Chapter Text
“Blaine! Come on, you’ve been practicing that piece all night. It’s perfect. And it’s Friday. We’re going to that new club, and you’re coming with us.”
“Wes, please,” Blaine Anderson shook his head. “I don’t want to go out tonight. I have a piano exam at nine a.m. Monday morning, and I have to be ready for it.”
“Yeah, yeah, because making it into your advanced class for next semester hinges only on this one song, and you have to be absolutely perfect because there are only twelve spots in the class, and you’ve only practiced eighteen hours this week, and you still feel like it’s not absolutely perfect. Well, news flash, boy wonder, that song is perfect. And if you take tonight off, I promise not to complain when you practice all day Sunday. Please?”
“Wes, I can’t,” Blaine shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to. But I can’t. I have two and a half years of college left. Five semesters until I can graduate, get into an amazing job...hopefully present myself to the world as someone you wouldn’t want to take a career from...then I can go to clubs with you.”
“Blaine. One night is not going to ruin your trajectory,” Wes said. “I’ll pretend to be your Dom if you want. Just come dance with us. Everyone’s going.”
“Everyone? Including your submissive? You can’t be my Dom if Rebecca is with us,” Blaine pointed out. “But fine. I’ll come. For two hours. I can’t stay out all night and chance being too tired to practice later.”
“Go get dressed. There’ll be a big enough group with us that you’ll be safe.” Wes Montgomery patted his friend on the shoulder.
An hour later, the group of friends stepped into the club. As Wes had promised there were no fewer than a dozen college students, both Dominants and submissives, every submissive except Blaine in a committed, claimed relationship. David Thompson, the only unattached Dom in the group, wrapped his arm around Blaine as they walked inside. “Be mine tonight,” he teased his friend.
“Until you meet a girl who catches your eye for the night,” Blaine smiled. “Thanks for bringing me out tonight, guys. I appreciate it.”
“No worries,” Nick Duval said. “Just stick with us, kid, and we’ll show you a good time.”
Two hours into the evening, Blaine’s self-imposed deadline came and went. He was enjoying himself immensely, dancing with everyone in his group. David had been true to his word and stuck by his side, dancing with him, buying his drinks, and not only because Blaine was underage, he had a fake ID for that. Blaine, as an unattached submissive, wasn’t allowed to order his own alcohol, and he had to be careful, lest he end up claimed by a complete stranger.
Blaine was dancing with Nick, Nick’s submissive Jeff, and David when he felt someone’s gaze on him. He looked over his shoulder. A man licked his lips, looking Blaine up and down. The submissive shuddered.
“You okay?” Nick yelled over the music.
“Yeah...I just...I should go,” Blaine said. He looked at David. “Will you take me home?”
“Oh, come on, Blaine. Just a little longer?”
Blaine looked over his shoulder again. The man was gone. “Alright,” he said. “A little longer.”
-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Across the room, another group, made up of Dominants and submissives, was drinking and laughing among themselves.
“Kurt, when are you going to take a sub?” Rachel Berry asked. “I mean, you keep saying you want to meet your love match, and your perfect sub, but come on, you can’t stay single forever...why don’t you just claim someone for now? Until your ‘soulmate’ comes along?”
“Because I can’t do that to a submissive, Rach. You don’t know what it’s like for a sub when a Dom breaks off a claim. No, I’ll wait for my perfect submissive.”
“How do YOU know what it’s like for a sub to have a Dom break off a claim?” Rachel asked.
“If you have to ask that question, you’re clearly too drunk to be having this conversation,” Kurt snapped. “I’m waiting, and that’s final.” He strode away, almost colliding with a young man who was walking toward the bathroom. “Sorry,” he said, steadying the smaller man. “Didn’t see you there. I didn't mean to nearly plow you over. Can I buy you a drink to apologize?”
