Sebastian's foot vibrated in agitation against the leg of his armchair, his fingers drumming an uncomfortable rhythm along the armrest as he sat and waited. His eyes were trained on the large oak door on the other side of Kurt's chambers, his senses on high alert for the precise moment the Crown Prince returned to his quarters.

It had all been going so well. Too well, he thought angrily to himself as movement in the hallway outside made his entire body tense in unhappy anticipation. Sure, things had been - complicated - when he and Blaine had first moved into the castle, but over the course of the past few weeks it had finally been starting to feel like like everything might actually be falling into place. Sebastian was beginning to properly settle into his role as consort, hitting his stride as he solidified connections and brokered agreements between rival factions at court. And he found himself anticipating each evening, when he reported to Kurt's chambers to appraise him of the day's developments. He was almost, sort of, close to admitting to himself just how much he enjoyed that small smile of approval that spread across the Crown Prince's features at word of Sebastian's achievements.

Blaine was thriving at court too, possibly even more so than Sebastian. His village council was starting to gain momentum, and the submissive was now a popular face in town. Blaine seemed so alive when talking about his days now; it was such a stark contrast to how he had been before they came to court that Sebastian was almost ashamed he hadn't noticed how isolated Blaine had been at the time.

And Kurt, Kurt with the weight of the world on his shoulders as he struggled to learn everything that seemed to come so naturally to his father. Sebastian could see how much the pressure was getting to the Crown Prince as he took over more and more of the responsibilities of state. But when the three of them curled up on his sofa every evening - an action that had quickly progressed from event, to habit, to ritual - Sebastian could see the tension in the Crown Prince's shoulders disappear, the relaxation take over his face as he let go of the day's stresses in the presence of the two boys.

And then there were the touches. Touches Sebastian was still only just starting to process. With Blaine always positioned between him and Kurt at first it had been easy for Sebastian to focus on his submissive and not on the boy on his other side. But now there were touches. Soft, fleeting gestures so light that at first Sebastian thought he might have imagined them. A gentle stroke of his arm as he settled it around Blaine's shoulders, a light caress of a boot against his calf as he shifted position. Last night he had looked up to see Kurt staring at him over the top of Blaine's head, the light in his eyes so vibrant Sebastian thought he might have stopped breathing for a second. Everything was shifting, rearranging and settling between the three of them, like cogs in an intricate machine that was just waiting for the last piece to drop into place.

He should have known, really, that the happy state of affairs they had found themselves in was never going to last. There was still so much unsaid between them, about what this crazy, beautiful, terrifying machine would look like when it was finally finished. There were layers of conversations that desperately needed to be had, but none of them wanted to start lest it turn out that their view of the world was wholly different to the one the others envisaged.

And of course, as was always the way when it came to Sebastian and his trademark self-sabotage, it had all come to a catastrophic head during that afternoon's council meeting.

"Well maybe if you took two seconds to pull your head out of your own ass, then you might actually be able to see what's going on around you, you pompous idiot."

"Sebastian!" The single word cut through the din of the council meeting, and suddenly there was nothing but silence. Sebastian whipped his head toward the head of the table, his chest rising and falling heavily and the blood pounding in his ears as the white-hot rage coursed through him. "I'm sorry, Your Royal Highness," he said to Kurt, his tone suggesting that he was anything but, "but if you insist on inviting incompetent fools to these meetings then-"

"Sebastian, you are excused from this council meeting." Kurt's cold voice cut straight over his, the disappointment so palpable that Sebastian's rage stuttered long enough for him to be able to truly take in his surroundings once again.

Lord Abernat was clutching onto the armrests of his seat as if they were the only thing holding him upright, his rounded face was splotched with red as he spluttered in indignation in the face of Sebastian's tirade. The rest of the council members were silent, pairs of eyes wide as they flicked in shock between Sebastian, Abernat and the Crown Prince.

Sebastian's anger deserted him in an instant, replaced just as quickly with morbid shame. How on earth had he let his temper get the better of him like that? He was the Crown Prince's royal consort, surely he could conduct himself with more decorum than this, even in the face of such supreme incompetence as Lord Abernat.

