noticed an emerging pattern.

Those pesky…

He was just about to make the connection and voice it when a voice sounded from the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen if you could please look away from your plates that would be appreciated," David laughed, voice loud and clear over the din suggesting he had a mic on him somewhere. Both Blaine and Kurt glanced towards each other trying to figure out if the other one knew what was happening. The matching confused expressions had them turning towards the stage because clearly, the answers were there.

David was dressed in tight black jeans, a black and white striped shirt and a black leather jacket. Gone was his posh, charcoal suit and the newly bonded couple was even more confused by that fact.

"Now we all know that giving gifts to the bonding couple isn't customary… unless you're Sebastian Smythe apparently. But the Warblers have always been like family and well… when we talked about what we would like to give to our two brothers… a song seemed like the best choice. So Kurt, Blaine this is for you. We hope you like it," he smiled and while his words were gentle and kind, that god-awful smirk of his made Kurt's stomach turn at what he was about to hear.

The lights dimmed and the bass line started up a strangely familiar tune but Kurt had no idea where to place it. He glanced at his Dom and found him equally confused as he shrugged his shoulders and bobbed his head in time with the drum line.

The spotlight came up gradually and revealed a pair of people that could not have looked more pissed off and uncomfortable than they did in that very moment.

Wes and Sebastian stood on stage, dressed in complete ski equipment; their fluffy ski suits making them look like marshmallows. The goggles and thick knitted beanies hid parts of their scowls but everyone in the room knew there would be hell to pay for making them do this.

And it got even better when the intro melody faded into their cue to start singing.

Oh, I just wanna take you anywhere that you'd like
We could go out any day, any night
Baby I'll take you there, take you there
Baby I'll take you there, yeah

They alternated between the verses and the crowed suddenly jumped up, recognizing the song and roaring with laughter as the two uptight divas delivered ridiculous lyrics dressed in even more ridiculous outfits.

"Oh my god, Blaine," Kurt breathed out, catching the eye of his usually fashionable friend and realizing Sebastian would never forgive the person who came up with the idea for their present. The thought of it made him grin like a maniac and clap his hands as more and more Warblers came up to the stage to join in singing backup.

"I know, this is gold. I hope someone's recording this. Oh… Corrine is," he chuckled gleefully when he spotted the blonde sub holding her phone up and recording the performance just as Thad took over the next line, alternating it with David.

Oh, tell me, tell me, tell me, how to turn your love on
You can get, get anything that you want
Baby just shout it out, shout it out
Baby just shout it out, yeah

They included some really bad dance moves and had every single person in the room rolling on the floor with laughter as they watched them shake their asses and pull the most ridiculous presenting dance moves they could possibly come up with.

But the biggest surprise of all came when a hulking figure stepped up on stage, wearing the most colourful Hawaiian shorts on the planet, flip flops and sunglasses, taking a dramatic pose at the edge of stage and inhaling deeply.

An inhuman wail left his throat and the audience froze in between shock, horror and amusement as he delivered the next lines in a terribly off key falsetto that had the glasses vibrating and ear drums threatening to shatter.

And if you,
You want me too
Let's make a move

The rest of the boys swamped to the stage taking the chorus but the echoes of Ryan singing just wouldn't fade.

"What the hell was that?" Kurt asked, eyes wide and terrified as their friends boogied on stage.

"An Uruk-Hai on his death bed," Blaine answered equally horrified. He was pretty sure.

"I don't know what that means," Kurt said and Blaine fixed him with a look that clearly read, this will be discussed later.

Yeah, so tell me boy if every time we

To-o-uch
You get this kind of ru-u-ush
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you don't wanna take it slow
And you just wanna take me home
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Wes stepped out to sing the single line, and it was no coincidence that he was staring straight at a certain fiery orange head either.

And let me kiss you

It seemed like it was Jeff and Nick's turn next and Kurt held his breath as the blonde opened his mouth to go first. And of course, like always, Jeff managed to surprise him with his sheer strength. The blonde bopped about just like every other sub on that stage, staring at Nick instead of the crowd, but it was a minor detail as he had fun and sang it out, looking like he was playing a dance-y version of tag with his Dom as they weaved around the other Warblers.

Oh, baby, baby, don't you know you got what I need
Looking so good from your head to your feet
Come on come over here, over here
Come on come over here, yeah

Nick took the next verse and he was clearly very into the lyrics as he chased his sub around and definitely showed him off to the room by twirling him and snaking arms around his waist to pull him close as Jeff laughed freely and uninhibited.

Oh, I just wanna show you off to all of my friends
Making them drool down their chinny-chin-chins
Baby, be mine tonight, mine tonight
Baby, be mine tonight, yeah

Ryan took the high notes again but it was tempered a little when Thad joined in to take some of the edge off. The tiny sprite had thrown away the hat, goggles and jacket and jumped up onto the jocks back.

And if you,
You want me too
Let's make a move

Wes again and he motioned for the room to come forwards towards the stage. The people were out of their sits like their bums were on fire and rushing towards the dancing Warblers, Kurt and Blaine at the head of the pack.

Yeah, so tell me girl if every time we

To-o-uch
You get this kind of ru-u-ush
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you don't wanna take it slow (c'mon)
And you just wanna take me home
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And let me kiss you

The crowd started jumping around the beat and Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist and pulled him into his chest snugly as they stared up at their friends who were now singing directly to them with big, goofy smiles on their collective faces. Dave was on their left failing to suppress a smirk at Sebastian's expense and Corrine was on their right, her pink phone still clutched tightly in her hand and pointed at all of them, though mainly more at David's ass than anything else. Miriam was next to her covering her face with her hands as Wes grinded in front of her and Kurt couldn't stop giggling.

C'mon
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na

Yeah, so tell me, girl, if every time we

To-o-uch
You get this kind of ru-u-ush
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you don't wanna take it slow
And you just wanna take me home
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Every time we to-o-uch
You get this kind of ru-u-ush
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you don't wanna take it slow
And you just wanna take me home
Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And let me kiss you

The place erupted in cheers and applause at the end of the song and the guys on stage took a theatrical bow to acknowledge it before rushing back off stage.

"You guys are insane," Kurt exclaimed as their sweaty bodies came ambling over to them, still hyped up on performance endorphins. Wes headed straight for Miriam who Kurt only just noticed was dressed in none other than the dress he designed and looking just as stunning as the first time she wore it.

Talk about tunnel vision.

Corrine practically jumped all over David and Sebastian was pouting and scowling so hard Dave lead him off to get changed into his suit again immediately.

"You loved it!" Thad grinned at him and Kurt couldn't keep the smile from his face so nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm a bit put out that I wasn't invited to join in but impressed at your ability to keep a secret for so long," Blaine chuckled.

"Well we didn't tell Nick or Jon until like, yesterday. To cover that angle of course," Wes explained and they all laughed as Jon pouted and Nick looked aghast.

"I can too keep a secret!" Nick looked affronted.

"Nick you couldn't even keep quiet about knowing we were throwing you a surprise birthday party. You literally ruined your own celebration," David laughed.

Kurt rolled his eyes and met the smiling brown ones of his best friend. "C'mere you scheming blondie," he urged opening his arms wide and Blaine let him go reluctantly so that he could embrace his best friend.

"Thank you guys," Kurt murmured to all of them over Jeff's shoulder. "That was amazing. Really."

"It was Thad's idea," Riker supplied and Kurt turned to the small math nerd in gratitude.

"I loved it. And I'm guessing Ryan singing was another brilliant idea of yours?" Kurt arched an eyebrow at Thad who snuggled into his giant's arms and giggled.

"Actually... that was all him," he said proudly and Ryan nodded.

"I wanted to be a part of the gift for you guys and well... I like singing," Ryan said happily and while every single Warbler looked torn between amusement and annoyance Thad wrapped himself tighter around his Dom and smiled at him lovingly.

"And we love having you sing with us," he said gently making every one of them huff as they clapped both Kurt and Blaine on the shoulder and scattered to change before the next course came out before they'd even tasted the first.

Back at the table Blaine coaxed Kurt into his previous position, maybe urging him a little further into his lap even, and Kurt purred his approval. Completely happy to stay soaked up in Blaine and ignore the food he'd so painstakingly picked out with his Dom one evening.

The curly haired Dom started pushing kisses to his jaw and Kurt arched into the caresses, tightening the hold of his arms around his neck.

