2.

"Deep in my heart I'm concealing things that I'm longing to say. Scared to confess what I'm feeling - frightened you'll slip away."

― Madonna

Dalton Academy was challenging. It was Kurt's only opinion on the matter. He hardly had time to admire the elegance of the halls, classrooms, and library. He had joined the Warblers without any resistance, and although he loved the practices, and the songs, he was not all that pleased with the fact that he could be sitting in the library working on his Calculus which was due the next day, and suddenly Blaine comes in all suave and sexy, throwing things into the air, and jumping into song.

Apparently, the school didn't care because the Warblers were the highlight of the school. It was so much different than McKinley High School where New Directions would be mocked every which way he turned. There were good parts about Dalton, and then there was the claustrophobia he felt because he couldn't wear any of his own things.

He wasn't even allowed to accessorize, and that wasn't even the worst bit. Kurt couldn't help it. He was a little homesick, and he missed his friends, and Finn.

It was another busy day, and Kurt had found a quiet little nook in one of the many unused rooms in Dalton Academy, and sat in the corner with all his books. Finally, he could concentrate on getting good grades. At McKinley, Kurt didn't even need to study for tests and classes. He could write an essay with his eyes closed, but here at Dalton it was a lot more academic, and required a lot of thought.

He had been given a list of twenty-five really irritating vocabulary words, and he had to form a story with fifteen of them. It wasn't due until Monday, but he wanted to get a jump on it because he had plans on going home on Friday night. It was one of the few times that he quietly thanked Coach Sylvester for ramrodding French into his head for the Cheerleading Regional's.

He was halfway down the paper, and feeling pretty good about getting it finished ahead of time when the soft footsteps in the room got closer, and before Kurt could look up, there was a swoosh as the chair scooted back.

"There you are," Blaine sounded exasperated. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Why are you in here?" He looked around with a perfect confused look on his handsome face.

Kurt didn't have to look at him to know that the look was handsome no matter how confusing. He always had the perfect actions. He was - perfect.

He punctuated a sentence, and then he looked over at his friend. "I needed some place quiet to finish my French essay."

"You have the weekend to do it don't you?"

"I want to get it out of the way now. What did you need?"

Blaine scoffed. "Can't I hang out with my best friend?"

Kurt was flattered that Blaine had upped him from friend to best in such a short amount of time, and smiled. "Of course, Blaine, I'm sorry. It's just the work here is so much harder, and I don't want to fall behind."

Blaine smirked, and closed Kurt's notebook. "I'll help you with it tomorrow evening after Warbler practice. Right now, I want you to help me with a song."

So, like a good best friend, Kurt agreed, and he had a lot of fun. Blaine was an amazing singer, and their voices complimented each other spectacularly.

"That was awesome, if only we could do that at Sectionals, we'd kill them!"

Kurt chuckled as his phone began to buzz. "Your set list is good enough."

"You were at Sectionals last year weren't you? You were also at Regional's." Blaine's eyes lingered on the phone in Kurt's hand. He was typing without looking at it. "Talented, who you talking too? I saw you sneaking messages in class."

"Oh, one of my friends from New Directions," he answered. "I miss them a lot, and I don't want to think of Sectionals last year. That was terrible."

"Why? What happened?"

"Our set list was stolen."

Blaine was shocked. "You still won?"

"We winged it at the last second with an unrehearsed song." He tried not to laugh at Finn's goofy message telling him the odd combination of French fries and chocolate ice cream. He mentioned that he'd seen it on TV, and thought to try it out. He knew that Finn was trying to cheer him up, and it worked a little.

"Wow, New Directions must be really good."

Kurt nodded. "W- they are." He tried not to feel sad about saying They instead of We. He really did miss them. "A ton of drama, but in the end everyone's really talented. I just wish Mr. Schuester would showcase everyone's talent, and not just Rachel Berry's." He rolled his eyes at this.

"They have to choose the best though, don't they?"

