He's my boyfriend.

He wanted to say it; he thought he did say it, but the words never came.

Somehow those three little words seemed easier than the other two: 'I'm gay.' And yet he couldn't make his throat work. It's not that he wanted Patrick to be his boyfriend; he didn't.

What he wanted was to not be alone in this. He felt that if he somehow had a boyfriend that he could pull off coming out like he was talking about the weather or the news.

Patrick made it seem so easy, so matter-of-factly. He just outed himself like it was nothing.

Patrick could see the struggle that was forming on Dave's brow.

How do you two know each other? The question had been tossed out there. He knew Dave wasn't ready to come out, so maybe he just needed a little help.

"High school," Patrick finally said.

The group looked at him in question.

"High school?" Brittany asked. "Wow. How many times were you held back?" Brittany asked seriously.

This made Patrick chuckle. Dave did tell Patrick about Brittany, but nothing could prepare him. It didn't seem like she was taking a shot at his age; she was so genuine. "No – no. I used to play for East… I know Coach Masters" It was easy enough, and believable. Technically, it was not a lie. He did know Jake Masters, but they were never good friends in high school. Jake was a few years younger that Patrick, but they hung around in the same social circles. Thinking back to Dave, he said, "I saw him play, and I was like I gotta meet this guy."

Kurt looked to Dave who was looking down. "That's great," That got Dave's attention – he knew Kurt meant that's great that you have a gay friend.

"Yea" Dave started. "Well - I'm drained. I think I'm gonna go home and pass out," not wanting to invite any more questions.

That seemed to be the queue for everyone to leave.

"It was good seeing you again, David." He smiled up at Dave who returned the smile. Patrick thought he could see more behind the looks. These two definitely had a history.

"You too," Dave said before he addressed the group. "Bye guys. Thanks for staying." He turned and reached a hand out to Patrick. "Later, man." Dave tried to sound as casual as he could, and Patrick could tell he was trying to distance himself a bit. He couldn't blame Dave for it; it's not like he had to mention his orientation. To be honest though, he does enjoy the shock factor; most people assume he's straight.

"See ya Dave."

Everyone said goodbye again, but before Patrick left with the group, he discreetly pulled Santana aside.

"Hey, I need a favor." He nearly whispered.

Looking at Brittany, who had stopped when she realized that Santana wasn't still with the group, "I'll catch up."

XxXxX

Santana thought about Dave a lot since seeing him on Friday and meeting Patrick on Monday; he wanted to discuss Dave. Patrick felt that Dave had made a lot of progress in dealing with his sexuality over the last few months. He didn't have to tell her how they met; she knew they didn't meet at a hockey game. It was also obvious that their relationship was more than platonic, but she wasn't sure exactly what it was.

When he told her the situation with Blaine, she knew Dave had transferred schools, but she did not know about the fight with Blaine or about the kiss, or rather either of the kisses. That explains a lot, actually.

She was offended that Blaine threatened to 'out' Dave, that is, until Patrick reminded her that she did the same thing to Dave last year. Sure, she was outed by some slimy politician, but she never had to live with that threat, day in and day out. It was one thing to choose to be in the closet because you have control of when you come out or if you come out, but it's something else entirely when someone threatens that.

As far as Santana was concerned what she did to Dave was for his own good. She was using him, sure, but she also shared her secret with him. Aside from Brittany, he was the only other person she ever told. Besides, Dave wanted to stay in the closet; it's not like she was really trying to get him to do something he didn't want to do. It was more like paying him to do something he was doing anyway.

Blaine, on the other hand, was forcing Dave to keep Blaine's secret. If Blaine wanted to kiss some douche from Dalton, fine – so be it. But don't threaten to 'out' Dave to keep your secret. The way Patrick explained it; Dave was singing karaoke at Scandals and spotted Kurt in the audience, but Kurt left before the song ended. When Dave went to find Kurt he ran into Blaine kissing this guy, Sebastian. It was Sebastian who said that Dave tried to kiss Blaine, but Blaine went along with the lie, and forced Dave to do so as well.

Patrick didn't say, and Santana couldn't figure out, why Dave cared what Kurt thought. Maybe Karofsky likes Kurt? Santana shook the thought off. Why would anyone go after Kurt, when the yumminess that is Patrick is so obviously right there?

