Kurt shifted on the bed, sitting up and drawing Blaine up as well, so that he was sitting between Kurt's stretched-out legs, leaning against his chest, skin gleaming golden in the candlelight. There was something about the atmosphere that made Kurt lower his voice, speaking quietly so as not to disturb anything.

"I want you to understand that this is nothing I ask of you. It's a suggestion, nothing more, something Elliot thinks could help us. Me too, after some consideration. I think it could be good for us. If you agree, we'd -" He cleared his throat and hesitated briefly, then continued. "Elliot suggests we do a TPE weekend. You know, kick everything up a notch. You'd be naked except for cooking and meals. You'd be wearing a chastity, and you'd not be coming, though I might, depending on what I decide to do. We'd do a scene on Saturday, nothing with pain, but intense. You wouldn't be allowed to talk, except for answering questions and for asking them, after you ask my permission to speak. You'd be sleeping on a pallet on the floor, chained to my bed, and in the mornings, I'd discipline you, with a paddle, nothing you can't handle, just to get you into the right mindset - "

…...

"Yes." The word came out before Blaine could think about it, and he didn't have to, not really. He was scared, because he knew that a weekend as Kurt had described, of such intense submission, would make what walls he had left crumble completely. But then he had somehow always known that with Kurt, he wouldn't be able to hold on to these walls for too long.

"You want to?" Kurt asked. He sounded surprised.

"I want to," Blaine confirmed. And God, he really wanted to. He was scared, yes, but there was something about this, a whole weekend where his only concern would be to please Kurt, where he could let go of every other thought, that sounded amazing.

He was rewarded when Kurt took him in his arms and kissed his shoulder, his neck and his hair.

"We're going to talk about it, after," he whispered. "What worked, what didn't. Everything. We're starting tomorrow morning, alright?"

Blaine nodded, burrowing deeper into Kurt's embrace. "Hold me tonight, Sir?" he asked.

"I'll hold you whenever you want me to, sweetheart."

Blaine woke early, his nerves keeping him from going back to sleep although he wanted to. So he quietly rose and took a shower, but didn't bother to get dressed because he knew he would just have to take everything off again later. Then he sat down, looking at Kurt who still slept peacefully, and didn't quite know what to do with himself.

He didn't want to get started on his chores because he knew Kurt liked watching him doing them, especially if he was naked. He didn't want to go to the living room and watch TV or read because he was quite sure he wasn't allowed to this weekend. Other times, whenever he had free time, he would often curl up on the couch with a book and wait till Kurt was finished with the work he had brought home, or they would watch a movie together. But although Kurt hadn't explicitly stated it, Blaine was sure that wasn't something they would do today, and he found he didn't really want to, either.

This was special, and though he had no doubts it would be hard at times, he wanted to savor it. He wanted to be ready.

So he slid to his knees beside the bed and waited. Kurt would probably wake up soon; he was an early riser, unfortunately, though he often let Blaine sleep in until he wanted breakfast.

Blaine spent a few moments adjusting his posture till it was perfect. He wanted to show Kurt that he was in this, too. Kurt's identity crisis had mostly taken place during the week when they didn't see each other, but he knew about it. Of course he did, and if there was anything he could do to help Kurt find himself again, he would. And, well – it wasn't like he minded submitting to Kurt, either.

He had sunk into a pleasant state of half-awareness when he noticed Kurt stirring, and once again adjusted his posture to match Kurt's expectations. He didn't look up to see if Kurt opened his eyes, but he felt his Dom was awake.

"Blaine -" Kurt said, sounding disoriented and still sleepy. Blaine kept his eyes down but smiled when Kurt sat down on the bed before him, and pressed his face into his caressing hand.

"You're a very good boy," Kurt said, clearly surprised and pleased about the way Blaine had waited for him to wake. "Don't think you're getting out of that paddling, though."

Blaine looked up and grinned, nearly saying something but just in time remembering that he was forbidden. So he just shook his head, nuzzling his face against Kurt's hand at the movement.

…...

"Please go into the playroom and get me a paddle. You get to choose which one because you've been so good," Kurt said and watched as Blaine rose gracefully and left the room. He felt different already, more confident, secure about what they were doing. Blaine had agreed to the plan without hesitating, and the way he had acted now proved him to be perfectly willing, if not eager, to delve into a little TPE this weekend.

When Blaine came back, Kurt waved him over to the bed.

"Come lie over my lap, please."

Blaine had chosen a plain, lighter paddle without holes or metal studs, and Kurt approved. It was, after all, just supposed to be a discipline spanking to set the tone for today, nothing heavy.

"We'll do ten, then you can put on some clothes and make breakfast," he said, but then couldn't resist to spank Blaine a little with his bare hand, and then caressed the faint pink marks that had appeared, even though he hadn't planned on teasing Blaine today. Well, he wouldn't do it again – a lot.

Blaine took the paddling without any difficulties, only crying out a little after the last swat, and when he rose after, Kurt could see his cock was half hard. Which of course gave him perfect conditions for putting him into the cock cage.