“N-no, sir,” Blaine said quietly, trying to keep his eyes downcast even as he fought the urge to stare at the beautiful, powerful man before him. He locked his knees before he dropped to them automatically. “Thank you, though, sir. I need to get back to my group.” He turned around and headed across the club, back in the direction he’d come from.
“Wait!” Kurt called. He dashed after the submissive. “I didn’t mean to scare you...” he caught Blaine’s arm. “I’m Kurt. What’s your name?” He’d seen him around school, but he hadn’t ever gotten his name.
“Blaine, sir. Please let go, I do need to return to my group.”
“I’m sorry, Blaine,” Kurt dropped his arm. “You looked like you were heading somewhere...can I walk you to the restroom, perhaps?”
“I’ll be fine, sir. Please, may I return to my group?”
“Alright,” Kurt frowned. “I swear, I didn’t mean to scare you. And that drink offer is still on the table, if you change your mind.” He backed away. “Please tell your Dominant I meant no harm.”
Blaine considered lying, but it was a serious offense to not tell a Dominant of your status. “I am unclaimed, sir,” he said quietly. “May I return to my group now?”
Kurt felt a surge of something he couldn’t identify. “Of course,” he said quietly. “I won’t bother you again.” He went to the bar, watching Blaine carefully as he walked back across the club and leaned into the embrace of a darker skinned man. Kurt ordered a bottle of water and returned to his own group. He watched as Blaine stayed close to the other members of his group, no longer dancing, never taking his eyes off the floor.
“Whatcha watchin’, boo?” Mercedes Jones asked, sitting down next to Kurt in the booth.
“Hmm? Oh, nothing,” Kurt said. He sipped his bottle of water. "I think I'm going to hit Paddles tomorrow night. I need to blow off some steam."
Mercedes chuckled. "Going to find some handsome little thing that wants to be spanked?" she asked.
"Maybe I'll ask El if I can borrow Chandler. I don't know, I'm just itching for it, you know?"
Mercedes shook her head. "No, I don't know. I'm a sugar Dom, honey, I don't go in for that paddling routine."
"Still, you like having a sub on his knees for you, right? You like having someone submit to you?"
"Of course. But I think you need more than just to paddle someone else's sub. Boo, you need to get laid."
"Can't do that, Cedes, you know that. After Finn....I couldn't do that to a sub."
"I know, sweetie," Mercedes whispered. "Um...you could hire someone...a professional..."
"No!" Kurt exclaimed. "Not happening. Thank you for your concern, but I'll be okay."
"Alright. Well, let me know if I can do anything."
"I will." Kurt finished his water. "I think I'm going to head home."
“Alright.” Mercedes leaned in to give him a hug. “Call me when you get home safely? It’s late...”
“Yes, mom,” Kurt smiled. “I’ll text you the minute I get through my front door.”
"Fine....are you sure you don't want someone to go with you?" Mercedes frowned.
"I think I can make it to my front door unscathed," Kurt said dryly. He kissed Mercedes on the cheek. "I'll see you soon."
Mercedes smiled. "You'd better."
Kurt slid out of the booth with only a little wave for the rest of the group. He meandered across the dance floor, lost in his thoughts, until he heard something that gave him pause.
"No...please...I'm here with my friends...my friends are Doms...they're protecting me....you can't do this...I just needed to use the bathroom. Please...don't do this..."
Kurt turned the corner to the washrooms, only to find the beautiful submissive from before, Blaine, pressed up against a wall, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kurt asked in his most authoritative voice. "Blaine. To me. Now."
The submissive turned automatically at the order. "Sir!" he exclaimed. "I'm...I'm...I'm sorry I left the group."
"That's okay. Let's get you home." Kurt reached for Blaine's hand.
"Wait just a minute. I claimed him. He's mine."
"I challenge the claim," Kurt said casually. "I saw him first. I spoke to him earlier. How do you think I knew his name?"
"You overheard it. Just leave us alone so I can claim my pretty new sub."