"Your Royal Highness," he started again, this time his voice contrite, but Kurt was well past the point of listening.

"I said you are excused, Sebastian. Now." The edge to Kurt's tone made Sebastian shudder, made him want to fall apart and disintegrate just so that he didn't have to be in the presence of such disappointment anymore. Not trusting himself to speak he simply gave a curt nod, forcing himself to keep his back straight and his head high as he collected his papers and rose from the table.

He could feel every single set of eyes on him as he made his way over to the door. The clicking of his boots across the marble floor the only sound to cut through the deathly silence of the room, and with every beat Sebastian felt his innards crumble a little more. He refused to let his steps falter, though. He might feel like he was tearing apart at the seams, but like hell was he going to let the rest of the council see.

As he reached for the handle Kurt's voice rang out through the air. "Wait for me in my chambers, Sebastian."

Sebastian flinched internally, but he held his head high and forced his voice not to stutter as he replied. "Yes, Your Royal Highness," he said determinedly to the door, before wrenching it open and fleeing that accursed room.

Sebastian's stomach churned as he replayed the events of the past hour over and over in his head, a sickening loop that seemed to get worse with every moral indignation that had fueled his vicious tirade had fled his system the moment he left the council room, and in its place he was only left with abject mortification.

His mind had clearly taken leave of its senses, and he had shamed himself in front of some of the most important figures at court. Not only that, but he had shamed the Crown Prince, his Crown Prince. As royal consort everything he did reflected on Kurt, and Sebastian's immature outburst would have done nothing except cement the view held by some of the stuffier members of the council that Kurt was still too young for such a position of authority.

Sebastian groaned as the memory of the events washed over him once more, threatening to drown him. They had been so close to a consensus, so close to agreeing to provide assistance for travellers looking to leave the unrest in Korus behind them and make a new home for themselves in Aldern. Kurt had managed to get every council member on board apart from Abernat, had been a hair's breadth away from convincing the old man as well, but then...

He couldn't even remember what Lord Abernat had said to him; clearly it couldn't have been all that important. He vaguely remembered a comment about Kurt's inexperience, but surely that couldn't have been enough to set him off like that? Whatever it was, he should have bit his tongue and then verbally cut the man to pieces from within the privacy of his own quarters, with only Blaine privy to his outburst. But no, he had been conceited, and over-confident, and now he might well have ruined everything.

Sebastian wanted to cry out in anguish, as he thought about how long it had taken for them to even reach this stage of discussions. In the span of three minutes he had undone weeks worth of careful negotiations, and now he might not have simply ruined his relationship with Kurt, might not have just put his job on the line. The wellbeing of hundreds of men and women could be at risk all because Sebastian didn't know when to hold his tongue. Sebastian's skin felt too tight as he tried to recall exactly what had been said in the lead-up to his outburst, but all he could think about was the ice of Kurt's voice as he dismissed Sebastian from the room. He just couldn't understand how it had happened, how he was so off his game that he could be the strong, confident consort that the realm deserved one minute, and then an incompetent fool with his very next breath.

It had never been like this back at the Worthington Estate. Things had been so much simpler back then, just him and Blaine and the silly concerns of a minor court that Sebastian could handle without even breaking a sweat. What would happen if Kurt decided he no longer had need of Sebastian's services? Could he possibly be happy at somewhere like Worthington, after he had tasted the intrigue of the politics that surrounded the royal court? Could he really go back to organizing designation ceremonies and diffusing scuffles between minor lords and ladies? He would go crazy with boredom before the month's end.

Would the Duke of Worthington even take him back? News from travellers suggested that the Duke had yet to find a new advisor, but Sebastian's reputation would be shattered, he would be the laughing stock of the political world. He would have to return to the Smythe household, tail between his legs and submissive in tow.

Or maybe not.

