Author Notes: Wow, guys, thank you so so much for your lovely reviews! It definitely kicked me into getting this chapter out quickly! I warn you though, this chapter really kind of killed me to write (and my beta to read!). I should just stop listening to music when writing...

Chapter Fourteen

Blaine meandered into the kitchen, and jumped ten feet, his sluggish morning brain still not in gear. Peter laughed, and Blaine returned with an unsteady grin, "Didn't mean to make you jump, kid! I'm off work till Monday now."

Blaine somehow slowed his heart rate. It wasn't like he was scared of Peter, but aside from his brief stint at Dalton, Blaine had always been alone in the house on the run up to school. He simply wasn't used to company in the early morning. He couldn't think of any particular way to respond, "Oh. I just came to get some toast…" He stood awkwardly, hovering in the doorway, because this was Peter's kitchen, not Blaine's. Peter's house, not Blaine's.

But his uncle just shrugged, and returned to the paper he was reading, "Don't let me stop you."

"Right." God, could this be any more awkward? Blaine busied himself at the counter, turning his back to Peter and tried to just ignore the fact that he probably should be instigating some sort of conversation, but had no idea what to say.

He quickly slathered some jam onto a single slice of toast, deciding right then just to eat it on his way out the door. He was halfway out the kitchen when Uncle Peter cleared his throat, "Hey, umm… have a good day at school, Blaine, yeah?"

Blaine paused, and turned, "Yeah. Sure. Thanks." And then he fidgeted, the thought that had been creeping around in the back of his mind all morning coming to the fore, "I, err… I thought that I'd go round a friend's after school, for dinner and stuff. I get that you're not normally used to having an extra person around, and well, yeah… I probably won't be back till really late, cause you know, it's a Friday and stuff…"

Peter's eyebrows hiked, and he was clearly unsure how to respond, "Don't feel like you have to-"

"No, I mean, it was kinda mentioned earlier in the week, so it's not like…"

"Right, right. Okay then, sure. Great. Have fun." Peter nodded jerkily, before shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "So, umm…which friend? Just so we know..?"

"Finn. Finn Hudson." Blaine's brain seemed to rearrange itself in a fit of confusion, and made his mouth just spit out the closest thing that wasn't a lie, his promise to his aunt searing into his mind. "He's the quarterback for the McKinley Titans, and in glee…"

Safer ground, apparently, and a good reply, because Peter actually seemed to know how to react to that one, "Oh, well, that's great!"

"Yeah…" One word, choking like ash. Especially when a split second later, Blaine realised that not only had he lied – badly – but that also it was Friday, which was family night for the Hudson-Hummels. "I should get to school…"

"Oh sure, see you later, kid!"

Blaine twisted awkwardly out of the room, taking a bite out of his now cooling toast. It stuck in his mouth, and he could barely swallow it. He threw the rest in the trash on the way out.

Blaine had really tried not to be obvious all day, but he just couldn't bring himself to put the effort into following conversations and joining in with the others. He was too busy trying to think about what he should do after school. One thing he knew for certain was that he did not want to go back to that house this evening. Whether tonight would entail him overhearing his adult relatives having make-up sex, or him eavesdropping on another argument of which he was the subject, he wasn't going to dwell, but either way, he didn't want to be present for it.

He fiddled with his phone, debating whether to text one of the Warblers. Except to text one of them would be to basically invite himself round one of their houses, because even David and Nick would be home by tonight for the weekend. And while he loved his friends, he really didn't want to deal with his friends' parents right now, because while he liked the majority of them, they were from a world he really didn't have the energy to deal with right now.

On top of that, Blaine knew how important Friday nights were to Kurt, with his dad and relatively new family, and he wasn't about to intrude with his depressive presence. Maybe he could just sit in a corner of Breadstix and do his homework? He was pretty sure it was open later than the Lima Bean… but what if some of the others were there? They would ask questions that would only lead to uncomfortable confrontations.

