Crash into me:
Chapter 3:
A collection of emotions passed over the hazel eyes in front of him but fear clearly dominated the rest, even in the darkness Kurt could see that. It took him a second to find his voice, he had been so scared that the boy was dead but now he was freaking out about what to do because he was alive. This wasn't part of his task, never did he expect to find a boy half frozen and barely hanging on to consciousness.
"It's okay," He rushed to say pulling his hand back but leaving it on the boy's shoulder, ignoring the cold driving away the feeling in his fingers, "My name is Kurt, I won't hurt you. Niveus won't either."
At the mention of her name Niveus blew a gust of warm across them and Kurt saw a shiver wrack through the boy's body at the feeling of the warm air hitting is skin.
"Wha-" The boy rasped but Kurt cut him off.
"Shhh, don't say anything; I think you're dehydrated, among many other things." The boy's face fell and contorted as though he was in physical pain from the words. "No! I didn't mean it that way; i-it's nothing to serious, nothing that we can't fix."
Again probably not the right thing to say considering the way the boy curled in tighter and a single tear fell from his eyes. Mouth gaping open but unsure what to say Kurt looked to Niveus who had lowered herself to the ground and was blowing small puffs of air across the boy's forehead. Kurt recognized the action; it was something she always did when he was upset. It was strange for Kurt to see his dragon knowing the boys emotions better than he did.
"I'm sorry!" Kurt began, his voice wavering as the boy reopened his eyes. He was getting upset just from seeing this boy clearly distressed about something. "I'm sorry if I said something. I want to help you, is there anything that hurts? Something broken?"
After a moment of hesitation the boy nodded.
Okay, that was something Kurt could handle … the crying and looks of pure pain not so much. "Can you show me where? If it doesn't hurt too much?"
With a grunt, face streaked with dirt and scrunched with the effort, the boy slowly sat up, Niveus pressing against his side to keep him steady. Ever so slowly he raised his arm and pointed down to his leg, one was curled into his chest but the other laid out and with slow movements to not startle the boy Kurt reached out and gently brushed his hands down the boy's leg.
A hitch in breath left the boy when Kurt's hands ghosted over his knee, barely making contact with the fabric of his pants.
"Is it your knee?" Kurt wondered aloud, looking up to make eye contact with the boy.
A nod, and then another breath that sounded like it caught in his throat.
With a shy comforting smile Kurt sat back, putting his mitten back on his bare hand. "Would you be okay moving a little ways? I can help and from the looks of it Niveus will to."
The beginning of a smile showed on the boy's face as his eyes flickered to the dragon by his side, and then returning to Kurt's.
"I'm staying in a cave not too far away, you can stay with me for the night and we can look at your knee again in the morning. I can give you some water and food too, you look like you haven't eaten or drank anything in a while."
The downcast eyes of the boy in front of him were the confirmation Kurt needed. Standing, he shook out his arms and legs to get the blood flowing back to his limbs after kneeling for so long.
With Niveus' help Kurt was able to keep the boy upright, no weight on his bad leg and slowly - ever so slowly- they made their way back through the dark forest to the little cave. Every now and then Niveus would blow out a small burst of fire, illuminating a small patch of the forest around them; it was enough to keep them on track until they finally reached the shelter Kurt had chosen earlier.
As gently as possible Kurt lowered the boy onto the blanket covering the floor, working silently they were able to wrap his body in the thick wool but it did little to stop the shakes wracking his body, and the hiss leaving the boy's mouth as his leg was tweaked with each shudder.
Trying to work as quickly as possibly Kurt adjusted the pile of branches and then smiled happily as Niveus blew a small stream of fire over them, the twigs catching immediately. Bathed in a flickering of light Kurt pulled out a tin cup and filled it with snow before setting it close to the edge of the fire.
"Here, drink this." Taking the warm cup in his hands Kurt held it out to the boy, their skin brushing as he took it into his hands. With shaky movements Kurt watched him raise it to his lips, relaxing ever so slightly as the warm water slid down his throat.
"Th-thank you." The voice was so quiet Kurt almost thought he imagined it but the boy, whose name he still didn't know, gave him a hesitant smile before taking another sip of his drink.
"You're welcome." Kurt replied sincerely. "It's getting too dark for me to find food so this will have to do." Reaching into his pack Kurt pulled out a cloth bag filled with dried berries and nuts. With cold fingers he pulled open the draw string picking out a handful and holding it out to his guest.
With hesitant fingers the boy reached out and took a few from Kurt's palm, their skin now closer to the same temperature. Watching their every movement Niveus laid curled up outside the entrance to the cave, her silvery scales reflecting the flight from the fire and sending it dancing in patterns around the barren walls of the cave.
Silently Kurt ate a small portion of the nuts and berries, always offering to some to the boy before he took some for his self.
Yawn left Kurt and he realized that he only had one blanket, and it was currently wrapped tightly around the boy sitting across the cave from him. "Um, I only have one blanket."
The boy's eyes flew wide and he tried to take the blanket from his shoulders, whimpering as his injured leg was bumped.
"No, no it's okay." Kurt reached out a hand, stopping before it reached the boy, "Do you mind if we share?"
Never breaking contact, uneasy eyes followed Kurt's as he cautiously scooted around the edge of the cave until he was sitting by the boy's side. "Is this okay?"
No words left the boy's open mouth but he gave a nod and Kurt helped him readjust the blanket, mindful of his leg, until it was wrapped around the both of them.
"What's your name?"
The boy opened his eyes, looking up at Kurt for a few seconds, "Blaine."
"Good night Blaine."
A few blinks before his eyes closed and his head came to rest on Kurt's shoulder, "Good night Kurt."
He barely had time to register that the boy –Blaine- knew his name before Kurt's eyes closed and he too fell asleep.
AN: Once again thank you all for the wonderful reviews and for reading this story. :)