A/N: Okay, so as promised, the next few chapters are really focused on Blaine, (And his growing friendship with Rory). Special thanks to: monkiimax, Hount-Walf, curiouscharlie, Hollywood Girl, .Riso and Alex Zin (oh my god, I'mma huge fan of Consequences!) for reviewing the last two chapters, you're all the reason I was motivated to do this one.

Rory's eyes shot open. Was it over yet?

6:45

He sat still, concentrating to see if he could hear anything. The wind was blowing against the window and he could hear his brother's light breathing as he slept, still wrapped tightly around his own skinny frame. All appeared quiet, their dad must have already left or at least be completely knocked out from how much he drank. Rory's heartbeat sank a little as he relaxed, they were safe for now.

He slowly unwrapped Seamus' arms from around his waist, replacing himself with a pillow as his brother squirmed in his sleep in search for something to hold.

Rory liked to take this time in the mornings to get their stuff ready for school: clothes, books and and their clothes. Picking up two pairs of jeans, a shirt for himself and a t-shirt for Seamus. They didn't have an iron so Rory made do putting their clothes under his books to flatten them out.

He woke his brother up with a light tap on the shoulder. Seamus made an uncomfortable noise as he murmured in his sleep.

"Rise and shine, Champ." Seamus still refused to nudge until Rory gave him a warning, "I'll get this tickle monster on you. I will." Rory tickled his brother's stomach lightly and he soon woke up.

"Stop it! Not the tickle monster!" Seamus just managed to get out between little giggles. "Ror's! Stop!" He continued to laugh uncontrollably, so much so he was going red in the face. After a moment, Rory did as his brother asked and he hopped off the bed as quickly as possible to avoid anymore tickle monster attacks, making his way to the door, closely followed by Rory who unlocked it for them. Seamus still had trouble reaching the doorknob.

They made their way downstairs to the kitchen, dodging the beer puddle and broken glass left from their father's havoc the night before. The kitchen wasn't much to look at. The tiles were looking a little grotty having turned from what presumably used to be white. There was a hole under the counter where Rory had sold the dishwasher that came with the house for money that they needed for food. The only money their father earned was blew on a bottle of beer.

But now the dishwasher money was running out and Rory had spent any free time planning how to ration foods with the last ten dollars they had. They usually had to skip breakfast, though the school provided lunch, even if it was revolting. And they'd usually scrap together something for the evening meal as long as their dad didn't come back early like the night before.

Rory started cleaning up the shards of glass and the remains of the beer when Seamus perked up a question. "Ror's?"

"Uh huh" Rory replied, focusing more on the mess than he was his brother.

"When's it going to get better?" he said quietly, as though he wasn't sure if he was aloud to say it.

There was a long pause.

"W-what do you mean, champ?" Rory asked hesitantly.

Seamus took a little breath in, "I mean, when are we going to be a family? And do family stuff like Reece's family do. Or Danny's mammy does?" there was another long pause. "When will it get better, Ror's?" he repeated with what was left of a small glimmer in his equally blue eyes.

"I don't know" Rory answered honestly. He didn't want to lie to his brother about their situation anymore.

"Oh" Seamus said simply, looking down at the floor as he knotted his hands together nervelessly. "But where there's a will, there's a way, right? Just like you used t'a say. Right?"

Rory didn't want to answer. "How about you get changed, alright?" He said changing the subject, pointing over to the small pile of clothes. Seamus just sighed and without an answer, walked out of the room to get changed into the clothes Rory brought down with them.

Rory didn't want this to be their normal. He wanted a normal life, with money, food, a family.

Family.

The word didn't mean as much as it used to.


Blaine's morning ran pretty well. He was up and dressed in record time and was out the door even earlier than usual. His hair was solidified perfectly in place, clad in a red checkered shirt, a one of his infamous bowties. Today is one of those days that's just going to feel good, like, all day. Blaine thought to himself as he walked from his bus stop to the school entrance. He arrived at school earlier than planned but thought to put this time to good use and sort out his incredibly messy locker which was looking more like a disaster zone as of the last few weeks.

