AU from season 2 of Glee, though the timeline/details aren't exactly the same. Kurt never visited the Warblers and therefore doesn't know Blaine. Carole and Burt are married but the realizations that happened in Furt regarding Kurt being bullied haven't happened.

Initial inspiration from this fanvid - watch?v=QsAkKdhVnnE

Title adapted from Billy Joel's "The Night is Still Young" and is fairly irrelevant.

The first time Stiles really notices Kurt Hummel – notices him in a way beyond basic recognition and knowledge that they've had classes together before – Stiles is just coming back from chemistry and heading towards his locker to grab books for his next class. He half jogs around the corner trying to make it on time and nearly runs right into a burly football player before he spins out of the way. By the time he rights himself the hallway is emptying rapidly, but Stiles can't quite make himself move down the hall. Instead he stares, nearly transfixed, at the yellow-clad figure of a boy slumped against nearby lockers, ignored by everyone who walks past.

Stiles wants to make himself move; wants to reach out his hand and help the boy to his feet and make sure he knows that someone sees him. Instead he just stands there, watching until the bell for class has rung and the boy has hoisted himself to his feet and shuffled off down the hall, shoulders hunched dejectedly.

Stiles arrives nine minutes late to class and can hardly muster a muttered apology when Ms. Jeffreys raises one eyebrow at him and says, "You're later than usual today, Mr. Stilinski," in a voice that says she has long since resigned herself to Stiles' inability to be on time. Stiles spends the entire class thinking about what he knows about the boy from the hall. He knows the boy's name is Kurt, thinks his dad might be the mechanic in town, knows that they've been going to the same school for years but their social circles have never really crossed.

Stiles thinks maybe he wishes that their paths had crossed more, because then they might have a reason to speak.

Stiles watches Kurt over the next days, he can't help it. He discovers quickly that Kurt holds himself a certain way – tall and confident – as much as possible, but Stiles knows it is at least partially an act. He has seen the way Kurt's whole frame collapses inwards and the despair that crosses his face when no one is really watching.

These things become obvious to Stiles. Just like it becomes obvious that Kurt is largely invisible to the population at large, and that even the boy's friends don't seem to see the pain etched into the lines of his face and the movements of his body. Either Kurt is usually better at hiding it, or even his friends don't really look.

"Dude, that's getting creepy." Scott's voice pulls Stiles out of his observing (it's not staring, or stalking no matter what Scott says. Stiles is just … interested), and Stiles splutters for a moment.

"It's not – I'm not. It's not creepy." Stiles's voice rises and he crosses his arms and huffs.

Allison sets her tray on the cafeteria table next to Scott's and she gives Stiles a look. He knows he looks like a petulant child, but where does Scott get off calling him creepy? It's not like Scott was exactly subtle when he was trying to get Allison to notice him. "Is this about Kurt Hummel?" Allison asks. Stiles glares at Scott who raises his hands defensively. "He didn't say anything to me; I've just seen you looking at him. It took me a couple days to figure it out once I realized you weren't watching Lydia prance around in her Cheerios uniform like usual."

Stiles can feel the blush creeping up his cheeks and he makes an irritated sound, glancing one last time over at Kurt where he's sitting at a table of kids from glee club. Somehow Kurt looks isolated even sitting there among his friends, like none of them notice that he's turning into a shadow of a person.

"You should talk to him," Allison says, breaking Stiles out of his thoughts once again, "I think he could use a friend."

It's another week before Stiles actually does anything other than observe Kurt from a distance (and yeah, maybe he does feel a little creepy about it but he can't quite bring himself to stop). It's after school and the halls are very nearly devoid of people, but Stiles forgot his math textbook and so after practice he makes the trek back to his locker to find it.

He knows there are still other people in the school; he hears voices arguing as he passes the choir room, and strange noises coming from a classroom (it sounds like some sort of illicit rendezvous and Stiles almost pauses to peek through the tiny window in the door), but he doesn't actually see anyone until he's nearly at his locker. Just before he rounds the corner there's a loud crash and Stiles startles, flailing and nearly dropping his bag before he breaks into a run.

He makes it to the next hallway over just in time to see a letterman jacket disappearing around the far corner. It takes him another moment to see the figure on the floor but he knows right away that it's Kurt. He's clearly trying to take up the smallest possible amount of space, all curled in on himself with his arms clenched around his knees, surely thinking that no one is around to see.