Sebastian felt like his heart was going to fall out of his chest as he thought of Blaine. Sweet, innocent Blaine who was so happy here, with his projects in the village and his budding relationship with Kurt. Would Blaine come with him if he was forced to leave the castle, or would he choose to stay, stay with Kurt and the life he was building for himself here? Could Sebastian even ask him to do it, leave everything he loved behind just because Sebastian fucked up? Even if the idea of living without Blaine made him want to bury himself underground and never resurface, could he really ask that of his submissive, could he really do that to the boy he loved?

What even would their relationship be outside of these walls? It was no longer just the two of them; it hadn't been just the two of them for a while now. Now there was Kurt. Kurt and their sofa and those stolen touches that Sebastian had no idea how much he treasured until now, when the thought of losing them was almost too much to bear.

The plush cushions of the armchair were too soft, too inviting. His internal despair raged against their luxury. He didn't deserve comfort, not after how he'd acted, after what he'd potentially put at stake. With an exasperated huff he pushed hard against the too-soft armrests and forced himself back up to standing. Unable to quiet the raging voices in his head he started pacing, first in a circle around the very edges of Kurt's quarters, and then when the monotony got too much in increasingly intricate figures of eights.

He was still pacing when Kurt finally returned to his quarters. In his head Sebastian had imagined the scene with Kurt throwing the door open in a violent rage, yelling at Sebastian for his idiocy, his insolence, and in return Sebastian was forced to defend his actions, defend his very right to maintain his position as royal consort. Sebastian almost longed for the temper the Kurt in his head was sure to unleash. He needed something to focus his attention on, something that would convert his anguish to passion once again. So when the door creaked open slowly Sebastian turned towards it with a mixture of apprehension and expectation.

The Kurt who walked into the room was nothing like the Kurt in Sebastian's head. The Crown Prince's shoulders were slumped, his expression weary as he sighed his way across the room towards the seating in the corner. Sebastian drew up short, killing his current figure-of-eight at the apex so that he ended up hovering awkwardly right in the center of the room. Kurt seemed not to have even noticed that Sebastian was present, but since he had ordered him here maybe it was all a ruse to keep Sebastian on his guard. He really needn't have bothered – it felt like every atom of Sebastian's being was focused on Kurt, his very being hanging off what might happen next.

Kurt slumped into one of the armchairs, long fingers coming up to knead at his temples as he closed his eyes in what looked like abject exhaustion. Still he didn't say anything to Sebastian. Long moments passed, and Sebastian felt himself starting to fidget. Maybe Kurt really had forgotten that he was there, maybe the meeting hadn't been nearly as much of a catastrophe as Sebastian had imagined, and Kurt had managed to salvage the situation once he had left.. Sebastian chanced a small cough, trying to gauge the Crown Prince's reaction as his eyes slowly fluttered open at the noise. Kurt looked wearily towards Sebastian, who instantly regretted his decision. Being ignored was a far, far better option that that disappointed stare.

Kurt gave a small sigh, and shifted so that he was sitting slightly more upright. "Why don't you come sit down, Sebastian."

This was it, the Crown Prince was going to relieve him of his duties. Not even two months into the job and it was all over. Sebastian felt the searing anguish sweep through his body. He liked this job, he was good at this job, he was reasonably sure he could be incredible at it, if he could just learn to control his temper. His stupid temper that never did anything but get him into trouble. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"I'd rather stand, if that's okay," Sebastian replied stiltedly, his tone monotonous as he tried desperately not to let his emotions get the better of him. His hands crept to clasp behind his back and he straightened his shoulders. If this was it, if this was really the end, then he would go out with some dignity at least.

Kurt raised an eyebrow, but didn't push the matter any further. With another small sigh he started to speak the words that would seal Sebastian's fate forever as a failure. Sebastian didn't think he could stand it. "Sebastian, your behavior in the meeting today..."

"With all due respect, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian couldn't quite believe that he was interrupting the Crown Prince now of all times, but he couldn't bear the idea of just standing there and listening as Kurt laid out all his faults for the world to see. "If you're going to relieve me of my duties, I would much rather you just went ahead and did it."

Kurt's eyes widened, his forehead crinkling as he tilted his head in question. "Why do you think I'm going to do that, Sebastian."

