[A/N] So I appear to be getting pretty positive feedback for this story and in all honesty, this isn't really planned. I have ideas for it, but with this story I seem to be just going with the flow. I hope you're liking this story and remember that reviews are the air which I use to respire, and without those how do I create carbon dioxide for plants? Think about it! ;) Enjoy!
The subject of sexuality was dropped until February. Kurt was glad to not have to think about the subject. He and Blaine were extremely close now; they were practically joined at the hip. There was no way he was losing Blaine. It would be too hard to go back to 'the norm' now that he'd experienced what having a best friend would be like.
Then came February. It was a good half way through their freshman year and so far they'd managed to avoid any major disasters. Sure, they were both thrown into dumpsters, shoved into lockers and doused with slushies every day, but there was nothing that an ice pack and some strong stain remover couldn't fix.
But February meant Valentine's Day, and Valentine's Day meant the freshman Valentine's dance was approaching and every one was going. Kurt wasn't sure what would be more humiliating, showing up without a date or not showing up at all. But those were his only two options.
"Have you got a date to the dance?" Kurt asked Blaine a couple of weeks before Valentine's Day. Blaine just shook his head, his eyes not moving from his homework. "Are you going to ask anyone?"
"I don't think anyone would really want to go with me," Blaine muttered.
"Why not?" questioned Kurt.
"I thought we'd been over this," Blaine said, finally looking up. "I'm bottom of the social heap. I dress like a freak and I like musicals and reading. Girls don't dig that."
"Well, I heard Stacy Laurence from the AV club saying you were cute in biology this morning," Kurt informed him.
Blaine blinked at him before asking, "Really?"
"Yeah, she sits in front of me and she only quietened down when her friend realised I'm friends with you and could hear them," Kurt explained. "You should ask her."
"Who are you going to ask?" Blaine queried.
"I'm not sure I'm even going," confessed Kurt. "I've thought about it and I think showing up alone might be worse than not showing up at all."
"I'm sure someone would go with you," Blaine insisted. "You're good looking, smart, fashionable-" Blaine cut himself off with an embarrassed cough and his eyes settled on his homework again. "I'm sure you'd be able to find someone."
"Well, I'd rather not ask anyone and not have to face the humiliation of rejection," Kurt replied. "Anyway, there's no one I really want to ask."
"Why don't we go together?" Blaine suggested.
Kurt immediately froze, his heart beating twice as fast. If he were being honest with himself, he'd been dreaming of Blaine asking him that since he'd heard about the stupid school dance. He'd thought about going with Blaine; wearing matching boutonnieres and slow dancing. But he knew that wasn't going to happen. No, it couldn't happen. Because Blaine was straight and they would both be murdered if they dared show up together.
"What?" Kurt snapped, his voice sounding a little harsher than expected.
"Why don't we go together? Like as friends. Friends can go together, right?" Blaine clarified.
"Yeah, groups of friends. Or a boy and a girl friend. Not two guys together. Do you know what they'd do if we went together? They would kill us. They would do far worse than dumpster tosses! And not only that, but think of the rumours that would develop. That we're boyfriends or something like that." Kurt's heart sped up even more at the word boyfriends, something he was sure he would never have the chance to actually have.
"Who cares?" Blaine sighed. "What are they going to do? They already make our lives a misery and they don't know who we are. So if they insist on being so cruel why can't we have a little fun? Who cares about rumours? They already call us every name under the sun so why should we worry about them adding a few more?"
"It would be easier if you went with Stacy," Kurt mumbled.
"But I don't know Stacy. How am I meant to have a good time with someone I don't even know? If it makes you uncomfortable, we don't have to do this, but I just thought it would be nice to go with a friend," Blaine argued.
"Okay," sighed Kurt.
"Okay?" questioned Blaine.
"We can go together. As friends. If that's not going to creep you out," Kurt clarified.
"It's not going to creep me out," Blaine insisted. "If I can't go to a dance with my best friend, then who can I go with?"
"If you were sane you'd go with anyone else. Now enough about this dance. We're watching RENT tonight," Kurt declared.
After that time seemed to go faster and before they knew it, it was the night of the dance. Kurt got ready in his tailored suit, styled his hair in a complicated quiff and moisturised one last time before running down the stairs and into the living room.
"You ready?" Burt asked.
"As ready as I can be," Kurt said with a smile. The made their way out to the car and Kurt climbed into the back seat, meaning he'd be able to sit next to Blaine.
"So did you two decide against taking dates then?" Burt questioned.
"There's no one we really wanted to ask," Kurt lied. Well, it wasn't really a lie; he hadn't wanted to ask any of the girls.
"Well, it's nice that you're still going and that you have a friend to go with," Burt said, shooting his son a smile through the rear view mirror. The rest of the ride was pretty silent, apart from the greetings when they picked up Blaine and Burt asking if he'd be over the next Tuesday night so that they could watch the football together.
When they arrived, the dance was already in full swing and they could hear music blaring from the gym. "I'll be here to pick you up at 9, but if you want to come home earlier, just give me a call," Burt reminded them.
"Got it, dad," Kurt called before climbing out of the car and meeting Blaine on the other side. "Ready?"
"Ready," Blaine confirmed and they walked into the dance together.
The dance wasn't that bad. No one really noticed them among the crowd of students. They spent the first half an hour sat down, chatting over a plate of food and glasses of punch. It was difficult to hear one another, but neither wanted to draw attention to themselves. After that, they decided that they were going to dance. After all, it was a dance, and what point would there be in going if they didn't actually dance.
So Kurt dragged Blaine out of his seat and onto the dance floor and they danced together. Not together but side by side, and it was fun. They both enjoyed themselves. The next hour followed as such, with breaks for drinks when a song they didn't like came on. But then the music slowed and the DJ suggested everyone grab their 'special someone' for a slow dance. Blaine and Kurt looked at one another with wide eyes before shuffling off of the dance floor.
"Did you want to go now?" asked Blaine. "I mean, this is probably all they're going to do for the rest of the night."
"Sure," Kurt said, smiling at his best friend. They made their way out of the gym and to the parking lot where Kurt rang his dad to ask him to get them early. While they waited, they say on the curb, chatting.
Neither of them noticed a group of jocks exit the gym, nudging one another as they pointed in the direction of the two boys. Neither of them noticed the quickly formulated plan between the guys. Neither of them noticed as the boys came up from behind. Not until it was too late.
They both felt their air become restricted as they were yanked up by the collars of their shirts and pulled back against the wall of the gym. They both coughed as they were released and shoved back roughly.
"Well, what do we have here, boys?" one of the jocks snarled. "Looks like a couple of fairies running away from the dance."
"Couldn't you keep your gay at home?" another asked.
"Yeah, no one wants to see you fags feeling each other up," another added.
"We only came as friends," Blaine muttered, his eyes not leaving the pavement in front of him.
"I've had enough of you fags shoving your disgusting lives in our faces. I think we should teach 'em a lesson, don't you guys?" There were a few harsh laughs from around them, and some nods of agreement, before the group closed in on them completely.
With that, Kurt closed his eyes and waited for the pain to begin.
