When Kurt has said that the rumors were going to make things worse for Blaine, he didn't know just how bad things could be. He had already had his head shoved in a toilet, been slushied multiple times, and dumped in a trash dumpster on more than one occasion. What more could Puck and the rest of them possibly do?
As Blaine was walking to his first period class after talking with Kurt, he was suddenly slammed into a locker. He fell to the floor, grasping his shoulder in pain and looked up to see who did that to him.
"That's for spreading the gay, faggot! Next time, keep it in your pants!" Azimio laughed and high fived Puck as the threesome walked away from him. He stood up, trying to control the tears that were threatening to fall down his cheeks. Not only did his shoulder hurt really bad, but he felt so humiliated. Getting physically violent was so much different than getting dumped in a dumpster. With the latter, at least he could change his clothes. With the former… He had a feeling that the bruises would be hanging around for a long time.
After deciding to just skip first period because he was already so late, he went into the bathroom, pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, and looked at his shoulder. There was already a faint outline of dark purple and when Blaine touched it, it burned. Pushing the sleeve back down, he left the bathroom and made his way to Kurt's first period class to wait.
When the bell for the end of first period rang, Kurt stood up and exited his classroom swiftly, eager to avoid the whispers and stares he had witnessed upon entering.
"Hey, Kurt." Kurt jumped, running into someone. That someone grabbed him by his arms and steadied him. Kurt looked up.
"Hey, Blaine. What are you doing out here?" Blaine shrugged and then winced. "Blaine, whats wrong?" Kurt took him by the arm and dragged him to the side of the hallway. He promptly let go when Blaine cried out in pain. "Blaine!"
"I didn't think it could get any worse." Blaine whispered softly, bringing one hand up to rest on his other shoulder. "I didn't know they would get physically violent." His voice cracked as a trail of tears started making their way down his face.
"What did they do?" Kurt frowned, looking worried.
"Azimio slammed me into a locker and I just happened to hit it at a bad angle." Kurt raised his hand to touch Blaine's shoulder, but stopped and hovered a few inches above; he didn't know how badly the jocks had hurt him.
"How bad is it?"
"It's already bruising pretty badly." Kurt's mouth fell slightly agape. He knew this would happen. He wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes had told the whole school by now. It was all his fault; people were going to think they were boyfriends and would only make things for the two of them so much harder. Maybe coming out to Mercedes was a bad idea. Blaine was going to get a lot of crap for it and he didn't even know why, but Kurt wasn't ready to come out to Blaine, yet, if he didn't have to.
"How good are your grades?" Kurt had an idea. Blaine eyebrows furrowed at the sudden change of subject.
"Uhh, As and Bs, why?"
"Why don't we get out of here?" Kurt smiled an impish grin.
"You mean like skip school?"
"Why not? Your grades can handle it, and at most, we'll get a detention. Not a big deal. So let's get away from the bullying for the day. We can go back to my house; my dad is working. Besides, staying here in this state, together, would probably only bring more bullying our way." Blaine sighed and nodded.
"I guess you're right," he sighed before following Kurt out to the parking lot after checking to make sure no teachers were around.
Once they had made it to Kurt's house, Kurt motioned to the stack of DVDs for Blaine to find a movie for them to watch while he went to the kitchen and made up an ice pack for Blaine's shoulder.
Blaine shuffled through the stack of DVDs, Kurt really did have a great collection of classic films, but the Disney films in particular caught his eye. It wasn't easy, but he finally decided on Pinocchio, and popped it in the DVD player as Kurt came walking back to the room. Kurt set the ice pack against Blaine's bruised shoulder.
"Ahh! Kurt!" Blaine winced away at the cold feeling to his skin, "What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?"
"It'll help keep the swelling and bruising down. Just keep the ice on there for a bit." Kurt glanced at the TV, "Really, Blaine? You picked Pinocchio? What are we, five years old?"
"What?" Blaine pouted, looking utterly pathetic clutching the ice to his shoulder, "I've had a rough day and Disney films always cheer me up!" Kurt rolled his eyes.
