Symphony

by LeBelle

Seasons 2-6 done... differently. Klaine AU. Rated T up to about Chapter 6, then M, definitely M.

3. Chapter 3

–

AN: Rewatching the scene where Karofsky kissed Kurt- I realized Kurt was pointing at him while telling him ordinary he was and I couldn't help but think "You're pointing at me, so I know you're passionate about what you're saying" from Cooper's "lessons" in acting, lol and Blaine's quip later about "You weren't pointing at me, so I didn't know if you were serious or not". Or something to that extent, I'm just playing from memory there. It made me laugh to think of the 3 being connected. "I'm serious and passionate, I'm pointing at you about how ordinary I think you are."

AN2: This... this is an incredibly long chapter. I was going to try and break it up into smaller parts but I couldn't find a good spot to break the flow until pg 55 (this chapter on my screen starts at page 32 and goes until at least that page. I will break the chapters at that point because I need to but just know that I didn't intend to break the story at that point).

–

Chapter 3

Was solo singing on my own
Now I can't find the key without you

And now your song is on repeat
And I'm dancin' on to your heartbeat

–

On Friday, Finn rode with him to school, which was odd because Finn never wanted to be seen arriving to school with him so early in the morning and they had different schedules in the afternoon. But Finn just jumped into the passenger seat that morning after breakfast and looked at Kurt when Kurt just sat there staring at him.

"What?" Finn asked and Kurt turned his head slightly, then tilted it, looked ready to say something and then decided against it.

He shook his head and backed out of the garage. They didn't talk much on the drive to school and when they got to the campus he parked and Finn got out first and walked around to the front and then waited for Kurt to get out before walking with him into the building. Sam and Artie joined them once they were through the front doors and halfway down the hallway Santana joined them.

He didn't know Finn was going to start the protection act before they even left the house but he supposed it made sense. Why drive 2 cars to school every day of the week? Finn had football practice Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays with the team, they'd worked it out so he could be at both evenly which meant he didn't go to every Glee practice or every football practice and they didn't have football practices on Thursdays and they sometimes were still in Glee Club when football ended and he joined them there. Sam and Mike did the same practice schedule as Finn but Artie only went Tuesdays and Saturdays as his role was pretty basic. Puck just showed up to whatever one he wanted to when he wanted to, sometimes even split the days or switched between given any other week. Kurt had been on Artie's schedule, not wanting to give up a moment of Glee club if he could avoid it.

Speaking of Puck, he wasn't in the first period class but he was there for every. Single. One. Of. His. Classes. For the rest of the day. That was not their usual class schedule. He supposed 1st period had been mandatory for Puck but the rest of them he came and went as he pleased and he pleased to sit in on Kurt's classes this time, including his advanced French class when Puck took Spanish with Mr. Schue. He didn't sit next to Kurt, sitting in the back with his feet up on the desk in front of him and paying zero attention to the class, which made sense since he wasn't in those classes.

He trailed behind Kurt between classes too and only left him alone during lunch. The girls and the other guys showed up and walked with him between classes again but only Puck stayed with him in class too. He turned to Puck after lunch. "Did they ask you to do this?"

"No." Puck gave a shrug and pushed Kurt towards his seat. "I wasn't able to help defend you earlier because of being on parole, but I'm not going to let that knuckle dragger hurt you again."

"Did something happen between Thursday and today to inspire you to do this?" Kurt was really confused and Puck shook his head.

"It's Friday, if I wanted to do something to someone, I'd do it on a Friday, have all weekend to deny it and think of a cover story. I feel like Karofsky is going to try something today more so than yesterday since he hasn't been able to lay a hand on you since Monday."

"Monday, right." Kurt didn't mean to say it that way but Puck had caught it and he forgot Puck was really good at catching on to certain things, anything to do with bullying and he had all the answers.

"Did something happen? We've been with you the last 2 days and you were out the previous 2 days-"

"Nevermind, it's fine." Kurt waved it off, not wanting to go into it and Puck lifted a brow.

"I don't believe you but I also don't care all that much since you're fine, and as long as it doesn't happen again." Puck walked to the back of the room and retook his typical location, pushing whatever kid was there out of their seat and taking it over. Kurt shook his head, how could Puck be that way? Kind and protective of him but mean to others who probably needed as much protection. Because they weren't Kurt, they didn't have their history or Kurt's quick wit to get out of things. He wished he'd been able to do the same with Karofsky, usually could, but now he knew that Karofsky had another chip on his shoulder and isolated Kurt because he was the only other gay kid in the school and took his self-frustration out on Kurt, or at least that's what Kurt figured so far, more would need to happen before he would know if that was the reason or not.

