Don't Sweat It
Disclaimer: I do not own or have any connections to Glee.
Blaine absentmindedly walked through the Kroger while pushing his cart. He bumped into a woman and mumbled a 'sorry' before turning around and going down another aisle. A small piece of paper with his mom's handwriting on it was clutched in his left hand against the handle. She'd sent him to do some light grocery shopping just to get him out of the house.
"You can't sit around all day doing nothing, it's not healthy," she had said while bringing him breakfast in bed, "I refuse to let you hurt yourself over heartbreak, it's not worth it."
Blaine blinked and swallowed the lump in his throat before grabbing the box of spaghetti noodles from the shelf. It wasn't just heartbreak…it was shame and disgust. How could he stoop to the level of cheating?
"What's up, Anderson?"
Blaine turned to his left to see Noah Puckerman grabbing two cans of tomato sauce. He smiled weakly, "Hi Puck."
Puck lightly hit his cart against Blaine's side, "Finn called me."
Blaine's face heated up and his eyes looked anywhere but at Puck.
Puck let out a breath and stared at Blaine for a second before gently hitting his fist against Blaine's shoulder, "You have my number."
Blaine looked up in time to see Puck back out of the aisle and meet up with a young girl who set a few boxes of cereal in his cart. He smiled slightly and looked at his mom's list. Maybe he messed up, ok he screwed up, but if one of Kurt's friends can offer an ear to listen without threatening to kill him…he might just survive his own shame.
-GLEE-
Blaine closed his eyes and counted to ten before looking back at his dad sitting in the lazy-boy across the den, "Can I go now? It's been five minutes."
Without looking up, Richard Anderson stated, "No," and flipped on Wheel of Fortune.
Blaine sighed and slumped down on the couch, "I have homework."
"Do you really?" Richard asked, turning to look at his youngest.
Blaine bit his lip and shook his head.
"Why do you hate spending time with me?" Richard sighed, "I'm trying to help you through this."
"And I'm grateful, but I'm too depressed to be affected by it," Blaine said quietly.
Richard muted the TV before crossing the room and sitting next to his son. He hesitated before setting his hand on the back of Blaine's neck, "I cheated on your mom after we'd been dating a year."
Blaine's eyes widened and he looked up, "Really?"
Richard nodded and let out a breath, "I got in a fight with my mom over church," he rolled his eyes, "I thought it was boring and figured owning a rosary was good enough; besides, I was 25 with my own apartment and a girlfriend, why did I have to listen to my mother?"
Blaine chuckled and shook his head.
Richard smiled softly at seeing his son's face change from its usual frown. He laughed softly himself before continuing, "Anyways, I went to your mom's house and started ranting. I mean, I went off on her about my mother. Your mom was sweet, of course, and listened before telling me she agreed with my mom. I was devastated, so I ran out to the nearest bar and got so drunk, I didn't know my name. I woke up the next morning in a motel next to a girl I'd never met with a pit in my stomach." He breathed slowly, "Blaine, what I did was wrong and I still haven't forgiven myself. Your mom and I broke up for a few months before we talked it out and got back together. Your mom actually doesn't even blame me, she says I was taken advantage of, but," he shook his head, "I can't accept that."
"If you were that drunk, Dad, you really didn't consent," Blaine said softly, his heart racing.
Richard stared at Blaine for a minute, watching his son sweat and scratch at his arms. "You didn't consent, did you?" he whispered.
Blaine swallowed, "I went to him. I took the drinks. I said yes at first." His breaths came in gasps and his eyes stung.
Richard quickly took Blaine in his arms and rubbed his back, "I'm here," he whispered.
Blaine squeezed his eyes shut and nodded, gripping the back of his dad's shirt.
Richard held Blaine close, "You are not-"
"I am!" Blaine yelled and pulled back, "I am, Dad, you said it yourself. You will never forgive yourself and I can't forgive myself either."
"Blaine," Richard started slowly and set a hand on his son's cheek, "There's a difference."
"Is there?" Blaine asked loudly and shakily stood.
Richard bit his lip and stared up at Blaine, "Sit."
"Wh-no!" Blaine yelled.
"Sit, Blaine," Richard stated, "Now."
Blaine slowly sat and stared ahead at the wheel spinning on the television.
"I'm not going to force you to say it, but I am-" Richard sighed when Blaine's position didn't shift. He roughly grabbed Blaine's chin, forcing his son to look at him, "I'm not going to force you to say anything about what happened that night. Not yet. Understand?"
