Gripping his keys and the small suitcase he had packed with the few clothes that still fit him and his various lotions and products, he unlocked the door to Rachel and Quinn's apartment. Quinn had been calling him daily after he had told her about his 'issue' so he was sure they'd be fine with him crashing until he could get his own apartment.
"Guys, anyone home?" a loud thump greeted him as Rachel Berry poked her head around the corner, her hair a wild mess and what Kurt could see of her skin bare.
"Kurt, we weren't . . . expecting you," Rachel panted out, her eyes piercing holes through his skull.
"I- if this is a bad time I can leave and. . ." Kurt trailed off; he supposed he could always hang at a hotel for a few days. It wasn't ideal but it was better than nothing.
"No it's fine Kurt," Quinn came around the corner, flattening out a wrinkled dress on her body as her hair swayed wildly around.
"Seriously," Rachel whined, "I have to be back at the theatre in an hour to get ready for the night show. We don't get any time together anymore and-"
Quinn cut her off by pushing her back towards the bedroom; Kurt pretended he didn't hear the muttered curses detailing his demise.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, I was hoping it would be alright if I stayed a few days until I found a decent apartment?" he asked hesitantly.
"Of course Kurt, its fine," Quinn soothed grabbing his bag and placing it on the floor beside the couch.
"I'm starting to show, Blaine was able to tell, it's only going to get bigger and I- I just can't," Kurt was starting to choke up.
"Hey, hey, calm down," Quinn rubbed his arms as he started to cry, god that was all he seemed to be doing these days. After a little while Quinn gathered the courage to speak up. "Kurt, I think we need to have a serious talk with what your plan is here."
"My plan?"
" . . you do have a plan right?"
"Yes, I mean, it's not concrete but I have a rough idea."
"Can I ask what it is?"
"I well, I'm going to move away from Sebastian and Blaine, they're happy and I don't want to burden them with this, have them feeling like it's their responsibility."
"But it is," Rachel interrupted; coming back thankfully dressed this time. "Kurt, they're just as responsible for this baby as you."
"But I'm the pregnant one."
"So?" Rachel frowned, "It's their baby too."
"It's not THEIR baby, it's father is only one of them."
"Well which one?"
"How the fuck should I know."
"It's not rocket science Kurt, which one did you let fuck you."
Kurt blushed.
An awkward silence filled the apartment before Rachel cracked a smile, which grew into a wide grin, before long she was rolling on the floor, laughing so hard her whole body was moving with it.
"Oh grow up," Kurt hissed at her.
"Raising a baby is a lot of hard work Kurt, what about your job. You've really only just started working there; do they even offer paternity leave?"
"Yes, I checked, but I don't want to go onto it until I absolutely have too."
"Ok, besides that, how are you going to afford all the things a baby needs? You don't get paid that much, and a baby needs help 24/7. Do you know how to look after one, do you know how to wrap it, how to prepare bottles for it, how to change its diaper?"
"I could always take a class," Kurt murmured, realising just how unprepared he was for the big picture. He'd been so occupied with hiding it from Sebastian and Blaine and making sure no one who was necessary find out about the baby he hadn't put much thought into how he was going to raise it.
"Have you considered adoption or abortion," Rachel spoke quickly, unsure how Kurt would react
to hearing those words.
"What, I- NO! Oh god No, I- I can't just take the babies life," he spat out.
"Kurt you won't be able to raise it properly," Quinn interrupted.
"Why are you doubting me? I'm not an idiot, I won't just go into this blind, there are some classes I could take, books I could read, and internet I could search."
"Why are you putting yourself through all of that, when it would be much simpler to just tell Sebastian and Blaine and figure things out together?"
"Stay out of it Rachel," he hissed at her, his defences going right up.
"You already brought me into this!" she yelled back.
"OK ENOUGH!" Quinn yelled over their bickering, "Kurt close your eyes."
"Do it!" He shut his eyes, "now picture this, it's two in the morning and the baby is crying again, you haven't slept properly in a month. The baby's constant cries like a diligent alarm every two hours, wanting something different. You can't wear your fashionable clothing anymore because of the mess of baby spittle, vomit, and poop, your hair is a mess and the bags under your eyes are huge, you can't afford all your creams because every cent your earning is going into keeping you and the baby fed, clothed and sheltered. And it's only going to get harder from that point on with the baby growing and its needs changing,"
"Stop," Kurt whimpered, tears pouring down his face again. He stumbled over to the couch, gripping the arm tightly as he sat down.