XxXxX

Dave was in his room trying to catch up on homework. Actually, he was flying through it pretty fast. He didn't know if it was the new school, or if it was that he was just more…engaged at school, but he was genuinely enjoying homework. His grades were probably better than they had been his entire high school career.

He's just finishing up when his phone buzzes. It's a message from Patrick:

Hey, you busy?

Dave smiled and replied:

Nope. What up?

Dave though this was rather ironic considering he just typed out the last part of an English assignment he'd been working on, and he went from that to 'what up?' like adding an apostrophe and an 's' was incorrect when texting.

Not much. I know it's a school night, but can you meet up later? I got something for you.

Crap. Dave never considered that. It was the week before Christmas and gay or not, Patrick had become more of a friend than he'd had in a long time. He wanted to see Patrick, but he has no idea what to get him. He likes Hockey?… guys?… shit! That's all I got? He gives up and replies:

Yea. But I didn't get u anything though.

Dave changes out of jimjams and into jeans while he's waiting for a reply. Finally it comes.

lol. You kill me. It's not that kind of gift. Meet me at Scandal's at 9.

Not that kind of a gift? What's that supposed to mean? Dave looked at his watch: 8:15p – he had plenty of time.

XxXxX

Scandal's was pretty busy, busier than Dave expected the weekend before Christmas. He got there about fifteen minutes early. To be honest Dave just wanted to see Patrick sooner. After being carded at the front door, we walked over to the bar and found Patrick talking to a guy sitting on the stool next to him.

Instead of interrupting him, Dave just walked past Patrick, so he would cross his line of sight.

"There he is!" Patrick stopped in mid-sentence and got up and gave Dave one of his big bear hugs…Dave loved those. Glancing at his watch, Patrick noted that it was still early. "You're early."

"I know." Dave grinned like a kid on his birthday. "So…uhh… where is it?"

Patrick knew exactly what Dave was asking, but played coy. "Where's what?"

"Oh come on!" Dave was not at all frustrated. He knew it was a game. "You know what."

Patrick just beamed back at Dave. He thought about giving in, but knew that wasn't gonna happen. "You're early… You'll have to wait…" looking at his watch. "Uhh - Thirteen more minutes, to be exact."

He motioned towards the bar, "Have a drink."

Dave could wait. It was just thirteen measly minutes. Besides, why was it time sensitive? Why'd it matter? Dave didn't really care. He just sat on the other side of Patrick and ordered a beer.

About ten minutes and one beer later, Patrick ushered Dave into the karaoke room. Dave noticed that he stage lights were off. Patrick guided him to the front center table. The room lights were also dim.

Dave couldn't tell, but it looked like someone was sitting on a stool on the stage. Where was his gift? Was this his gift? Some guy singing karaoke?

"Patrick – what's the –" Dave began, but Patrick cut him off.

"Shhhhhh." He said to Dave, but then turned towards the Karaoke Jockey and whispered, "now."

The lights were still down as the song started. The voice was smoky, rich and decidedly female.

Made a wrong turn
Once or twice
Dug my way out
Blood and fire
Bad decisions
That's alright
Welcome to my silly life

As the lights come up, Dave can see Santana sitting on a stool singing to him. With the lights up, Dave could see that there were other people in the room.

Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss "no way it's all good"
It didn't slow me down
Mistaken
Always second guessing
Underestimated
Look, I'm still around…

Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like you're less than
Less than perfect
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing
You are perfect to me

You're so mean
When you talk
About yourself
You are wrong
Change the voices
In your head
Make them like you
Instead

So complicated
Look how big you'll make it
Filled with so much hatred
Such a tired game
It's enough
I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons
And see you same

Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like you're less than
Less than perfect
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing
You are perfect to me

Dave's got tears in his eyes. He can't believe the emotion coming out of her. It's like she was singing everything he's been feeling. What's she doing here?

The whole world stares while I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in lying and I tried tried tried
But we try too hard, and it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cuz they're everywhere
They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that?
Why do I do that?
Why do I do that?

Yea…
Ooh, pretty pretty pretty,
Pretty pretty please don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than
Less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing
You are perfect, to me
You're perfect
You're perfect to me
Pretty, pretty please if you ever ever feel
like you're nothing,
You are perfect to me

Dave doesn't wait for Santana to exit the stage. He bounds up on stage and wraps his arms around her so tight and lifts her off the ground into a slow spin; it's like he's been waiting to do that his whole life.