"Do you want any snacks? I can make some popcorn, or my dad bought this delicious chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, it's to die for!"
"Ooh! That ice cream sounds good, Kurt!" Blaine commented, licking his lips. Kurt laughed.
"Alright! Ice cream it is! I'll be right back." As Kurt was scooping ice cream, Blaine settled into the couch, trying to find a way to hold the ice pack in place without actually holding it. Kurt came back, balancing two huge bowls if ice cream. Blaine's eyes lit up when he saw the heaping scoops of ice cream. It looked really good right about now after a rough morning at school. Kurt handed Blaine a bowl of ice cream and sat himself down next to him as he pressed play on the DVD. "So what'cha think?" Kurt choked out through a mouth full of ice cream.
"Mmm! It's really good, Kurt! I approve of your dad's choice in frozen desserts!" Kurt laughed.
"I'll tell him his taste is Blaine Anderson approved!"
"I am quite the picky eater! My mother once made me sit at the dinner table until bedtime because I wouldn't eat my vegetables." Blaine chuckled. Kurt coughed as he swallowed the mouth full of ice cream he was eating wrong.
"Hmm, guess it's true what they say about eating your vegetables." He joked.
"Hey! That wasn't nice, Kurt!" Blaine feigned hurt.
Just then, Kurt heard his cell phone go off, it was a text from his dad, I'll be home early. I'm bringing dinner, so don't eat after school.
Crap! His dad was going to be home early, and they were skipping school.
Jumping up from the couch, narrowly avoiding dumping his ice cream on the floor. He hit the power button on the DVD player and turned the TV off. "My dad's coming home early! We have to figure something out, oh shit…" He paced the living room before jumping. "I've got it!" He took his bowl of ice cream in hand and motioned Blaine up from the couch. "C'mon! You've gotta play like your shoulder hurts a lot more than it does. I'll tell my dad that you were being picked on at school and you think you might have broken your shoulder, so we came back here so you wouldn't hurt it anymore that it already is." Blaine raised an eyebrow.
"Why do we have to make it look worse? Isn't the fact that I got slammed into a locker and a bruise the size of a football is currently forming on my shoulder bad enough?" Kurt blushed.
"Okay, you've got a point. My dad's a really good guy, I'll just tell him the truth." He grabbed Blaine's free hand and led him downstairs. "However, until he does get home, let's just hang out down in my room. I don't think him finding us watching Disney movies and eating ice cream is going to make him feel bad for you." Blaine tried to make his rapidly burning face cool down, but it was no use. Kurt's touch just did things to him that he couldn't control. When they reached the basement, he looked around in wonder.
"You live down here…?" He trailed off, gaping at the amazing décor of the room. "I feel like I could stay here forever and it would be the most peaceful place in the world." Kurt nodded.
"Yeah, that was the basic idea." He flopped onto his bed and turned the TV and DVD player on with the remote. "Here, you can sit too." He patted the open space next to him on the bed. Blaine toed his shoes off and made his way to Kurt's bed.
Once the two boys were sitting comfortably on the bed, Kurt took stock of the situation. He had just admitted to himself he was gay, had a sex dream about Blaine, come out to Mercedes, and now he had the object of said sex dream sitting on his bed, eating ice cream. His eyes glazed over a bit as he looked at Blaine and a little ice cream dribbled down Blaine's chin. Kurt wished he could just lean over there and wipe it off, preferably with his tongue. He had unconsciously leaned closer to Blaine and a few seconds later, Blaine turned around to face Kurt, ice cream still slowly dripping. Kurt jerked back forcefully.
"What's wrong, Kurt?" Kurt blushed.
"Nothing. But you have some ice cream... uh, on your face."
"Oh." He then stuck his tongue out, trying to get it. Kurt's mouth dropped open and he tried not to stare. Finally, Blaine managed to get the ice cream and looked back at Kurt, eyes shining. "Better now?" Blaine asked.