When he turned the corner, he was surprised to find see someone running into the boy's locker rooms. Blaine wasn't one for being early, but he people weren't usually in school at a time like this. Most people would avoid school all together if they could.

He peered through the gap in the doorway as the door shut slowly by itself. He would recognize such a tall guy in green anywhere - but the question was, why was he in school so early. Blaine hesitated, pressing his ear to the door as he heard the chokes that slowly formed into sobs.

"Oh god, I can't take it. I can't." Rory mumbled to himself behind tears.

Blaine pondered for a moment how best to deal with the situation. But his mouth let slip, "Rory? A-are you okay?" Blaine pushed the door slowly as it made a loud creaking noise. His eyes met with a sad sight, Rory wiping away tears, trying to pretend like he wasn't upset. His cheeks were blotchy and his nose was red, it was obvious.

"Oh, Blaine. Mornin'" Rory weakly laughed off, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "How are y'e?"

"I suppose I should be asking you them same question" Blaine closed the door shut behind him.

The look of panic that Rory had in the cafeteria the day before was shot back into his eyes as if it were replayed exactly. "Oh, erm, I fell over" he lied. Badly.

Blaine sighed a little, "Look, I know we've only know each other for what? Two days? But I know when something's up." Blaine took a seat next to Rory who shifted away a little in discomfort.

"Nothing's wrong, I just fell over, kind of embarrassing really, eh?"

"Right. Of course." Blaine said, mentally noting to deal with the subject later. "So, where's your first class?"

Rory's eyebrows furrowed as he thought to the back of his head. "I think it's art?" he questioned, not all the sure.

"With Mr. Miles?" Blaine said, feeling a little hope before Rory nodded in confirmation. "We're in the same class! We can go together if you want?"

"I didn't know you were a sophomore too?" Rory chimed, happy that the subject had been changed.

"I'm not, I'm a junior. But I enrolled here a couple weeks before you did so I have to redo some of my sophomore classes that have different school board curricular or something." Blaine shrugged before clamping a hand on Rory's shoulder. "We can get a head start to art, hm?"

"Yeah, sounds grand" Rory said quietly with a plastered smile that looked weak and fragile. This kid wasn't telling Blaine something anytime soon, he'd find out eventually.


About an hour later, the art lesson was in full swing with people darting around, deciding on plans for their new set project. A group project.

The thought of a group project would of scared the life out of Rory, as soon as he got to McKinley he was put on the bottom of the social ladder and finding anyone to even make eye contact with him was difficult. Blaine had the same problem, being openly gay at a homophobic school had it's problems. But luckily, Blaine and Rory were in the same position and paired up together.

"Okay, so if we're going to want to do this", Blaine traced the outline of their plans with his finger. "Then we'll probably need to spend some nights doing work over at each other's houses. We could use my house but it's a little far from school. Do you think we could use yours?"

Rory's heart sank into his chest with final words Blaine said. "I don't think going to my house would be the best idea" Rory said as he looked away, finding the floor extremely interesting.

Blaine thought of the recent events of this morning and how fragile Rory looked in the locker room, he didn't want to push any buttons, even if it were an accident. "Okay, well. My house it is."

Rory nodded, happy that his house was out of the question before remembering his brother. "Do you think we could pick up me brother along the way? I'm the only one who can pick him up from school. If I give him something t'a do, he'd be quiet and leave us t'a do the work and-."

"Yeah, of course." Blaine interrupted, with a wave of his hand. "No, it's fine."

"Thanks, Blaine!"

"No problem" Blaine wasn't usually one to attach himself into people's private lives, but from what Blaine could assume, there was a lot more to Rory than what meets the eye.

A/N: Yay! So, sorry it took so long but I've been meaning to get this done forever. Probably fiveever. But I needed to mentally plot where the story was going and oh my god, I have the best ideas for some angst, oh god. Also, chapter four is already in the works and the blangst is painfully sad. Anyway, reviews are very, very appreciated - good or bad. Or even just leaving something you'd like to happen in the story. Thanks for reading!