Kurt scoffed elegantly. "The best? She's not the best. Rachel is Mr. Schuester's favorite so it always works out that way. Everyone is talented, and Mr. Schuester forgets sometimes that there is no I in TEAM. You guys will win if Rachel Berry sings, and that's all I have to say about that."

Blaine chuckled. "You're so cute."

Kurt felt his cheeks heating up, and he looked away, and down at his phone. No one had ever called him cute before. Damn, Blaine. He was too perfect acting.

oOo

When the weekend came for Kurt, he could feel the bubbling excitement running through his veins, and he could not wait until the end of the day so that he could rush home. As soon as Biology let out, Kurt was up, and out the door.

He was heading to his dorm when he received a text message from Finn. "C U SOON?"

Kurt rolled his eyes at the text speak. He quickly typed back. "Please use proper English with me. Text speak gives me a headache, and yes!"

He was nearly at his dorm when Blaine shouted for him. He ran across the parking lot with a smile on his face. "Kurt! So glad I caught you."

"What is it Blaine? I'm in a hurry. I need to get home."

Blaine was still grinning. "Sorry, the Warblers have Sectionals practice tonight, and tomorrow."

Kurt's face fell, and a weight dropped into his stomach. "What? It can't wait till Sunday?" As he asked, he felt tears sting his eyes, and his body became a squishy mess on the inside. He was about to cry or be sick one.

The perfect Warbler shook his head. "No, most of the Warblers go to church Sunday."

Hearing that, Kurt couldn't help but sneer gracefully. "So, I have to sacrifice my happiness for a bunch of-" he stopped when he saw Blaine's wide eyes. "Never mind. Hold on, let me send a message, everyone's expecting me. I also need to drop my things off."

Blaine nodded. "I'll keep you company, and I'm sorry. I don't like it either, but we have to try and respect their beliefs or at least pretend."

Kurt's fingers raced over the pad. 'I'm sorry Finn, tell them I'm not coming home. The Warblers are forcing me to stay for practice. :('

He dropped his things off, and quickly fed the yellow Warbler in its cage. "See you later, Pav," he said stroking the feathery bird that chirped at him.

Kurt received Finn's message as soon as they got into the meeting. 'That sux! R u ok?'

'I'm sad.' He put the phone away, and waited for the practice to start, and he was happy for once that he didn't have a solo because he did not have the ability to sing from the heart.

It was two grueling hours later when the Warbler council ended the practice, and demanded everyone to be there by ten o'clock the next morning for more.

"Come on, let's head to the cafeteria," Blaine insisted as Wes, David, Nick, and Jeff joined them.

Kurt said nothing as he followed them, his phone out once again. He saw four messages from Finn, each one fifteen minutes after the other. They were all in an attempt to cheer him up. It didn't work for once.

He snagged a salad, and some low fat Ranch dressing with a bottle of spring water. All the other boys had loads and loads of food, and were talking excitedly about practice tomorrow. Kurt couldn't get into it, and all he could think about was his home in Lima. He kept picking away at the salad, eating the cucumbers and tomatoes, but leaving most of the lettuce.

"Come on, cheer up!" Blaine bumped his shoulder. "At least I'm here." He flashed a white toothy smile, and Kurt tried to match it, but failed miserably.

"I know." It was strange, usually, Kurt didn't mind being away from Lima. In fact, he loved the idea of being out of Lima, but he was missing Finn.

... Kurt dropped his fork, and since it was silvery metal, and not plastic it clanged loudly. He knew his face had horror on it. He wasn't missing his father or Mercedes. He wasn't missing anyone except.

Kurt closed his eyes tight, ignoring the continuous, 'Kurt, you alright?'

"No, no!" He leaned back in his seat, and shook his head. "I can't be, not after-" Kurt Lee Hummel was not an idiot, and he was not in denial. "Oh my God..."

"Kurt!" Blaine shook his shoulder roughly. "Kurt! Please, answer me. Are you okay? You look a little sick."