"I know...I know I messed up." The words were thick in Sebastian's throat, slipping like molasses through his teeth. "I embarrassed you in front of the council, and now you see that you picked the wrong man for the job."

"Sebastian, why don't you come sit down and we can talk about this." There was a placating hint to Kurt's voice, and he hated it. He didn't want Kurt's pity. Pity for poor Sebastian who thought he could get in the ring with the big players, only to find himself hopelessly outmatched.

"So if you're going to fire me, go ahead. I'm a big boy, I can take it. But I don't need you spelling out in great and painful detail every way in which I wronged you, because believe me I am well aware of it all already." Sebastian's voice started to shake and he clenched his hands more firmly behind his back, as if he could hold himself together through the sheer strength of his grasp.

"Sebastian, sit down," Kurt tried for a third time, and Sebastian felt the last vestiges of his self-control slip through his fingers.

"I'm not Blaine!" The words fell from his lips broken and torn, all the self-loathing Sebastian was feeling bundled up in one tiny sentence. He wasn't Blaine, and Kurt couldn't just sweep what he'd done under the metaphorical rug. He didn't need platitudes, or reassurances. He needed Kurt to get this over with and hold him accountable so that he could move on and start piecing the fragments of his self-respect back together. He could feel his shoulders shaking as the tension practically vibrated out of him, and the silence that followed his outburst was deafening.

Kurt's gaze was piercing, like he could see straight into the depths of Sebastian's soul. It was completely unnerving, but also somehow hypnotizing just how intent Kurt's attention was. For the longest moment neither man spoke, the air in the room practically crackling with tension. Finally Kurt gave a small huff, and Sebastian heard him mutter "Well that much is obvious," under his breath as he sat up straighter in his armchair, like he had come to some sort of silent conclusion. Sebastian fidgeted under the weight of the unknown as Kurt leaned forwards to speak.

"I'm not going to fire you, Sebastian. Let me make that clear right here and now; your role as royal consort is perfectly safe."

Sebastian spluttered, his poor frayed brain unable to quite process the lifeline the Crown Prince had just thrown him. "But my behavior in there, it was inexcusable. I was an embarrassment to you, to the Crown, I deserve-"

"Your outburst was childish and unprofessional Sebastian, you and I both know that much," Kurt said calmly, seemingly completely unfazed by Sebastian's shocked expression. "You acted without thought, without rationale, and I'm going to have a hell of a time making things right with the council. But-" Kurt held up a hand as Sebastian started to speak. "You don't deserve to be fired for one misstep."

"But, you can't just let me off like that." Sebastian tried again, not quite understanding why his brain was continuing to argue. This was his lucky escape, and yet somehow it didn't feel like it. He should be fired, he deserved to be fired, no matter what Kurt said. And Sebastian could feel the weight of that on his shoulders, settling in for good. He didn't want to be fired, of course he didn't, but he didn't know how he could continue to be Kurt's royal consort if this faux-pas was going to sit between the two of them forever. He hated it, the feeling that he was somehow being let off the hook. "You can't just ignore what happened, I deserve, I need-"

"You don't deserve to be fired Sebastian," Kurt interrupted like he hadn't even heard him. "But I think you do need to be punished."

Sebastian's whole world went white. He couldn't even begin to comprehend what had just been asked of him, what the Crown Prince was suggesting. "I don't...you can't..."

Kurt let Sebastian trip clumsily over his words, watching as his whole body tensed under the weight of the suggestion. Sebastian could feel the muscles in his jaw pulsing as he clenched his teeth so hard he feared they might fall out. What the Crown Prince was suggesting, it was madness, it was ludicrous, it was…

Redemption? A small, traitorous voice piped up from the depths of his subconscious, which Sebastian immediately squashed down as he glared over at Kurt. Maybe being fired was the best outcome after all.

