Chapter 3- Ditch Day Blues

"Are you okay?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You're being quiet. Usually, you're shouting at me or snapping about stupid ingrates that you have to deal with."

"Finn and I rarely see eye to eye, and that's fine and I've made my peace with that, it's just that he doesn't understand that he has more influence in Glee Club and whatever he says is basically law in there. Once they found out what I did, they jumped on my back about it. Only Santana even bothered to say anything in my defence. Don't get me wrong, I don't need her to, but it'd be nice to have some backup in that room. Not just people snapping at me for fucking up Finn's face."

"There it is."

"What?"

"The sassy you I was expecting."

Kurt shoots him a glare. "I'm not a box. There are more than four sides to me."

"A box has six sides, dude."

"Don't call me dude."

Jesse holds up his hands. "Noted."

"Where are we going?"

Jesse adjusts his hands on the steering wheel. "A diner I know, a quiet place. Nobody I know is gonna be there."

Kurt understands the code perfectly and nods. His heart hammers in his chest at the thought of driving around in what could easily be a stolen car or a car bought with drug money. With somebody who knows his way around the law, no less. He is surprised to note that part of him actually likes it? He's never really been one for adventure or criminality, but this is something weird, something that he can't help but feel enamoured by. The thrill of the unknown? The thrill of the illegal? Kurt doesn't know, but it's the very same feeling that had pulled him towards Jesse in the first place.

"Relax, Kurt. Things have been quiet lately. We're moving, but not at our usual rate."

"Isn't this more of a 'the less I know the better' kind of situation?"

Jesse shrugs. "I guess as long as I don't give specifics, it'll be fine. And you don't know my last name or my partner's name, so we'll be okay. You don't have to worry about it, Kurt."

Kurt shakes his head. "I'm not worried. It's kind of enticing."

The car pulls up at a small, out of the way diner.

Kurt and Jesse walk in, the doorbell clanging ominously. Nobody's heads turn to meet them and they seat themselves without any hassle. An unassuming waiter comes over and asks them for their order.

"I'd just like a water, please," Kurt smiles.

Jesse scratches his head. "Uh, can I get the waffles with chopped strawberries and whipped cream, please?"

The water smiles and walks away, scribbling down their orders.

He quickly comes back with Kurt's water, placing a jug on the table.

Kurt runs his fingers around the rim.

"You're itching to vent about something aren't you?"

"I don't want to keep doing this whenever we talk, it's boring and not a good habit."

Jesse taps his foot against the floor impatiently. "Just...talk about something. Anything."

"Are you okay?"

"Just distract me, okay? Keep talking."

Kurt nods, suddenly finding it hard to summon the words.

"Kurt!"

"Okay, sorry! Uh, so last night I thought about running away."

"You what?"

"I've had enough, Jesse. I can't stand the way Finn walks around the place now. Like he's been wounded at war and came home to people throwing flowers at him. It's insufferable and I can't deal with anymore. My dad is pretty much taking Finn's side and Carole is the only one who's even willing to listen to me. They're still pressing the anger management bullshit and I'm not the one who even needs it. Finn's problems are much more potent than mine. I just get angry when people are stupid."

Jesse breathes deeply. "So what's stopping you?"

"From running away? I don't know, I always have these little ideas. I never go through with them, though."

Jesse just gives him a look, challenging him silently.

"I know, I'm all talk, but I couldn't really run away, could I? I have school and I have a life. Where would I even go?"

"Kurt, running away is a dumb idea. You'd have to always fend for yourself, find a new place to stay, find a way to buy things, all while letting go of everything you've ever known. Do you really think you could do that?"

Kurt shrugs, more out of pride than actual belief. "I think I could."

Jesse raises his eyebrow. "Kurt, this is bigger than handling yourself in high school. Now, I don't want to sound patronising here, but no matter how mature you are, abandoning everything isn't going to go the way you think it is. You're mature, there's no denying that, but you're still in high school. You've lived with your dad your whole life, he's always been there with you."

Kurt waits for Jesse to inevitably continue.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Kurt, the world is fucking terrifying. Everything's uncertain and you have to live by the second. I don't think you're cut out for living like this."

Kurt folds his arm and stands up. "You know what, I'm not going to listen to you lecture me about the big, bad, world. I'm just going to call Santana and ask her to come and get me."

Jesse grabs his arm. "Kurt, sit down." His eyes are flashing dangerously and his jaw is hardened. "Just sit down and bring attention to yourself."

Kurt frowns. "Wait, what's going on?"

Jesse's eyes follow two men who leave the diner, the doorbell clanging once again. Like a warning signal. "New people. I wouldn't have recognised them, but I saw a familiar tattoo. We've been spotted."

Kurt leans forward. "And what does that mean, Jesse?"

Jesse sighs, dragging a hand down his face. "It means that you're going to have to lay low while I sort this out. They've seen you, with me, that won't be a coincidence if that happens again. Here's what you're going to do.

"Call Santana, get her to park around the corner and drive you home. Once you're inside, stay inside until I text you. I mean it, Kurt, if you even step foot outside, there's a chance you'll be seen."

"I'm not going to stay inside the whole time, that's impossible."

Jesse sighs, gaze intense. "You will stay inside, Kurt, or you could get hurt, this is important. But if you do all this, I can text you when it's safe. You seem to have mastered the art of ditching school, you need to do it for a few more days while I try and gauge the situation. Promise me, Kurt, that you'll listen to me."

Kurt just nods, dumbstruck by the situation.

His love of the thrill has been vastly overtaken by his fear that had kicked in like a bottle rocket in his heart.

Kurt pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to Santana, followed up by his location.

Can you come get me? It's important. I'll explain later.

"So what are you going to do now?"

Jesse bites his lip. "Try to scope out the situation, see if there's a threat here."

"Threat?"

"Kurt—," Jesse begins, but Kurt interjects.

"No, Jesse, I know that I brought this whole thing on myself by calling you, but I did it anyway because I thought you were a good man. I still do, but this situation is so fucked up I can't even describe it. I shouldn't have to hide in my room for days just because you hid out in my den. That's not fair, Jesse."

"I know it's not fair, Kurt, I never wanted this. I didn't know they'd be here."

"It's not about them, it's about you. You should've been more careful."

"Kurt—."

"No! Stop trying to make excuses for this. I'm going to go and wait for Santana. And you can't follow me or it'll be conspicuous. When the coast is clear and everything's fine, don't bother calling me."

Kurt sweeps from the table and storms out of the door.

Jesse sits helplessly, watching Kurt walk around the side of the building until he's no longer visible. He stares at the untouched glass of water opposite as the waiter sets down his plate of waffles.

Jesse finds his appetite is no longer what it was. He pulls out some cash and sets it in the middle of the table, leaving a significant tip.

He leaves the diner and sighs.

How had he dragged Kurt into his mess?

He needed to check on Darius, the man he had shot in the stomach. He had been taken to the hospital, but his latest intel told him that he wasn't doing very good.

Jesse remembers the sound and it paralyzes him until he can no longer breathe.

He's fucked up and now he's possibly fucked Kurt up as well.

Jesse absently wonders if he'll follow the instructions. Wonders whether Kurt will be safe. But he can't worry about that for now.

Even though he can't, it's certainly not going to stop him.