{fic} Eager to Please/Lucky to Love 4/?
Author - HamHockLover
Title - Eager to Please/Lucky To Love
Characters, main - Kurt Hummel (slave) and Dave Karofsky (owner)
Rating - R, will reach NC-17
Word Count - 4,900
A/N - A long chapter, yay! Kurt tries to prove himself a little in this chapter. I'm writing him as a very well-trained domestic aide, someone who's been educated and able to perform everyday duties without needing constant orders or supervision. What's the point of having a slave if you have to babysit them while they work anyway, right? In this AU, that's how I see it, anyway. Also...Dave sees the beginnings of Kurt's ability to think for himself, and he likes it!!
Chapter Summary - Cook breakfast, clean the kitchen, unpack the house, walk the dog - all things Kurt is well-equipped for. But what Dave asks him to do at dinner scares him. What if its a test...what if he's wrong. Why does he want to do it anyway?
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Dave stepped out of the shower, grabbing his towel and being hit with the undeniably amazing smell of coffee wafting through his apartment. He walked back through his room, grabbing clothes and getting dressed, with the smells of bacon and…was that?…what the hell was that? He came out of his room, passing Kurt’s room and his wide open door. He walked into the kitchen to find a virtual breakfast buffet spread out for him. “What is this?” he asked with a disbelieving smile.
Kurt turned quickly, spatula in hand as he held a plate of pancakes. “Your breakfast, sir.”
Dave looked at the plates on the table. There was an omelet with what looked like cheese and bacon next to a plate full of hashbrown potatoes. Kurt set the pancakes down, returning to the counter to get the syrup and butter. “Where did you get all this food?” Dave asked incredulously.
“Your kitchen, sir. I diced the apple and added it with cinnamon to the pancakes. There were just enough eggs for a small omelet. I found the bacon in the freezer and there was plenty of cheese to add to it as well.” He waited next to the table as Dave sat with a slump. “Does this please you, sir?”
“Yeah…” Dave shook his head, baffled that this large and hearty of a breakfast could be made with what little food he already had. “And there’s coffee?” he looked up, smiling at Kurt.
“Yes, sir, of course.” Kurt turned back to the counter, pouring a large mug of coffee for his master and bringing it to him. He waited, eager to see if his cooking pleased his master.
Dave dug in, taking a bite of everything and rolling his eyes with delight. “This is amazing,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food. “My god, Kurt, I had no idea you could cook like this.”
Kurt smiled shyly down at the floor. “I’m happy my cooking pleases you, sir.”
Dave looked around the kitchen as he ate. The appliances were out of the boxes. The countertop was cleaned and organized. He glanced towards the other direction. The boxes in the living room were opened and half the books were already arranged on the bookshelves.
He looked back and noticed the clock on the wall. “That’s a great place to hang that. But now I know I’m running late.” He gobbled up a few more bites of pancakes, taking his coffee cup with him as he headed back to his room for his shoes. He came back out to find Kurt staring down at the half-eaten food on the plates. “Thank you, Kurt.”
Kurt snapped his head up at his master, then quickly dropped his eyes. “I’m happy I could please you, sir.”
Dave stepped closer, “You did more than please me,” he said. “Breakfast was delicious and I know now I made the right decision when I picked you, Kurt.”
Kurt let himself smile, still staring at the floor. His master didn’t regret buying a male instead of a female? That was something he’d have to think about.
“Ok, so…I guess you know what to do. I’ll be home around 8, I hope. Um, you probably cooked all the food I had so I’ll stop and grab some carryout on my way home. Have a good day, Kurt.”
“Yes, sir. Have a good day, sir.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kurt got busy with cleaning as soon as the door shut. He cleared the plates from the table, eating the remnants of breakfast that his master had left and putting the dishes in the dishwasher. He wiped down the counters and washed out the coffeemaker. Once the dishwasher was humming quietly and the kitchen was spotless, Kurt turned towards the living room. He removed more books and knick-knacks from the boxes and placed them on the shelves. He tried to decipher and develop an order to the books but many of them were technical or medical reference books or contained words in the title that Kurt didn’t understand. He finally decided to simply place them on the shelves, arranging them with a visual appeal rather than a practical order.
Next there were a few pieces of art work that needed to be hung. Kurt had found the small toolbox containing a hammer, nails, tape measure, and other supplies in the pantry. Zeke had watched him intently the whole time, curiously sniffing in boxes and answering with a whine or whimper when Kurt asked his opinion on where a certain painting or picture should be hung. He finished, smiling proudly to himself. Kurt disassembled the cardboard boxes, stacking them by the front door before he grabbed Zeke’s leash. “Let’s take a walk, Zeke. It looks like a beautiful day outside.”
He led Zeke down the block, finding the vacant grassy lot Dave had spoken about. Kurt’s mind drifted back to the night before and the instructions he got from his master. He was still saddened knowing that he wasn’t expected to pleasure his master. Perhaps his master had a girlfriend or someone else in his life that he got pleasure from. It was such a strange concept though, for an owner to refuse to use his slave in that way. Kurt tried to bury the feelings of worthlessness however. If his owner said no, then that was final. He’d just have to work extra hard in other areas, like cooking and cleaning and taking care of Zeke to impress and please his master.
He glanced further down the street. There appeared to be a small neighborhood grocery store about three blocks past where the lot was. Kurt didn’t have any means to buy anything until his master supplied him with it. But he wished he could purchase a few groceries for his owner’s kitchen. He would feel valuable again if he were able to do that.
He walked the dog back towards the apartment, finding a large dumpster in the back lot behind the building. Once Zeke was back inside, he carried the flattened cardboard boxes downstairs and deposited them in the dumpster.