"I don't wanna interrupt kids, but you should eat something. As far as I'm aware you haven't eaten since yesterday," Burt piped up.

"And Blaine wasn't really eating so much as… playing," Jared put in slyly which set Nick off immediately on another fit of giggles gasping, "Spoons," in between chuckles, that made Blaine growl, but not lose it like he had before. What a difference bonding to the love of your life made.

"You'll probably want to keep your strength up too, what with the busy night you've got ahead of you," Cooper tacked on, not bothering to hide the heavily laced innuendo there.

It was clear Blaine wasn't interested in their opinion from the way he carried on kissing every inch of skin he could get his hands on and blanking them. Kurt was much in the same boat until Dana said, "I bet Blaine's starving, Kurt."

It struck a nerve with the submissive in him and a deep blooming desire to look after his Dom surfaced strongly, making him look towards the food on the table. Platters of all sorts of food were served as starters; from soup to shrimp and Kurt picked up one of the latter to bring to Blaine's mouth.

The Dom paused his tender ministrations and looked at it for a moment, before flicking his eyes up to lock with Kurt's. His pupils were still blown and Kurt imagined his probably were too but the Dominant seemed to like the idea of taking food out of Kurt's hand as much as Kurt did so he leaned forwards and bit.

Kurt made a distinctively happy sound and started the process of feeding Blaine bite after bite, taking some for himself when Blaine ordered him to do so. It was intimate and satisfying to feed Blaine by his hand and the only thing that would have made it better would have been him actually preparing the food himself.

Maybe next time.

By the time dessert had rolled around both Kurt and Blaine were suitably stuffed and still very much glued together, giggling and whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. Everyone around them observed their infatuated devotion with huge smiles, happy that this couple that were so right for each other, so obviously in love, were happy themselves.

When the last of the plates were cleared away Kurt and Blaine got up to socialize and headed over to Sebastian in particular to thank him for the gift he had brought them. The sub simply waved it off with his usual sarcastic deadpan.

"I must say that you've done a reasonable job, Hummel," Sebastian said. He had changed back to his suit, hair impeccable as he looked around the room with a critical eye. It was high praise indeed coming from this particular individual and Kurt preened like a peacock.

"I know," he said smugly.

Blaine shook his head at his ridiculous sub and laid a kiss to his temple because he just couldn't help it. The driving need to be close had never gone away exactly, but it was manageable after they bonded. The calmness from earlier was fizzling away as the night wore on though and Blaine could feel it rising up in him again, digging its claws in. He was sweating through his shirt with the effort it took to control and rein in his impulses and he'd discarded his suit jacket a while ago, top button already undone.

"There is the matter of the vermin however," Sebastian continued.

Kurt gaped. "Vermin?!"

Sebastian nodded to the corner and Kurt followed his gaze until he lighted on the table they had set up especially so Cupid Marshmallow III and his boyfriend Poncho could join in the ceremony. They had a member of staff checking up on them regularly and they'd be taken away soon now that everyone was up and moving around. But they had placed a bright bow the same colour as the chair covers on the top of the cage and they looked adorable okay.

"How dare you insult my children?!" Kurt gasped and Seb raised a brow dryly.

"One of them is Jeff and Nick's," Blaine reminded his sub. "But I agree with your overall point."

"When they get bonded he'll be our son-in-law," Kurt told him matter-of-factly before turning back to Sebastian. "And I would rather have them here than some certain other people I don't even know the names of," Kurt stated superiorly, nose in the air.

Sebastian smirked and looked to the table that sat all the highbrow Doms and subs that had been too good to get involved when they had been performing earlier and generally stuck up the whole evening. They were the obligatory invites that were business partners and important persons that they needed to get on side if they wanted Burt's campaign to go well. They had a lot of pull in the community and so snubbing them would have been career suicide.

"I could understand that," Sebastian conceded.

"We should probably get them taken to one of the rooms though," Kurt worried, looking to Blaine. "Someone might knock into them now that we have the open bar."

Blaine nodded. "I'll go ask someone to take care of it, lovely."

"Thank you, sir," Kurt beamed and tilted his lips for a kiss that Blaine easily gifted to him.

"Ugh, you guys are too much," Sebastian faked gagged and they could hear his footsteps leading off. Kurt pulled back and looked after him, only to snag his eyes on a table.

"Jeff's all alone," he frowned.

Blaine squeezed his waist in both hands. "Go check on him and I'll meet you there."

"Hurry back," he felt compelled to say.

"As if I could stay away," Blaine murmured, giving him on last kiss before walking off to find an employee. Kurt watched him go a little dreamily before shaking some sense into himself and heading the opposite way after his apology to Sebastian ended up drifting in the air when Dave showed up and proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of his sub.

"Where's that goofball of your Dom?" Kurt asked with a smile sitting down at their table next to Jeff. The blonde was sipping the light punch they had served for those not too keen on alcohol or were underage.

"He went to the bathroom. Needed to change his pants into his suit ones again because he ate so much he couldn't button the ones he had on," Jeff chuckled and Kurt joined in on the laugh, his insides warm with how happy Jeff had seemed.

"Well… the food was magnificent."

"It looked like you were enjoying it," Jeff quipped, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes and Kurt flushed a little. He couldn't help it, it seemed like his blinders were on to everything but Blaine and it was only getting worse as the night wore on.

"Are you having fun?" he asked instead of retorting, changing the subject swiftly and Jeff nodded enthusiastically.

"Everything is amazing, Kurt. You did a great job," he said and Kurt preened in pride. He did love how everything came together in the end.

"Thank you," Kurt said gracefully but it really wasn't what he wanted to talk about. His friend had a different glow about him than usual he'd noticed despite his single-mindedness and he wanted to know what caused it.

"You looked great up on the stage. Very happy. Relaxed," he said gently and Jeff smiled that beautifully shy smile of his that had everyone around him melting with how unconsciously gorgeous he looked when he was happy.

"It's… it's because I am…" he said and Kurt leaned closer, propping an elbow on the table, eager to hear what it was that made his best friend feel so good.

"Spill, blondie."

Kurt was bouncing in his seat and Jeff blushed when it attracted looks from other people. He still wasn't okay with being the centre of attention.

"I… I got my Gift," he leant forwards and whispered and Kurt almost jumped out of his seat and into his arms hugging him for all he was worth.

"Oh my god. Oh my god, Jeff, why didn't you tell me sooner? When did it happen? What did you ask for?" he fired off his questions left and right and Jeff felt his cheeks heat up more and more with every word.

"Just before we came here. And I… I didn't ask for anything in particular because I didn't really know what to ask for. So I just… I told him I wanted to move forward and get my Gift and if he could help me find something. He said he had an idea," Jeff explained and Kurt nodded eagerly.

"And? What is it?" Kurt asked and Jeff smiled softly, fingers circling the rim of his glass with nervous, excited energy.

"You know those apartments up on the hills? The new ones?" he asked.

"He got you an apartment?!" he squealed and a few more heads turned their way.

"He got us an apartment there but it's not my Gift," he answered lowly, trying to provoke his best friend to lower the decibels but it wasn't working. Kurt looked to be almost exploding with anticipation.

"Jeff, pleeeease I'm dying here," he whined and Jeff smacked his shoulder lightly.

"I'm trying to you big baby but you keep interrupting me," Jeff laughed and Kurt pouted.

"Sorry. Go on," he said, mime zipping his lips and staring at him with huge blue eyes.

"Okay so… the apartment he got us is on the top floor and there is this attic room with a huge round window and it's beautiful Kurt… so beautiful… and Nick… Nick said it could be my art studio. He said he would get me the shelves and easels and paint and that I could decorate it however I want and that if I wanted it, it could be my Gift," he said, voice quivering and getting more and more excited and awed as he talked about his Dom.

Kurt stared at him and his respect for his own Dom's best friend grew with every word. He knew Nick was perfect for Jeff, he knew he was good to him. Attentive and loving. And that he had healed him more than they ever thought would be possible for someone as hurt and wounded as Jeff. But Nick proved to be everything a sub could wish for and his actions towards Jeff were mending the cracks in his skin and Kurt loved him for it.

"Did you say yes?" he asked teasingly and Jeff rolled his eyes at him.

"What do you think?" he deadpanned and Kurt launched forward again hugging him tightly.

"Jeff, I am so happy for you. And that Gift is perfect for you," Kurt said happily and Jeff smiled widely.