"So, what time's your uncle getting in today, Blaine?" Finn's voice punctured his thoughts and Blaine jolted, earning him an odd look from Kurt, who was sitting with them outside, along with Puck and Lauren.

Blaine shrugged in a way that he hoped looked casual, "Oh, he got in yesterday. He wrapped up business early, and took an earlier flight."

He tensed, only waiting a split second before, "Wait, what? Why didn't you say anything?" The sharpness in Kurt's voice made Finn frown, but Blaine knew why. It was part of the reason behind him putting off telling his boyfriend all morning. Ever since Blaine had told him about his promise to Aunt Sarah to keep his sexuality quiet around his uncle, Kurt had been twitchy with repressed anger every time the man was mentioned.

Blaine ran a hand through his hair, "Because I knew how you'd react. It's fine, he's cool. Dinner wasn't…too bad. Although I don't think he's thrilled about having a teenager around permanently."

"Probably too worried about not getting any." Puck stretched casually as Lauren rolled her eyes, and if it had been anyone else to vocalise that little nugget of wisdom, Blaine probably would have been offended. Kurt was, if the bitchy look he threw the other boy was anything to go by.

Finn blinked, disturbed, "Gross." And then he grinned, coming to the rescue without even knowing it was needed, "You can come round ours' after school! You practically live there anyway, and it'll give your aunt and uncle time to do…stuff. If Burt's in a good mood, maybe you can even stay the night." He leant back, clearly very pleased with himself.

Blaine floundered, looking to Kurt, who nodded with a small smile, before turning back to Finn, "I...I don't want to intrude. I know it's your family night tonight, and I don't want Burt thinking-"

Finn cut him off casually, taking an inhumanely massive bite of his sandwich, replying around the food, "Dude, you're practically family anyway. No one'll care."

Kurt looked torn between utter disgust at his brother's eating habits, and a glowing happiness at his offhand words. Blaine didn't know what he was feeling, but as Kurt wound a gentle arm around his waist, he knew it was a whole lot better and warmer than what he had felt like last night.

Kurt must have called ahead, because the only reaction Burt and Carole gave to three boys walking in their door instead of two was a casual greeting and a pair of warm smiles. Finn disappeared almost immediately into the kitchen on the forage for some sort of snack, while Kurt and Blaine headed upstairs; Blaine completely missed the grateful look Kurt sent back to his dad.

Kurt followed Blaine into his bedroom, leaving the door mostly closed, but still slightly ajar out of respect for his dad, "So?"

Blaine frowned with a false innocence, sitting cross legged on Kurt's bed as the other boy stowed away his boots – unlike the rest of his family, Kurt's shoe collection was far too big to be kept in any form of family space. "So..?"

Kurt pointedly sat down on the bed a little distance from Blaine, facing him completely, determined to get a serious conversation and at least one straight answer out of his boyfriend before dinner. "So, what was your uncle really like?"

Blaine shrugged, and it was becoming a gesture that Kurt was really beginning to loath, "I told you, he's-"

"Cool? Really, Blaine?" Kurt arched an eyebrow, ducking his head to the side slightly in an attempt to catch Blaine's carefully avoiding eyes.

The other boy fidgeted with his fingers, shaking his head slightly in an attempt to brush the attention away, "It's nothing. I mean, it's gonna take some getting used to for everyone and-"

"Oh my god, Blaine, please, this is me you're talking to, your boyfriend! Please just stop it!" Kurt couldn't help the raised outburst. He just couldn't take being around a Blaine who was just such a closed off shell compared to the one he knew and loved. He stood up and paced the room, unable to sit still.

"I don't know what you want me to say…" Blaine mumbled, and oh god, were they having another fight? Because Kurt really wasn't sure what qualified anymore. Could you have a fight when only one side was making an effort to engage?

"Neither do I!" Kurt's voice cracked higher and caught, because suddenly his room just felt so small, and his throat was suddenly just so tight.