"I challenged your claim. By rights, the submissive now has to choose."
Blaine groaned. What would be the lesser of two evils? The sweaty, meaty Dom standing over him, or the stunning man offering him reprieve. On the one hand, he knew what to expect from the hulking brute, on the other, well... "I choose you, Sir," he said quietly, staring at Kurt.
"Very good. Let him go." Kurt reached for the submissive when he pulled himself away from the other man. "Let's go home."
"Just a minute," the thwarted Dom said. "I have the right to witness the claim.
Kurt rolled his eyes. "I'm not fucking him here, I don't have lube or a condom, and the thought of doing it here is...distasteful to say the least. Give it up, you lost."
"I will witness the claim," the other Dom reiterated.
Kurt sighed. It was the other man’s right, which was pretty much the stupidest thing Kurt had ever heard of. "I'll have to get some supplies. You may follow us so you can see we aren't leaving. I have some friends who will have what I need. Come on, Blaine."
"Sir? " Blaine asked timidly. "What are we doing?"
"We're going to consummate my claim. Let's go." Kurt turned to leave the hallway, tugging his new sub's hand.
"No!" Blaine exclaimed. "I don't want this!" He struggled against Kurt's hold.
“Shh, just calm down,” Kurt said. “You don’t get a choice anymore. You left your home tonight, unclaimed, really, you’re lucky it’s me claiming you and not one of the big bears out there, or the ham hock here I saved you from. You’re going to have to deal with your choice.” He pulled Blaine over to Mercedes’ table. He took a deep breath. “Everyone, this is Blaine. Blaine, meet everyone. You’ll learn their names later. Don’t ask for the details, but I need a condom and lube.”
Rachel cackled drunkenly. “Really?” she asked. “What happened to not claiming anyone but your soulmate?”
“Cedes,” Kurt said, making eye contact with his beautiful friend. “I have to do this. I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you do!” Blaine cried. “You don’t have to do this!”
“Blaine,” Kurt said, turning to face the submissive. “The rules are clear. If you aren’t willing to go through with this, with me, you can go with him. And I can guarantee you, he won’t treat you the way I will. So, do this once with me, and going forward, we’ll figure things out.” He rubbed his temples. He had wanted to go home, not go through all of this.
“What’s going on here?” a new voice joined the mix.
“David!” Blaine broke from Kurt’s hold and flung himself at the dark-skinned man. “I told you I didn’t want to come out tonight. You promised you’d keep me safe...” Tears trickled down the submissive’s cheeks.
“Oh my God!” the man who had tried to claim Blaine rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air. “This is ridiculous. Just...just go. Thank you for saving me from the trouble with this one.” He stalked away.
Kurt sighed in relief. He turned to face Blaine and David. “Take him home. Keep him there,” he said harshly. “If a sub doesn’t want to be claimed, he needs to stay indoors.” He looked at Blaine. “You’re beautiful and responsive. You’ll make some Dom a perfect sub one day. Just make sure you keep yourself safe until you’re ready.” He brushed a hand over Blaine’s cheek. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart.”
Blaine shuddered, sobbing quietly into David’s shirt. David met Kurt’s gaze. “I don’t know what happened here, but I think I need to say thank you,” he said softly.
“Blaine almost got himself claimed by the guy who just left,” Kurt said frankly. “I stumbled upon them in the hall, and challenged the claim. I didn’t like the look of the guy. He demanded we consummate here after Blaine chose me. I was only protecting him. He’s beautiful, he’ll be perfect for someone, but he doesn’t want this. Sweetheart, can you look at me?” Kurt addressed Blaine.
Blaine looked up. “I’m sorry, Sir,” he whispered. “You’re entitled to claim me,” he said. “Please...just...”
Kurt smiled kindly. “Sweetheart...why don’t we go outside and talk? Your friend can come with us, make sure nothing happens. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk without a large audience.”