"I know. God, Kurt… I…" he tried but he got choked up and his friend squeezed his hand gently.

"Take your time, sweetie," he encouraged softly and Jeff nodded, taking a deep breath.

"I… Kurt, I get to stay with him. He… he wants me to stay," he breathed out and Kurt's eyes softened knowing what it meant to have Jeff finally realize that fact for himself. Knew what it had meant for him when he had finally, truly believed Blaine could want him forever.

"Oh sweetie he wanted you to stay since the moment he saw you," he said gently and Jeff nodded.

"And I think I finally know that too," he whispered and Kurt beamed, feeling like crying.

"Good. Because you deserve to be happy and I can tell just how happy he makes you," he said and Jeff smiled back bashfully.

"He does."

"Good. But the most important thing here is… can I help you decorate the studio?" he winked and Jeff laughed, full bellied and free.

"Something funny, angel?" Nick took his seat next to Jeff and quirked a loving smile to his chuckling sub, looking so pleased to see him so happy and relaxed.

"Just Kurt, sir. He's being silly," Jeff said through the last of his giggles and Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt's back as he took the seat on Kurt's other side, stroking the edge of his mark again, making his sub shiver and cuddle closer.

"What were you silly about?" Blaine asked him as Nick and Jeff seemed to be too far gone in each other to continue with the conversation.

"Just best friend stuff, sir," Kurt said teasingly and Blaine cocked an eyebrow at him in challenge as he coaxed him closer still unconsciously.

"Is that so?" he asked and Kurt giggled.

"Yes, sir."

"And I'm not allowed to know?"

"No, sir," he answered and Blaine threw him a mock threatening look before making a swift motion and sweeping forward, catching Kurt around the waist and pulling him into his lap. His round butt settled right on top of his thighs, the cleft of it rubbing against his cock that twitched almost as soon as he touched his sub. He smothered a moan that threatened and tried to concentrate on something else. The scent of him, warm and happy filled his nostrils and he nuzzled his neck as he squirmed in his arms.

He cradled him close and kissed the side of his lovely boy's lovely face and neck, trying hard to reach more of his skin but his suit jacket was still in place and he wanted it off.

"It's not nice to keep things from your Dom, lovely," Blaine admonished into his ear and Kurt pretended to be scolded but his breaths were coming faster and his heart sped up when Blaine's fingers started pushing his jacket down his arms.

"But… best friend things… sir…what…" he tried explaining lamely, to keep the game going but Blaine's lips were making him crazy, the palms dragging his jacket down were dizzying and he was losing his grip on reality. He just wanted Blaine and all this holding off was finally getting to him.
Hadn't he been good for long enough? Were they done mingling and talking and dancing?
Couldn't everyone else just keep having fun without them?

"Sir," he gasped and Blaine growled low in his throat when his jacket got stuck on the creases of his elbows and he couldn't get it out of the way.

"Take it off," he ordered and Kurt whimpered and hurried to obey, draping his jacket over his vacated seat far more carelessly than he ever would in his right mind. Blaine was on him in an instant, unbuttoning the top of his shirt and freeing a sliver of his skin, attaching his lips to it.

Kurt whimpered and it seemed to be the final straw. Blaine surged them to their feet and Kurt's found the floor very shakily indeed. They were headed to the exit without a single by or leave and the blurred crowds watched them go without a hint of protest.

---

In the elevator Blaine crowded him up against the corner before the doors had even shut and Kurt whimpered in delight, eyes closing as his head tipped back, at the force and weight he put behind the action. He had hard steel behind him and searing muscle in front of him and he just wanted him closer. God. This. This is what he had been craving. The scent of heavy pheromones in the air, an intoxicating mixture of both of them, was driving him crazy and he couldn't help all those desperate, wretched sounds from escaping his parted lips as Blaine molded them into one being finally.

Needy fingers grasped at the back of Blaine's shirt, scrabbling for purchase against his shoulder blades to get it off even though that was impossible with how tightly they were pressed. The material was sweat soaked and Kurt realized with a hot jolt that it was from the effort his Dom had been going through to keep his instincts in check all day.

The knowledge turned Kurt inside out, his stomach fluttering and pulse hammering. He wanted to sink to his knees. He wanted to bare his throat. He wanted to slam the emergency break on and have Blaine fuck him right here.

The urge should have shocked him but every romantic notion he'd ever had about their first time, all the pain they had gone through these past few days was crushed under the weight of this need. The submissive that was so closely intertwined within him clawing its way up and refusing to relinquish control until it was satisfied this time. It wanted Blaine. Anyway. Anyhow. All evening and night he had battled with it. This live thing inside him that was screaming out for his Dominant and now that they were finally alone, finally together, it wasn't letting him breathe, let alone think.

He felt heavy breaths panting against his cheek and a steady vibration, a constant almost growl that was humming against his chest and making him want to purr back in response. He arched into the noise and their lower bodies rubbed just barely, but enough to send shivers up Kurt's spine.

Blaine's hungry mouth descended and Kurt sunk deeper as they connected deeply.

Tongues dueled, Kurt always giving way and loving the feeling of Blaine claiming ground in the wet cavern of his mouth. He mapped the roof of his mouth. Laid claim to the backs of his teeth. Staked ownership on his lips, each caress a little flag being put down that left him with the feeling after he had pulled away again.

Blaine couldn't have waited another second to have this. He just snapped. One minute somewhat level headed, the next just done. Gone.

It was Kurt.

Having him so close all at once destroyed the tenuous grasp on his control, that desperate hold on frayed edges that bonding had given him. Because he was suddenly all too aware as the night passed that it wasn't quite completely finished. He didn't have Kurt completely.

And he just couldn't have that anymore. It ate at him. The knowledge that there was more. Oh, there was more. The stuff of his fantasies and dreams all rolled into something much better. Something transcendent of this world.

There was a faint ping that announced their arrival at the topmost floor.

Blaine grasped Kurt's chin between his forefinger and thumb and detached their mouths with a slick sound. Kurt tried to chase as he knew he would and he held him at a distance firmly as he pulled back to run hot eyes all over his flushed face. Kurt's lashes fluttered like wings before opening and Blaine breathed out at the brilliancy they revealed.

"You are so beautiful, lovely boy," he murmured and Kurt's cheeks darkened. Soft, tapered fingers crawled their way up his wrist, not tugging his hand away, but holding on like he needed the stability. "Come," he half ordered, half coaxed and they made their way into the penthouse rooms which had been cleared and cleaned again during their ceremony ready for them.

Blaine grasped Kurt by the cheeks once they were out of the elevator and safely locked behind the door and they fell into the same urgent rhythm as before, head twisting into angles to push closer and they kissed and kissed and kissed.

Shirt buttons were undone in the small space between them, feet and toes stepped on as they blindly made their way towards the bedroom. Kurt's hands tugged at his shirt when it tangled in the crook of his elbows and he could hear the faint clinking of buttons when they landed on the ground.

They tumbled through the door when Blaine finally managed to swipe the key card and a glimpse of white remaining in front of their bedroom door told him he had just lost his fancy shirt. He pulled away from his flushed boy and decided to have a bit of fun with him to get him even more wound up.

"You just cost me my shirt, lovely boy. For that, you're gonna strip while I get what we need. Start now," Blaine ordered, a sultry whisper in his ear and though his feet stayed glued to the spot, his head chased Blaine as far as it could go as he removed his hands and walked away somewhere behind him.

It felt like torture to be so far away, in front of the bed no less, its wide inviting expanse like a cruel taunt and Kurt ached for Blaine. His touch, his smell, his taste. He missed him and he'd only been gone for mere seconds but he still felt on the verge of tears because of it all. So open and exposed and reliant on Blaine.

"I can't hear you stripping, lovely. Don't make me have to punish you for disobeying," Blaine admonished, voice light and playful so Kurt knew he wasn't really in trouble as his fingers jumped clumsily and started tugging the clothes away from his body. Urgent, needy, careless, desperate.

Blaine himself wasn't faring too much better but something was driving him that just wouldn't let up and so he let it all go and followed his instincts. Let that voice that had been yelling at him to; take, dom, order, command, lead the way as he ran his hand over the smooth polished wood of their toy chest that he'd brought from the house.

He'd spent the last few days making sure they would have everything they would possibly need in this chest, obsessively checking and rechecking and ordering more things off the internet as he lost himself in fantasies of his submissive completely strung out under his knowing hands.

