A/N: I saw this on glee_angst_meme on livejournal and decided to fill the little plot bunny. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Holy shit.

That's all Finn can think when he sees Kurt walk…err…limp into Glee on Thursday. He
has bruises on his face, a pretty big black eye, and a split lip. Obviously the result of a
particularly gruesome jock attack.

In that moment, something clicked inside of Finn. Of course he'd always been there when
The jocks dumped him in the dumpster or something, but he'd never actually seen
anyone actually hurt Kurt. Not physically at least.

All of Kurt's friends have rushed over to him to inspect the damage, while the Cheerio
and football members of Glee pretend not to notice what's going on.

"It's fine, honestly. Stop fussing; you'll ruffle the shirt. And it's a Calvin."

Finn closed his eyes. Of course the first thing Kurt would care about are his clothes.

They go through Glee, trying to ignore the giant elephant of Kurt's injuries that weighed
upon them all.

Finn tries to be careful, he really does, but he's too tall for his own good and that makes
him clumsy. So when he accidentally bumps into Kurt and hears that faint hiss of pain, he
can't help but feel like he's halfway responsible. True, he didn't do anything this time,
but he's done things before. One thing's for sure, he never wants to hear that whimper of
pain come from Kurt ever again.

After Glee when Kurt is gathering his things, Finn walks up to him. "Hey, Kurt. Do you
need someone to, y'know, walk you to your car?"

Kurt looks at him, confusion clear in his eyes. "Sure…but may I ask why?"

Finn gestured to Kurt's face.

Rolling his eyes, Kurt said, "While I'm honored by the offer, I don't need a bodyguard."

"I know…I just don't want you to get hurt."

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?" Kurt says, his ice blue eyes piercing through
Finn's heart.

"Look, I know that I've hurt you before, but I'm trying to make up for it. Could you at
least let me try?"

Kurt stood there, studying Finn for a minute. Finally, he slowly put his bag onto his
shoulder and said, "Fine. If you're so insistent."

Finn smiled. "Cool."

Finn gestured for Kurt to leave first. "You're going all out on the bodyguard position
then," Kurt joked.

"I just don't want you to get hurt. Seeing you like that…it scared me. If anything ever
happened to you…like something serious…I don't know what I'd do."

"Why?" Kurt asked softly, "We're not even that close."

"I know. I just…I'd feel horrible. Since I've hurt you before."

"You don't owe me anything Finn."

"I'm not saying that."

Kurt looked down. "I know. I just don't understand why you suddenly care. I'm finally
starting to get used to realizing who I am and that things aren't going to change and you
turn around and do this."

"I care about you, Kurt. You're part of Glee. We stick together."

"Maybe those words don't mean anything to me, considering I've heard it all before."

"That's why I'm trying to make it up to you. Don't you understand?"

Kurt sighed, a resigned, sad sigh that made Finn want to cry. "I guess."

"Good."

"Can I say one thing though?" Kurt asked, sounding small, so different from loud Kurt he
usually knew.

"Anything," Finn said, trying to reassure him.

"Don't play me," Kurt said. "If you're going to be…friends with me and then turn around
and have this all be some sick, twisted practical joke, I don't think I would be able to bear
it."

Finn smiled softly then and clapped a hand around Kurt's shoulders. "I won't. I promise."