Swallowing thickly, Kurt's heart felt as if it were breaking in a million pieces. He turned, and looked at perfect Blaine, and he saw - he saw nothing but perfection. His perfect gelled hair, his perfect white teeth, his perfect voice, and mannerisms. He closed his eyes tight, and shook his head. "I hate epiphanies!"

"Huh?" Everyone was confused, but Kurt could not say anything, no way.

He breathed in deeply, and held it for a good ten seconds before he slowly let it out. "I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow at ten." He left his food where it was, and rushed out of the room so fast that no one had time to follow.

It felt like Kurt had drank an entire bottle of acid because his stomach was swimming, jerking, rolling, and flipping dangerously. He made it to the nearest boy's bathroom, and shoved it open causing it to hit the wall loudly, and soon wound up face first in the toilet. "No, no, no!" Kurt cried as he gagged at the disgusting taste in his mouth.

He heaved deeply, and flushed the toilet as he sagged down on the fancy tiled floors of the bathroom. He pressed his head to the stall, and for once he didn't care about his clothes or his hair.

His feelings snapped around him icy and scorching all at the same time. He'd thought he had gotten over it. He thought that they were gone, but here they were coiling up, and then - they struck.

"For the love of Madonna!" Kurt cried as he bowed his head. He quickly removed himself from the nasty floor, and made his way to the sink where he scrubbed his mouth out with an always on hand bottle of mouthwash, toothpaste, and toothbrush. He never left home without it.

The tears flooded down his cheeks as he began to shudder, and hiccup with the pain of his realization. He ignored the continued buzzing in his pants from the cell phone, as he practically swallowed the mouthwash to get rid of the sickly taste in his mouth.

It did no good because he wound up running back to the toilet, falling to his knees, and becoming sick again.

What the hell was he going to do?

(o)

Kurt lay in his single room at Dalton staring at the ceiling. He could not let his emotions get the better of him. He was stronger than that, and there was no way he was going to screw things up. His father was finally happy, and he would not destroy that for anything.

There was a tap on the door, and Kurt sighed heavily. He knew it was Blaine. He glanced at the clock, and frowned at the midnight hour as he crawled out of the bed. He prepared the 'I'm okay, the food was terrible' speech when he opened, and his heart stopped.

Literally.

"Hey," Finn's smooth voice, and goofy smile was standing in his doorway.

Oh my God, Kurt thought in mild horror. He could not do this right now.

Finn's smile turned into a frown when he saw the red rings around Kurt's eyes, and the fact that he looked very pale. Not at all like the pretty sheen that Finn had gotten used to. "Are you alright? Did someone hurt you? Do I have to kill them?" he asked taking his hands out of his pockets, and gripping Kurt's shoulders.

Kurt couldn't speak. He merely stepped back, and allowed his first crush to walk into his life once again.

"I drove out here as soon as I didn't get a reply from you. I got worried, and I don't like the idea of you being sad."

Kurt's heart exploded with pain, and it was red-hot. He gave a strangled noise, and turned back to his bed. He crawled under to hide his face, and curled up on his side like a child.

"Kurt! Please, say something you're worrying me!" Finn rushed to Kurt's side sinking beside him on the bed.

His heart constricting, and the heat rising every second. "I'm sorry," he mumbled ungracefully.

Finn was frightened. Kurt had never acted like this before, and he had no idea what to do. It felt like his heart was shattering. "Are you sick? Do I need to call the hospital? Pull the covers back!" Finn did it for him, and Kurt flinched when slightly calloused, but strong hands touched his cheeks. "Jesus, Kurt! You're on fire!" He shoved all the covers down.

"Bad food," Kurt lied weakly. "You shouldn't have drove in the dark." He also wanted to tell Finn, 'You should not have come here because now my heart is breaking.'

"I was fine, the roads were empty. You are more important."