Classes ended far too soon and Puck indicated that it was time to leave. Kurt took a deep breath and stood. He had to find that courage he had discovered yesterday and a few weeks ago again, it was hard when every time he stood up he was smacked down again but he had to keep standing up, he had to. It was just getting harder and harder and he wobbled a little but then found his legs. One day, soon, he hoped, it would become muscle memory and his strength would build with how often he did it and it would actually get easier due to familiarity.

He had all the Glee kids behind him and he walked out the classroom door and literally had all the Glee kids right there, waiting for him. "Ready to go to the choir room?" Tina asked, linking her arm with his.

"Yes. Blaine might join us before we're done, he and I have to do something after Glee."

"We'll stay with you until he arrives and until you tell us to go." All of them were aware that Karofsky was in football practice today and so their paths would cross again today. It was strange that he hadn't crossed paths today, it was as if he was avoiding Kurt and Kurt wished it could remain that way but he knew it wouldn't, sooner or later Karofsky would start something up again, Kurt was a little scared to know what this new bullying would entail. He had to head it off at the pass while there was calm between them.

–

Kurt may have thought he was fine last night, Blaine however, was not. He was furious. He really wanted to go over and see Kurt and reassure himself that the taller boy was ok but he refrained, that was psycho to do so when they'd agreed to meet up the next day.

He'd thrown together an overnight case and clothes for the next day but he had too much energy after Glee practice to just sit there and do nothing. He kept hoping Kurt would change his mind and ask him to come anyway and while he worked out, he kept glancing at his phone. There were texts that he answered but nothing indicating that Kurt needed anything more.

Blaine did. He attacked that punching bag as if it was the bully who's face he couldn't see, who he didn't know yet but would, very soon. His shadowy image changed into memories of his own attackers and bullies from his school. He was exhausted by the time he got all his anger out on the bag and his trainer looked over at him as he wrapped his arms around the bag and just swayed with it, unable to move or breath without the support.

"Did you prefer that or would you like to go a round with a live person?" Blaine waved off the sarcastic man, he may have done himself a disservice by exhausting himself and his muscles with his practice today but it felt good, felt cathartic and he felt a release. He often felt that way after pouring all his anger out through his hands on an inanimate object. He sparred with people in the past and would continue to do so just so he could keep learning how to get out of holds and protect himself and the people he cared about but he never boxed with a real person, his hands only ever hit against the soft leathery flesh of the dead animal that was used to create the boxing bags.

He took a deep breath and went to the smaller bag, this one would swing back and so he had to do more than punch it to avoid getting hit back. He dodged and weaved and hit when he knew his fist would connect rather than swing wide or miss. It took concentration and calculation and only once in awhile he came out of there with a black eye from not ducking in time.

His knuckles were raw by the time he took the tape off. He didn't wear gloves, he wasn't trying to soften his blows on the bag, it could take it. He wanted to feel the pain of hitting the bag, remember the pain of being hit with bare hands and feet and know he could do the same in return if he had to. They would be scraped and red and swollen for a few days. He was given some ice for them and he flexed his fingers under it.

"You really should wear gloves, just for your own health."

"It ruins the form, makes you stop short and creates more mistakes." Blaine argued and the trainer didn't fight him on that.

He didn't usually come so often or go so hard but he'd been in 3 times this week since meeting Kurt and today hadn't been the worst. "Something happened." The trainer commented.

"The boy I was telling you about?"

"The one you talked about for 3 hours nonstop at each visit this week? Yeah, I seem to recall you mentioning him."

"Shut it." Blaine growled and winced as one finger didn't want to open all the way but he kept working at it. He applied salve to the back of his knuckles and then put the ice back on again. He had little crescent moons along the pad of his hands where the fingernails even cut short created indents. He put cream on there too. "That creep who's been bullying him just kissed Kurt against his will."

"Ah." The trainer wasn't gay but he understood sexual harassment. This wasn't a mixed signal, no this was someone using their size and strength to force a kiss on someone smaller and weaker and one who wasn't expecting it but some of the signs had been there in the end, just only able to be seen in retrospect; that the one doing the bullying was only covering up the other desires he had towards them. It was worse than a little boy picking on a girl by pulling her pigtail, it was more that guy at the office who made the lewd comments or touched as a female walked by, and in very inappropriate places and then blame it on for walking too close. "I hope he punched him."

