This was it; it felt like the four walls were closing in on him. Blaine knew this feeling very well, so well that it was almost masochistic making it last. It was impossible for his father not to be heard by the neighbors, but all they did was offer him comforting looks of reassurance. For someone who didn't want every single person in the neighborhood to know his son was gay, it sure didn't make him voice his opinion any less.
With a small knock at the door the broken boy lifted his head, hazy. He was sure it wasn't his dad; there would have been much louder calls of "fag" or "queer." That only left his younger brother Nate, robotically he cautiously stood up, so as not to alert his dad he could move, and opened the door just enough to let the younger sibling in.
Though Nate was two years younger than Blaine, only 13, and yet two three or four inches taller as well. He had seen so much. It was never supposed to be this way. Blaine shouldn't of let his brother see him battered and bruised. "Blaine, I know what you're thinking. Its okay now, I know… I know I'm still young like people say. Age doesn't tell you how much you know though, just how long you've been here."
"Can you help me cover up the marks on my back?" Blaine had all he could do to look into his brother's eyes. They were so open, not at all surprised by his asking. It gave him chills at just how well Nate could see through him sometimes.
"You're like glass you know," the taller of the two mumbled.
Blaine just stared at him wide-eyed. How did he just know? I really must be like glass if he knows why I'm thinking
"Blaine…? Blaine. You okay? I mean I know I said you bruise easily, but I thought I was lightly speaking. Sorry if I hurt you," Nate looked at him, shades under his eyes tired from the day's events.
"I'm fine, just caught off guard, I always forget your only eleven and yet you are completely comfortable putting concealer on my should blades and reading me like a book."
"I do have you to thank for that, you taught me to read books at three years old, music at five."
Blaine chuckled, "you wouldn't leave me alone until I did eventually teach you," staring at his hands, things were so simple then, "my name was the first word out of your mouth. From that date on you would follow me until I taught you something every day." He wanted to add on: now it seems like you're teaching me, but he kept that to himself.
"I miss it," Nate's voice was soft as helped his older brother put his shirt back on. As soon as it was, Blaine was back curled up against the wall on the right side of his bed; Nate shifted so he was leaning against the wall were the non-existent headboard would have been (Blaine had gotten rid of it after his father slammed him into it one night cracking it.) Nate watched the whole scene play out from the cracked door. It was unbelievable that it wasn't even a year ago. After a long pause he mumbled to himself, "Blaine, I'm sorry."
Unexpectedly hearing him, not even noticing it had gotten quieter, the normally bubbly boy turned over with furrowed brow and stared at his brother. "Sorry?"
"Yeah, that I wasn't the older brother, and then I could protect you or something; kinda like you do for me sometimes without knowing it."
Utterly dazed and confused Blaine just kept staring. Crap, the corners of his vision were starting to go black again. Taking his brothers hand he laid him down next to him, wrapping his arms around him. "Nathanial you do protect me, more than I could ask for. I don't think I could ever make it up to you for helping me at night and letting me vent," he confessed just above a whisper, he didn't know where his father was in the house.
Turning over to face his brother he leaned their foreheads together, feet hanging slightly off the bed. His thought being tugged under by drowsiness. Tonight I needed to… it will wait. Closing his eyes as well, he let his thoughts fade, not trying to grasp them. "G'night Blaine."
"Night bro," he replied, voice hoarse from the screaming earlier and straining it just now.
With that they slept. The fan rustling both of their curls, keeping them cool in the summer's heat. The light from the ceiling fan on as bright as it went. Neither woke up until two in the afternoon the next morning.
A/N: I would much love some criticism, this is the first story I've even written fan-fiction wise. As I said I would love the reviews, just no flaming. Thanks! The name is from the song "Welcome to Mystery" by The Plain White T's. I'm not going to take this story in the normal Dalton style though, I'm gonna spin it a bit when it gets that far. Not following the Glee story line, but I will have those characters too eventually. I don't own glee, never would, I'd ruin it. XP This one was kinda short, the next one will be longer if people want me to keep writing. :)