Kurt's mouth felt like sandpaper. Finn's hands were still running across his cheeks in an attempt to cool him down, but that only made it worse. Finn was touching him, and it made his pulse raise a little faster, and his blood to rush hotter.

"Get me an ice water?" He tiredly pointed at the mini-fridge his dad had bought him before he left.

"Of course."

The heat slowly receded from Kurt when Finn left his bedside, but he quickly returned causing it to all come back. He sat up, and took the already opened bottle.

"I thought - I thought you had a date tonight with Rachel?" Kurt still felt the rush, but he had to cool off, and get back to his old self. He could do it. It might take a little, but he had been able to live with his former crush until it wore off, and he would continue to do that. There was no way he was going to ruin anything ever again.

Finn gave him a very cute sheepish look. "I - I er - I sort of ran out on her."

Unfortunately, it made Kurt happy to know he had been put before Rachel Berry.

"You shouldn't have done that. I'm fine, Finn. You know how I am with cafeteria food," he said testily with a shake of his head. "It never settles right. The idea of food sitting in a container, and Gaga knows who's had their fingers in it." He shuddered to add effect.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Finn felt a wave of relief. He chuckled to himself, and Kurt arched a crafted eyebrow. "Sorry, I missed you, Kurt."

Oh Gaga! Kurt whined inside. "I'm – sorry too. I wanted to come home, but with Sectionals the Warblers are making us stay the weekend."

"I understand, we have to practice on Sunday."

Kurt scowled. "I suggested that, but no some of them simply have to go to church as if it won't be waiting for them next Sunday."

Finn chuckled softly. "I'm sorry I woke you. I thought about going home, but then - I remember how sad you seemed, even in text messages."

It amused Kurt by how simple Finn was, and he wouldn't change it for anything. "I'd let you stay all night, but there's nowhere to sleep except the floor."

"This room is small," Finn gazed around the room. It looked like Kurt, but it was so small, and Kurt's big personality simply didn't do small.

Kurt handed Finn his water, and crawled out of the bed. Finn's eyes lingered unconsciously on the curve of Kurt's back. He was wearing soft satin gray pajama bottoms, and a silk white spaghetti strapped shirt that most females would wear, but because Kurt's shoulders were so small like the rest of his well shaped body it looked...

Finn shook his head of the thoughts.

"Must attend the gentleman's room," Kurt said heading to the door. He paused as he opened it, and glanced over his shoulder to see Finn staring at him with an intensity that scared Kurt. "Thank you."

"For what?" Finn asked.

"Thinking of me first," he breathed tenuously.

Finn almost didn't hear it, he had been so wrapped up by the glow of Kurt from the moonlight streaming into the bedroom. He shook his head, and took a drink of the icy water. For some reason, Kurt's water tasted better than normal water.

He put the cap back on, and placed it back in the fridge. He stood, and stared around the room. He really didn't want to go home.

Kurt returned about ten minutes later, and Finn noticed the rings around the boy's light eyes were gone, and his skin was no longer a chalky pale. He looked pristine, and he was holding three blankets, and a pillow.

"Is that for me?" Finn asked cheerfully.

Nodding, Kurt pushed the jock down onto the bed. "Take off your shoes, and lift your feet."

Finn didn't argue, and did as he was told, and watched as Kurt laid down the most comfortable looking bed on the floor. It would be a little cramped, but it would do. Finn never moved much in his sleep anyway.

"Thanks, Kurtie."

Kurt flinched at the nickname, and his cheeks heated once more. He was about to snap at Finn for calling him that, until he realized that Finn was using it as a term of endearment, and the goofy grin on Finn's face caused his heart overrule his sharp tongue.

"Good night, Finn," Kurt whispered slipping into his bed. He was now extremely tired.

"Night." So simple, and so imperfect was what Finn Hudson was, and Kurt shifted on his side, and listened to Finn's deep breathing until he was snoring.

Kurt rolled his eyes, and smiled as he too fell asleep shortly afterwards.