Stiles feels his stomach clench at the sight and it stops him short. He stands stock still for a too-long moment and then nearly trips over his own feet in his haste to get down the hall. Kurt must hear the commotion (Stiles is far too capable of making a mob's worth of noise all on his own, so it isn't surprising Kurt heard him), because his whole body jerks in fear and his head whips up so fast it nearly smacks into the lockers Kurt is propped up against.

Kurt seems to relax minutely when he catches sight of Stiles, realizes it isn't whoever hurt him (because it's clear to Stiles that someone has hurt Kurt), but he's still tense and guarded, fearful in a way that he usually keeps hidden under a mask of self-assurance. Stiles keeps moving until he's right in front of the other boy and then he does what he didn't get the chance to do the last time; he extends his hand and helps Kurt off the floor.

It doesn't happen quite as easily as Stiles would have liked – Kurt obviously does not trust easily, nor does he often accept help – and for a long moment he just looks as the extended hand before he tentatively reaches out his own. Stiles hauls the boy off the floor as carefully as he can, watching as Kurt winces and moves stiffly at every movement.

"Are you okay?" Stiles asks, feeling a surge of disappointment when Kurt's hand pulls out of his and the mask Kurt wears on a daily basis slips back into place. The mask isn't quite right, Kurt's eyes are still red and his hands are shaking visibly, but he's shuttered his emotions and Stiles thinks he's already resigning himself to being invisible once more.

"I'm fine." Kurt says, his voice thick but resolute. Stiles watches him brush off his clothes with efficient movements and recognizes the way Kurt purposefully keeps his eyes down and refuses to meet Stiles's gaze.

"Ok," Stiles whispers, "if you're sure." Stiles puts one hand on Kurt's shoulder, sees the slight flinch and then the way Kurt's eyes look at the hand on his shoulder watching it with a look that Stiles can't quite identify but that breaks his heart just a little. Stiles takes his hand back after a few seconds and drops it at his side, fingers tingling with the desire to reach out again and offer comfort. Do you, uh," Stiles pauses, hand rubbing at the back of his head, "do you need a ride home. Or something?"

A long moment of silence stretches between them. Kurt's eyes flicker briefly across Stiles's face and the down to his own hands where he has them clasped in front of him. "I don't even know your name," Kurt says eventually.

"Oh, Stiles!" He's far too enthusiastic about sharing his name if the look on Kurt's face is anything to go by. Stiles rubs a hand through his hair and stutters out, "is … me," as though Kurt wouldn't have understood what he meant.

"I'm Kurt."

"I know," Stiles admits, "we've, uh, had classes together before."

"Right," Kurt mouths near silently, ducking his head again. Stiles thinks maybe Kurt looks a little embarrassed at not knowing Stiles's name even though Stiles knew his, but it isn't like they've ever really been introduced. Stiles wonders how much harder it must be to pay attention to things like the names of random people in your classes when you're putting so much energy into looking like you're confident about who you are, while being invisible to the people who seem to object to exactly that.

"So, did you want a ride or?" Stiles gestures down the hall, watches Kurt bite his lip contemplatively. Kurt pulls his phone out of his pocket and lights up the screen, nodding even though he still hasn't looked at Stiles again, his eyes cast down or purposefully off to one side.

"My step-brother is supposed to drive me, but Glee isn't over for another hour and I would really … I really just want to go home." Kurt sounds composed, but his voice is small and he looks exhausted all of a sudden, like maybe not having to go back and face his friends is kind of a relief. Stiles's stomach twists a little in sadness at the thought; friends are supposed to be the people you can be yourself around, not the ones you have to put on a front for.

"Ok! I'll take you home." Stiles knows he sounds too enthusiastic for the situation, but he's really never been good at hiding much of anything he's feeling; excitement of any sort tends to come bubbling out of him in a fit of (somewhat spastic) energy. Kurt must agree, because he gives Stiles a slightly odd, almost disbelieving look. Stiles quirks a smile at Kurt and begins walking down the hall in the direction he knows Kurt's locker to be.