She can't contain her emotions either. She smiles wide with tears now in her eyes. The crowd behind Dave becomes white noise to them and they share this moment.

Dave was naturally emotional and still reeling from her performance but wanted details.

"How-" was all he could get out. He was now wiping the tears from his eyes.

Santana took the opportunity to motion to Patrick. "I heard you needed a friend." Dave looked down to Patrick and back to Santana, his face was still red from the emotions, but his eyebrows were raised in bewilderment. "Oh, don't look so surprised," she said putting her hands on his shoulders. "I can be nice," she grins. "And besides…I kinda owe ya."

Dave was actually more confused. "Owe me? For what?"

She took Dave's hand and walked off the stage, using the stairs. "For starters. Prom." He just stared at her like trying to see how that was her fault. "And for the whole 'beard' thing," using air quotes for that last part.

"I – I don't understand." Dave said as they eased down to the chairs next to Patrick, who was listening. "What do you mean?"

"I guess, after thinking about it," she said as she nods towards Patrick, who was sitting next to Dave. "…that someone should have made sure you were okay after you left Prom," she sighed and continues, "…me…that I should have made sure you were okay." She could see Dave tearing up again. "I mean…it was my idea that put you in that situation, and I just left you hanging…"

"Oh for God's sake," she stopped and handed Dave a napkin from the table. "Here. I didn't realize you were such a girl," teased.

"Shut up," Dave said bringing the napkin to dab his eyes and wipe his nose. "You'd be crying too if someone sang that song to you."

"Actually…I did," she said. "Kurt and Blaine sang it to me, you know, after I was shoved out of the closet, and I cried like a 9-year-old girl who just found out that David Archuleta's gay." She sniffed, thinking about it. "It was not pretty."

Dave chuckled "I bet it wasn't" He sniffed once more. "Talking about Blaine…"

"No need. I took care of it." Santana motions to Patrick after Dave shows more confusion. "We're friends…and friends don't let friends get outed."

"Santana-" Dave began.

"I know – I know. But I see now how blackmailing you was just mean, and like you, I don't want to be that person anymore" She smiled tightly. "I hope you'll forgive me."

"I know you meant to help me – that you thought it was a good solution." Dave slid his hand across the table to hers. "But we both know that it wasn't the way out; if anything, it made it worse."

Santana was starting to tear up again, so Patrick added, "But – hey, at least it got Kurt back? And Dave, you were able to apologize to him, right?"

Dave nodded, but then remembered something Santana said earlier. "Wait – What do you mean you 'took care of' Blaine?"

Santana glanced at Patrick, and he nodded. "He only told me because he was worried about you."

Dave felt relieved and betrayed at the same time, but he concentrated on being relieved. After all, Santana was reaching out, and let's face it – Dave needed a friend.

XxXxX

Earlier that day.

Santana arrived at school in full Bully Whip uniform. She got looks, but didn't care. This wasn't about Prom any more – it was about right and wrong and protecting the innocent. Okay, Dave Karofsky wasn't exactly innocent, but he was still being bullied – by Blaine no less.

After granting the Bully Whips permission to patrol the hallways last year, Figgins never officially said they couldn't do it again this year if the need arose, so Santana took it upon herself.

On her way to lunch, Santana turned the corner and spotted Blaine at his locker.

"Hey," she said, getting Blaine's attention. "Stop bullying people."

Blaine immediately turned to look at the people behind him – she couldn't be talking about him. The only other 'out' guy at McKinley. But Santana didn't keep going; she stopped right in front of him.

"A-are you talking to me?" he asked – she was a little scary, even in that pink beret and jacket.

"Yes, Anderson – I'm talking to you."

He starts to smile, "I think you're confused…"

"No," she interrupts, "I think you're confused." He just stares at her blankly. "Follow me."

He doesn't move for a second. He really was confused. He and Sam shoved each other a few weeks ago, but that was mutual – no bullying.

She leads him to the nearby choir room. They sit side-by-side in two of the chairs.

"What are we doing here?" he asked.

"I figured you'd want privacy." Her face softens a bit. "Listen, I know you probably didn't mean to bully-"

"I didn't bully anybody!" he raises his voice, getting frustrated.

"Dave." Is all she says.

"Dave?" he doesn't know anybody named… oh wait… "Karofsky?"

"You shouldn't have done that." she whispers the next part, "you should know that threatening to 'out' somebody is just as bad as any other kind of bullying."

"Wha-" he begins. "He doesn't even go to this school."