He opened it up and felt his cock twitch at the sight of the mostly pristine toys and other play things held within all in neat rows and compartments. They were all in tasteful colours; toys in blues mainly and restraints and such in black and silver.

They'd hardly made a dent in this chest at all in their usual day to day play, mainly just dabbling with restraints, and he had a brief moment like a kid in a candy store. Overwhelmed with the sheer variety of choice. What was he truly hungry for? What would be the best? Did he just want a little bit of everything? And what about Kurt, what would his lovely boy like best?

"Sir?" Kurt asked, sounding upset and raw and Blaine made a hushing, soothing sound over his shoulder as he checked on him quickly. He was still standing right where he left him, trying not to move a muscle despite his distress and desire to do just that.

Blaine was consistently floored by just how perfect he was. He was now rid f all the clothes and his alabaster skin shone in the faintest light from the moon peeking through their window. He was unreal and Blaine couldn't wait to get his hands on him.

"I'll be right there, baby. You're doing so good, just a little longer," he praised sincerely, voice pitched low.

He turned back to the box quickly and drew the restraints out of their separate compartment and felt a rush of heat flash through him as the cool, buttery leather slipped through his fingers. No need to mess with a good thing and they both loved this kind of play a hell of a lot. Also something deep within him wanted Kurt to be comfortable as they got heavier into this so easing him in with something he knew and liked was imperative.

He moved to the bathroom door and tested to see if the latch was sturdy enough to use without having to find one that locked from this side. A few strong tugs saw that the metal held and Blaine hummed happily as he pulled it open and fitted the hooks of the restraints over the top, spacing them out before shutting it again.

The hanging wrist cuffs that were left hanging there heated his blood and he moved back to Kurt immediately, pressing his naked torso to Kurt's naked back and winding his arms around his waist. He felt Kurt let out an audible sigh as he leant back into him, drooping like a ragdoll.

The feel of Blaine's still half clothed body against his was even more pronounced now and it took Kurt's breath away, goosebumps breaking out all over his skin.

"You ready, lovely?" Blaine asked into his ear and Kurt licked his dry lips, nodding shakily, anticipation making him weak. He had no idea what Blaine had in store for him but he wanted it. So bad.

"Say it," Blaine ordered.

"I'm ready, sir," he said immediately complying and Blaine kissed the shell of his ear in reward.

"Go to the door and lean back against it facing me. Arms above your head," he laid out the instructions and Kurt's feet were moving before the words really registered and his mind caught up. The press of the cool wood against his bare, flushed skin was a shock but he followed his orders and raised his arms over his head feeling self-conscious but trusting Blaine.

His gorgeous Dom stepped up to him slowly, all slinking grace like a predator and hungry roaming eyes and Kurt felt small and vulnerable under his gaze. His chest heaved and he wondered if Blaine could see the skittering thump of his heart under his too tight skin.

When they were breathing the same air again, noses nudging, he felt Blaine's hands skate softly up his sides, up, up, until he had followed the lines of his arms to his wrists. There he let go and reached for something else and it was only when he felt the distinct texture of leather against his skin that he broke eye contact and looked up.

What he saw made his breath hitch.

Restraints. Black leather with polished silver buckles and he let out a shuddering exhale as fantasies of what Blaine planned to do to him took over. He felt damp lips against the hinge of his jaw, teeth nipping at the curve of his chin as leather was rubbed against the sensitive skin of his wrists in a mock tease of what was to come.

"Sir," Kurt sighed on a breathy whimper and he felt that delicious mouth smile against him before pulling back and looking up to attach the restraints properly. The slide around his wrists and the clink of metal made Kurt shiver but he couldn't look away from Blaine's face for the life of him. The utterly pleased, carnal light that blew out his pupils and melted his irises into honey.

Kurt was completely pliant in his grip, allowing him to move him wherever he wished and that unequivocal trust fired his blood just as much as the act of placing his boy in restraints. The soft leather curved perfectly around Kurt's delicate bones and he made sure there was a finger of space for him to move in, not enough to escape, but enough so that they didn't rub uncomfortably or cut off the circulation.

He was actually hurting from how hard he already was, stretching out the seams of his suit trousers but he wasn't going to give into the impulse. He had too many plans. Too many fantasies and urges to satisfy first. But Kurt didn't make it easy. God, he looked gorgeous and flawless against the backdrop of the mahogany door and the sight of all that pale skin made him want to mark him up, throw him on the bed and finally sink into him.

"Does that feel alright, lovely?" he asked him instead, meeting stormy blue eyes. He was never going to be too far gone to check in with Kurt and make sure he was alright.

Kurt swallowed, dry throat bobbing. "Yes, sir."

Blaine's hands fell away to his hips, thumbs playing at the sharp ridges there and down along his vee line. Kurt's head fell back against the door as his hips tilted forward and up for a little relief. Blaine glanced down at the full erection on display between them and made an appreciative sound before bending forwards and taking his mouth in a filthy kiss. Kurt would have been delighted if it hadn't been for the Dom making sure to keep that frustrating distance between their lower bodies.

Blaine pulled away completely and Kurt went to reach out for him only to be drawn up completely short by the restraints. The most leverage he could get was a little bend in his elbows and about a half step away from the actual door and it was such a painfully sweet surrender to be so trapped this way.

"Blaine, please… sir," he begged, not knowing exactly what he was asking for.

Blaine hushed him again and ran his thumb over his swollen bottom lip as his eyes tracked up and down his body. "You look so gorgeous like that, you don't even know. I should set up mirrors in our room at home so you can watch me take you apart all the time."

The very idea had Kurt's stomach flipping hotly, his cock leaking pre-come and Kurt ran his tongue over the edge of Blaine's thumb because it was the only thing he could get a hold of and he needed him. Just any part of him.

"Now don't be naughty, Kurt. Naughty boys don't get what they want," Blaine warned listening to the restraints jingle a little as Kurt tested them as he tried to touch and drew his thumb away despite Kurt's noise of protest. "I asked them to sort this out a little earlier," Blaine explained walking over towards the corner of the room where he hadn't noticed a bucket of ice and champagne had been set up.

Blaine brought it over, including the small table it sat on and Kurt watched the play of muscles in the low light of the lamp almost hypnotically. Next to the bucket he sat their chest, open now even though he still couldn't see into it, and his blood raced.

"Do you remember New Year's Eve?" Blaine asked lowly into the heavy, tension filled silence that had descended between them. He was running his fingers over something in the box and it was killing Kurt not knowing what it was but he was helpless to do anything but watch his Dom with rapt attention.

The words however still took a moment to settle in his hazy mind. "Y-yes, sir. It was fun."

Blaine left whatever he was contemplating in the box still and instead moved to pluck the champagne bottle out of the bucket. He popped the cork, watching as it fizzed up and spilled over his hand. His eyes met Kurt's and he licked it up, such an obviously taunting tease and Kurt worried his restraints again but they held as firm as ever.

Blaine watched the action and smiled as he approached with the bottle in hand. "Do you remember that night, baby?"

Oh god did he. He still got off to it those rare occasions where he was left on his own to take care of himself.

"We played a game," Kurt breathed.

"Umhm," Blaine hummed in assent, stopping in front of him. They locked eyes. "Would you like to play another one?"

Kurt's knees felt weak. "Yes, please. Anything. I need you, sir."

Blaine pressed the bottom of the bottle to Kurt's stomach, watching as he sucked it in with a hiss at the cool wetness of it. He rolled the curved edge back and forth a few times and delighted at the raised goosebumps that broke out over his skin. There was a certain light in Blaine's eyes when he looked at him again and removed the stimulus and Kurt couldn't guess at what was going on in there but he had electricity dancing over his skin already from the many possibilities.

"You've been such a good boy for me," Blaine praised and Kurt soaked it in like sunlight. "Good boys get rewards."

The lip of the champagne bottle was suddenly pressing at his mouth and Kurt's eagerly opened up to receive the bubbles over his tongue. He swallowed a few times, savoring the taste before it was taken away and Blaine came back without it in hand. He was a little disappointed that they weren't going to playing that game again until Blaine kissed him silly. He lost himself in it for a moment before he felt something much colder than the bottle had been pressing against his hip when Blaine cupped it in his palm. He gasped into Blaine's mouth and the Dom ate the sound right up while his hand moved around to the small of his back and what could only be ice melted and skated easily across his skin.

