Welcome to a series of one-shots centered around Blaine and Kurt. I have far too many ideas demanding to be written, and I can't possibly create an entire story around each one, so I'm going to post them all here. Some will be original, others will be centered around a particular episode, and others will just be random. I'm open to prompts, even though I already have a fanfiction that is strictly for prompts. So enjoy these little bursts of Klaine!

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. I also don't own the beautiful song The Muse by Darren Criss, from which I got the title of this.

This first chapter is an extension of Blaine and Finn's scene in the choir room in Pot O' Gold, because I couldn't believe that Kurt would do nothing - and that the writers haven't yet addressed Finn's problem with Blaine.

Safety

Blaine had always thought of Finn as a well-intentioned, though sometimes misguided, brother to him - easygoing, lighthearted, and naturally friendly. Now, as Finn glared across the choir room at him, his eyes full of a fire and spite Blaine had never seen there before, Blaine saw none of those endearing qualities that he'd come to love over the summer.

"I know you were a big deal at Dalton, or whatever," Finn said coldly, his loud voice even more conspicuously harsh in the echoing silence of the choir room, "but we don't wear blazers here."

Blaine stared back at Finn, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he tried to piece together what connection the blazers possibly had to Finn's irrational rage. Finn's fists clenched at his sides and he leaned forward almost imperceptibly, his height becoming menacing when it wasn't complemented by Finn's usual goofy grin. Blaine's eyes widened slightly as he felt unsafe for the very first time at McKinley - worse than when the first freezing slushie had splashed down his neck or when Azimio slammed his locker shut in his face as he passed by in the hallways. Everyone in the New Directions always talked about how accepted they felt in the choir room - but Blaine saw nothing but hostility in the faces of everyone around him.

"So have a seat, I'm trying to give a pep talk," Finn's voice recalled Blaine from his momentary flash of fear.

Blaine fought the urge to look away from Finn's ice-cold glare, forcing his eyes to dart up and meet Finn's long enough to murmur quiescently, "Didn't you just say something about us not turning on each other?" He ducked his head and sank slowly back into his uncomfortable plastic chair without waiting for a response, sure that everyone in the room could hear his racing heart pounding out of his chest. He could feel Kurt looking over at him cautiously, trying to gauge his expression. Blaine lifted his head, and managed a small reassuring smile for Kurt, discreetly mouthing the words "It's fine."

Kurt gave a relived sigh, and patted Blaine's knee, the touch suddenly striking Blaine as condescending. Blaine was looking down again, but his eyes cut swiftly to the side when Kurt removed his hand, and he marveled at how Kurt was already relaxed again, giving some enthusiastic input on whatever Mr. Schuester had just suggested. If the roles had been reversed, if it had been Kurt who was receiving Finn's furious glare, Blaine knew that he'd have been standing next to Kurt and fighting right back at Finn, not passively petting Kurt afterwards. He'd have said all the words that hadn't come to his lips five minutes earlier - that Finn was being cruel, and petty, and a small-minded bully.

Blaine bit his lip, realizing that Kurt was the one who rushed headlong into confrontations. The one who never failed to speak up, who always declared exactly what he thought without any regard towards where he was or who was listening. The one who should have spoken up earlier. Blaine pressed his hands together and blew out a frustrated breath he didn't know he'd been holding, staring across at Kurt again, who was now watching Rachel with that same kicked-puppy attitude he'd been maintaining towards her for the past week. Blaine's anger melted just a bit as he realized that Kurt had his own problems, that he couldn't be concerned with Finn, who was always bumbling and awkward anyway and possibly hadn't even meant any harm. Blaine turned his attention back to Mr. Schuester, struggling not to replay Finn's words and tone in his mind, and trying to ignore the nagging feeling that Finn had very deliberately meant harm, and that Kurt had ignored it.

"Do you want to stop at the Lima Bean on the way home?" Kurt asked cheerfully on the way out of school after rehearsal, slipping his arm comfortably through Blaine's. "You look like you could use a pick-me-up."

So he had noticed, Blaine thought to himself, he just didn't bother to say anything when it was relevant. Blaine sighed, trying to be patient and not listen to the lingering voice telling him that Kurt had done nothing because he simply didn't care. "No, I have a lot of homework, and I think I'll just... head home. Thanks for the offer, though," he smiled weakly, rubbing Kurt's arm lightly.

Kurt looked over, his eyes narrowing. "We have most of our classes together, so I know for a fact that you hardly have any homework tonight," Kurt said sharply. "If you don't want to go, you can just say so. Or at least come up with a good excuse," Kurt added, nudging Blaine playfully.

When Kurt's gentle teasing failed to elicit a response, Kurt sighed and dropped his playful charade, stopping and pulling his arm out of Blaine's, gripping his shoulders instead so that he could turn Blaine to face him. "What?" Kurt demanded.

Blaine looked up, widening his eyes with mock surprise and feigning innocence. "What are you talking about?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Don't be a child, Blaine. I'm talking about the fact that you barely said anything all through Glee Club, and now you're making up reasons not to go to the Lima Bean, which means you're mad at me."