"Right? And why do you think that is?"

"I don't know." He knew what he did wasn't nice, but seriously, Karofsky had it coming, didn't he?

"Maybe he didn't want people to find out he was gay." Santana reaches a hand out. "Maybe he transferred schools to avoid all the people who already knew – the ones that could tell his secret." He stared at her as she brought it full circle. "…And you know what it's like to transfer schools to avoid a bully."

Yes, of course. But that was different because he was threatened with violence and didn't feel safe at his old school before transferring to Dalton. No one was threatening Karofsky, right? Blaine never threatened Karofsky. Well he made a comment about his new school, but that wasn't meant to be… Wait. He transferred because of me?

Santana could tell that it had sunk in. Blaine realized that he, the victim, had become the bully. He looked remorsefully at her.

"I guess I thought that since it was Karofsky that it couldn't be bullying," he said, his eyes were red, but he wasn't crying. "I m-mean how do you bully a bully?"

"I kinda figured you didn't know." She smiled back at him. "That's why I wore this for effect." She motioned to her outfit. "Well, that and I can so pull this off."

"You know, I always thought Karofsky transferred schools because he was afraid of being found out by the jocks – it never occurred to me that he already was found out, by me."

"Me too, actually." That surprised Blaine.

"What?"

"Yea. Us going to Junior Prom…the Bully Whips…apologizing to Kurt? All because I threatened to 'out' him." Santana sounded more proud than she meant to.

"How did you find out?"

"Caught him oogling Sam's ass." She smirked.

"Well… That'd do it." That made them both smile.

"So did Dave tell you what he saw…at Scandals?" Blaine asked.

"Actually, Dave's friend Patrick is the one who told me. He was worried about Dave asked me to… just be a friend."

"Patrick? Somebody from his school?"

"Kinda. Friend of the hockey coach. Maybe in his thirties, but smoking hot – gay too."

That got Blaine's attention. "You think he and Dave…"

"Maybe. I dunno. If I were Dave, I'd be tappin' that – I know that much."

That made Blaine smile, but then Blaine thought of Kurt. "So – did he tell you about-"

"You kissing that Dalton Poser? Yea." She said quickly. "How could you do that to Kurt?"

Blaine didn't have an answer. Not one he liked, anyway. He just looked at her and gave a sad smile. "I have some thinking to do."

As they both stand, they give each other a hug. Santana pulls away first and looks at Blaine. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yea. I will be." He sniffs. "You might wanna check back later though."

They both left the choir room. Lunch was over; Blaine didn't feel like eating anyway. He just wanted to get to his next class and get this day over with. When he arrives at his locker, Kurt is waiting for him.

"Hey. I didn't see you at lunch."

"We need to talk."

"Now?"

"After school."

After school, Blaine was not looking forward to his talk with Kurt. How could he be? Even if Kurt forgave him, Blaine knew everything would be different now.

The question remains, why did he allow it? He knew Sebastian was dying to kiss him, and yet he put himself in that situation. He couldn't really blame Sebastian, well, he could, but it wouldn't be fair. When the kiss happened, before Dave pulled him out of it – it was glorious. It wasn't sweet, like Kurt, but passionate and wanting. Blaine couldn't help but revel in its beauty, if only for a few seconds.

He could say he was drunk, but that wasn't fair either. He wasn't too drunk to sucker punch that Neanderthal, Karofsky. To be honest, he enjoyed that first punch. It made him feel more alive, somehow. Not because it was Karofsky specifically, but it was what he represented.

Blaine never got to fight his bullies. Nope. He just transferred schools like a coward. That's when he joined the Dalton Academy Fight Club. Karofsky wasn't Blaine's bully, but he was a bully. It wasn't even that he wanted to fight Karofsky, but some hidden, suppressed resentment just came to the surface and took over.

Blaine waited next to Kurt's locker; he wanted to get this over with – rip it off like a Band-Aid.

Blaine had his hand spread across his forehead, deep in thought about what he was going to say and how he was going to begin, when Kurt spoke.

"Hey."

"Oh – Hey, Kurt."

"Wow – this must be important," Kurt teased, "you normally get out later."

"Yea. It is," was all he could muster.

"So… What is it?"

"Not here." Blaine tried to push out a smile, "how about I meet you at your house?" It wasn't his original plan, but he couldn't do it here.

XxXxX

tbc

Song is P!nk – Perfect

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