"Kurt's not a fighter. He pushed him away but if Karofsky had wanted to pursue more-" He choked on air at the thought. "Thankfully, he's still trying to figure himself out and hadn't fought back or cornered Kurt for more." Blaine closed his eyes and turned his head away, he did not want to think about it or imagine it. He didn't know what this guy looked like but once he did – oh he'd better be careful around Kurt.

"If it happens again, this Kurt, he needs to file sexual harassment charges with the police. In the meantime, I could train both of you."

"I don't think I'd survive the sass out of both of you directed my way at the same time." Blaine laughed. "Thanks, but I already offered and it he said no, each time I offered it. This hasn't changed his stance on the matter."

"Good for him." The trainer commented and meant it. "There's also the option of a self-defense class, it wouldn't be fighting per se but it would teach him how to fall without hurting himself or bracing for a punch/hit so it did less damage to internal organs. How to protect your head." The trainer was referencing Monday's incident and Blaine raised a brow in agreement. "But then again, you'd have to know the hit was coming to brace for it."

"I'll mention it to him but I have a feeling he's going to decline even that." Blaine switched the ice over to his other hand and repeated the process again.

"How does he feel about your fighting?" The trainer asked and Blaine shook his head in confusion.

"Why would he care about that?"

"Well, you said he's a pacifistic, wouldn't he care that you aren't?" He asked carefully and Blaine still looked at him in confusion.

"Why would it matter what I do in my free time to him? We're just friends." Blaine explained. "Besides, he doesn't have to worry about me then, and I don't fight people, not really."

The trainer's lips compressed but he didn't say anything, knowing the boy in front of him was very oblivious sometimes to things that were obvious to everyone else. "If you say so. I just hope it doesn't become a source of contention between the two of you."

Blaine didn't think it would and continued to treat his hands. He kept looking at the black screen of his phone, he hadn't seen it go off since the last text he sent Kurt's way an hour ago, but then again, it was already pretty late and Kurt had a traumatic day, hell, week, and he was probably sleeping. Or, his phone was dead again and Blaine laughed in amusement, but he wouldn't always be laughing at that thought or character trait.

He opened his phone and sent another text, this time just wishing Kurt goodnight. Then he saw that Kurt had sent him a song in return, but this one, Kurt wasn't singing, it was just the original artist, but he still liked the song and was warmed by it. Those kind of messages didn't pop up as a notification in the same way.

He thanked his friend and trainer and headed home to take a cold shower and crawled into his bed. He didn't room with anyone, they had still had space for one more boy at Dalton and Blaine was glad that he didn't have to share his room with anyone, it gave him a bit more freedom and he hoped it stayed that way. Although... if he had his choice of people to share this room with, he wouldn't mind Kurt in that spare bed. With a contented sigh and thoughts about Kurt, he fell into a nice dream.

–

Dave Karofsky was furious (and scared which made his anger even worse and more terrifying). Mostly it was with himself but a large part of it he felt was Hummel's fault, he had pushed him and got into his face and with Kurt's unique scent and wide lips and soft blue eyes sparkling with anger, he had been overcome with his reaction. He'd been attracted to Kurt since he'd seen him dress in Lady Gaga drag the year before and those high heels were wicked and he had so much confidence and sass. He'd seen Kurt go from loud but insecure with himself to very confident but still kind to others once he came out. Yes he was harassed but he was himself and he was beautiful as himself, and Dave had wanted the same thing but he couldn't have it so he took it out on Kurt.

He wanted Kurt but knew he couldn't be like Kurt and so took it out on him too. People at McKinley knew gay people existed – elsewhere – but this was the first time they had come face to face with one that was out and in the open and people started whispering, wondering who else could be. Once he'd heard his name in that mix and he didn't know if it was part of it at the time but he started picking on Kurt even more at that stage, perhaps to show that he had no tolerance for him or his type, desperately trying to hide the fact that he couldn't stop looking for Kurt around every corner and that made him even angrier, with both of them.

He also didn't want to be like Kurt, he liked football and hockey and swimming and cars and jeans and baggy shirts. He also liked button down shirts and vests and nicer shoes and ties. He wasn't into sparkles on himself but he did like them on girls and Kurt. He liked music but pretended that he didn't and couldn't sing or dance because that wasn't manly. He had very little interest in fashion or musicals or obscure history references and while he was a decent student, he didn't care about school much, he just wanted to get through it, get his degree in college and open up a... used car dealership, he didn't care, just something he could coast through.