Blaine nodded. “David?” he asked softly. “Will you come?”
“Of course,” David said. “I’m sorry I left you alone. I’m sorry I didn’t walk you to the bathroom.”
“I’m never going out with you guys again,” Blaine said miserably. He let David walk him toward the door, Kurt leading the way.
The three sat down on a bench outside the club. “Okay,” Kurt said. “I claimed you, but I’m willing to let that go, because I can tell it’s not what you want.”
“Th-thank you, sir,” Blaine whispered. “Thank you.”
Kurt smiled. “I’m not a bad person, sweetheart. I never want to have a sub who doesn’t want me, and I’m...I’m holding out for my soulmate.”
David nodded. “Blaine’s trying to hold out until after college.”
“What are you studying, sweetheart?” Kurt asked.
“Music composition and performance,” Blaine whispered. “I...I play the piano...”
“That’s great,” Kurt said sincerely. “Why do you want to stay unclaimed through college? Wouldn’t it be easier to have a Dominant to help you focus?”
“No!” Blaine exclaimed. “No, no, no! A Dom will make me drop out. A Dom will make me serve him, and not let me live my life! I have five semesters left. Two and a half years. Then...then I’ll get a job. And it’ll be a good job. And no Dominant will make me quit, because I’ll be good. I’ll be so good....please, sir, let me be good...”
Kurt met David’s eyes. “You’ve heard this before?”
“Every time one of us asks him to go out with us,” David confirmed. “Tonight, we wore him down. I doubt we’ll ever get him out the door again.”
Kurt nodded slowly. “Sweetheart, I’m not going to force you into a claim,” he said. “I like you, you’re beautiful, so expressive, so incredibly responsive. But I’m not going to force you. I would, however, with your and your friend’s permission, like to see you again. You go to Juilliard, right?”
“I...I don’t want to say,” Blaine murmured.
“Do you not want to see me again?” Kurt asked softly.
“I don’t want to see anyone.”
“Blaine, if he can help protect you from unwanted attention...”
“Just stop!” Blaine exclaimed.
“Shhh,” Kurt murmured. “It’s okay. I won’t come near you again. Just...let me make sure you get home safe? David, will you take him home?”
“Right away,” David promised.
“Alright,” Kurt nodded. “Blaine, if you change your mind, my name is Kurt Hummel. You can find me on Facebook, I’m at Juilliard for Drama.”
Blaine froze. He cowered away. “David...please, take me home,” he whispered.
David nodded. “Can we go back inside so I can get our jackets and keys?” he asked. “Unless you want to spend five minutes out here with Kurt here, talk to him a bit...I’m sure he’ll keep you safe.”
“I...” Blaine looked up at Kurt. “I don’t know you,” he whispered.
“But you’ve seen me around school,” Kurt said quietly, knowing it was true. He’d seen Blaine himself. “You’ve seen me with the subs in my program, you know I respect submissives. Can I tell you about my brother? He...he was a sub. Much like yourself, he wanted to be someone, wanted to make a difference in the world...I’d like to tell you about him, while David goes to get your coats. He has my name, he has my information, he knows where I go to school. You will be safe here.”
Blaine nodded. “Okay,” he whispered. And he knew he would be. Kurt had had every right to force him down to the ground and take him, had had every opportunity.
David agreed. “If anything happens to you, Blaine, I will find you. I swear.”
“Thank you.” Blaine watched as David walked away, then turned back to Kurt. “You keep saying had...and was...did something happen to him?”
“He killed himself,” Kurt said quietly. “His Dom rejected him, decided it was more important to be rich and famous than to treat him right. The note said it was because he was depressed and couldn’t handle it any longer, but I know it was her fault. Breaking off a claim causes depression in submissives...and if they don’t have something else to focus on, or someone else to claim them, it’s just a matter of time.. And that’s why I don’t want to claim a sub yet. I don’t want to have sex with some random submissive, and send them off on their own to potentially die. I can’t.”