The contrast of warm mouths clashing and cold ice pressing into his skin was heady and he moaned when he felt the chilled water dripping down over his ass and between his rounded cheeks. Blaine kept up the assault until the ice had completely turned to liquid again, then immediately drew back to drag the table closer so he could grab another.

"I dreamt about this a long time ago," Blaine admitted to him roughly as he pressed a cube to the spot just above his nipple. He drew it around the perked nub slowly as he talked. "Back when we were on the boat and we were lounging on the deck and it was so fucking hot out and you looked so god damned lickable. I wanted to do this to you then."

"Y-you did?" Kurt stuttered trying to reconcile that in his mind. They were so innocently awkward back then, dancing around one another, but there was definite tension there the whole time. Kurt just hadn't realized just how deep it ran for Blaine before now.

"Of course I did, lovely. You are the sexiest god damned thing in this universe," Blaine said and bent his head to take his nipple into the warm cavern of his mouth. Kurt turned his face into his arm but it did nothing to smother his moan of pleasure or his pants of want as the Dom continued to suckle. He began to move down, ice cube leading the way as he dragged it over his sternum, stomach then back and forth over the base of his cock.

"Blaine," Kurt moaned urgently, tugging at his restraints even harder and making them dig into his skin. He felt like crying again. "Please, sir. Please touch me, I can't stand it anymore."

Blaine was balancing on his haunches in front of him, inches away from his red and aching erection, but still he didn't touch. "You can hold out longer than this, beautiful boy. I know you can."

"But it's been so long," he whined, fingers curling around the straps that hooked to the door and raising on his toes to try and get a little closer. Blaine backed away again and got to his feet. Kurt truly did look wild and frayed around the edges, actual tears were pooling in his eyes from how desperately he needed just a little Dominant contact and Blaine couldn't fight instincts that strong.

He turned Kurt on the spot so he was now facing the door, adjusting the restraints so that they were comfortable still and then he pressed himself along the length of him, feeling Kurt's sigh of content at the weight. Blaine nosed at him a little while he settled, reaching between them to unbutton his fly and push his suit pants off finally. He stepped away for a second to kick them away then plastered them together again.

And it was then that he got his first real look at the mark on the back of Kurt's neck and the small, yet significant difference there. It sent a wave of heat crashing through him, a fierce stab of possessiveness and satisfaction and he couldn't have helped from leaning in to lay a bigger claim on the space that marked Kurt as exclusively, irrevocably his.

Kurt shivered and moaned into each and every touch. The brush of lips, the trace of tongue that followed the black outline that marked their bond as permanent. "I love this," he said raggedly. "Me on you this way. I want to worship it with my teeth and tongue. Take you from behind and bite at it."
He ran another nearly melted cube down his mark, making him keen with sensation as he let it slip down his flawless back and over his right ass cheek.

Kurt gasped.

"Would you like that, lovely?" he whispered straight into the sensitive skin and Kurt's hips jolted into the wood, a strangled moan escaping his parted lips as he yanked down with his arms.

Blaine hummed in pleasure at how obviously gone he was and removed his lips from his neck with one last kiss that had Kurt whimpering and sweating and curling his hands harder into the leather. The ice cube melted into a trickle of water on his hip and Blaine bent down, almost all the way down to his knees as he lapped it with his tongue.

"Answer me, Kurt!" he ordered and Kurt moaned desperately.

"Y-yes sir." he managed and Blaine turned back towards their chest.

"Yes what?" he asked teasingly, the Dominant inside him going mad with pride at how gone his boy seemed to be already. His voice clipped and shaky, his knees giving out every few moments and his hands rattling the restraints as he shivered under his arms.

"I… I'd like t-that…" he gasped, trying to peek over his shoulder and see where Blaine had gone to but he was so far gone into his own head that he just couldn't focus on taking his surroundings in.

"Like what?" Blaine smiled as he took something from the table and walked back to his shivering sub.

"Y-you… sir… touch me… k-iss me… take me… anything… please sir…" he babbled and Blaine couldn't take it anymore. He placed a hand on his hip and gasped at the reaction the simple touch provoked. Kurt moaned brokenly and pushed into his hand like a starved man seeing food for the first time in weeks and his entire body seemed set on fire.

"Good boys get what they want. We'll play a game now beautiful so I need you to keep your eyes closed for me. Can you do that?" he asked and Kurt shivered, but his head bobbed up and down in confirmation as those silky lids slid over the sky blues of his eyes.

"I'm gonna tease you. And for every minute you manage to stay perfectly still and quiet, you get a minute of me doing whatever you want to you," he said and Kurt moaned in want, his hand now almost limp in restraints as he relaxed into Blaine's touch.

He didn't care what happened anymore. Blaine was there with him, pleasing him so much he thought he was going to faint and he just let himself respond to it instinctively. He almost jumped away when something light and smooth glided over his left calf but he remembered to stay silent and still.

It was maddening though.

The sensation climbed up over his thigh and this time he couldn't help it, his body twitched away and he could hear Blaine's chuckle.

"Your minute is reset, darling. Let's start over," the Dom smirked gleefully when his sub froze in place, concentration on his gorgeous face so obvious as he fought against his own body and the pleasure Blaine inflicted on it.

The long, dark grey feather in his hand fluttered in the cool air around them as he brought it up and ran it over the sex dimples at the bottom of Kurt's spine.

Kurt's heart soared when gooseflesh rose on his skin and a light shiver coursed through him but he remained glued to his spot, lips bitten red from keeping the moans in as he tried to make his Dom proud.

Blaine ran the feather up, tracing the ridges of his spine and counting in his head, not wanting to rip his beautiful boy off his well-earned prize. In the end Kurt asked for a hug. Shaky voice delivering the tame request as his body jerked in pleasure from the contact. The hug lasted a full minute, strong, gentle, loving, before Blaine pulled back leaving a whimpering Kurt to find firm ground and stay strong.

It went on for what felt like hours.

With Kurt making it all the way through the minute and asking for kisses and touches, with Kurt barely making it ten seconds before stumbling back and crying out, with Kurt making it almost all the way through before breaking down from pleasure. Blaine watched in silent fascination how his body seemed aware of where he was at all times as he angled towards him. He ran the feather over the crease between Kurt's upper thigh and hip and kissed the back of his neck, breaking the rule just a tiny bit.

"Minute's up, lovely. Well done. Name your prize," he said coming closer and Kurt surged back, gluing his back to his front and opening his eyes, the fire inside them so desperately strong it floored Blaine to the ground.

"Sir… sir please… I can't… not anymore…" he cried and this time there were actual tears tumbling down his cheeks. His cock red and leaking from excitement and his entire posture screaming for Blaine to finally take him. Make him his completely.

"What do you need, lovely?" he asked even if he knew the answer. He needed to hear it. Needed to know that it was okay. That he was allowed.

"You sir… please, just you." he begged and Blaine jumped into action, reaching into the chest and taking out a brand new bottle of lube.

He came back with his fingers wet with the sticky substance and kissed his boy on the cheek, proud of how amazingly he was coping. "Spread your legs."

Kurt complied immediately and Blaine pressed up behind him, clean hand running over his flank and lower to smooth over the perfect, pert curve of his ass.

"Colour?" he demanded, not soon to forget about the last time he had attempted this.

"Green," Kurt whimpered into the wood in front of his face.

Blaine kissed at his shoulder, lips sticking against his sweaty skin while his thumb dipped in between the crack of his ass. "Relax for me, lovely."

It felt like he was saying that as much to himself as his sub.

The pad of his thumb brushed that tight ring of muscle and they both inhaled sharply. "Wider," he coaxed and Kurt could do nothing other than what he was told. It was like his ability to think clearly or independently had completely abandoned him and he needed Blaine to guide him.

Blaine switched hands over, the clean one holding his left ass cheek, the slick one moving to replace the pressure of his thumb with the touch of both his forefingers. He rubbed them up and down, in tight little circles, as much as a tease as a way to get things wet enough so it would be easier and hurt less.

Kurt's eyes already were rolling to the back of his head he was just that sensitive right now. All the play. All the waiting. He was a bomb just waiting to go off and it was like Blaine had located the button to make him explode. He let out a broken moan, clenching and unclenching when his middle finger caught right where it needed to go. The urge to push back was so strong and he wanted to, god he wanted to, but the signals got lost in the cotton in his mind before they ever got a chance to transmit.