"Comfortable?" he asked as he adjusted the chastity, noticing that after the spanking, his purely functional touch had sufficed to coax Blaine to full hardness, at least as far as the cage allowed. He smiled to himself, determined to explore Blaine's slight masochism more closely at a later opportunity.

"Um...not exactly, Sir, but I think everything's the way it's supposed to be," Blaine answered, a slightly tortured expression on his face.

Breakfast was ready when Kurt emerged from his bedroom after his shower, and Blaine was kneeling beside the table, but as they ate, Kurt decided he liked their usual mealtimes better. It was a little dull at times without Blaine talking to him, though he made up for it by smiling brightly whenever Kurt's eyes met his.

"I've brought some work home, as usual," he said after breakfast. "I want you to take off your clothes again and then do your chores. If you should be finished before me, come kneel here with me."

"Do you -" Blaine began, but after a stern look he caught himself. "I'm sorry, Sir. May I ask a question?"

He sounded a little frustrated, and Kurt smiled. He had guessed that the not talking part of the weekend would be the one most difficult for Blaine.

"Go ahead."

"Do you want another coffee while you work?"

"That would be nice, pet, thank you." He sent Blaine off with a kiss, then concentrated on his work, only occasionally sneaking a glance at his sub. Watching Blaine clean the kitchen while naked hadn't lost its appeal, even though Kurt got to do it most weekends.

When Blaine finally came to kneel beside Kurt's chair, there was still a lot left to do, so Kurt got Blaine a cushion for his knees and, on a whim, blindfolded him and tied his hands on his back. Blaine knelt without fidgeting, leaning his head against Kurt's thigh, and Kurt had the impression he had sunk deeply.

After his work was done, he helped Blaine rise and led him into the playroom, where he told him to kneel in the corner and wait until Kurt had prepared the scene. What he had planned was intense and a little complicated to set up, so he had Blaine drink some water.

"You have to wait a little. You'll stay blindfolded, but you can hear me. I'm not leaving the room, "he reassured Blaine, then got to work.

He had removed the flower pots the day before, and now he took the sling out of the dresser and hung it on the hooks in the ceiling. Fortunately, it hadn't tangled much, so after a short time, he could get Blaine and secure him into the sling.

"You are bound and blindfolded," he told him. "I will leave you your hearing for today, but I will gag you, and I will take something else away from you; your sense of direction."

He replaced the chastity with a simpler cock ring and then continued fastening straps and buckles, reassuring Blaine as he worked. "You'll get a bell ball for when it gets too much. Ring it or let it fall, and we'll stop everything immediately. Do you understand?"

He had to repeat the question, but then Blaine quietly answered, "I understand, Sir."

Kurt released Blaine's hands and then helped him lean back in the sling, so that he was suspended, swinging freely in the room except for Kurt's touch on his hip, grounding him.

"Just let yourself float," he said as he retied Blaine's hands in front of him, with a small length of the tie between his hands, and then guiding him to lace his hands between his head and the strap of the sling supporting it. That way, the length of tie between Blaine's hands was in his mouth, cutting just a little into the corners so as to remind him it was there. He could get free just by lifting his hands, but Kurt doubted that Blaine would figure that out in the state he was in, so he was effectively gagged. Besides, it was more about the feeling than about the fact.

He placed the bell ball in Blaine's hand just beside his head and poured a generous amount of oil on his own hands, starting to slowly caress Blaine's body as he continued talking, keeping a close eye on Blaine for any sign of distress.

"There's nothing you can do to influence what's happening, pet. You're free. Just let yourself be. Just feel."

He kept stroking Blaine, everywhere except his nipples, his cock and his ass, at once calming and arousing Blaine, who was pliant and relaxed, only occasionally moaning, but otherwise completely still. He didn't buck up or try to force Kurt's hand, he just accepted anything he gave him.

He was so good. Kurt's hands found their way to Blaine's nipples, rubbing oil into them until they were hard and Blaine was moaning helplessly, trying to arch his chest but finding no leverage. His cock leaked fluid on his belly, straining against the ring, and Kurt found himself looking at it, wishing the ring away. He wanted to fuck Blaine, and he wanted Blaine to come. He had been so good, he deserved a reward, Kurt reasoned, but then stopped. Screw it. Why shouldn't he break his own rules?

He poured more oil on his hands and slowly pushed one finger inside Blaine, soon adding a second and scissoring them until Blaine's muffled groans began to sound almost desperate. Gently setting the sling in motion, he kept his finger inside Blaine, letting them move in and out with the motion. Almost of their own volition, the fingers of his other hand opened his pants and pulled out his cock. Then he grabbed Blaine's hips and pushed into him, breaching the tight ring of muscle with a groan.

"I changed my mind, sweetheart," he said and slipped the cock ring off Blaine, "you may come." The sound Blaine made was a half-sob that could only be described as relieved.

After, when he had gently let Blaine to the floor, frees him from his bonds, tucked him into bed and helped him drink some water, Kurt sat beside him on the bed, his heart full with love and pride of his beautiful sub. Blaine gave him a sleepy smile, then closed his eyes.

"Love you, Sir," he mumbled.

Kurt knew not to read too much into the words after a scene like this. But he certainly wouldn't punish Blaine for speaking out of turn.