After that, Kurt busied himself with washing the large windows in the living room, pulling a chair over towards them so that he could almost reach the top of the glass. He was irritated that he didn’t have a step ladder tall enough to clean them properly. Perhaps he would mention that to his owner. The windows sparkled nonetheless. Next, Kurt got busy on the spots on the carpet. Even after they’d been cleaned once, there was the faintest hint of a stain left so he scrubbed and blotted and scrubbed some more to work out the discoloration.
At 6pm he took Zeke for a second walk around the block, picking up his mess dutifully and depositing it in a trash can on his walk back to the apartment. Zeke was obviously enjoying his new twice-a-day walks.
Kurt sat in his room and waited for his master’s return. For sir’s return, he reminded himself. That was going to be hard to get used to, he could tell. Even in his own mind, he couldn’t stop calling him master.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dave came through the door closer to 9pm than 8pm. “Hey, Kurt. I’m home.”
Kurt stood quickly from the chair in his room and walked out into the living room. “Good evening, sir.”
“Hey. Wow…the place looks great.” Dave toed off his shoes and looked around the large open room. “You worked hard on this, I can tell. It looks good.”
Kurt smiled at the floor, happy to receive the praise. He glanced up briefly, noticing the bag of food in his owner’s hands. “May I, sir?” he gestured with his hands to take the bag.
Dave let him take it. “Yeah, here. I hope you like Chinese.”
Kurt took the bag to the kitchen, placing it on the counter and dishing out the entrees onto his owner’s plate. He set the plate on the table with utensils and a glass of water, since there wasn’t anything else to drink in the fridge. He stood quietly next to the table, eager for his master to eat.
Dave was scanning through the books all neatly arranged on his shelf. He noticed the artwork hanging on the walls and the placement of different items around the large room. “Really looks nice, Kurt,” Dave replied over his shoulder.
“I’m happy to please you, sir. Your dinner is ready.”
Dave turned, seeing Kurt stand next to the table with one place setting on it. He approached curiously, snorting to himself as it clicked. “And…where’s your plate, Kurt?”
Confusion spread across his face as he studied the floor. “I will eat…when my--when you are finished, sir,” he answered quietly. He wondered if he’d done something wrong.
“Actually, I’d like for you to eat with me, Kurt. If you’d like to, that is.”
“If it will please you, sir…I will eat with you,” Kurt answered quieter still.
“Hey, look at me,” Dave tried for a friendly tone, along with his patient and understanding smile. “I know you worked hard today. You’ve already pleased me. What would please me more is if you ate dinner with me. But…” Dave searched his slave’s eyes, trying to find the answer there, “…but only if you want to.”
That same small wave of panic washed over Kurt’s face. His master was asking him what he wanted again and he was so afraid of answering wrongly. “Yes, sir…I would…” he began slowly, trying to word his answer so that he was still showing his submissiveness while being truthful, “I would like to please you by eating with you, sir.”
Dave snorted, knowing that’s the best he could hope for at this point. At least it seemed Kurt gave that answer some thought. “Well, go ahead and make your plate and come sit down.”
Kurt quickly dished food onto his plate, filled a glass with water and came back to the table. He hesitated briefly before setting the plate and glass down and pulling out his chair. This felt so wrong and backwards but he was doing what was instructed of him. Or rather, what his owner wanted him to do. But actually…no, that wasn’t it either. His owner had asked what he wanted to do and then Kurt answered. He wondered…what if…what if he’d answered differently? What if he’d said no, that he didn’t want to eat with his master?
Not that he would ever say that. But what if…
Kurt stopped that line of thinking immediately. It was far too confusing. He was trained to be compliant and it made sense...when an owner asks what a slave wants, the slave is obligated to simply ascertain beforehand what his master wants his answer to be and then answer accordingly. That way the master's wishes were always followed. Kurt wasn’t sure why his owner kept bothering to ask him what he wanted but as long as he answered correctly, he’d be ok.
He took small bites of his food, following his owner’s lead when suddenly the man stood and walked across the kitchen. He disappeared into the pantry for a moment and then Kurt watched with keen inquisitiveness as he returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. His eyes were about to pop out of his head as he watched his master open the bottle and pour the silky red liquid into both glasses, one directly in front of him.
Dave started talking, but Kurt could barely register his words. Was that glass of wine for him? Sitting directly in front of his plate? He’d never tasted alcohol. It was strictly forbidden for slaves to consume any alcoholic beverages while at the facility of course, but even after being bought…Kurt was informed that wine and beer and cocktails were strictly for owners and freemen.
Dave picked up his glass and spoke again. “Go ahead, it’s pretty good.” He swirled his glass, looking over the rim at Kurt and his still shocked expression. “If you want to…that is,” Dave added cautiously. He noticed Kurt’s bewildered look and thought about what he was doing. It wasn’t illegal for slaves to drink. It just wasn’t done. Nobody wasted perfectly good wine on a slave. It was a class thing, not a legal thing. And if Dave wanted to offer his slave a taste of wine, then he was well within his rights to do so.
But Kurt was frozen, staring at the wine glass in front of him like it might bite him.
Dave softened his voice, “Kurt, would you like to taste your wine?”
Kurt’s eyes flashed up to his master’s momentarily and then down again. He was confused. He thought maybe he was being tested and he didn’t want to answer wrong. He didn’t want to be punished.
Dave could see the bewilderment on the boy’s face. Baby steps, he told himself. If Kurt was ever going make his own decisions and think for himself, Dave had to be gentle and go slowly. “Ok, Kurt, look at me.”
Kurt’s eyes locked with his master.
“Pick up your glass like this.”
Kurt’s trembling hand reached for the glass as instructed.
“Good. Now, swirl it just a little bit, see, like this…” Dave swirled the deep burgundy liquid around the glass, smiling encouragingly at Kurt.
Kurt swirled the glass in his hand jerkily, luckily not spilling any but still not nearly as graceful as his owner had done.