Blaine nodded and fought back the tears in his eyes.
"I am going to force you to go to a clinic though and get tested, I don't want you getting sick, ok?" Richard said softly.
"I can do that," Blaine whispered.
Richard nodded and kissed Blaine's forehead, "Thank you. I'll call a therapist in the morning. I want you to talk to someone, Blaine, that's not an option either."
Blaine blinked before hugging his dad again, "Thank you," he breathed.
Richard closed his eyes and breathed shakily, "You're welcome."
-GLEE-
Puck was watching Jeopardy with his mom when his phone buzzed. He glanced to it and saw a message from Blaine on the screen. Remembering his run-in with the Warbler in the grocery store, he picked it up and opened the message.
Mind if I call?
Puck glanced to his mom before standing and going outside. He called Blaine and sat on the porch steps.
"Hi," Blaine answered.
"Hey, you ok?" Puck asked.
"Um…no?"
Puck raised his eyebrows, "What?"
"I'm not ok," Blaine said quietly.
Puck looked through the door-wall window at his mom, "Need me to come get you?"
"No, but," Blaine breathed shakily, "Do you know of any clinics to get tested at? M-My dad says I should go and I agree, but I have no idea where there is one and I know Ku-the others said you used to you know and so I figured you might know of a place."
Puck held back a chuckle, "Yeah, I know a place."
"Great, um, can you text it to me?"
"Nah, I'll pick you up. I'll be at your place say…noon tomorrow."
"Wh-What? You don't have to," Blaine said.
"I'm driving, Blaine. Bye," Puck hung up the phone and shook his head.
-GLEE-
Blaine couldn't help but bounce his leg against the plastic chair in the waiting room. Whether it was from nerves or having to pee, he wasn't sure.
Puck looked up from his phone and set a hand on Blaine's knee, "You doing that makes me nervous, knock it off."
Blaine blushed, "Sorry."
"It's ok," Puck sat back, "I understand. I hate doctors too. These ones aren't bad though, I made sure to ask for the nice nurse for you."
Blaine looked to Puck, "Really?"
Puck nodded.
Blaine smiled softly, "Thank you."
"Any time," Puck said quietly.
"Blaine Anderson," a woman said from the door.
Blaine stood, wiping his hands on his pants.
"I'll be here," Puck said and slid down a little, putting his feet up on the table.
Blaine smiled slightly and walked towards the nurse.
-GLEE-
Blaine stared at the band-aid on his arm while waiting for Puck to come with his coffee. The test was easier than he thought and the nurse Puck had picked out for him was gentle. He'd never had a male nurse before and was actually shocked when the man walked in his room.
Puck came to the table, "Grande black with sugar for the Warbler," he smiled and set the coffee in front of Blaine before sitting down with his own cup.
"Thank you," Blaine smiled, "For everything today."
Puck nodded and sipped his coffee.
"Why are you helping me?" Blaine asked after a minute.
Puck looked at Blaine and let out his breath, "When Finn told me you cheated, I didn't believe him. Not Blaine. He wouldn't cheat on Kurt. So I looked into it all. Change your password, your birthday's weak. That guy has a rep, Anderson, and I'm disappointed you fell into his trap. He was in a dumpster though about an hour before I ran into you at the store, so don't sweat it."
Blaine didn't know what to say; his lips were slightly parted and his eyebrows were raised.
"The only thing that surprised me was finding out you actually slept with him," Puck said.
"I didn't," Blaine whispered, "He…I said no."
"You said no?" Puck asked.
Blaine couldn't look at Puck as he nodded, "I don't think that's considered sleeping with someone."
"It's rape," Puck said angrily.
Blaine winced and looked around to see if anyone heard, "Puck-"
"Don't Puck me, Anderson, this is a big deal," Puck stood, "We're going to the police station, I know a guy who will take care of this."
"Noah," Blaine tried again, "I'm ok, I'm going to talk to a therapist about everything."
"And a therapist is going to arrest Eli?" Puck picked up the two cups.
Blaine blushed, "Puck, you don't have to do this."
"I do," Puck started walking towards the door, "You're my friend, Blaine. Now come on, if we get there soon enough, we should be done before the frozen yogurt place closes."
Blaine watched Puck walk to the car and couldn't help but smile a little. He wasn't alone.
