Kurt groaned as his body was jostled, his head pounding awfully, pulsing with each beat of his heart. He rolled over, opening his bleary eyes to see the roof of the van. Strange, he didn't even remember getting in…
His thoughts were foggy as he struggled to sit up, the change causing a wave of nausea to pass through him. Kurt took in a deep breath, willing the bile back down. He blinked several times to clear his vision as he peered through the wire mesh separating the front of the van from where he was in the back with a few of the other girls. He squinted as the intense orange light streamed through, indicating it was early morning.
"Fuck." Charlie cursed from the front seat as the vehicle groaned, stuttering before finally stopping all together, "You've got to be fucking kidding me." He shouted, slamming his palms against the steering wheel in frustration before jumping out of the car.
The sliding door was thrown back, revealing a disheveled and angered Charlie. His eyes scanned the occupants of the van before his steely eyes landed on Kurt, "Damn it…" He gritted out, reaching towards Kurt and snatching his collar, dragging him forward, "I'm out of gas and I can't leave all of you here alone. So you're going to earn back my trust by going to the nearest gas station and getting me a gallon. Got it?"
Kurt, still slightly dazed, nodded. He took the balled up money Charlie thrust towards his chest and started heading in the direction the van was going in. He tripped over his own feet several times while walking up the road, the rising sun causing his eyes to burn and his head to throb even more than it had before. He had no clue where he was, but he hoped that Charlie had at least sent him in the right direction.
After an immeasurable amount of time, he finally came up towards a small town. He looked at the road sign, welcoming him to Lima. Kurt stopped short, staring at the sign until he was suddenly hit with a mirage of memories, some vague, some incredibly detailed.
He could see himself in the back of a car, his dad – who was the man in the car with him that night – looking at him through the rear view mirror, his sea green eyes crinkling as he laughed. His mother turned and smiled warmly at him, her brilliant blue orbs twinkling as she handed him a juice box.
So his dreams… those weren't really dreams, but memories. When he had dreams of a father tucking him in at night… it was a memory of his actual father, not a dream. That man in the car with him when they crashed… That man was his dad.
Kurt was overwhelmed, falling to his knees as he stared at nothing in particular. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing back the upwelling of tears threatening to fall. Reality was staring him in the face, but he just couldn't reach it. It was too late. He wasn't some kid anymore. No matter how vivid those memories were, there was nothing in them that could help him. All they were, were memories.
Kurt swallowed down the sick feeling in his throat, slowly rising to his feet. Ignoring the chilly nip in the air, Kurt continued down the now familiar road. He went up and bought a gas canister from a Wawa, going to fill it up at the pump.
He returned to the van to see Charlie pacing and pulling at his thinning hair. Kurt handed him the gasoline before getting back into the relatively warm van, tucking his hands into his chest and curling up to keep warm. He did his best to ignore the memories that had been dredged up, knowing that this was as good as it was going to get for him. All he was, was a stripper… and that's all he would ever be good for. Charlie had that well ingrained in him, and some random memories of when he was a child cropping up would never be able to wash away the filth.
Kurt took to the stage that night. It took a full tube of cover-up to conceal the newly forming bruise along his temple, not to mention all of the others. He tried to look in the mirror as little as possible, hating the reflection in front of him. Kurt lined his muddy brown eyes with charcoal liner, darkening his too light eyebrows so that they were closer to his black hair color. A final sprits of shimmering body spray and he was ready to go on stage.
As much as he hated what he was doing, he found he was able to lose himself in his routines. Allowing the pulsing music and blinding lights to transform him.
He awaited his signal backstage, bouncing on the balls of his feet to pump himself up. Are You The One by The Presets started up and he sashayed on stage, creating an uproar.
I don't know why
I got it so bad,
But somehow I find,
Out of the fry pan
And into the fire,
We're at it sooner.
Buried our souls
Out of our headset,
Ready to go,
Kurt unzipped his leather vest, winking to the audience as he got on his knees, doing a slow crawl over to a hole in the stage where a pole would come up.
Slippin' and slide,
I'm out of control.
Crying'll hide my
Head in a hole.
There's something about you I got to know
Before we go too far.
What I wanna know
I wanna know
What I wanna know
I wanna know is
The shining pole rose from below the stage floor. Kurt caught the top and rode it up, twisting his legs expertly around it.
(Whoa) are you the one?
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
Are you the -
He tilted back so he was upside down, holding on only with his thighs and legs. Kurt slid the vest off, twirling it and tossing it to an excited club patron only to see Blaine's usual table unoccupied.
Me and my girl
Having a time on top of the world,
But I got a secret
No one can know.
You wanna find out,
Come to the show.