“Ok, good. Now bring it up to your nose and sniff.” Dave brought the glass in his hand up to his nose, inhaling the rich deep aroma of the wine.
Kurt watched his master and mimicked him, bringing the glass to his nose and smelling.
“Ahhh…doesn’t that smell nice?” Dave asked rhetorically, smiling at Kurt. Dave put his glass down, “Now put your glass down, there…in front of your plate.”
Kurt practically dropped the glass to get it out of his hand, placing it back at the top of his plate where Dave had set it earlier.
“That’s your glass, Kurt,” Dave spoke calmly as he picked up his fork, “it’s your glass of wine. If you’re curious and you want to taste it, you may. But you don’t have to. It’s your decision.”
Kurt met his master’s eyes, then looked back at the glass of wine. He let out a ragged breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Just like my name, he thought. I get to decide. It was still a strange concept for him but as he picked up his fork and took a bite, he eyed the glass again. His master had given him permission but not an order. He could drink it or he could leave it where it sat on the table. He watched his master from the corner of his eye pick up his glass of wine, swirl it slightly and drink from it.
Kurt did enjoy the smell. He’d worked with wine before, of course, in his extensive culinary training. He’d just never been able to taste it. Even the finished meals, as good as they smelled, he’d never really been able to enjoy them…only tasting at times to judge the addition of spices and salt. He stared back at his glass of wine. Was he curious? Is that what this feeling was? He’d never explored it before. But as he took another bite of his food and looked at the glass of water sitting next to the wine, he knew immediately he wanted to try it.
That realization shocked him. He felt guilty at once. His master had told him he could taste it but didn’t instruct him to. Why couldn’t he simply order him if he wanted Kurt to drink it? Then the decision wouldn’t be his to make and he didn’t risk choosing wrong.
He took another bite, chewing slowly and still watching his glass.
Dave could almost see the conflict playing out on the boy’s face. He watched as Kurt kept eyeing the glass of wine, his lips twitching whenever Dave took a drink. His second night there and he was already learning how to think for himself. Dave felt pretty fucking proud of that. He scraped the last few pieces of rice onto his fork and brought it to his mouth, watching as Kurt once again stared at his glass. He dropped his fork loudly, scooting out from the table and taking his plate with him to the sink.
Kurt scrambled to get up, wanting to take the plate from his master’s hands and rinse it himself.
“No, it’s alright, Kurt. Go ahead and finish your dinner,” Dave answered Kurt’s unspoken plea. “I have to go do something in my room. I’ll be right back.” He walked out, leaving Kurt sitting back at the table staring at the offending glass of wine with consternation. Dave slipped around the corner but stopped, peeking back into the kitchen to see what Kurt would do once he was left alone.
After a long moment of simply sitting, staring at the glass, Kurt brought his hand from his lap, still trembling slightly as he picked it up. He studied it for a moment, watching as the deep red colors danced in the light reflecting from the chandelier above. He then swirled it gently…with greater ease this time and then brought it to his nose. He inhaled the fragrance, letting his eyes flutter closed as he savored it. Then looking back in the direction Dave had left in, Dave quickly hiding himself around the corner, Kurt looked back to the glass and brought it carefully, slowly to his mouth. He tilted the glass up until just the slightest bit of wine touched his parted lips, the tremble in his hands even more evident. He brought the glass down quickly, licked at his lips with his tongue and his eyes widening at the realization of what he’d just done.
Dave cleared his throat as he came back into the room. He sat back in his seat and picked up his wine glass, smirking over the top of it as he studied Kurt.
Kurt’s eyes darted from his master’s face to the glass of wine in front of him, to the floor, to his plate of food. He wasn’t sure why he felt like he’d been disobedient because he was pretty sure he hadn’t. He wondered if his master could tell that he’d sipped on his wine.
“Kurt…?” Dave began slowly, still swirling his glass of wine in his hands. “Would you like to taste your wine?”
Kurt could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He was still frightened that he might make a mistake, choose incorrectly and get punished. But he calmed himself, looking at his glass of wine, savoring the small taste of it still in his mouth. He nodded slightly, keeping his eyes down at his plate and answering quietly, “Yes, sir, if it pleases you…I would…like to taste my wine.”
“Alright, then, go ahead,” Dave was practically beaming as he saw Kurt’s not-quite-so-trembling hand reach for his glass, pick it up, swirl it briefly and then bring it to his lips.
Their eyes met as they both took a drink at the same time, Kurt letting more of the forbidden juice into his mouth. He let the wine swirl and dance over his tongue, savoring and learning the taste of it, his eyes wide with wonder that he wasn’t being chastised or looked upon disapprovingly. If anything, the look his master was giving him was nothing short of satisfaction.
He sipped again, letting the flavor of the wine fill his mouth as his eyes fluttered shut. It tasted more glorious than he had possibly thought it could. He opened his eyes to see his master smiling at him, bemused, his glass already emptied sitting on the table between them. There was maybe one or two more sips worth in Kurt's glass and he felt horrified at how much he’d already had so quickly. Panic spread across his face and he looked down, unsure of what to do next.
“I’m very proud of you for tasting it, Kurt. But if you don’t want to finish it, you don’t have to.”
Kurt visibly relaxed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. They sat in silence for a moment, Kurt still eyeing his almost empty glass of wine, savoring the velvet feel of it still in his mouth. “Thank you, sir, for the wine and for dinner. I am very appreciative of your kindness.”
“You’re welcome, Kurt,” Dave answered as he stood from the table. “I’m glad you liked it.”
Kurt took the rest of the dishes to the sink, rinsing them out and placing them in the dishwasher.
Dave glanced up at the clock on the wall. “I guess it’s too late to try to get groceries tonight. I’m sorry I keep having to work late. But these leftovers should be good. They’re all yours.” Dave placed the small boxes of Chinese food in the fridge and corked the half-empty bottle of wine, placing it on the counter. Dave leaned back against the counter, watching Kurt work as he cleaned the already clean kitchen counters.