Blaine sighed heavily. “Then why?” he whispered. “Why did you?”
“Why did I what? Offer to claim you? Because that man...the one that would have had you instead, you wouldn’t be in school by Monday, you’d be his bitch. Until he got tired of you and cast you aside. I’d rather know you were safe with me, until YOU chose to leave, than to leave you to his mercy.” Kurt smiled softly. “And for the record, I would never take a sub out of school, never take him away from his career. I’m sorry I was so forceful, but I didn’t want that guy to question it. I would have let you go, if you’d wanted to, right afterwards, I swear.”
“Thank you,” Blaine whispered. “I’m...I’m going to let David take me home tonight. But...if you’re okay with it, I...I think I’d like to see you again. I have a huge piano exam Monday morning...so...not before then...but...um...is that okay?”
Kurt smiled. “That’s fine, sweetheart. That’s perfectly fine. Why don’t I give you my phone number, and you can text me when you want to talk. I’ve seen you around school, you know...”
“It’s a small campus,” Blaine said softly. “I’ve seen you, too. The drama department is very small.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “May I have your number?”
Kurt held out his hand for the phone and added his number into the contacts. “I won’t even send myself a message so I have your number. Contact is completely up to you.” He leaned closer. “But, I’ll definitely be looking forward to hearing from you.”
Blaine blushed. “I’ll text you next week?”
“And I’ll text back as soon as I can,” Kurt promised. He pressed his lips to Blaine’s temple, causing the sub to giggle.
“Blaine!” a new voice shouted. “Get away from him! He’s not yours!”
“Whoa!” Kurt exclaimed, standing up from the bench, putting himself between Blaine and the newcomer. “It’s okay!”
“He’s under our protection. Get away from him.”
“Wes, it’s fine,” Blaine said. “Kurt is just talking to me, keeping me company. It’s fine, I promise.” He smiled at Kurt. “This is Wes. One of my roommates. We all live in a brownstone just off campus...”
Kurt nodded. “Like he said, I’m just keeping him company,” he said quietly. “He’s fine.”
“Kurt saved me from being claimed by a really awful man,” Blaine said. “No thanks to you. He was going to claim me for himself, to save me, but the other guy left, so Kurt is letting me go...”
Wes frowned. “You’re gay?” he asked Kurt.
“Do I look straight?” Kurt asked, looking down at his own outfit. “I’m gay. I would have claimed him, if I had had to, and believe me, I want to. I would have approached him at school, but we all know how that goes. You just don’t claim a sub at school.”
“I’m glad you agree,” Wes said quietly. “So...you want him?”
“I do. And he knows it. But I’m giving him time to get used to the idea, giving him time to adjust. And if we ever do get there, and that’s completely up to him, I won’t take him out of school.” He turned to face Blaine. “I won’t. But you have a piano exam Monday morning, and you need to go home and get some sleep. It’s been an eventful night.”
Blaine nodded, getting to his feet. “Thank you, sir, for being so generous. I know I should be on my knees for you right now. And you’re letting me stand. So thank you. I’ll talk to you next week.”
“You’re safe now,” Kurt murmured. “Go with your friends, they’ll keep you safe until you’re back at school. Put me out of your head until next week, after your test.”
“I don’t know if I can, sir, but I’ll try,” Blaine blushed. “Thank you,” he walked over to David and Wes. “Take me home?”
“Right now,” David nodded. He wrapped an arm around Blaine’s shoulders. “Thank you, Kurt. Thank you for being a good guy.”
“Don’t thank me for that. Thank Blaine for standing up for himself, when you let him go off alone. Blaine, get home safe, and I’ll talk to you soon.” Kurt squeezed Blaine’s upper arm, then turned to go back into the club.
“Sir!” Blaine called. “Kurt...wait...”
Kurt turned back, just in time to catch the submissive who threw himself at him. “Sweetheart, go with your friends...”
