Kurt Hummel's first real crush blossomed in fourth grade.
Fourth grade meant recess, which usually meant sweaty people screaming and running around, so Kurt tried to take as long as possible eating, in an attempt to procrastinate joining his hyper classmates.
He sat alone in the back of the cafeteria. Nobody bothered him there. Already boys whispered that he was a "girl," because they didn't know any better insults, and girls pretended that he didn't exist. That was fine.
It was better to work alone, anyway. That way nobody could hurt him.
Today he was wasn't completely alone. He was camped out in the back with a Crustables sandwich, a bottle of water, and organic sunflower seeds for company.
Kurt picked idly at his food and watched the other children gulp down their cookies and guzzle soda, then bolt out the door to hit balls with bats, or hit each other, or whatever it is they do.
It was fascinating, and soon the rest of the grade was outside, and Kurt went back to splitting open sunflower seeds with his fingernails.
"Hey. Dude."
Kurt looked up, hoping against hope that it wasn't Jonas Fisher. Jonas was fond of scribbling on Kurt with pink markers, or stealing things from his pencil case.
But it wasn't Jonas. It was Finn Hudson.
Kurt liked Finn. Maybe more than liked. He was nice when everyone else was mean. Even though Finn hung out with the bullies, he wasn't one himself, and while he was a little dim-witted, Finn was never cruel.
"Hello, Finn." Kurt said, a tad breathlessly. "Shouldn't you be outside with the rest of your – friends?" He caught himself just in time.
"Oh, well, uh, it was my birthday, so my mom packed a cake in my lunchbox, and uh, I just finished it."
"An entire cake?" Kurt tries to sound interested rather than repulsed.
Finn nodded proudly. "Jonas and Ted and Puckerman tried to take it from me, but I held it out of their reach. Heh heh."
Ah. Kurt understood. At age ten, Finn towered over nearly all the boys. Even now, his shadow took up Kurt's entire lunch table.
"Anyway, I had more than usual to eat today. A sandwich, a pack of Cheetos, and a cake."
"Right." Kurt said.
"Anyway, Kurt, do you want to go out –"
Was this happening? Was this really happening?
A warm, fuzzy feeling that started in his chest overtook his whole body. Kurt had already figured out that while some boys wanted to marry princesses, he wanted a prince. It didn't bother him.
Did Finn want a prince, too?
Maybe that was why Finn had always given him friendly looks, and hadn't taunted him like so many of his friends. Maybe Finn had lied about the cake thing, and he had only stayed inside to ask Kurt to be his prince!
"– side?" Finn finished, and Kurt's fantasy was shattered.
He's not asking you to go out with him. He wants you to go outside. Outside. Not out.
Like he'd ever want you as his prince, anyway.
"Oh. That's nice of you Finn, but I'd prefer to stay in here." He forced himself to smile, even though he felt like the dumbest kid in the world.
"Cool." Finn shrugged, wiped blue frosting off his face, and bounded out the double doors.
"Someday, Finn Hudson." Kurt said quietly, curling his lip. "Someday you're going to ask me that, for real, and there'll be no side. You'll see."
From that day forward, Kurt spent a lot of time daydreaming about his prince, the boy who wanted Kurt to go out...side.
A/N: This was inspired by two little boys at my sister's orchestra concert. I went into the room where they store the instruments to pick up my clarinet and this sixth grader goes to his friend, "Do you wanna go out..."
And then they both squeal "Side!" and it was so adorable. Hence this slightly-depressing Kid!Kinn fic.
Also, if anybody already wrote something like this SORRY. I didn't check because I don't even read Kinn.
Thanks for reading. Also, I love reviews. Like I love them more than Kurt loved Finn. Which is saying something.