Kurt was disappointed they wouldn’t have the chance to purchase food that night. But he remembered the grocery store he’d seen earlier that day and an idea came to him. He hoped his master didn’t think he was overstepping his duties or being too sure of himself. “Sir?” he began softly as he finished with the counters. “I will have time tomorrow, between my chores and taking Zeke out for his walks. If it pleases you, I will walk to the store down the street and purchase food for you.”
Dave took a moment to think about what Kurt said. It was actually a pretty good idea and he wondered why he hadn’t thought about it before. It was about seven blocks away but the weather was nice and Kurt probably didn’t need to buy that much. Dave usually shopped at the larger store closer to his office, when he had a chance but that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. And honestly, he hated shopping…groceries especially. “That’s a great idea, Kurt,” he finally answered. “Don’t get too much, I mean…it’s a long walk and you don’t need to carry that many bags back with you. But just enough, like three for four days worth of groceries would be fine.”
“Yes, sir.” Kurt smiled shyly, glad that his owner liked his idea. “I will buy whatever you wish for me to buy, sir.”
“Oh, well, actually, I don’t really care. I mean...I’m not a good cook so I usually just buy the frozen dinner things.” Dave crossed his arms over his chest as he thought about it. He could trust Kurt to shop on his own. He was already well-trained in everything else, he must have been educated in shopping as well. “Just buy whatever you need, you know…a few nights worth of meals. And breakfast…cause what you made this morning was amazing. And then whatever you want to eat for lunch when you’re home during the day.”
Kurt could feel the slight rise of panic in his chest again but it faded quicker than normal. He wasn’t going to be given a list of items to purchase. He was going to plan meals and buy the groceries and prepare them all on his own. He’d been trained in that, of course…and he was more than eager to prove himself. “Yes, sir. I will get started on meal planning and making a list of groceries right away. Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome, Kurt,” Dave answered, pleased that Kurt seemed to enjoy being able to do this on his own. “I’ll leave some cash for you, um, like I said…you really don’t have to get too much. I’m not a picky eater so whatever you decide to cook will be fine.”
“Yes, sir.” Kurt thought about that for a moment. He wanted to ask if there was anything special that his master wanted him to make, like a favorite dish. But he’d just said he didn’t care and it was up to Kurt to decide what to plan for meals. He could do this. This was a big responsibility and he was eager to prove that he could please his master. Maybe if he made some of his favorite recipes, the ones that earned him high praise at his training facility, then Dave would be impressed and tell him which his favorite was.
Dave said goodnight to Kurt in the hallway outside their doorways, reminding him that he didn’t have to cook breakfast for him in the morning, since there wasn’t anything to cook. “Just coffee would be fine, ok, Kurt? You can have the leftover Chinese and I’ll get breakfast on the way to work.”
“Yes, sir, goodnight, sir,” Kurt answered quietly. He closed the door to his room, still feeling odd that it was really and truly his and only his. He undressed and then went into his bathroom, turning on the water of his shower and slipping into the hot water spray. There was a bottle of shampoo and body wash in the shower stall and he was suddenly struck with how good this new life and his new master were being to him. The lingering feelings of uselessness and inadequacy were fading. If his master didn’t want his sexual services, at least he was able to please him in other ways. His master was very generous indeed and Kurt knew, from hearing stories about a very different type of owner, that he was lucky. His owner allowed him to make decisions regarding his name, drinking wine, planning meals and purchasing groceries. He was definitely lucky.
Lucky. The word brought memories of his mother to his mind. Not painful memories…but just…things she’d said, advice and guidance. She said he was lucky. Because he knew what love was. It was true most slaves never have a bond with a parent, a bond with any childhood caregiver for that matter. But he was allowed to live with her, being raised on the large estate where his mother was a domestic aide. His mother said he was lucky because he knew she loved him.
But she also explained to him the other type of love, romantic love. He was almost ten years old when she took him for a long walk through the wooded grounds of the estate. “Everybody assumes that Master is your father, Kurt. But that’s not possible, I promise you. I loved your father, I love him still. He says he watches you when you work around the estate. He’s so very proud of you.”
Kurt remembered being confused at his mother’s words. His father watched him, when…where?
“His name is Burt. He’s Master’s driver and mechanic. He’s always in the garage and his bunk is above the garage with the other yard workers. But I see him when we get the chance. It’s surprising that we’ve been able to keep our relationship hidden so long. Even more surprising that it was able to develop to begin with.”
Kurt didn’t understand what she meant at the time, but he knew now. Slaves weren’t supposed to become attached to one another. After spending years at a training facility, their instinct and desire for companionship was eventually rooted out. The intense psychological instructions caused slaves to become incapable of emotionally bonding with another human. Romantic love was never explained and never allowed to develop between slaves.
But Kurt’s mother had fallen in love with Master’s driver. They kept it a secret and she gave birth to his son. Once Kurt was told who his real father was, he sought him out. Seeking chores to do that would take him outside and near the large garage behind the massive estate. He remembers the one and only time he saw his mother and father together. He held her hand and she looked lovingly, adoringly into his eyes. It was strange at first…something his innocent eyes had never seen but at the same time…it felt right. It felt natural to see them look at each other like that. They were in love.
And Kurt’s mother wanted him to know, as she laid on her deathbed, that seeing his parents in love made him lucky. It meant there was a chance he could experience it himself. He wasn’t sure who he’d ever have the chance to develop such a thing with. All the slaves at the facility were hopelessly trained not to. He had tried to seek out the interest of the tall boy with the lop-sided grin…but, of course was left disappointed. And now he found himself the only slave for a man who preferred females, it seemed.
But he knew, there was that chance. Maybe someday in his lifetime he’d have the chance to know romantic love himself. He could be lucky to love…like his mother and father once were.