Kurt grabs his things from his locker and quickly taps out a message on his phone before turning to Stiles as if searching for instruction. It takes Stiles a moment to clue in that Kurt is, in fact, waiting for instruction, because he doesn't know where Stiles is parked.

Ok, so Stiles might have been a little distracted by being able to look at Kurt with just a couple of feet between them instead of from across a room or down a hallway full of people. Kurt's just … really attractive from this close up. He's got these super blue eyes and just the faintest smattering of freckles across his nose and that is somehow weirdly cute (and really Stiles isn't used to thinking people's features are cute – with Lydia it was always mostly about the way her curves filled out the skimpy cheer uniform, and that image is still, well, really fantastic, but for some reason Kurt's freckles are more interesting).

"So, um, where are you parked?" Kurt asks quietly after another too-long moment has passed.

Stiles shakes his head, blinking rapidly to bring himself back to a less ramblingly inappropriate thought path. "Oh, uh, my car is out front." Kurt just nods, suddenly looking more nervous than before.

They get out to the front of the school and Kurt's steps suddenly seem to slow and then stop completely. Stiles looks back at him from a few steps ahead, pausing to turn and cock his head in question. "Everything okay?" he asks. Kurt looks too scared all of a sudden and Stiles hates it because he wanted to stop Kurt from looking scared, and instead he's somehow made him look absolutely terrified.

"Maybe," Kurt starts, "maybe I should just wait for my step-brother."

"Kurt, he won't be done for at least 45 minutes." Kurt's got his arms crossed tightly over his chest, like he's trying to protect himself and his eyes are wide and worried.

"It's probably way out of your way; you really don't have to –" Kurt looks like he's panicking; trying, and failing, to look composed and confident. Stiles can see the way his eyes are darting around as if he's searching for someone hiding just off to the side ready to attack. And maybe that is exactly what Kurt is looking for.

Stiles shoves his hands in his pockets and tries to figure out what to say. When he speaks his voice comes out far more subdued than usual. "Kurt, I really don't mind driving you home. I get if you don't want a ride from someone you don't really know ..." Stiles sighs, shoulders sagging in resignation, "but I really don't mind." Kurt's eyes linger on Stiles for a long moment and then his posture softens and the lines of his face morph into something almost like sadness. Kurt nods once – a single decisive jerk of his head – and then he steps forward and continues on towards the car.

Stiles follows just a step behind and they settle into the car in uncertain silence. "So, uh, where am I taking you?" Stiles asks.

"Oh, um, towards town? I live a street over from the tire shop. The one near the plaza, not the one by the Presbyterian church."

"That's your dad's shop, right?" Kurt nods, looking over at Stiles. The look on his face is like he's trying to figure Stiles out; like he wants to know why Stiles would know that information and why he would even care. "I think I met your dad actually, seems like a nice guy. He gave me a good deal when I brought my baby in over the summer." Stiles taps his hand fondly against the steering wheel of his Jeep before he resettles his grip.

"He's really great." Kurt says, affection clear in his still-quiet voice. Stiles glances over at him; looks away from the road long enough to see the expression on Kurt's face and recognize it as one he sometimes wears himself.

"You worry about him, don't you? Your dad, I mean." Stiles sees Kurt's nod in his peripheral vision, but the other boy stays silent. "Me too. I worry about my dad. It's just him and me so I try to take care of him; don't tell him about bad things that happen, force him to eat healthy food and drink less beer and all that stuff. He hates it, but I don't think I could stand to lose him, too." Stiles is rambling and oversharing, but it doesn't matter because Kurt is watching him – Stiles can feel the gaze on the side of his face – and he's listening to what Stiles is saying.

When they stop at a red light Stiles looks over and meets Kurt's eyes and he can feel a connection, a pull of understanding between them that he's never really had with anyone before. Scott is amazing and knows pretty much everything about Stiles, but there are things he just doesn't understand; not the way Stiles knows Kurt does.

They pull up at Kurt's house a few minutes later, the rest of the drive having been companionably silent. Kurt smiles softly, less guarded now, and says quietly, "thanks for the ride, Stiles." Stiles grins, broad and full-fledged in reply.

Just as the car door is about to close Stiles says, "I'll see you tomorrow, Kurt." Kurt fumbles for a moment, pausing with his hand still on the door. He looks at Stiles through the window and then nods, his smile tugging up shyly at the corners.