"God, Kurt," Blaine gritted, eyes fixed on the intimate spot they were joined. Tan against rosy pink.

He slipped the tip in just slightly and he heard Kurt gasp; that gorgeous, lovely gasp that always told him go further, show him more. He pushed in up to the first knuckle and clenched his jaw at the tight heat that was surrounding him. His cock throbbed in its cotton confines, leaking and screaming at him.

"Colour," he asked, rougher this time like he had swallowed gravel.

"G-green. Green, green, green," Kurt chanted back, sagging a little more with each word like it was taking everything out of him.

Blaine moved his free hand around to his hip and pushed in close to his side to encourage him to hold himself up. He felt the awkward stretch on his wrist at the angle but he held still and placed a few more kisses to Kurt's strained arm and shoulder.

Kurt turned his flushed face towards him and Blaine lost his breath at just how gone he looked. Pupils fully dilated, face a pretty pink, lashes beautifully wet, perspiration lining every pore.

"You are so lovely," he praised and pushed his finger in further because that possessive monster in him had to see Kurt's reaction to a part of him being inside his sub.

It didn't disappoint.

The perfect 'O' Kurt's kiss swollen and teeth bitten lips made would forever be engraved in his mind's eye. The way his lashes fluttered involuntarily. The choked, obscene sound he made into the silence when he pulled out a little to push in again.

He moved back around behind him, a newfound fire and energy driving him as he prepped his beautiful boy for him. One finger turned into two that were stretching him out, stroking along his walls and then they encountered something that made Kurt lose it completely.

He cried out like he had been struck, knees trembling to hold him up and more tears from how overwhelmed he was spilled down his cheeks. He needed to come. He needed it. He had to. But he couldn't. Blaine hadn't said he could yet and he wanted to be a good boy.

Blaine hushed him and dripped sweet endearments and praise into his ear like nectar, kissing and licking at it and the sensitive skin around it. And all the while the Dom kept the pressure on, paying extra special attention to that magical place inside him that lit him up like the sun itself.

"Blaine," Kurt gasped, barely able to get it out over his constant hoarse moans. His legs and arms were truly shaking now and he blinked hazy eyes over and over to try and come back around but he was liquid. Everything about him was just so hard to get a hold of as he floated further and further into a warm, safe place he couldn't name. "I'm going to… I can't hold it… sir…"

A third finger and Kurt felt like he was going to pass out.

"Just hold on for me, lovely," Blaine encouraged, pushing against his prostate again to hear that moan again. "Just a little longer, baby. I know you can do it for me, you're almost stretched. You feel so good around me, beautiful boy. I can't wait until I can be inside you."

Kurt rolled his head against the door, trying to find a cool spot to chill his overheated skin but everything was so hot. Everything burned. He held on though. He balls were high and tight, his cock was on fire, but he held it together until Blaine declared him stretched enough and reached for his restraints. The only thing that prevented him from spilling to the floor like a dropped cloth when they were both unbuckled was the sturdy arm around his waist. Blood rushed to his abused extremities with pins and needles in its wake and he felt Blaine's mouth at the hinge of his neck as he carried him over to the bed.

He was laid on the silk sheets on his back in the middle of the massive bed like the most precious of things and Blaine was on him in a second, underwear removed, finally bare. Their skin pressed together and Kurt felt like he was stripped down past skin to raw, naked nerves. It felt electric and on the verge of pleasured pain to get this full body contact after what felt like hours of touches here and there. Never enough. Never satisfying.

Blaine slipped between his thighs and Kurt wrapped them around his waist like a clamp, ankles locking over his ass. He didn't want him going anywhere ever again. Their mouths met in a wet kiss that was more tongue than lips, a parody of what was to come as Blaine's hard length slid over his slicked and loosened hole, catching but never slipping in fully.

Kurt moaned into his open mouth when it happened the third time and Blaine broke away almost violently to grab the lube on the bedside table. He reached between them and slicked his aching erection, hissing at how close to the edge he was from that one simple touch. He couldn't wait anymore.

"Sure, lovely?" he asked roughly, meeting blown eyes with intense heat.

"Yes, sir. Please. It's been so long," Kurt begged, fingers grasping at his shoulders intently, nails biting into skin.

"I love you," Blaine reminded him tenderly. Despite the pressing desire and Dominant pheromones making everything unbearable urgent, he had to stop and say that.

"I love you too," Kurt whispered back as Blaine lined up and pressed forwards.

This stretch ached but Kurt couldn't feel anything but pleasure in the act as his body welcomed him in eagerly. Muscles unwinding instead of locking up, mind screaming more, now, instead of wait, slow down. This was them taking that final step, locking themselves together for an eternity and it couldn't be fast enough for Kurt.

Blaine let his jaw hang off its hinges as he bottomed out into that tight searing heat, heart in his throat, lungs seized. It was indescribable. The feeling of himself coming apart for the second time that day, pathways already forged being set in stone. More ties morphing into infinity knots. The back of his neck tingled sharply and he knew it must be the faint colour that was already there finally bleeding through completely marking him as Kurt's as much as Kurt was his.

"I love you," Blaine declared as he pulled out to the tip. He couldn't be still now, there was only instinct left and it told him to finish them both now. Seal the bond in that spectacular way.

Kurt was only light and sound and Blaine. He had lost himself into the feel of skin on him, in him. Everything heightened like he had just taken a hit of something and was on a trip. Each plunge of Blaine's cock only made things brighter, louder, more out of sync with that world and leading him into another where it was safe and warm and nothing could ever get to him. It smelled like Blaine here. Felt like his arms around him. Tasted like him on the air he breathed in.

He winked in and out.

One minute Blaine was there, moving over him and then the next he couldn't see anything but bursts of light and color but he could feel the whole time. That simmering burn low in his stomach, the throb of his cock, the jolts of pure sensation that felt like lightning strikes every time Blaine hammered his prostate.

Blaine couldn't hold out. Couldn't get a proper pace started when his hips just wanted to fuck and fuck and fuck until they were one person. It couldn't have been five minutes. Five wonderful, unearthly minutes of that indescribable body milking him, fitting him like a glove and Blaine knew he was going to explode.

"Come, Kurt. Come with me," Blaine ordered him into his ear and Kurt did. Just like that. Always on command. Always. And it was heaven. Everything. A spectrum of colour flashing behind his lids, his body washing under the wave of pleasure. He heard Blaine grunt, curse and then felt him come as well and it was all he had ever wanted.

He drifted off into that safe space with a smile on his face. His body let go of reality and for the single, miniscule moment he felt afraid of the shiny nothingness he was heading towards but his mind told him to give in. He was safe. He was protected. He was loved.

He let go.

He floated.

Blaine felt utterly drained. Shaky forearms struggling to hold his weight off of Kurt as he grinded the last of his aftershocks into Kurt's willing, beautiful body. Sweat was dripping from his curls as well as the rest of him.

Fuck.

Sex had never felt like that. Never that good or right or earthshattering.

He pulled his face away from Kurt's neck and looked down at him only to find Kurt's head lolled to the side. He frowned briefly.

"Kurt?" he said softly, wondering whether he had simply fallen asleep. There was something in him that was screaming something else though. Kurt looked like he was sleeping but his body was still trembling and the softest of involuntary noises fell from his lips.

Was this..? It couldn't be. "Kurt? Lovely?" he called again, cupping his chin and bringing his limp face back around.

His features were smoothed out, mouth parted like he was in sleep but he still had this instinct that he couldn't shake. This crushing need to take care of him past what he would normally feel. He pulled his softening erection free of Kurt's tight sheath and he watched as Kurt's face screwed up in displeasure. A whining sound that shot straight to the heart of him.

He hushed him and gently turned him on his side so he could play the big spoon. The sight of Kurt's mark, now fully, darkly rimmed in black caught his eye and he found himself pressing his lips gently to the spot. Kurt sighed into it and Blaine knew he was on the right track.

"You were so good, Kurt. Such a good boy for me. So amazing. I love you," he found himself whispering along with a million more inconsequential things as he waited for his sub to come around from… dare he say it… subspace.

Fuck. It made his head spin. This was almost unheard of. His mind was still turning it over as his body reacted naturally to Kurt's and eventually he could feel Kurt was a little more lucid, a little more there in the present. He ran his hands over him, keeping him safe and warm for what felt like forever before he felt him tense and shuffle in his arms, breathing picking up again and hands gripping his fingers as he came to.