We got good music
And you got to go.
He twisted up, snaking down the pole. Kurt gripped the rail, spinning himself around it, finishing with a high kick.
Temperature's hot babe,
It's ready to blow.
And seein' how she finds out
All she can know,
Someplace they'd all write in on the wall,
Before she goes too far.
What I wanna know
I wanna know
What I wanna know
I wanna know is
(Whoa) are you the one?
He pointed out into the crowd, smirking as he undid the buttons of his skintight pants.
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
Are you the -
The audience clapped along with the music as the routine started to come to a close. Kurt ripped off his pants, leaving him in nothing but a pair of tight black silk underwear that left little to the imagination.
Creepin' around,
Quiet and darkness,
Place to be found,
Leavin' behind the noisy crowds.
It's been a while since
You've come around,
So let's make it worth the
Lights and the sounds,
Pills and the spills,
The drinks and the shouts!
It's turning out fine girl,
What it's all about.
There's just one more thing
I gotta find out
Before we go too far.
In the last minute of the song, he pulled out all the stops. Swiveling his hips, twisting and turning around the pole. He knew that if he didn't make enough tonight, Charlie would hurt him again.
What I wanna know
What I wanna know
What I wanna know is
(Whoa) Are you the one?
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
Are you the –
The music ended with Kurt at the tip of the stage, a lavender hued light shining down on him as the men in the club cheered, tossing crumbled bills at his feet and along the length of the stage. The lights went dark and Kurt swiftly collected the cash, hurrying into the back room where the others were preparing for their turn on stage.
He was only set for one dance, so he made quick work of cleaning himself up, plucking the dollar bills from the lining of his underwear where some bold customers had placed them. Kurt slid a few dollars into his bag before Charlie came up from behind him, taking the rest from his hands, "Let's move." He ordered, gripping the nape of Kurt's neck and leading him out of the club. Kurt took one more fleeting look out into the crowd, hoping to see Blaine's face somewhere… but he was not there. It had become such a regular occurrence, seeing the other boy's face in the crowd and not seeing him… well, it felt wrong.
Soon, all of them were back at the house. Charlie pulled Kurt aside, locking the others in their room. He brought him into the main room, filled only with a tattered sofa and a threadbare rug tossed on the floor, "You're not making enough money." He began bluntly, plopping himself down onto the sofa which creaked in protest to his girth, "I'm not getting enough cash out of you, so I think we're going to have to up the ante." He said as he licked the tips of his fingers, flipping through the stack of cash in his hands for a moment before turning his eyes on him.
Kurt shivered slightly, not liking the way Charlie was looking at him, "W-what-?"
"You're going to have to sweeten the pot if I'm going to get the amount of dough I need…" He let his eyes linger on Kurt's body, "And I'm sure a plump virgin ass will do just the trick. I bet I can make thousands selling your virginity." He mused darkly, "I mean, a young gay twink in Ohio? You'd sell for so much more than the girls went for."
Kurt took a step back, "N-no. You can't-"
"Oh, but I can, Kurtie. I think you've forgotten… You're mine." He growled possessively.
One split second was all it took for Kurt's mind to catch up to what his body was doing. He registered Charlie's angered cries behind him, felt the wood boards thump as he was being pursued, but his muscles were working on autopilot.
He ran. He used every ounce of strength in his body, bolting across the street and through the neighbor's yards. Kurt stumbled into the parking lot of Rainbow Cactus, weaving through the cars.
Kurt didn't realize where his feet were taking him until he came across the deserted park Blaine had brought him the night before. By the time he stopped running, his legs were aching and his lungs were burning. He climbed up to the small 'fort' attached to a shining silver slide. The flimsy material offered little shelter, but he figured it would at least conceal him for the time being. Clouds were beginning to roll in, so he hoped it could hold up against rain.
================================gLee=================================
Rain was coming down in sheets, the park barely visible. Normally, Blaine wouldn't bother going out to the park with the weather so awful, but it's become a routine for him to do so. And there was something compelling him to go, he just wasn't sure what that was.
Blaine huddled underneath his large umbrella, the material not doing a good job in keeping the icy rain off of him. This was ridiculous. Why was he even there in the first place? He should go to Rainbow Cactus to make sure Kurt was safe…
If someone were to ask him why he was so keen on watching after Kurt, he wouldn't be able to give that person a straight answer. Some things in this world cannot be explained. There was something magnetic about Kurt. He was special, unique, stunning, the list goes on and on.