Title - Eager to Please/Lucky To Love
Characters, main - Kurt Hummel (slave) and Dave Karofsky (owner)
Rating - R, will reach NC-17
Word Count - 4,900
A/N - A long chapter, yay! Kurt tries to prove himself a little in this chapter. I'm writing him as a very well-trained domestic aide, someone who's been educated and able to perform everyday duties without needing constant orders or supervision. What's the point of having a slave if you have to babysit them while they work anyway, right? In this AU, that's how I see it, anyway. Also...Dave sees the beginnings of Kurt's ability to think for himself, and he likes it!!
Chapter Summary - Cook breakfast, clean the kitchen, unpack the house, walk the dog - all things Kurt is well-equipped for. But what Dave asks him to do at dinner scares him. What if its a test...what if he's wrong. Why does he want to do it anyway?
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Dave stepped out of the shower, grabbing his towel and being hit with the undeniably amazing smell of coffee wafting through his apartment. He walked back through his room, grabbing clothes and getting dressed, with the smells of bacon and…was that?…what the hell was that? He came out of his room, passing Kurt’s room and his wide open door. He walked into the kitchen to find a virtual breakfast buffet spread out for him. “What is this?” he asked with a disbelieving smile.
Kurt turned quickly, spatula in hand as he held a plate of pancakes. “Your breakfast, sir.”
Dave looked at the plates on the table. There was an omelet with what looked like cheese and bacon next to a plate full of hashbrown potatoes. Kurt set the pancakes down, returning to the counter to get the syrup and butter. “Where did you get all this food?” Dave asked incredulously.
“Your kitchen, sir. I diced the apple and added it with cinnamon to the pancakes. There were just enough eggs for a small omelet. I found the bacon in the freezer and there was plenty of cheese to add to it as well.” He waited next to the table as Dave sat with a slump. “Does this please you, sir?”
“Yeah…” Dave shook his head, baffled that this large and hearty of a breakfast could be made with what little food he already had. “And there’s coffee?” he looked up, smiling at Kurt.
“Yes, sir, of course.” Kurt turned back to the counter, pouring a large mug of coffee for his master and bringing it to him. He waited, eager to see if his cooking pleased his master.
Dave dug in, taking a bite of everything and rolling his eyes with delight. “This is amazing,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food. “My god, Kurt, I had no idea you could cook like this.”
Kurt smiled shyly down at the floor. “I’m happy my cooking pleases you, sir.”
Dave looked around the kitchen as he ate. The appliances were out of the boxes. The countertop was cleaned and organized. He glanced towards the other direction. The boxes in the living room were opened and half the books were already arranged on the bookshelves.
He looked back and noticed the clock on the wall. “That’s a great place to hang that. But now I know I’m running late.” He gobbled up a few more bites of pancakes, taking his coffee cup with him as he headed back to his room for his shoes. He came back out to find Kurt staring down at the half-eaten food on the plates. “Thank you, Kurt.”
Kurt snapped his head up at his master, then quickly dropped his eyes. “I’m happy I could please you, sir.”
Dave stepped closer, “You did more than please me,” he said. “Breakfast was delicious and I know now I made the right decision when I picked you, Kurt.”
Kurt let himself smile, still staring at the floor. His master didn’t regret buying a male instead of a female? That was something he’d have to think about.
“Ok, so…I guess you know what to do. I’ll be home around 8, I hope. Um, you probably cooked all the food I had so I’ll stop and grab some carryout on my way home. Have a good day, Kurt.”
“Yes, sir. Have a good day, sir.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kurt got busy with cleaning as soon as the door shut. He cleared the plates from the table, eating the remnants of breakfast that his master had left and putting the dishes in the dishwasher. He wiped down the counters and washed out the coffeemaker. Once the dishwasher was humming quietly and the kitchen was spotless, Kurt turned towards the living room. He removed more books and knick-knacks from the boxes and placed them on the shelves. He tried to decipher and develop an order to the books but many of them were technical or medical reference books or contained words in the title that Kurt didn’t understand. He finally decided to simply place them on the shelves, arranging them with a visual appeal rather than a practical order.
Next there were a few pieces of art work that needed to be hung. Kurt had found the small toolbox containing a hammer, nails, tape measure, and other supplies in the pantry. Zeke had watched him intently the whole time, curiously sniffing in boxes and answering with a whine or whimper when Kurt asked his opinion on where a certain painting or picture should be hung. He finished, smiling proudly to himself. Kurt disassembled the cardboard boxes, stacking them by the front door before he grabbed Zeke’s leash. “Let’s take a walk, Zeke. It looks like a beautiful day outside.”
He led Zeke down the block, finding the vacant grassy lot Dave had spoken about. Kurt’s mind drifted back to the night before and the instructions he got from his master. He was still saddened knowing that he wasn’t expected to pleasure his master. Perhaps his master had a girlfriend or someone else in his life that he got pleasure from. It was such a strange concept though, for an owner to refuse to use his slave in that way. Kurt tried to bury the feelings of worthlessness however. If his owner said no, then that was final. He’d just have to work extra hard in other areas, like cooking and cleaning and taking care of Zeke to impress and please his master.
He glanced further down the street. There appeared to be a small neighborhood grocery store about three blocks past where the lot was. Kurt didn’t have any means to buy anything until his master supplied him with it. But he wished he could purchase a few groceries for his owner’s kitchen. He would feel valuable again if he were able to do that.
He walked the dog back towards the apartment, finding a large dumpster in the back lot behind the building. Once Zeke was back inside, he carried the flattened cardboard boxes downstairs and deposited them in the dumpster.