"Yeah," Kurt nodded, unable to come up with anything else. Kurt turned to the movie that was already playing. It seemed he had missed the first half already staring at Blaine. The boys watched the rest of the movie in silence then sat awkwardly when it ended.
"What time is your dad getting home, Kurt?" Blaine asked. Kurt frowned and looked at his clock.
"Pretty soon I guess," Kurt shrugged. Blaine nodded when something caught his eye. He got up from the bed and grabbed a book sitting on Kurt's desk.
"Is this Patti Lupone's new book? I love this book!" Kurt nodded excitedly.
"It's absolutely fabulous!" He then paused, realizing what he had just said. That was a little flamboyant, wasn't it? Blaine didn't seem to notice.
"Don't find many books like these in straight guy's rooms," Blaine noted with a chuckle. Kurt froze for a moment and thought. This could be his chance to come out to Blaine. He could tell him everything. And maybe they find a lot in common and Blaine would realize his love for Kurt and they would be together forever. He was about to respond to Blaine and come out to him, but at the last moment he chickened out.
"Oh, yeah. It's Mercedes'," Kurt said. Blaine winced.
"Oh. I'm so sorry Kurt."
"What for?" Kurt looked confused.
"Uh, because you broke up? I'm sure you don't want to talk about her right now," Blaine answered. Kurt's eyes widened. He completely forgot about that for a while. When he was with Blaine, everything else disappeared. He was about to respond when he heard Burt from upstairs.
"Kurt? That you? Your car is here. Did you skip classes?" Kurt tried not to panic. He decided it would be better to explain the situation to Burt upstairs than to have him come down and see the two boys together on his bed. It would definitely be much, much better.
"I'll be right back," he told Blaine before rolling off and heading up the stairs.
"Kurt?" his dad addressed him in the kitchen.
"Yeah, dad. I skipped school today," he admitted honestly. Burt thought for a moment.
"Well, I guess I should be mad, but I definitely did my fair share of ditching school when I was your age. Any particular reason?"
"Yeah..." Kurt trailed off. Burt lifted an eyebrow. "Remember Blaine from the other day?" Burt was starting to get a bit skeptical.
"Yeah, what about him?" Kurt nervously continued.
"Well, he has been getting bullied pretty badly, and today he was shoved into a locker and hurt his shoulder, so I told him he could come back here," Kurt ended quickly. Burt looked slightly taken aback.
"Don't you think asking me might have been a good idea?" Kurt sighed.
"Yeah, probably. I didn't think of it. I gave him ice for his shoulder and we just ate a little and put on a movie."
"Is that all?"
"Of course that's all! What else would we be doing?" Kurt feigned innocence, his voice a bit higher than normal. Burt was still a bit suspicious, but believed his son all the same.
"Alright. Let me know if he decides to stay for dinner," he grumbled before walking off. Kurt let out a deep breath in relief before practically skipping down the stairs back to his room.
"So, how'd it go?" Blaine asked nervously. Kurt smiled.
"It went fine. He wasn't mad or anything, I probably should have told him ahead of time, but I think it went okay all things considered." Blaine looked up at Kurt, confused.
"He wasn't mad that you skipped school and brought a friend over to the house without him knowing while he was at work?"
"No, I think he understood why we left. It wasn't a safe environment to be in."
"Oh…" Blaine looked shocked.
"He's just a concerned parent. Anyone would want their kid to be safe, first and foremost. I'm sure your parents would feel the same way if they knew." Blaine's face turned from shock to terror, he forgot about his parents. He'd be good as grounded for life if his parents ever found out he had skipped school. There was no way he could tell his parents what happened today.
"Eh, I guess so." Blaine shrugged. Burt's voice came booming from upstairs.
"Kurt! Dinner's getting cold! Blaine can stay, but make sure his parents know where he is!"
"So, you want to stay, Blaine? It's Chinese night!" Kurt asked, with a little too much enthusiasm in his voice.