Kurt gave a small sigh and pushed himself up out of the armchair. "This is your decision Sebastian. I think you know that you need this as much as I do, but I won't do anything that you are not truly comfortable with. Regardless of what you decide, know that your role as political consort is not in question," Kurt said as he fixed Sebastian with the most intense stare Sebastian had ever seen on the Crown Prince. "I'm going to go down to the kitchens to pick up some supplies. I will be back in-" Kurt paused to address the large grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "A quarter of an hour. You will either have returned to your quarters, in which case I won't bring this topic of conversation up again, or you will be waiting for me -" Kurt paused half a heartbeat, as if already anticipating Sebastian's reaction. "-on your knees."

Sebastian's jaw dropped open, but Kurt held up a hand to stop him interrupting. "The choice is yours, Sebastian." He said simply, disappearing out the door before Sebastian could say anything in response.

Sebastian watched the door slowly click shut behind Kurt's retreating form in a state of utter disbelief. There was no way, absolutely no way. His overworked brain must have conjured up the whole of the previous conversation, because there was absolutely no way the Crown Prince of Aldern had just told him to get on his knees.

With an angry huff Sebastian stalked over to the door, slamming his hand down violently on the shiny metal ring that acted as a handle. This was madness, absolute insanity. Sebastian made to wrench open the heavy door and storm indignantly out of the room in such a way that befitted such an obscene suggestion.

And yet...

Sebastian's hand hovered over the handle, traitorous in its indecision. If he walked out the door then that was it, he was destined to carry this weight around forever. He might still have his position at court, and Kurt might never bring up this awful incident ever again, but it would still be there, deep in the recesses of his brain. A constant reminder of the time he almost ruined everything for the Crown Prince and the realm. The idea of having to live with the guilt he was currently feeling was almost too much to bear.

Maybe this was what he needed, just this once. Maybe if he handed himself over to Kurt and suffered through whatever 'punishment' he saw fit, then maybe the Crown Prince would be able to absolve him of this sin. Maybe it was worth it just this one time, so that he didn't have to carry the awful weight of guilt any more. He had seen the way Blaine melted after punishments, his body going lax and supple as Sebastian whispered those precious words of forgiveness to him. Could he really find the same inner peace he had given to Blaine so many times in the past, could Kurt really offer him that?

The appeal was so strong Sebastian could feel it in his chest, thumping against his ribcage in a desperate bid to be acknowledged. Could he do it, just this once? Or was this the first step down the rabbit hole, wedging open the door to a part of him that he wasn't sure he was ready to address yet?

He couldn't walk out the door, he just couldn't. Whatever repercussions he might have to deal with as a result - would Kurt start making him kneel next to Blaine? The very idea made his blood run cold - he just couldn't walk away from the chance to be truly forgiven.

Almost of its own volition, Sebastian's hand slid from the door handle down to his side. With bated breath, as if he half expected his inner consciousness to balk at any moment, he took three large steps away from the door. Then, before he had time to change his mind, he let his legs buckle beneath him and he hit the carpet with a resounding thud.

And gods was it uncomfortable. Sebastian hadn't been kneeling for more than five minutes before he started to feel the burn in his thighs. He tried shifting his weight, but that just made the discomfort even more intense. With a scowl he dipped his head and closed his eyes, breathing slowly as he tried to ignore the needle and pins that were spreading across his lower half. Had Blaine been lying all these years, when he claimed that he preferred this position to sitting? Sebastian had watched Blaine kneel for hours on floors far more unforgiving than this one, and yet the submissive had never once voiced any discomfort. Sebastian couldn't understand it; less than ten minutes in and he already wanted to give it all up, go back to his room and pretend like whole stupid incident had never happened, forgiveness be damned

Sebastian was halfway to standing when the door creaked open, revealing Kurt with his arms cradling a ball of wrapped linen. Sebastian hurriedly tried to return to his kneeling pose, but only succeeded in unbalancing himself in the process. He muttered angrily under his breath as he stabilized himself, watching through lowered lashes as Kurt walked past him to place his holdings on the table next to them.

If Kurt noticed the theatrics, he gave no suggestion of it, taking a consciously long while to rearrange the contents of his holdings on the table. By the time he turned back around Sebastian had managed to regain some semblance of composure, and was kneeling with his arms locked behind his back, and his expression fixed determinedly on Kurt, a hint of a challenge clouding his features.