Blaine had always felt the need to help people. It seemed like he was drawn to those that needed saving, and Kurt certainly seemed to fit the bill. It's not that he had some sort of hero complex, wanting to be the knight in shining armor swooping in to save the day. No, he just hated to see people in need go unnoticed. Blaine had a gift of sorts for being able to truly see people for who they really are, and he could see into Kurt's heart. Even though they hardly knew each other, Blaine knew Kurt was a good person.
Those haunting, deep brown eyes followed him in his dreams, made regular occurrences. He knew the look in his eyes the second they had met. It was the same look he'd seen in the mirror years ago. He'd made an instant connection the moment he saw him at Dalton and he hadn't been able to get the mysterious boy out of his mind since.
Knowing that Kurt was in obvious trouble had his nerves on end, wishing he hadn't gone to the park at all and had instead gone straight to the club.
The rain was coming down so hard, he could hardly see where he was going. He let out a growl of frustration as he took shelter underneath the tall slide, the wooden planks above him providing little relief from the storm.
The rain began to wane, so he decided to make a break for it. He was preparing to run when he heard something scuff against the wood above him. Blaine angled the umbrella back, peering up to see a form through the slats of wood, "Hey, you okay?" He called over the rain, jogging around and climbing up the slick stairs to the fort above only to see none other than Kurt. He was wearing a tight black shirt and dark ripped jeans. He was soaked through, his body shivering violently, "Kurt!" Blaine cried, grabbing Kurt's shoulders, "I'm going to help you, okay?" He told him, gathering the sopping wet, freezing boy into his arms.
Blaine carefully climbed down the steps, leaving his umbrella behind. He hurried through the wet sand to the parking lot where his car was. Wrenching the car door open, Blaine settled Kurt into the front seat of the car before rushing over to the driver's side. He turned on the car, cranking up the heat.
Kurt shuddered, curling tightly in on himself. His fingers clenching as he cradled his arms into his chest. Blaine tore out of the parking lot, speeding back to Dalton. He parked haphazardly in the closest spot he could, barely taking the time to turn off the car before he got out and ran over to Kurt's side. He pulled him out of the car, holding him tightly as he sprinted towards the dorms. It was after curfew, so he didn't have to worry about any prying eyes as he barged through the doors and up the flight of stairs to his room.
Blaine slammed his door shut, quickly reaching back to lock it before laying Kurt out on his bed. The other boy immediately turned on his side, curling up in a tight ball, "Shit." Blaine swore, removing his jacket, shirt, and shoes, "Kurt," He pulled off Kurt's boots, "Listen to me, okay?" Blaine climbed onto the bed, turning Kurt so he was on his back, "Look at me." Kurt's dark eyes opened, not really focusing on anything, "I need to get your body temperature back up, okay?" Blaine told him, his fingers at the hem of Kurt's soaking shirt.
Trembling, cold hands gripped his wrists. Blaine looked up to see Kurt looking dazed and so damn scared it broke Blaine's heart, "I'm not going to hurt you, Kurt. Can you trust me?" He pleaded, knowing he didn't have much time before Kurt would need a hospital. Kurt's breathing stuttered, his blue tinged lips parted as he pulled in each breath. Finally, he nodded his head and Blaine went to work, pulling off his wet clothing. He left his boxers on to protect his modesty, but everything else had to go.
Blaine laid on top of him, bare chest to bare chest. He could feel his own body temperature lowering as Kurt's chilled body soaked in his warmth. Kurt continued to shiver underneath him as he brought his arms up, laying his palms flat against Blaine's back. Blaine hugged his body close, tucking his head into Kurt's shoulder in an awkwardly intimate position, but he was able to keep his mind away from those thoughts.
Eventually, Kurt's body began to warm up, his shudders coming less often. He felt Kurt's cool lips against his shoulder blade for a moment before he pulled away. Blaine reluctantly rolled off of him, but stayed close to his side.
As much as he didn't want to broach the subject, he knew he had to ask, "Kurt, what happened?" Blaine implored. He reached over, slowing down a bit when Kurt flinched, and turned Kurt's face so that their eyes met, "Are you okay?" The question was simple, but it held so much more impact. Three little words make a world of difference to those who are suffering.
Kurt's watery, chocolate brown eyes flickered between his own, their faces so close he could feel each puff of breath coming from the other boy. His lips trembled, "No." He breathed out in a pain filled, cracked whisper, "I don't think I am." He let out a low whine in the back of his throat, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and folding in on himself as tears spilled from his eyes and onto the pillow.
Blaine moved on instinct, pulling Kurt close to him, running his fingers through his damp, raven black hair. He didn't say any words, he only held Kurt as he cried into his chest.
================================gLee==================================
Another chapter done! Please let me know what you think of this story! I love to hear from all of you. :)
Song used: Are You The One – The Presets