"I can't- I can't raise a baby, not on my own. Oh god what am I going to do? I- I don't want to end its life, it's not its fault their father's a fucking idiot."
He buried himself into Quinn's chest when she wrapped her arms around him. He couldn't stop babbling, he wasn't even sure what he was saying, but Quinn's arms were tightening around him.
"Adoption. Someone else could do a much better job. You two want a baby, don't you? I'm having one and you'd be great mothers. Everyone wins."
He was vaguely aware of Quinn shaking around him, tears falling into his hair.
"How long have you two been trying now?"
Quinn yanked herself away from Kurt, anger flooding through her system as she continued to shake.
"Quinn what-"
Before she could stop herself she grabbed the glass that was resting on the kitchen counter top and hurled it at Kurt's general direction. It missed him and smashed against the wall.
Kurt's eyes widened as Quinn started screaming at him. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN KURT?! JUST BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MANAGED TO CONCEIVE JUST MEANS WE WANT ANY BASTARD CHILD THAT IS TOSSED OUR WAY? IT'S A LITTLE HARD FOR US, SEE WE'RE IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP AND TWO GIRLS CAN'T MAKE A BABY TOGETHER WITHOUT EXTERNAL HELP, WHICH CAN BE EXPENSIVE IF YOU WANT QUALITY, IT'S THAT SIMPLE! YOU DON'T! UNDERSTAND!"
Near the end of her screaming rant Quinn started to choke on the sobs that escaped her throat, sinking down onto the floor she continued to breath heavily.
Rachel hurried over and wrapped Quinn in her arms.
"I think you should leave now, Kurt."
Without a word Kurt moved to the door.
"Take your stuff."
"Right," he let out in a whisper, shutting the door softly behind him.
He was going to find a hotel, there were plenty around him and all he had to do was walk into a random one and ask for a room for the next few days, easy as pie, he had his wallet on him and everything so it's not like money was an issue.
Yet here he stood, leaning against the wall of his favourite coffee shop, soaking in the last rays of sunlight and just breathing in the scent that has kept him running for so many years, he could almost taste the rich, bitter flavour in his mouth. It was oddly quiet, then again this was one of the less inhabited parts of the city, and most people were home from a hard day of work.
Two hands slamming on either side of the brick wall he was leaning against startled him out of his caffeine deprived dream.
"Hey beautiful, haven't seen you hear before." The stranger's rancid breath fanned over his face, making his nose cringe. With his ragged appearance he couldn't tell if the man was actually homeless or just a hipster.
"Excuse me," Kurt tried to move back, thwarted by his bag beneath his feet and only serving to pressing him further against the brick wall.
"What's the matter gorgeous," one of the man's hands came up to cup at his face, "tryin' to leave me here alone and cold."
"Don't tou-" Kurt was cut off by the man running the hand cupping his face down his neck, along the fabric of his coat and then up inside the material, his dirty hands touching the bare skin of his stomach.
"Stop!" Kurt yelled, pushing the man's hand away and curling his arms around his waist protectively.
"Why so sensitive, sweetheart?" The man chuckled. "So protective of your stomach, what are you pregnant or something."
"Yes actually, so leave me alone," Kurt spat at him, pressing his hands forward to push the man away.
He met nothing but air as the man lurched himself away.
"You, you're a carrier," the man spluttered his face twisting into a mask of disgust, "that's sick."
"Men shouldn't have babies, it's a curse set up those who should be made to die in the most gruesome way possible, you might as well be a woman," the man spat at him.
"What I am is perfectly natural, you on the other hand with your disgusting unkempt appearance just makes you look like a hipster who tries was too hard to look like they're not trying," Before he could say anything else the man made a lunge for him, one of his fists connecting with his cheek, it made a sickening thud before he fell to the floor, his hands darting out to break his fall.
Fully expecting the man to hit him again Kurt curled in on himself, risking a glance to see where the man was.
Only to find him being pressed against the wall, looking terrified as a man threatened him, blood pouring out of his attacker's nose at an alarming rate.
The man tossed his attacker to the side, watching for a moment as he scampered away before turning to Kurt.
It was Steven.
Looking concerned He knelt down besides Kurt, placing a soothing hand on Kurt's throbbing face, he was saying something but Kurt couldn't hear him.
Leaping forward he burrowed himself into Steven's arms, crying and telling him everything that had happened after he left.
After a while Steven returned the awkward hug.
Kurt couldn't see the heartbroken look on his face.