In October

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Kurt couldn't quite remember whether it was at the beginning of October, or the end. There had been yellow leaves on the ground, and the sharp, permeating smell of them, something like books, something like rot and old death, and something that prickled your nerves to attention, one last, invigorating message to ready yourself for winter, instincts possibly as old as the continent. On all those yellow leaves, bright spots of his blood stood out, clear and brilliant, and streaked down ugly, accidental patterns on the front of his jacket. Kurt had clapped his hands over his nose and gaped, though not because no one had ever tried to break his nose before, but because it had never happened so unexpectedly.

Todd was a ready to try it again, braced for the counterattack, ragged and dirty in a polyester coat he'd stolen from the Goodwill truck. Far behind him, a lady jogger continued down the park bike path, iPod nestled in her ears and even her spaniel ignoring what was going on out here. Thank god for small favors.

Kurt made no move to retaliate. The snarl on Todd's face faltered. Suddenly he was flying at him again and Kurt ducked, putting his shoulder down and using the boy's own momentum to knock him back, Todd landing on the leaves with a surprised whuff, wind knocked out of him. Todd hadn't been thinking. Wasn't thinking. He tried to roll onto his feet and Kurt pounced on him, slamming his shoulders back into the ground and splattering his face with blood from his merrily pouring nose. He tried to palm Kurt's face, and Kurt bit him, sinking his fangs into the soft flesh between his thumb and his forefinger. Todd howled and cradled his hand to his chest, glaring up at Kurt with the sort of deep, personal fury only humiliation brought on.

Todd had been the one to start the fight. The verbal one, which had left Kurt mystified and defensive, and the physical one, too. Blood dripped onto Todd's eyelid and he flinched, turning his face away. Kurt pulled back, letting Todd sit up and scrub at his face, smearing the blood across his cheek.

"You want to just tell me what the hell your problem is?" Kurt demanded, sitting down in the leaves across from him. "I thought you wanted to be friends, why are you being such an asshole lately?"

"Fuck you, dawg." Todd grumbled, sounding angry and hurt. Kurt hadn't done a damned thing to deserve this. He'd been nice to Todd. He'd seen Todd scavenging out of the dumpster behind Denny's and gotten him something to eat. He'd paid for his lunches twice at school, and sat with him now and then, and hadn't Todd just been a depressing little fucker this month? No one had seen Wanda or Pietro since August, and couldn't that have something to do with it? He'd been nice. He'd tried so damned hard to be nice. It wasn't as though either of them had an embarrassing wealth of friends, after all.

Todd had been his friend, for a little while.

"Y-you know something, you're really unbelievable!" Kurt snapped, glaring at him, his words accompanied by a fine blood spittle. "If you're going to be such a bastard, at least tell me why! I think you owe me that much, don't you?"

Todd sneered at him. His fury had turned almost into a sulk, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring. He looked angry, and somehow hurt just as much, but Kurt hadn't done anything to hurt him, he knew he hadn't.

Kurt tried to staunch his nosebleed on the sleeve of his jacket, watching Todd warily. Under scrutiny, Todd finally looked away, grimacing at all that blood. Shit. Kurt gave a bloody snort. "You're not gonna tell me, are you." No response. Kurt gave up on his nose. It was slowing a little, anyway. "Fine. You know what? You just stay here then." He snapped. "Don't tell me. I don't care." He got to his feet, only a little unsteady from the sudden drop in blood pressure. Todd looked up at him, eyes a little wider. "It's none of my damn business anyway."

He wiped at his face again, glaring. Todd was just…staring at him. He showed him his teeth. "I'm going home. Have a nice rest of your life."

Hand twitching with irritation, Kurt turned and walked away, sniffing his injured nose. Perfect. Just perfect. He'd try to do something nice and—

Leaves moved behind him. The sound of sneakers running. Todd grabbed Kurt by the elbow and he spun around, snapping "What?"

Todd stopped. For a moment he looked helpless, and utterly miserable, and Kurt's fury almost faltered. Almost. Todd's hand came up and grabbed him by the back of the neck, too hard, and dragged his head forward. Kurt was struggling before he realized Todd's mouth was on his, and in an awkward, clueless way, he was being kissed. He froze in shock, staring wide eyed at the trees behind Todd.

Oh.

….Shit.

Kurt brought his arm up, pushing Todd back by the throat, and the boy jerked back with a little choking noise. There was blood on Todd's mouth, like smeared, garish lipstick. The boy saw Kurt's expression. His lips pulled back in a grimace and he lowered his head, disappearing behind his hair and looking like he wished he could disappear completely. Kurt took two steps back.

"Goodbye, Todd." He said, flatly. He was the one who disappeared, leaving Todd standing alone in the park.