"I'm glad you decided to stay, Sebastian," Kurt said measuredly, no hint of emotion trickling into his voice as he walked around so that he was standing in front of Sebastian. Sebastian simply continued to stare up at Kurt, not quite trusting his voice. A part of him still couldn't honestly believe that he had agreed to this, that he was actually kneeling in the middle of the Crown Prince's living quarters. Waiting for what, to receive some form of corporal punishment?

The very notion of punishment had Sebastian's shoulders stiffening. He had been Blaine's dominant long enough to know exactly what sort of experiences might be waiting for him at Kurt's hand, and he hated the thought of absolutely every one of them. What on earth had he been thinking? Idiot.

"Remind me of your safewords, Sebastian," Kurt said, and Sebastian's brain scrambled for the answer. He opened and closed his mouth twice, but all words seemed to be stuck in his throat. All he could think about was what might be coming next, what Kurt might do to him that might warrant the use of safewords. Kurt, noticing his reticence, crouched down so that he was at the same height as Sebastian. "Do you trust me?" he asked simply.

Sebastian nodded stiffly. "You are my Crown Prince, my life is yours," he replied woodenly.

"But do you trust me?" Kurt asked again, and somehow the inflection was entirely different. The haze of panic cleared long enough for Sebastian to be able to truly focus on the face in front of him. Not just the Crown Prince of Aldern, but Kurt. Kurt, whose slate grey eyes sparkled when he laughed, little crinkles appearing around the corners when he was about to truly lose control. Sebastian could see the way the corner of his lip twitched slightly, the way it always did when he was focusing on something important. And he could feel the softness of his touch, as Kurt placed a gentle hand on Sebastian's knee. Sebastian had seen Kurt and Blaine together, seen the care and affection Kurt bestowed upon the submissive. He knew Kurt the person better than he knew Kurt the Prince now. He could trust him.

"Yes, yes I do," Sebastian replied, shocked at the reverent tone that somehow laced his voice.

Kurt smiled, and withdrew his hand from Sebastian's cheek, pushing up on his knees as he rose to standing. "Very good. Now tell me your safewords Sebastian."

"Red to stop, Blue to slow down, and Brown to continue." Sebastian replied, shocked to hear the words in his own voice rather than Blaine's as he was now so used to hearing.

"Very good," Kurt said again, and Sebastian felt the warmth of those words spread down to soothe the ache of muscles, still straining against the unusual pose he had forced them into. "Now, if at any point this gets too much, I want you to tell me. There is absolutely no shame in using the words I've given you, do you understand?"

"No shame," Sebastian muttered, feeling very far away all of a sudden.

"Very good." It was becoming like a mantra, a rhythm of question, response and praise that Sebastian could focus on, tether himself to before the reality of his current situation threatened to overwhelm him. "Now, take your tunic off, undershirt too."

"What?" Sebastian balked, head whipping up to look warily at Kurt. Logically he knew that this step was coming - when had he and Blaine ever done this dance fully clothed after all? - but the abstract of knowing, and the literalness of hearing were two very different things.

Kurt raised an eyebrow at Sebastian. "Do I have to ask again?"

Sebastian scowled, and for a moment considered just getting up and storming out of the room, safewords and punishments be damned. He could do it, Kurt had said he wouldn't stop him if he wanted to leave. But then he thought of the 'very good' he knew was coming if he obeyed, and gods help him but he just couldn't deal with any more disappointment today.

With one hand he reached over his shoulder and drew his tunic and undershirt off over his head in one smooth movement. He threw them to the side, and looked back up at Kurt challengingly, wondering if the Crown Prince would scold him for not folding them neatly or other such ridiculousness.

Kurt looked over at the pile of clothes and raised an eyebrow, but he didn't comment on the presentation. "Very good," was all he said, and yet again Sebastian felt the warmth right to the ends of his fingertips.

Kurt walked slowly in a circle around Sebastian, appraising from all angles.

"Like what you see?" Sebastian quipped, and instantly regretted it when all it did was earn him a disapproving Tsk.