After that, Kurt busied himself with washing the large windows in the living room, pulling a chair over towards them so that he could almost reach the top of the glass. He was irritated that he didn’t have a step ladder tall enough to clean them properly. Perhaps he would mention that to his owner. The windows sparkled nonetheless. Next, Kurt got busy on the spots on the carpet. Even after they’d been cleaned once, there was the faintest hint of a stain left so he scrubbed and blotted and scrubbed some more to work out the discoloration.
At 6pm he took Zeke for a second walk around the block, picking up his mess dutifully and depositing it in a trash can on his walk back to the apartment. Zeke was obviously enjoying his new twice-a-day walks.
Kurt sat in his room and waited for his master’s return. For sir’s return, he reminded himself. That was going to be hard to get used to, he could tell. Even in his own mind, he couldn’t stop calling him master.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dave came through the door closer to 9pm than 8pm. “Hey, Kurt. I’m home.”
Kurt stood quickly from the chair in his room and walked out into the living room. “Good evening, sir.”
“Hey. Wow…the place looks great.” Dave toed off his shoes and looked around the large open room. “You worked hard on this, I can tell. It looks good.”
Kurt smiled at the floor, happy to receive the praise. He glanced up briefly, noticing the bag of food in his owner’s hands. “May I, sir?” he gestured with his hands to take the bag.
Dave let him take it. “Yeah, here. I hope you like Chinese.”
Kurt took the bag to the kitchen, placing it on the counter and dishing out the entrees onto his owner’s plate. He set the plate on the table with utensils and a glass of water, since there wasn’t anything else to drink in the fridge. He stood quietly next to the table, eager for his master to eat.
Dave was scanning through the books all neatly arranged on his shelf. He noticed the artwork hanging on the walls and the placement of different items around the large room. “Really looks nice, Kurt,” Dave replied over his shoulder.
“I’m happy to please you, sir. Your dinner is ready.”
Dave turned, seeing Kurt stand next to the table with one place setting on it. He approached curiously, snorting to himself as it clicked. “And…where’s your plate, Kurt?”
Confusion spread across his face as he studied the floor. “I will eat…when my--when you are finished, sir,” he answered quietly. He wondered if he’d done something wrong.
“Actually, I’d like for you to eat with me, Kurt. If you’d like to, that is.”
“If it will please you, sir…I will eat with you,” Kurt answered quieter still.
“Hey, look at me,” Dave tried for a friendly tone, along with his patient and understanding smile. “I know you worked hard today. You’ve already pleased me. What would please me more is if you ate dinner with me. But…” Dave searched his slave’s eyes, trying to find the answer there, “…but only if you want to.”
That same small wave of panic washed over Kurt’s face. His master was asking him what he wanted again and he was so afraid of answering wrongly. “Yes, sir…I would…” he began slowly, trying to word his answer so that he was still showing his submissiveness while being truthful, “I would like to please you by eating with you, sir.”
Dave snorted, knowing that’s the best he could hope for at this point. At least it seemed Kurt gave that answer some thought. “Well, go ahead and make your plate and come sit down.”
Kurt quickly dished food onto his plate, filled a glass with water and came back to the table. He hesitated briefly before setting the plate and glass down and pulling out his chair. This felt so wrong and backwards but he was doing what was instructed of him. Or rather, what his owner wanted him to do. But actually…no, that wasn’t it either. His owner had asked what he wanted to do and then Kurt answered. He wondered…what if…what if he’d answered differently? What if he’d said no, that he didn’t want to eat with his master?
Not that he would ever say that. But what if…
Kurt stopped that line of thinking immediately. It was far too confusing. He was trained to be compliant and it made sense...when an owner asks what a slave wants, the slave is obligated to simply ascertain beforehand what his master wants his answer to be and then answer accordingly. That way the master's wishes were always followed. Kurt wasn’t sure why his owner kept bothering to ask him what he wanted but as long as he answered correctly, he’d be ok.
He took small bites of his food, following his owner’s lead when suddenly the man stood and walked across the kitchen. He disappeared into the pantry for a moment and then Kurt watched with keen inquisitiveness as he returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. His eyes were about to pop out of his head as he watched his master open the bottle and pour the silky red liquid into both glasses, one directly in front of him.
Dave started talking, but Kurt could barely register his words. Was that glass of wine for him? Sitting directly in front of his plate? He’d never tasted alcohol. It was strictly forbidden for slaves to consume any alcoholic beverages while at the facility of course, but even after being bought…Kurt was informed that wine and beer and cocktails were strictly for owners and freemen.
Dave picked up his glass and spoke again. “Go ahead, it’s pretty good.” He swirled his glass, looking over the rim at Kurt and his still shocked expression. “If you want to…that is,” Dave added cautiously. He noticed Kurt’s bewildered look and thought about what he was doing. It wasn’t illegal for slaves to drink. It just wasn’t done. Nobody wasted perfectly good wine on a slave. It was a class thing, not a legal thing. And if Dave wanted to offer his slave a taste of wine, then he was well within his rights to do so.
But Kurt was frozen, staring at the wine glass in front of him like it might bite him.
Dave softened his voice, “Kurt, would you like to taste your wine?”
Kurt’s eyes flashed up to his master’s momentarily and then down again. He was confused. He thought maybe he was being tested and he didn’t want to answer wrong. He didn’t want to be punished.
Dave could see the bewilderment on the boy’s face. Baby steps, he told himself. If Kurt was ever going make his own decisions and think for himself, Dave had to be gentle and go slowly. “Ok, Kurt, look at me.”
Kurt’s eyes locked with his master.
“Pick up your glass like this.”
Kurt’s trembling hand reached for the glass as instructed.
“Good. Now, swirl it just a little bit, see, like this…” Dave swirled the deep burgundy liquid around the glass, smiling encouragingly at Kurt.
Kurt swirled the glass in his hand jerkily, luckily not spilling any but still not nearly as graceful as his owner had done.
“Ok, good. Now bring it up to your nose and sniff.” Dave brought the glass in his hand up to his nose, inhaling the rich deep aroma of the wine.