How did it come to this? Why did this all have to happen at the beginning of what was supposed to be one of the best years of their lives? Who decided that amongst all of the people in the world to have something so horrific happen to them, it had to be Blaine?

His skin felt tight, and a single jarring denial screamed through Kurt's brain, because he couldn't be doing this, not now. What right did he have? He was supposed to be the strong one! He didn't have any other option!

But it didn't matter, because now he couldn't breathe, just looking at Blaine; Blaine, who wasn't looking at him. Blaine, who, right now, just looked so unlike the alive, vibrant, beautiful boy whom Kurt loved.

Yes, Kurt had cried in front of Blaine since it happened. Of course he had. But he had cried silent, soft tears; tears that had just trickled slowly down his cheeks, unbidden and brief, usually in a quiet moment just between the two of them.

But right now, he knew. And he knew that there was no stopping it, because his skin felt hot, and he just couldn't hold it in any longer.

Blaine's head snapped up as Kurt just let out a wrenched sob, and that was all it took, because now his eyes stung and his hands shook, and he could barely look at Blaine, but at the same time, he just couldn't look away.

"Kurt?"

"This isn't fair!" And it was all Kurt could vocalise, because he could barely form words. Juddering sobs tore through him, more violent that even the tears themselves as everything he had held in for Blaine's sake just came pouring out, "This shouldn't be happening to you! You…you don't deserve this! You shouldn't have to deal with this!"

Kurt didn't even bother trying to wipe away the tears. He paced, his arms twitching with unsure movement, until he just hugged himself in a lost attempt to get rid of this complete feeling of being out of control.

And what made it worse, right then, right then when Kurt could barely form sentences or make any sense at all, was that Blaine just stared at him with a horrible stoic numbness. It was just all so wrong. It was completely the wrong way around.

Blaine slowly unfolded his legs, and got up to approach Kurt, who could only pull away, truly hating himself for acting like this, but truly unable to stop. And softly, ever so softly, Blaine's hands rose to gently clasp onto Kurt's upper arms, "Please stop…"

His voice was so quiet, so kind. But there was also a note of pleading, something that gave Kurt pause enough to pull out of the ocean of overwhelming emotion he was drowning in and properly lock his gaze with Blaine's. And he had to ask, because he couldn't voice anything else, "W-why?"

Blaine just blinked his beautiful, calm amber eyes, before he closed them away from Kurt and the world, nuzzling his forehead into Kurt's temple, "Because you're breaking my heart…" The words were quiet, stumbling and catching with an emotion that Blaine couldn't quite let out.

Kurt made a noise caught halfway between a sob and a disbelieving laugh, and against everything that he usually felt when he was upset, he just found his whole body lurching that one last step forwards, burying himself in Blaine, letting his boyfriend hold him as he cried himself out.

Time bled into itself as the two boys just stood in the middle of Kurt's bedroom floor, entangled in each other, holding each other up, one boy crying the tears that the other just wasn't able to. The only slight puncture had come with Burt, completely unseen by Kurt, who had his back to the door. The older man had just looked in with a gut-wrenching sadness, before nodding slightly to Blaine as the boy just stared back at him pleadingly until Burt just closed the door with a barely audible click.

As Kurt's tears began to run out, and his body fell into an exhausted, head-pounding numbness, he whispered into Blaine's shoulder, "I'm so sorry…" Except he knew that those words could not be enough, because what right did he have to be like this around Blaine, when it was Blaine who was in need?

Blaine pulled back slightly, his arms falling lower until they clasped loosely around Kurt's waist, and Kurt's arms rested flat pressed up over Blaine's chest, hands curled at the nape of his neck. And impossibly, incredibly, Blaine just looked up at Kurt, who held his gaze with bright red-rimmed eyes, "I love you."

Kurt's breath stuttered, because it was all Blaine needed to say for any fear that he had really screwed up to be washed away. And both of them just stared at each other, sadness deep and flowing between their eyes.