"Uh sure. Let me just call my parents real quick."
"Okay, I'll be in the kitchen, it's right off the hall from the staircase." Blaine dialed his house number on the phone.
"Hey, Mom. Is it okay if I go over a friend's house after school? Yeah, I think we're just going to study, and hi—her dad said I could stay for dinner. Thanks. Yeah, I promise, best manners as always." Blaine made his way up to the kitchen, sitting himself down next to Kurt at the table and thanking Burt for allowing him to stay for dinner.
They started eating and Blaine picked at his food casually. He did like Chinese food; they didn't get it that often at home. Usually, they had whatever his mom made. Kurt and Burt ate and Burt occasionally glanced at Blaine. After an awkward couple of minutes, Burt cleared his throat.
"So uh, Blaine was it? What happened today?" Kurt winced a little.
"Dad!" Blaine shook his head.
"No, uh, . It's fair that you know why I am in your house right now. I was, uh bullied at school, got slammed pretty hard into a locker." Burt looked at Blaine closely for a minute.
"Why were they bullying you?" Kurt tried to stop him again.
"Dad!" Blaine just gave a mini shrug, and hoped he wouldn't be kicked out of the house. "Uh, well, it's because I'm gay," Blaine said. Burt just stared at Blaine and glanced to Kurt for a moment which made Kurt look away. His dad couldn't know about him. There was no way. He wasn't even out yet. Burt took a minute to respond, while Blaine sat there nervous. Finally, Burt spoke.
"Well okay then. That's no reason for them to bully you. Maybe I should have a talk with the principal. Better yet, your parents. What are they doing about all this?" Blaine flinched.
"Uh, it's being taken care of."
"By whom?" Kurt questioned, sounding suspicious. Blaine just grimaced.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"You most definitely aren't fine, Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed.
"I really don't see why you are standing up for me anyway Kurt." Blaine sounded irritated. Kurt knew this could be another moment. He could come out to Blaine and his dad at once. Blaine wouldn't judge him and his dad didn't seem to have an issue for Blaine. But Kurt couldn't get the words out.
He just mumbled, "It's the right thing to do." Burt and Blaine both looked a little disappointed. Burt looked as if he thought Kurt was going to say something else and Blaine just looked like he wanted Kurt to back him more.
Avoiding both sets of eyes, Kurt picked up his near empty plate from the table and walked it to the sink in the kitchen. When he got there, he rested his hands on the counted and hung his head. A large part of him just wanted to come out, to tell his dad and tell Blaine the truth. It would make his life so much easier not living a lie.
No, he shook his head; it wouldn't make his life any easier. In fact, coming out would make his life so much more hard than it already was. He thought about Blaine's bruised shoulder and knew that, if he came out right after the gay new kid had transferred to the school, Blaine would bear the brunt of the bullying. Kurt, on the other hand, would just get slushied and have to deal with stupid nicknames. Swirlies and name calling was something he could handle; physical violence was not. He heaved a sigh and went back out into the dining room. "Dad, I'm gonna take Blaine home. He's had a long day and I know that we both probably have a lot of homework to get done before tomorrow." Burt nodded.
"Okay, kid. Drive safe and don't be stupid." Kurt gave his dad a small smile.
"I won't be stupid, dad, but thanks for reminding me."
A/N: This is tazitz Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, we love reading them and they inspire us to write even more! Just so you know, this chapter was NOT plotted out AT ALL! Instead… One of us wrote a part, posted it, and then the next person did with it what they wanted to. Thank god we all tend to think alike (EXCEPT FOR LICKING STUFF OFF OF PEOPLE AIDAN AND KATY AND BLAIR!) or else this thing would have ended up so badly.
Oh, and Ashleigh is officially a cockblock. Yes, I, Ashleigh, am a cockblock, but I am okay with it because it keeps the story from getting too STICKY! (Get it, guys? Sticky? Like caramel and chocolate… Fuck you guys :p)
Leave your reviews and comments and love and we will be back tomorrow night!