Kurt watched his master and mimicked him, bringing the glass to his nose and smelling.
“Ahhh…doesn’t that smell nice?” Dave asked rhetorically, smiling at Kurt. Dave put his glass down, “Now put your glass down, there…in front of your plate.”
Kurt practically dropped the glass to get it out of his hand, placing it back at the top of his plate where Dave had set it earlier.
“That’s your glass, Kurt,” Dave spoke calmly as he picked up his fork, “it’s your glass of wine. If you’re curious and you want to taste it, you may. But you don’t have to. It’s your decision.”
Kurt met his master’s eyes, then looked back at the glass of wine. He let out a ragged breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Just like my name, he thought. I get to decide. It was still a strange concept for him but as he picked up his fork and took a bite, he eyed the glass again. His master had given him permission but not an order. He could drink it or he could leave it where it sat on the table. He watched his master from the corner of his eye pick up his glass of wine, swirl it slightly and drink from it.
Kurt did enjoy the smell. He’d worked with wine before, of course, in his extensive culinary training. He’d just never been able to taste it. Even the finished meals, as good as they smelled, he’d never really been able to enjoy them…only tasting at times to judge the addition of spices and salt. He stared back at his glass of wine. Was he curious? Is that what this feeling was? He’d never explored it before. But as he took another bite of his food and looked at the glass of water sitting next to the wine, he knew immediately he wanted to try it.
That realization shocked him. He felt guilty at once. His master had told him he could taste it but didn’t instruct him to. Why couldn’t he simply order him if he wanted Kurt to drink it? Then the decision wouldn’t be his to make and he didn’t risk choosing wrong.
He took another bite, chewing slowly and still watching his glass.
Dave could almost see the conflict playing out on the boy’s face. He watched as Kurt kept eyeing the glass of wine, his lips twitching whenever Dave took a drink. His second night there and he was already learning how to think for himself. Dave felt pretty fucking proud of that. He scraped the last few pieces of rice onto his fork and brought it to his mouth, watching as Kurt once again stared at his glass. He dropped his fork loudly, scooting out from the table and taking his plate with him to the sink.
Kurt scrambled to get up, wanting to take the plate from his master’s hands and rinse it himself.
“No, it’s alright, Kurt. Go ahead and finish your dinner,” Dave answered Kurt’s unspoken plea. “I have to go do something in my room. I’ll be right back.” He walked out, leaving Kurt sitting back at the table staring at the offending glass of wine with consternation. Dave slipped around the corner but stopped, peeking back into the kitchen to see what Kurt would do once he was left alone.
After a long moment of simply sitting, staring at the glass, Kurt brought his hand from his lap, still trembling slightly as he picked it up. He studied it for a moment, watching as the deep red colors danced in the light reflecting from the chandelier above. He then swirled it gently…with greater ease this time and then brought it to his nose. He inhaled the fragrance, letting his eyes flutter closed as he savored it. Then looking back in the direction Dave had left in, Dave quickly hiding himself around the corner, Kurt looked back to the glass and brought it carefully, slowly to his mouth. He tilted the glass up until just the slightest bit of wine touched his parted lips, the tremble in his hands even more evident. He brought the glass down quickly, licked at his lips with his tongue and his eyes widening at the realization of what he’d just done.
Dave cleared his throat as he came back into the room. He sat back in his seat and picked up his wine glass, smirking over the top of it as he studied Kurt.
Kurt’s eyes darted from his master’s face to the glass of wine in front of him, to the floor, to his plate of food. He wasn’t sure why he felt like he’d been disobedient because he was pretty sure he hadn’t. He wondered if his master could tell that he’d sipped on his wine.
“Kurt…?” Dave began slowly, still swirling his glass of wine in his hands. “Would you like to taste your wine?”
Kurt could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He was still frightened that he might make a mistake, choose incorrectly and get punished. But he calmed himself, looking at his glass of wine, savoring the small taste of it still in his mouth. He nodded slightly, keeping his eyes down at his plate and answering quietly, “Yes, sir, if it pleases you…I would…like to taste my wine.”
“Alright, then, go ahead,” Dave was practically beaming as he saw Kurt’s not-quite-so-trembling hand reach for his glass, pick it up, swirl it briefly and then bring it to his lips.
Their eyes met as they both took a drink at the same time, Kurt letting more of the forbidden juice into his mouth. He let the wine swirl and dance over his tongue, savoring and learning the taste of it, his eyes wide with wonder that he wasn’t being chastised or looked upon disapprovingly. If anything, the look his master was giving him was nothing short of satisfaction.
He sipped again, letting the flavor of the wine fill his mouth as his eyes fluttered shut. It tasted more glorious than he had possibly thought it could. He opened his eyes to see his master smiling at him, bemused, his glass already emptied sitting on the table between them. There was maybe one or two more sips worth in Kurt's glass and he felt horrified at how much he’d already had so quickly. Panic spread across his face and he looked down, unsure of what to do next.
“I’m very proud of you for tasting it, Kurt. But if you don’t want to finish it, you don’t have to.”
Kurt visibly relaxed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. They sat in silence for a moment, Kurt still eyeing his almost empty glass of wine, savoring the velvet feel of it still in his mouth. “Thank you, sir, for the wine and for dinner. I am very appreciative of your kindness.”
“You’re welcome, Kurt,” Dave answered as he stood from the table. “I’m glad you liked it.”
Kurt took the rest of the dishes to the sink, rinsing them out and placing them in the dishwasher.
Dave glanced up at the clock on the wall. “I guess it’s too late to try to get groceries tonight. I’m sorry I keep having to work late. But these leftovers should be good. They’re all yours.” Dave placed the small boxes of Chinese food in the fridge and corked the half-empty bottle of wine, placing it on the counter. Dave leaned back against the counter, watching Kurt work as he cleaned the already clean kitchen counters.
