A/N: Welcome to The Freshman. This is just something I scribbled down one day that popped in my head. Not much dialogue in this, mostly just establishing a story line. I'm not sure if I'll make more to this or not, guess we'll just see what happens.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

Always Remember to Smile!

Kurt stared at the sleeping boy next to him. He stroked Blaine's curly locks and felt the younger boy relax into his touch. This surprised Kurt. For a boy like Blaine, someone who admitted that his best friend had run away without a trace or a note only a few months before, and seemed to have no other friends, Kurt had guessed it would be hard to get him to open up. But Blaine was surprisingly relaxed towards him, until the details poured out, along with the tears…

Sometime not too long after the older kids had gotten him drunk at a party, Kurt had found the freshman curled up in one of the bathrooms, obviously sick. Kurt almost continued walking. After all, he had only come to this party to make sure that his step-brother Finn recognized him as the designated driver. But something drew him to the boy. Something made Kurt push the door open a little more and step inside. Some force that Kurt was unfamiliar with made him feel compassion towards this kid. Kurt wet a washcloth and ran it over the boy's flushed cheeks, the boy who still refused to even open his eyes. The only response that Kurt got from him was a slow and raspy breathing in and out. And that same driving force that Kurt had no idea about, made him pick up the smaller boy and carry him outside towards his car. After quickly asking Mercedes to take Finn home, explaining that something had come up and he would talk about it tomorrow, Kurt found himself driving home, with the boy in the backseat.

It wasn't a long trip. Just enough to really sink into Kurt's head what he had just done. What if the boy had friends at the party? What if his parents were planning to pick him up afterwards and called the police? But none of these questions sank deep enough to make Kurt turn the car around. Both his dad and stepmom Carole would be asleep, this he knew for certain. So it was no problem for Kurt to ease the thin boy back into his arms and up the stairs through the house. Kurt didn't know where to take him other than his own bedroom, so the boy ended up on the bed. Kurt slipped off his shoes, very fashionable, and his jacket, a very nice name brand. The boy obviously had a family, or someone who took good care of him. But after the jacket was off Kurt saw what was underneath. He could count several of the freshman's ribs through his t-shirt, and saw the bruises lining up and down his arms. Kurt sank to his knees beside the bed and stared at him. What on Earth had happened to this kid? Kurt figured at this point that the least he could do was figure out the boy's name so he had something to call him other than freshman. Kurt gently shook the boy's shoulder, and saw his eyes start to open.

"Hello? Um, hi. My name is Kurt. I know this might sound a little-"

"Where am I?" And Kurt saw his eyes. They were a beautiful deep brown color, a little red around the edges, probably from something some asshole slipped him that night. Kurt felt for the kid. He looked so young and confused.

"You're safe. You're at my house. I found you passed out in the bathroom at the party. Do you remember anything?" The boy just stared at him, blinking rapidly.

"The team. They wanted to…celebrate. They made me try some stuff. Just to loosen up I think. I passed out?" Kurt nodded sadly.

"You're a freshman right? What's your name?"

"Yeah. Freshmeat. That's what they called me. My name's Blaine though. You're Finn's brother right?"

"Stepbrother. But yes. Was he- was Finn one of the ones making you do the…stuff?" Blaine shook his head, then winced. Kurt helped him sit up then handed him a glass of water.

"No. He was one of the ones trying to make it stop. But they wouldn't. I've never even, I mean this was just my first. I've never done anything like that, I would never do anything like that. My best friend David hates that stuff." Kurt saw Blaine hold back some tears. But he must have had a lot of practice, or so it seemed, because not a single tear fell. Blaine was silent until he could get himself back together. Kurt was patient.

"Where was David when you decided to come to this party tonight?" Kurt asked.

"Oh he ran away back last winter. Never said goodbye. Haven't seen him since they buried him. I kinda wish he had said something though, you know? Before he decided." Blaine stopped silent. Kurt watched Blaine. The boy still had the red in his eyes. Kurt wondered if he would remember any of this in the morning, but with stuff like this, how was one to just forget…

Blaine had just folded his hands and laid them in his lap. He was silent, looking straight out the window. That was when Kurt decided to get up on the bed beside Blaine. A hurt this big shouldn't be carried alone. Blaine leaned his head onto Kurt's shoulder and sighed.

"Thanks for finding me Kurt. Can I crash here tonight? I promise I'll leave first thing in the morning. Everything's just so blurry still."

"Won't your parents be looking for you? What about your friends?" For the second time that night Kurt watched as Blaine held back his tears and brought himself back.

"No. No one will be looking for me." Kurt felt a pang in his chest.

"Blaine you can stay here as long as you like." And that was when it happened. Kurt felt Blaine shudder and begin to cry. Not loudly or obnoxiously. His tears just broke through the walls he had put up. Kurt pulled Blaine into his lap and leaned his head up against his chest, wrapped his arms tight around him, and held the freshman tight.

Blaine cried until Kurt was sure he would make himself sick. When it finally stopped, Blaine looked up, an apology on his lips. Kurt just shook his head.

"Don't. It's okay. You're here with me now. It'll get better."

And that was how they ended up where they were now, Blaine curled up into Kurt's side, Kurt running his hand through Blaine's hair. Kurt was at a loss. When that force had hit him to take care of Blaine, never had he imagined how literal it would be. This boy needed more than simple nourishment and bandages. He needed love. He needed compassion. But most of all, he needed friendship. And Kurt felt it in his heart at that moment, that feeling he first got when he saw Blaine, and the feeling he got when he looked at the boy now. That freshman was going to change his life. And he was ready.

Well? Whatcha think? Let me know, maybe in a review? :) You guys are the best! 3

Love,

Olivia