"Tired?" Kurt could hear the voice of his Dom drifting through the haze in his mind, coaxing him further back.

He was lying on his side, a loose end of the silk sheet tangled between his legs and covering up his core, giving off the vibe of modesty even when his back and ass was on display for his Dom who was all but glued to him. Their skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, making the kisses Blaine lavished on him sticky and salty.

His body was back in the same reality Blaine existed in, but it seemed like his mind didn't want to give up the thrill of that floaty, easy feeling he had when he was in subspace. God. Subspace. That's what that was.

He mumbled something that he had hoped was good enough of an answer for Blaine, but even as he heard him chuckle gently he knew he didn't actually manage to produce words. The truth was he was exhausted. They were at it for hours. Ages. Teasing, drawing pleasure out and then cooling off to prolong it even further until Kurt swore he was losing his mind, drowning, dying, only to be resurrected and made to go through the rollercoaster once again.

The final slip had him release the last strands of pent up energy and his body was still liquid in Blaine's embrace.

"God, I can't believe how gorgeous you are." Blaine whispered against his neck and he wanted to turn around and capture his lips but he just didn't have control over his own movement. Blaine's fingers skimming the naked skin of his back and sides weren't helping that case at all. He moaned when he felt calluses on his sides, skirting the ridges of his ribs and setting his body aflame again.

"Your skin is perfection. So soft… creamy…it's like you're glowing." The sub inside him unfurled at the praise.

He never thought it would be like this. Being one with his Dom. Being tied to him as they moved together in passion, in need, the craving for each other, to join, eating them both on the inside.

His stomach turned in pleasure when he felt the touch on his hip, Blaine's fingers dipping into the vee on his front as his thumb brushed the globe of his ass. He didn't understand how it was possible for him to be turned on again, after being torn apart in pleasure for so long and after the release that had him almost fainting but there he was.

His eyes closed, fingers wrapping around the corner of his pillow and he made an effort to try and push his body back into Blaine's. So needy but the need was somehow muffled by the bone deep exhaustion that left him craving but unable to ask and take.

He tried to talk again… he wanted to ask for Blaine to hold him tighter. He wanted to tell him he ached for him. That he wanted him again. That he needed him.

"Sir…" the soft, barely there gasp was all he managed to push out past his lips and before he could even try to speak up Blaine was there. Leaning over him as he splayed his palm on his lower belly and brushed the shell of his ear with his lips.

"Lovely?" Blaine asked and Kurt could almost pinpoint the exact moment Blaine's eyes ventured down his body and found him flushed and hard and leaking again.

His breath caught in his throat and his hips finally surged forward, his equally hard cock trapped in the cleft between his cheeks, making Kurt sigh in relief.

"My beautiful boy. You want more?" he asked and Kurt moaned softly. He did. He wanted him ferociously but he couldn't move and the only sign he could give was the barely perceptible tilt of his hips that brought the head of Blaine's cock right there, against his well-used entrance.

"Cheeky little thing. You want to play some more?" he heard Blaine ask but he knew he wasn't capable of being like that right now. He just wanted him inside, taking him slow and making him fall apart.

He shook his head with a quiet whimper and felt Blaine frowned against his temple in confusion.

"Are you in pain, baby?" he tried to guess what Kurt's practically nonexistent body language was trying to say but Kurt didn't want him to go to that place of worry and concern when he was so close to where he wanted him to be.

He pulled the last shreds of his strength and pealed his lids open to look into those golden orbs he loved so much.

"I-in me, sir…w-want you…" he whispered, voice rough from screaming earlier and the gold in his eyes gave way to the black that, without fail, made him realized Blaine's blood boiled.

"Insatiable, baby. I love you for that. And I need you to be a strong boy for me for just one minute longer and tell me what you need? How you want me?" he praised as he petted Kurt's stomach, his hips still circling against his ass deliciously.

"Like this sir…j-just this. Slow," he managed and the realization he saw on Blaine's face made him sigh in relief.

He made it. He said it and he would get it. Blaine will be there in just moments and he moaned when he felt fingers between his cheeks. Testing him lightly. Slipping in slowly and brushing his spot for just a split second before Blaine pulled his finger out and lined up.

"I love you so much. God Kurt, you don't even know. I love you," he whispered.

Arms went around his body. Lips attached themselves to his already completely lined mark. His back was pulled flush against the heated skin of Blaine's chest.

"Love you…" he gasped as his Dom slipped in and pleasure took him over again.

---

The next morning...

---

Kurt was convinced he had gotten used to seeing magnificent, ornate buildings since he moved to Westerville but as it turned out the morning after his Presenting… he had not.

The Registration building was probably the most magnificent, most ornate, most amazing thing Kurt had ever seen before and he found himself stumbling after his chuckling Dom as he pulled him along towards the entrance.

It loomed above them, casting an imposing shadow almost all the way across the street. It was beige, with detailed carvings in the walls, making each flat surface look like a separate masterpiece and dark brown, wooden doors and windows that gave warmth to the otherwise cold looking exterior. Kurt noticed there were no plants around it and for one, illogical moment it made him feel better because it took away from the perfection of the building and in consequence it made him less scared.

Blaine had told him what was going to happen in there so he knew he had nothing to be scared of but somehow he knew he wouldn't be at peace until they got it over with.

He almost flew into the building and Blaine held his hand more firmly.

"Lovely, slow down. We're early anyway," he said and Kurt pouted at him in annoyance.

"They won't let us in right away?" he whined cuddling into Blaine's side needy, still high from their night together. His skin felt less tight and hot since their bonding but traces of Blaine's hands and his power still tingled on him and he felt it all the way to his core.

"No, baby. We need to wait for about ten minutes more," Blaine said as he led them into a wide hallway, the lush brown carpet on the floor muffling their steps.

They approached the huge, beige loveseats and cuddled into them, Blaine reclining in one and Kurt almost draped over his lap. There was nobody else there and Kurt didn't feel the need to be proper and elegant, he just stuffed his face in Blaine's neck and nuzzled there.

"Then why didn't we stay in bed for ten minutes longer?" He brushed his lips on the skin of his Dom's neck and felt him shiver in response.

"Because if we had I wouldn't have been able to detach myself from you and you know it, you little tease," Blaine smiled, pecking his lips and Kurt giggled shyly before stealing another kiss from his Dom.

"I am not a tease. You just don't have a lot of self-control, sir," he said batting his eyelashes smiling cheekily causing Blaine to gasp in mock offence and tickle his little minx.

They were giggling like little kids and too busy being wrapped up in each other to notice a young woman laughing silently from the office door.

"Khm…" she cleared her throat subtly and they jumped to their feet as if burned, blushing and fidgeting as they tried to compose themselves into adults they both were.

"Relax, boys. Every couple that comes here is drunk on their bond. You two are actually very subtle." She laughed and waved a hand at them to enter, smiling to herself all the while.

"Good morning. And it helps to hear we didn't embarrass ourselves completely," Blaine said, recovering his ground a lot faster than Kurt who was a step away from spontaneous combustion with how red his face looked.

"No embarrassment to be seen. Now, have a seat please and let's get you registered. That should shut the haters up, right?" she chirped and Kurt felt his tension break thanks to her carefree disposition.

Her words, though… they made him tilt his head in question at the same moment Blaine spoke up.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked and she smiled at him gently.

"I didn't mean to insult you or put you in an awkward position, Dom Anderson. I just meant that it was impossible not to see the headlines in the paper since you claimed your sub and I, personally, never believed a single word they said about you. I'm happy you two are proving them wrong, is all," she said and Kurt felt his own lips pull up into a smile at her words. She didn't even know them and she believed them over those vultures.

She was rather young for a Validator, which could have been an explanation as to how informed she seemed on current events. Or maybe it was just part of her career choice, to keep track. She was in her late twenties with dark brown, shoulder length hair, warm cocoa colored eyes and a smile that was just a tiny bit too big for her small face but it made her look friendly and trustworthy somehow.
Kurt figured that was a good look to have in her line of work.

He took a seat next to Blaine as she shuffled around and gathered all sorts of papers and equipment in front of her before turning to them again her smile warm and open and it made Kurt relax even further… so much he chuckled softly making the other two look at him in question.

"Something funny, lovely?" Blaine asked and he shook his head, cheeks tinted pink.