He also just liked seeing men in drag too and dressing feminine or putting thought into their clothing choices. He liked a good body and while Kurt wasn't muscular he was tall and fit and a good kicker and dance kept his body in shape and Dave liked that he was so much bigger than Kurt, he could dominate him easily. Kurt had grown over the summer probably 4 inches and so wasn't quite as petite as the year prior but he was still the smaller of the two. Dave would be the man in the relationship and he would be able to protect Kurt too, if it ever came down to it.

Then his anger would flare and he'd remind himself that it would never happen, that everyone always knew there was something off about Hummel and when he came out, people just kind of rolled with it, disliked it, but pieces fit better in their minds. Hummel had become a bigger target and Dave didn't want to be painted with the same brush. He wanted to continue doing what he was doing on the football field. If he came out, his life was over and he didn't even know if he wanted to, he didn't actually know if he was gay, he was just experimenting with Hummel. He wouldn't mind finding out how far he would go before he thought it was too much and use Hummel as the one he experimented with. Hummel, despite his outlandish style, loud personality and voice was a safe choice, nobody would believe him, he would be easy to keep quiet and he was a complete minority in a minor club at this school, no one respected or treated that group of 12 well. Had he still been a football player, he might have had a louder voice and more would listen but he'd forfeited that the second he agreed to leave the team. The other players liked him even less now that their only scorer was gone, they hated him for leaving, not Dave for making him leave.

Hummel was incredibly vulnerable and he didn't even realize how vulnerable. Things could happen to him and nobody would do anything or lift a finger to help him outside of those 12. He'd seen all the students jump in surprise when Hummel body checked a locker suddenly but even if he was around the corner, no one helped him stand up. Nobody cared for him or his merry band at this school, they were all judging him and would turn on him the second they could do so without any consequences, especially with anonymity.

Yet... he didn't actually want to seriously hurt Kurt. He was furious that Kurt had been kept away from him all week after he found out the other boy had actually been seriously hurt. He didn't know he'd shoved him into a wall instead of a locker, he hadn't been paying attention to what was behind Kurt, he could only think about how his hand was on Kurt's chest and how he wanted to do something very different to that chest. He had put more force into his motion when he realized where his thoughts went and how he couldn't act on it and frustration and annoyance went out of him through his hand.

He wanted to apologize to Kurt but instead ended up rallying his friends around him even more as he acted out and couldn't seem to control himself anymore with his violence towards the slight boy. He had faked them out and if he had followed through with his move, there would have been a brawl on that floor with 4 of the football team members. When he did get a time alone with Kurt, he'd acted out again without intending to and then Kurt had followed him into the secluded locker room and was so close and Dave couldn't stop himself, didn't even know he was going to do it but his anger turned into passion and desire and he kissed Kurt. He had seen the look of stunned terror on Kurt's face but he went back in for a second kiss anyway, hoping to erase it now that he knew it was coming and he wasn't expecting Kurt to fight back for a change. He'd been doing it more and more in bolder and bolder ways but this was an actual physical altercation back and he let Kurt separate from him.

Dave saw his life flash before his eyes, knowing that it would be over if Kurt said anything and Kurt had been disgusted by his kiss, just as he'd said he would be – he had running his mouth and making Dave madder and madder until he had to lash out. He was worthy of love, even from Kurt, he was a catch and what Kurt was saying made him angry and feel less secure and worthless and he hadn't thought of the consequences. Kurt should feel lucky that Dave liked him, he could pass and had been and would continue to do so. If Kurt ruined his life, then it would have been for nothing because he didn't even have Kurt to show for it.

So Friday came and Dave called in sick for the first half of the day, not able to take seeing Hummel's judging eyes or see the rest of the school eyeing him with disgust and being unable to forgive him for keeping his secret from them, they wouldn't be able to trust him or trust having him in the same room with them, he'd be the one they'd look at with three heads all looking deformed and not Kurt, Kurt had told everyone himself when he felt ready, even if everyone already guessed at it. Dave would be pulled out into the open and leered and jeered at.

He didn't get any texts from anyone other than wondering where he was and if he'd be at the game that night. He ate lunch at home, giving the gossip mill time to work and it never worked faster than at lunch when nobody had anything better to do than work their jaws. Still, the next period came and went and nothing.