"Back straighter." Sebastian scowled but lengthened his muscles nonetheless. This was simple at least, far simpler and far easier to focus on than the utter self-disgust he had been drowning in earlier.

"Elbows locked, hands clasped tighter." With every complied order Sebastian felt tiny ounces of weight lifting from his shoulders, like if he could just get enough things correct now, it wouldn't matter how badly he'd acted earlier.

"Very good." The words, soft and lilting, washed over him in waves of acceptance. "Now, tell me why you are here, Sebastian."

"I lost my temper." Somehow the words were easier to say now than before, easier to admit when he knew that steps were in motion to absolve him of his crimes. "I embarrassed myself and I embarrassed you, my Crown Prince. I should have known better, I should have acted better."

"Very good," Kurt said, his voice suddenly distant, as if he had moved across to the other side of the room. Sebastian fought the urge to turn his head to check. "Do you think you need punishing for this behavior, Sebastian?"

Sebastian nodded his head, and was rewarded by another Tsk of disapproval. "Words, Sebastian."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian replied. The words sounded oddly formal, given that he was bare-chested and kneeling in the middle of the room, but somehow 'Kurt' didn't seem quite right any more.

He felt the cool brush of a foreign object down his spine, hard and unforgiving, and he couldn't help the flinch that ran through his body.

"Easy there Sebastian." Kurt's voice was soft, but with the hint of an edge that Sebastian found himself clinging to as his brain went into overdrive over the presence of the unknown entity. "This is a birch switch. You've used one before yes?"

And oh yes, Sebastian had used them before, many a time. They made a beautiful sound as they swished through the air, the sound so much greater than the impact they provided. They were Sebastian's instrument of choice when Blaine was in the mood for some for voluntary pain-play, with the redness dissipating within a couple of hours and the sting gone almost as soon as it arrived. The knowledge that Kurt was using such a lightweight cane did nothing to stem his panic though; there was still going to be pain, pain he deserved but had no idea how he would endure.

"I'm going to give you ten swats with this switch Sebastian. Do you think that's fair?" Kurt said, tracing the tip of the cane up and down Sebastian's spine as he spoke.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian stuttered, his whole world focused on the soft touches that he knew would soon turn into something more.

"Very good," Kurt said, and Sebastian clung to the words for all he was worth. He was good, he was better than good, he could handle this. "You don't need to be silent, Sebastian; you may shout or curse or say anything else you see fit. But I don't expect you to move from this spot, and I do expect you to count. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian muttered, so quiet he almost wasn't sure Kurt had heard.

"Then let's begin."

The first stroke fell across the meaty area of Sebastian's left shoulder. In all honesty it was hardly more than a heavy pat on the back, but the suspense of the unknown had been so intense that Sebastian couldn't help but cry out on impact, shuddering forward and away from the instrument.

"Count, Sebastian." The words seemed to be coming from very far away, but Sebastian grabbed hold of them and used them to drag himself back to his surroundings.

"One…one," he gasped, the pounding in his chest heavy as he anticipated the next blow.

The second strike was mirrored across his right shoulder, this time slightly harder, but not nearly as terrifying as the first had been. Sebastian breathed through the sharp sting, let it wash over him and envelop him.

"Two," he said, voice steadying as he breathed deeply and allowed his eyes to flutter shut.

The third and fourth strokes came more quickly, so that he was still feeling the first when the second landed. As Sebastian recited the count his focus honed in on the bright sparks of pain that fluttered momentarily across his back. While his skin prickled with heat it was almost like he could physically feel what he had done, like the guilt that he was harboring inside of him was being forced to the surface, out in the open for the world to see. Bright against his consciousness and then gone. Too soon.

"Harder." The words were out of his mouth before he really knew what he was asking. Stroke number five fell across his side and he whined not because of the pain, but because of the lack of it. He needed to feel, to really feel his punishment. "Five. Please, Kurt, harder."

He heard Kurt shuffling behind him, and the next touch he felt was a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Tell me your safeword, Sebastian."