"No…I just… I'm sorry, I just always thought Validators were scary, mean old people," he said and she threw her head back laughing freely. "I mean I know Melissa wasn't that scary or old but she wasn't like… well.. you."

"Yeah…you wouldn't be the first one to think that, surprisingly enough. But… as far as experience shows, people respond better to young, friendly, not mean Validators," she countered with a wink and he nodded in understanding.

"I guess I haven't thought of it that way," he said.

"We deal with subs who are in a really delicate state. We have to tread carefully and earn their trust. Being mean wouldn't really help us do that. But rest assured. Dealing with abusive Doms brings out a whole different side of us," she said, voice darkening at the end of her sentence and face closing off, eyes clouding and Kurt could see it.

She was nice and friendly… until she had to stop being that.

It made him feel oddly safe.

"So… ready?" she asked clapping her hands and both of them nodded, eager to get it done already.

"I assume you know what happens during a registration so I won't waste your time explaining it. Just answer the questions honestly and if you feel the need to, ask me to stop," she said pressing a button on her recorder as it was common to document the registration process on audio tape and taking a pen between her fingers, her face morphing into something serious and professional.

"Registration number: 496, Validator present: Tasha Turner. Date of registration: May 12th. Please state your name and status," she recited in a clear voice, void of all emotion and previous friendliness, obviously following protocol very strictly.

"Blaine Anderson, Dominant," Blaine said firmly, not a hint of doubt in his statement and Kurt felt emboldened by it as he leaned towards the table.

"Kurt Hummel, submissive."

"Are you both here of your own free will?" she asked again, simultaneously filling the form in front of her with their answers to file along with the recording.

"I am," Blaine answered first.

"I am," Kurt repeated after him as Tasha marked their answers on the form.

"Dom Anderson, did you respect your sub's boundaries and completed the steps acknowledging his pace?" she asked turning the sheet of paper to get to the next question.

"Yes, I have," Blaine answered and Kurt reached out to brush his fingers along his Dom's forearm earning a smile in return.

"What are your current living arrangements?"

"We live at the Andersons estate since we're both still in school and college. We will most likely move out after that," Blaine said feeling awkward that he was the one who had to answer all the question as the system was fairly outdated.

"You're obligated to inform the office of your address change when it comes to that. Are you aware of that?" she asked and Blaine actually looked a little bit uncomfortable at her question.

"Oh… no actually. I didn't know that," he said and she nodded.

"Most people don't. We keep track of our bonded couples and we need to make sure that we can reach them as soon as we can in case something happens. Having the correct address at any given time is mandatory. I'm sure you understand," she explained and it made perfect sense when she put it that way.

"Yes. Absolutely. We will let you know as soon as we move," Blaine assured and she nodded.

"Thank you. Sub Hummel, have you received your Gift and found it satisfactory?" was the next question.

"I have. Um… do I need to say what it was?" he answered trying to figure out a way to make his responses a bit more elaborate and eloquent but there wasn't really much room for that with the dry cut questions she asked.

"That won't be necessary, thank you. Has your Dom given you a contract to sign?" she asked next and Kurt realized that this set of questions was obviously to make sure he was taken care of.

"Yes. We have a copy for you. It said on your website that it's a good idea to bring one," he said, pulling the copy of their contract from his satchel and passing it to her.

"It's not a must but it's always a good idea to bring a copy. Thank you. I won't be reading it to respect your privacy. Is the contract made regarding your desires too, sub Hummel?" she asked and he nodded.

"Completely," he answered in a voice that left no place for doubt. She jotted his answer down and glanced over the paper. The last item on it was a question about subspace and she hovered her pen over the NO box as usual as she recited the question.

"Have you reached subspace since you got together?" she said and her pen already scratched the beginning of the tick in the box when a voice shocked her to a stop.

"Yes I did," Kurt said, almost a whisper as he stared into his Dom's eyes, remembering the morning after as they cuddled in each other's arms, sated and happy, but almost unable to believe what had happened.

"My beautiful, lovely boy. Subspace, baby. You… I can't believe that happened," Blaine gasped, awed and disbelieving.

It took people years, decades, lifetimes to reach it and sometimes it never happened. And here was his beauty, his perfection, giving in to him so freely, so completely on their first real time together. He was so grateful for him. So proud that he was his.

"Was it… was it not right, sir?" Kurt asked softly and Blaine rolled them swiftly so that Kurt was on his back and Blaine hovered over him on his elbows.

"Perfect. It was perfect. You were perfect Kurt, you have no idea how that feels," he said, eyes watering with emotion and pride.

"How did it feel for you?" Kurt asked curiously and Blaine shook his head, almost as if he was trying to chase the images away so he could focus on reality.

"It was… incredible… I was… I actually got worried at first because I wasn't expecting it but… you looked so gorgeous, so uninhibitedly mine that my mind just blanked. The only thing I felt was the need to hold you, to protect you, to keep you safe. Because you… Kurt you were so deep under and I… I just needed to make you understand that you had nothing to fear, that you were safe with me," he said, desperate for his boy to tell him that he was okay, that he was free and relaxed and that he knew his Dom was there for him all the way.

"I did know sir. I… I don't think I would have been able to let go if I hadn't," he said softly and Blaine leaned in to peck his lips before turning over and taking him into his chest again.

"What was it like?" he asked curiously and Kurt shivered as the memory washed over him.

"I don't think I can explain it, sir. There was nothing… material there… no smells, no sounds no touch… but at the same time I could hear and smell and fell everything… I could feel you… holding me through it. I was like… floating through stars and wind and the salty seaside air… and you were there. All around me. Just you," he said queitly, trying to convey the unearthly feeling but knowing words would never be enough.

"It sound incredible," Blaine said as he watched him, eyes wide and lips curled into a gentle smile.

"It was, sir. The best thing I've ever felt. Thank you," he said snuggling closer, eyes slipping shut as he grew tired again.

"Oh, baby. Thank you. For giving me that," he said softly but his boy was once again sound asleep, not a care in the world when he was in the arms of his Dom.

"Wow guys. Congratulations," the cheery voice pulled them back and they blushed and thanked her as she beamed at them in wonder.

"You truly are one of a kind couple. One last thing. Can you please turn around so I can inspect your marks?" she asked and they rose awkwardly, turning around to show her their marks.

Blaine's was filled with light blue and a thin black line framed Kurt's. There wasn't a spot or a blemish on either of them as they had realized when they looked at them in awe that very same morning.

"Perfect coloring. Taking everything into account I deem this bond valid, registered and permanent. Congratulations." She beamed and turned the recorder off, her face breaking into that huge smile again and Kurt felt his shoulders relax as Blaine's hand found his and clasped it between his warm fingers.

They were forever now.

"Thank you so much," he whispered and she nodded at him.

"It's my job. But I have to say you two are adorable together. Now… just a drop of blood for the files and your signatures on the form and we are officially done here." She took two small needles and two tiny vials gesturing for them to give her their hands.

"You afraid of needles?" Blaine asked Kurt worriedly.

"What? Oh… no… no I'm not," he answered and in a matter of moments she disinfected and pricked the tips of their pointer fingers, collecting a few drops into the vials.

"The chemicals lining the inside of the vials will color in response to the pheromones in your blood. Blue for submissive, red for Dominant. It only works when there is a lot in your system so we generally do it afterwards when the Doms and subs are coming down instead of building up. Less casualties and tears that way," she said shaking the small vials and nodding when indeed, the liquid inside colored blue and red.

She deposited both vials into a small case and locked it, smoothing a white label with their names on it onto the lid. "Everything is in order. Place your signatures here while I put these in the freezer and we're all done."

She handed them the documents she was filling earlier.

Kurt signed the papers first and handed the pen to Blaine, looking around the office with interest.
It was completely different from what Kurt imagined it would be. He pictured something sterile, cold and lifeless, but Tasha clearly gave the space her own signature, potted plants lining the window sill, photos of family and friends framed on the wall and papers in messy piles on her desk.

A bright red color drew his attention. Most of the files were in boring, beige folders, blending together, nondescript and bland.

Which made the red one stand out that much more.

Tasha moved to take the forms from Blaine and her elbow jostled the small pile of papers making Kurt's stomach clench in dread as his hand shot out to grip his Dom's fingers when his eyes lighted on a single name.

"Blaine…"

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Hopefully this tides you guys over! ;)

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