Title: Expectation Fails
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Kurt/Blaine
Categories: bdsm, AU, age difference, romance, soulmates
Length: Epic (62,529)
Warnings: BDSM in a D/s universe (but no hard kinks), age difference, teacher-student relationship

Author on LJ: lilinas
Author's website: lilinas on tumblr

Summary: This was originally written as a fill for a Glee Kink Meme prompt. In a D/s AU where your soulmate's name appears on your wrist (left for dom, right for sub) during puberty, Kurt and Blaine are marked with each other's names. But Kurt, the dom, is a 16-year-old high school student and Blaine, the sub, is his 27-year-old history teacher.

Review:
Sometimes, when you're reading, the story gets so very very good and gripping and overwhelming that you just have to switch tabs and breathe.

Needless to say that happened a lot the first time I read this. (And the second, and the third, and the fourth as well.).

Expectation Fails is a beautiful woven twist on both the soulmates trope and the D/s universe, merging the two together so flawlessly that, when I resurfaced from reading, I was disappointed to find was not the actual state of the real world. The backstories, the little hints and snippets of a much wider world, the histories and subsequent rules are excellently thought-out and expertly thrown in.

And of course, the main subject matter. Kurt and Blaine's characterization here is perfect -- especially important in a fic where their dominant or submissive natures may easily overshadow the core of the character, Lilinas can build those natures into who they are. The build of being soulmates and the growth of their non D/s relationship is beautiful, as is the more... kinky side. Kurt is a perfectly and convincingly empowered Dom, and Blaine's initial reluctance followed by his complete submissiveness is so cleverly played out. This fic is searingly hot, yet remains emotional, mind-stirring and heart-wrenchingly good.

The pace and writing are remarkable, and the balance between scenes of tenderness and affection and the slightly tenser ones is flowing and controlled. Lilinas knows just how to use words that send butterflies all through your stomach or all the blood out of your face, and I was hooked from the moment I started reading.

Expectation Fails
and on AO3