"Brown." The single word practically tripped off Sebastian's tongue, and he tipped his head forward, curling his back towards Kurt. "Please, I need it to be harder."

The next stroke came down and set his back alight with pain. Sebastian moaned into the sensation, drowning in the heat of the fire that was suddenly racing across his muscles. "Thank you, six, thank you."

The rest of the strokes passed in a blur, as Sebastian let himself be enveloped by the sharp, shooting pains that lanced across his back like an intricate spiders web. Kurt made sure the birch stick never landed on the same patch of skin twice, so by the end it felt like there wasn't a single place that hadn't been kissed by its devastating touch, and with every stroke of external pain a chunk of Sebastian's internal misery departed.

He didn't even realize that they were finished until he felt a hand cup his cheek. Blearily he opened his eyes and found Kurt's face directly in front of his, smiling fondly. "We're done Sebastian. It's all done."

Sebastian's chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily. In. Out. In. Out. The coolness of Kurt's hand chasing away the heat that seemed to be radiating from his back. There didn't seem to be anything else in the world apart from him and Kurt and that beautiful birch stick of his. His worries from earlier seemed to be very, very far away indeed.

"Can you stand?" Kurt asked, his voice firm, and Sebastian found himself being drawn to Kurt's commands like a moth to a flame. As he tried to stand his legs threatened to give way underneath him, stiff and cramped from having to maintain such an unusual position for so long. Kurt caught him by the elbow before he could hit the ground, and gently but firmly directed him over towards the sofa.

"Easy there, easy," Kurt muttered as he helped Sebastian sit, before heading back over towards his supplies from earlier. He returned moments later with a wedge of rich, silken cheese, and a tall glass of ice cold water. "Eat. Drink. The first time always takes more out of you than you realize." Sebastian followed the Crown Prince's instructions, nibbling on an edge of the cheese before taking a long sip of the water. Everything seemed very fuzzy around the edges, like nothing was quite real.

The sharp burst of pain across his back was all too real, though. Sebastian hissed and flinched away from the cold press of the damp towel Kurt was holding to his back. "Almost done," Kurt muttered, holding Sebastian's shoulder with one hand to steady him as he used the other to press the cloth once more to Sebastian's back. "We're almost done, I promise."

Sebastian gritted his teeth as Kurt finished tending to his back. He was hyper-aware of Kurt's hand on his shoulder, choosing to focus on the warmth that blossomed underneath his touch rather than the hot sparks that scored across his back. "Next time I ask for harder," he growled, feeling more like himself in the wake of such sharp discomfort, "tell me I'm being an idiot."

"I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was exactly what you needed," Kurt said matter-of-factly. "Tell me you don't feel better now?"

Sebastian took a moment to consider what Kurt was saying. It was true he felt lighter, less laden with guilt. It was almost like…

"All is forgiven now, Sebastian," Kurt said quietly, sincerely. "You don't need to torment yourself with the events of earlier any more."

Sebastian turned towards Kurt, ignoring the screaming of his back muscles as he did so. His eyes were wide in shock, not quite believing just how true Kurt's words felt. "I…" he began, not entirely sure what he even meant to say, "...thank you." He wasn't sure what he was thanking Kurt for; the punishment, the forgiveness, his persistence in a matter that in the light of day even Sebastian wasn't entirely sold on himself. All of it most probably.

Kurt gave a bright smile, and held his arm out to the side. Without even thinking about it Sebastian leaned into the other man's embrace, allowing himself to succumb to the emotions that had ravaged his body all day. It was such an intimate gesture, but Sebastian couldn't find it in himself to feel vulnerable. No matter what came next, something fundamental had changed between him and Kurt, from the sparks that tingled up his spine every time Kurt's fingers caressed his arm, to the warmth he felt in his chest as Kurt's arms tightened possessively around his shoulders. Sebastian felt his eyelids getting heavy with exhaustion, and he worked his way closed into Kurt's side as he let them slip closed.

And maybe he dreamed it, maybe not, but just before the last vestiges of sleep claimed him, he was almost sure he heard "Just between you and me, that asshole deserved everything you threw at him and worse."