Kurt was disappointed they wouldn’t have the chance to purchase food that night. But he remembered the grocery store he’d seen earlier that day and an idea came to him. He hoped his master didn’t think he was overstepping his duties or being too sure of himself. “Sir?” he began softly as he finished with the counters. “I will have time tomorrow, between my chores and taking Zeke out for his walks. If it pleases you, I will walk to the store down the street and purchase food for you.”
Dave took a moment to think about what Kurt said. It was actually a pretty good idea and he wondered why he hadn’t thought about it before. It was about seven blocks away but the weather was nice and Kurt probably didn’t need to buy that much. Dave usually shopped at the larger store closer to his office, when he had a chance but that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. And honestly, he hated shopping…groceries especially. “That’s a great idea, Kurt,” he finally answered. “Don’t get too much, I mean…it’s a long walk and you don’t need to carry that many bags back with you. But just enough, like three for four days worth of groceries would be fine.”
“Yes, sir.” Kurt smiled shyly, glad that his owner liked his idea. “I will buy whatever you wish for me to buy, sir.”
“Oh, well, actually, I don’t really care. I mean...I’m not a good cook so I usually just buy the frozen dinner things.” Dave crossed his arms over his chest as he thought about it. He could trust Kurt to shop on his own. He was already well-trained in everything else, he must have been educated in shopping as well. “Just buy whatever you need, you know…a few nights worth of meals. And breakfast…cause what you made this morning was amazing. And then whatever you want to eat for lunch when you’re home during the day.”
Kurt could feel the slight rise of panic in his chest again but it faded quicker than normal. He wasn’t going to be given a list of items to purchase. He was going to plan meals and buy the groceries and prepare them all on his own. He’d been trained in that, of course…and he was more than eager to prove himself. “Yes, sir. I will get started on meal planning and making a list of groceries right away. Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome, Kurt,” Dave answered, pleased that Kurt seemed to enjoy being able to do this on his own. “I’ll leave some cash for you, um, like I said…you really don’t have to get too much. I’m not a picky eater so whatever you decide to cook will be fine.”
“Yes, sir.” Kurt thought about that for a moment. He wanted to ask if there was anything special that his master wanted him to make, like a favorite dish. But he’d just said he didn’t care and it was up to Kurt to decide what to plan for meals. He could do this. This was a big responsibility and he was eager to prove that he could please his master. Maybe if he made some of his favorite recipes, the ones that earned him high praise at his training facility, then Dave would be impressed and tell him which his favorite was.
Dave said goodnight to Kurt in the hallway outside their doorways, reminding him that he didn’t have to cook breakfast for him in the morning, since there wasn’t anything to cook. “Just coffee would be fine, ok, Kurt? You can have the leftover Chinese and I’ll get breakfast on the way to work.”
“Yes, sir, goodnight, sir,” Kurt answered quietly. He closed the door to his room, still feeling odd that it was really and truly his and only his. He undressed and then went into his bathroom, turning on the water of his shower and slipping into the hot water spray. There was a bottle of shampoo and body wash in the shower stall and he was suddenly struck with how good this new life and his new master were being to him. The lingering feelings of uselessness and inadequacy were fading. If his master didn’t want his sexual services, at least he was able to please him in other ways. His master was very generous indeed and Kurt knew, from hearing stories about a very different type of owner, that he was lucky. His owner allowed him to make decisions regarding his name, drinking wine, planning meals and purchasing groceries. He was definitely lucky.
Lucky. The word brought memories of his mother to his mind. Not painful memories…but just…things she’d said, advice and guidance. She said he was lucky. Because he knew what love was. It was true most slaves never have a bond with a parent, a bond with any childhood caregiver for that matter. But he was allowed to live with her, being raised on the large estate where his mother was a domestic aide. His mother said he was lucky because he knew she loved him.
But she also explained to him the other type of love, romantic love. He was almost ten years old when she took him for a long walk through the wooded grounds of the estate. “Everybody assumes that Master is your father, Kurt. But that’s not possible, I promise you. I loved your father, I love him still. He says he watches you when you work around the estate. He’s so very proud of you.”
Kurt remembered being confused at his mother’s words. His father watched him, when…where?
“His name is Burt. He’s Master’s driver and mechanic. He’s always in the garage and his bunk is above the garage with the other yard workers. But I see him when we get the chance. It’s surprising that we’ve been able to keep our relationship hidden so long. Even more surprising that it was able to develop to begin with.”
Kurt didn’t understand what she meant at the time, but he knew now. Slaves weren’t supposed to become attached to one another. After spending years at a training facility, their instinct and desire for companionship was eventually rooted out. The intense psychological instructions caused slaves to become incapable of emotionally bonding with another human. Romantic love was never explained and never allowed to develop between slaves.
But Kurt’s mother had fallen in love with Master’s driver. They kept it a secret and she gave birth to his son. Once Kurt was told who his real father was, he sought him out. Seeking chores to do that would take him outside and near the large garage behind the massive estate. He remembers the one and only time he saw his mother and father together. He held her hand and she looked lovingly, adoringly into his eyes. It was strange at first…something his innocent eyes had never seen but at the same time…it felt right. It felt natural to see them look at each other like that. They were in love.
And Kurt’s mother wanted him to know, as she laid on her deathbed, that seeing his parents in love made him lucky. It meant there was a chance he could experience it himself. He wasn’t sure who he’d ever have the chance to develop such a thing with. All the slaves at the facility were hopelessly trained not to. He had tried to seek out the interest of the tall boy with the lop-sided grin…but, of course was left disappointed. And now he found himself the only slave for a man who preferred females, it seemed.
But he knew, there was that chance. Maybe someday in his lifetime he’d have the chance to know romantic love himself. He could be lucky to love…like his mother and father once were.