“They can’t keep me safe,” Blaine whispered. “They’ve proven that...they promised....”
“I’ll keep you safe,” Kurt murmured. “I’ll keep you safe. Let your friends take you home tonight. Get a goodnight’s sleep and practice hard tomorrow and Sunday. I’ll see you right after your exam Monday, and we’ll talk. Text me the location and time of your exam, and I’ll be right outside.”
“Are you sure, sir?” Blaine asked.
“I’m sure. You let me know where you’ll be, and I’ll be there,” Kurt promised. “You stay home for the weekend, keep yourself safe. He kissed Blaine’s temple again. “By next weekend, if you want, you’ll be clubbing with your friends, with no fear. I promise.”
Wes blinked. “You’ll claim him and let him go out with us?” he asked.
“Of course,” Kurt murmured. “I wouldn’t dream of separating you from your friends.”
Blaine sagged in Kurt’s arms. “Thank you, sir. Can you take me home?”
“No,” Kurt shook his head. “I don’t want to know where you live yet. Soon, though.” He smiled. “Your friends will take care of you.”
“Yes, sir,” Blaine said quietly. He stood up straight. “I will text you Sunday night with the location of my exam?”
“You do that, and I’ll meet you there,” Kurt promised. “How do you take your coffee?”
“A little cream, and lots of sugar,” Blaine said. “But you don’t have to bring me coffee, sir.”
“I know. But I figure if we’re going to get to know one another, it would be nice. I’ll see you Monday.” Kurt looked at Wes and David. “I’m trusting you to get him home safely and keep him there until class on Monday.”
David nodded. “We will,” he said. “Come on, Blaine, time to go home.” He held out Blaine’s jacket.
The submissive put his jacket on, zipping it up. “Are the others coming?” he asked.
“I’m going to go in and get them now,” Wes said. “I didn’t want the girls coming out, um, just in case...you know?”
“Just in case I was being raped?” Blaine asked frankly. “I can understand that. Nick and Jeff with them?”
Wes nodded. “I’ll go get them,” he said again. “We’ll be right out.”
“I’ll walk in with you,” Kurt said to Wes. “David, I’m trusting you.”
“I know. I won’t let him out of my sight.”
Kurt walked into the club at Wes’ side. “Do not try to keep him from contacting me,” he said quietly. “I will find him at school if you do. I know you don’t like me, you don’t trust me. And that’s fine. You don’t know me. But Blaine wants to know me, and I want to know him. Give him that chance. I won’t hurt him. You know I could have had him tonight, by all rights, I did claim him. But I’m letting him go for now, so he can know I mean it. But he’s going to be mine. In his own time, he will be mine.”
“I don’t not like you,” Wes said. “Just...I know you’re ruthless. You’ll do anything to get ahead. And I don’t blame you. The Juilliard drama department is cut-throat. But Blaine...he competes honorably, he practices and practices, and wins on his own merit. Not by stepping on others.”
“The music department is quite different from the drama department,” Kurt said quietly. “And I’ve never stepped on another person. I’ve just taken opportunities when they’ve come. I’m in the middle of my last year. Only one semester left. There’s no one else to beat, but myself.”
“Well, Blaine has over two years left. And he has to be able to concentrate.”
“And because of you, he’s now met me, and won’t be able to concentrate,” Kurt said. “He wants to be with me. He wanted me to take him home tonight. I know he meant with me, I purposefully misunderstood him. So, take him home, keep him focused until Monday, and then I’ll help. But until then, I’ll just be a distraction.” Kurt patted Wes on the shoulder. “You should go, before he runs back in here and gets himself into more trouble.”
Wes opened his mouth to reply, but Kurt was already gone.
“Boo!” Mercedes exclaimed when Kurt walked back up to their table. “What the hell was that?”
“That,” Kurt said simply, sliding back into the booth, “was my soulmate.”