"Maybe I'm just not in the mood for coffee," Blaine mumbled, resisting the urge to cross his arms because pouting would only make him more "childlike" in Kurt's eyes.

Kurt slid his hands down Blaine's arms, gently squeezing his biceps and moving down his wrists. "Here. Give me your hands," he coaxed, and Blaine reluctantly uncurled his fingers from the fists they'd been in so that Kurt's nimble, warm fingers could wrap around them. "You practically inhale coffee when something's bothering you, and you're clearly bothered, which means that you just don't want to get coffee with me."

Blaine bit his lip. The last thing he wanted to do was blame Kurt, but he knew that if he started talking he'd eventually wind up doing just that.

"Come on, spill. You know I'll find out anyway," Kurt urged.

You should already know, Blaine wanted to snarl. For an instant he hated Kurt's obliviousness, and he snapped irritably, "Ever thought that possibly I barely say anything in Glee Club because your brother jumps at my throat whenever I do?"

Kurt stared blankly for a moment, dumbfounded, and then smiled sympathetically and said, "Oh, Blaine, it's Finn, you know how he is. He doesn't think, he just... talks."

Blaine narrowed his eyes. How could Kurt dismiss him so easily? Blaine replied angrily, "Yeah? Well, fine, even if Finn is strangely exempt from normal rules of courtesy, what about you? You think, and you certainly talk, but I'm evidently not important enough for you to waste your breath on my defense!" Blaine's voice cracked conspicuously, and he dropped his gaze, not particularly caring to see the expression in Kurt's eyes and wanting to hide the hurt he knew was in his. He withdrew his hands from Kurt's and had begun to turn away when Kurt's hand suddenly appeared on Blaine's shoulder, the touch restraining him without using any force.

"What, Kurt?" Blaine sighed, growing exasperated with himself as his frustration dissolved into sadness and defeat. "I know, I shouldn't have yelled at you, I'm sorry, okay? I get it, you're busy, you have the election and everything, and I can take care of myself. I-" Blaine stopped talking as Kurt laid his finger lightly against his lips, effectively silencing him.

"I don't take care of you?" Kurt asked blankly. A semblance of revelation dawned in Kurt's eyes, and he stared at Blaine as if seeing him clearly for the first time. "Oh. Oh. I don't take care of you," Kurt continued, and this time it wasn't a question. His hand fell limply from Blaine's lips and his face shifted into a mask of remorse. "I just assume that you're always the one with courage. I've been awful, I've been so preoccupied..." Kurt trailed off, and looked at Blaine, his expression soft and apologetic. "I'm the one who should be sorry."

Blaine took a shaky breath and closed his eyes. "I know," he whispered, his voice strained under the effort to keep it steady. "I just... you told me I'd be safe at McKinley, that things had changed, gotten better, and I never expected that Glee Club would be the place I felt the least safe. All of you belong, even Rory - thanks to Finn - and somehow I'm the one who doesn't." Blaine's eyelids fluttered slightly as he felt Kurt's hand come up to curve around his cheek, and he leaned into the gentle caress, sighing softly as he felt Kurt's thumb brushing lightly across his cheekbone. "I don't get it. Finn and I were fine over the summer - even when I was still the competition. And it's not just because I'm new - he loves Rory."

"Blaine. Open your eyes. Listen to me." Blaine opened his eyes slowly, watching Kurt warily as Kurt took Blaine's face into his hands. "Finn is jealous of you. You threaten him. Your voice, your talent, your charisma, your role of Tony. Especially Tony."

"Tony? He didn't even audition. You're the one who's suppose to be jealous of that."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Not the part - he's jealous of you and Rachel as Tony and Maria. You have to admit. You're her Tony. She admires you for your acting and your singing. It makes you worthy of jealousy."

Now it was Blaine's turn to stare blankly. "But I'm gay," he said simply. "She's always freaking out that we won't have the right chemistry because of it."

Kurt smiled, going back to stroking Blaine's face. "But Finn knows better. He sees the chemistry you two have and he's jealous of it." Kurt smirked slightly. "Come to think of it, maybe I should be jealous of you, too. After all, when I tried to kiss her she laughed in my face."

Blaine relaxed slightly and a grin tugged on the corners of his lips. "Are you sure that's all his problem is? He doesn't really... hate me?"

"Blaine Anderson, I never knew you to care so much about what someone thought of you," Kurt teased lightly. "But yes, I'm sure. Finn isn't capable of hating anybody."

"I have to care, he might be my brother in-law someday," Blaine answered, a laugh in his voice.

Kurt smiled back and leaned in to give Blaine a lingering kiss. "I like the way you think, Anderson," he said, pressing his forehead against Blaine's and gazing longingly into Blaine's soft, dark eyes.

"How about that coffee?" Blaine whispered, looking back fondly. He extended his hand out to Kurt and the two set off across the parking lot together, Blaine's head leaning lightly against Kurt's shoulder.

Review? They mean the world to me. Happy Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it, and have a lovely day if you don't!