The natural distance closed, and Kurt's lips connected with Blaine's, soft and slow and everything. Their bodies just stayed pressed against each other where they stood, their hands trying to melt into each other's bodies. They kissed with languid gentleness, in a lingering haze of love and closeness, with no desire to stop any time soon, content to let time ebb and flow around them.

Because it was what they both needed.

Carole crept open the door to her stepson's room. It had been a stressful evening to say the least.

Not long after the boys had come home, she had been sitting reading in the lounge with Burt and Finn as they caught up on some highlights from last night's game, when Kurt's yelling punctured through the floor. They had all flinched and grimaced with varying degrees of worry and awkwardness, but silently decided for now to leave them to it. It wasn't something to get involved in just yet.

It had quietened down a little while later, enough so that when it was time for dinner Burt had gone upstairs to fetch them, only to come back downstairs alone a few moments later, shaking his head discreetly at her. The stresses of their first week at school together had clearly finally manifested.

So now, Carole was entering cautiously, balancing a plate of sandwiches and two drinks on a tray. It was coming up to eight thirty, and her motherly instincts refused to let the pair be without food for any longer.

What she saw, though, gave her pause. Both boys were laid curled up on Kurt's bed, soundly asleep as their chests rose and fell gently in tandem with each breath, holding onto each other in sleep as if they were all that was left in the world. Kurt's eyes were still red even in sleep, and it was obvious that he had been crying to the point of exhaustion, while Blaine just seemed to be trying to burrow into Kurt, the dark shadows under his eyes still stark against his skin.

Carole suppressed a sigh, desperately wishing that there was something she could do to help, instead of just sitting back and watching them struggle. But there wasn't, not really. She could only do the little things, like placing the tray as quietly as she could on Kurt's desk. Like gathering the soft throw at the bottom of Kurt's bed and gently covering the sleeping boys with it, because she knew Burt wouldn't begrudge this. Like closing the curtains and creeping out of the room without even causing a disturbed twitch in their sleep, shutting the door behind her.

Carole turned away from Kurt's bedroom door, and nearly ran straight into her son's broad chest. She pressed an urgent finger to her lips, and he nodded, painfully unsure in his stance as he mumbled as quietly as possible, "Are they okay?"

Carole smiled sadly, rubbing Finn's arm and guiding him a little way down the hall. "They should be. Just keep the gaming noises down to a minimum tonight, okay hon?" It was an unspoken permission that he could forego family stuff as a one off tonight. She knew Finn didn't like turmoil, and it wasn't fair on him to have this horrible situation affect him any more than she could help it.

"Sure, Mom." He nodded in grateful understanding, and disappeared quietly into his room.

Carole rubbed her eyes before going back downstairs to a waiting Burt.

"Well?"

"They've both fallen asleep. I left the food up there in case they wake up, but they just look so tired…"

"It's not been an easy couple of weeks." Burt conceded, getting up. "I'll call Blaine's aunt; let her know he'll be stayin' the night with us."

Carole smiled lovingly at her husband and his simple, easy decision, "I love you."

Burt smiled sadly back, kissing her softly as he wound an arm around her waist, "We can't do a lot. But we can do this."

Carole sighed, leaning into his embrace, "It's just not fair… they're just kids…"

Burt couldn't dispute his wife's words, because ever since it all happened, he had woken up each morning thinking the same thing, or worse, imagining Kurt and what would have happened if his heart attack last year had just been that little bit deadlier. And that really would have been worse, because Kurt wouldn't have had Blaine, whereas now, however badly Kurt thought he was helping, at least he was able to be there for Blaine in a way no one else could.

So Burt just nodded against Carole's hair, "I know."

To Be Continued…

Author Notes: All I can say is that I really hope I did this chapter justice. All my beta requested was an emotional Kurt with Blaine, and this just sort of...happened. Hopefully they're in character, and you liked this chapter as much as I do!