Dave got up and got dressed and headed into school, he told the office he was feeling better and went to his remaining classes, they were impressed he didn't just ditch the rest of the day, most students would have. After school he had football practice and he could hear them all singing and laughing in the choir room and he walked by and glared at Kurt as he did so, who only looked back at him with those wide blue eyes and that incredibly dynamic and expressionate face had nothing but a blank mask as he did.

Nobody said anything to him at football practice other than the usual and nobody shied away from him in the showers or locker room and he couldn't believe it, Hummel had this piece of dirt to lord over his head and get him off his back and he hadn't used it. He wondered if Kurt was thinking twice about the kiss and maybe was interested in pursuing a quiet relationship after-all with him. Dave had to be the only other gay guy he knew and his options were pretty limited. If he ever wanted to be in a relationship, they'd have to settle with each other but Kurt would have to be willing to keep Dave's side of this secret until he was willing to come out and put up with the bullying. They were like all those couples who fought all the time and everyone thought they hated each other until they were alone and then they kissed and found out they liked each and kept appearances so they could continue to do so in secret but when they were caught, nobody was surprised, it made a weird kind of sense.

Dave was daydreaming about all the things he and Kurt could do in secret, places they could go to without getting caught when he rounded the corner of the stairs outside and came face to face with Kurt and another guy in a blazer, even if he knew that this dark curly haired guy was from another school and that was a uniform, he'd still have assumed he was gay and all of Dave's hopes dashed in an instant and he was hurt that Kurt would prefer this guy over himself and that caused him to lash out again, not being able to respect that choice but also not wanting to have this conversation with witnesses.

"Out of my way." He put his hand on Kurt's collar bone with his finger curling over his shoulder and for a second he got to touch what he wanted before he pushed him into the staircase railing, and if he had pushed harder, Kurt might have gone over it. The outside rail had a fencing but the inside one just had a fairly high rail but with the force and speed and their combined height, he could have knocked him over it easily with just a bit more strength, as it was, Kurt was wheezing as it jabbed him in the solar plexus.

He almost apologized to Kurt – again he hadn't meant to hurt him, he sometimes didn't know his own strength and Kurt just brought out his violent tendencies.

Dave was scared and hurt and angry and at the end of his rope with his secrets and they were threatening to expose them all, even if they appeared to have good intentions. Dave didn't want to hear it and didn't want anyone else to either, he'd been spared a day, he hoped for far more and he was desperate to keep it a secret, his life depended on it. He was mostly hurt that Kurt chose this weakling and while he disliked him, he didn't want even to touch him or go near him, passing the two by getting closer to Kurt and then the boy kept talking and Kurt couldn't help himself, he acted out in anger and fear. Then when Kurt pushed him away again, again with a strength neither knew he had, he was just hurt and confused and scared as he left the two.

–

Blaine and Kurt met up in the choir room before Glee Practice ended and he stopped in at the doorway, Kurt's eyes were trained to it and were scanning the windows in equal measure. He had slid closer to Finn but not to be closer to him, but further from the door, further from harm and closer to someone who could potentially protect him or at least act as a shield for a minute. For once, Finn didn't act uncomfortable or move away, he noticed but Kurt wasn't looking at him, he'd kept his hands and legs tightly together and toward his own body and his attention was not on Glee Club. Finn even nudged him once and Kurt jumped a mile high, not realizing Finn was still there.

Toward the end though, Blaine showed up in the doorway and leaned against it, watching everything like a spy but Kurt excitedly waved him in and introduced him to everyone, but his eyes kept going back to the windows and doorway.

"Remind me again why you need the enemy here when you have all of us defending your back?" Puck asked the question on Finn's mind.

"Well-" Kurt started but stopped, it wasn't his place to tell them why Blaine was there, just his side of the story.

"I'm gay and Kurt needs someone who can understand some of the finer points to help him through this bullying. I'm going to go with him to talk to this... Karofsky?" Kurt nodded and of course Blaine knew, had memorized all the names the second he heard them, but he didn't want these kids to get up in arms about him being there so he played it cool. "Try and educate him and maybe he'll decrease his bullying long enough to listen to more education about how we're not that different or scary or anything and then decrease it more or stop." It was the hope at any rate and now that they both knew he was a closeted gay, maybe he just needed information on gaydom so it wasn't as scary of a place. For everyone coming out was scary, even when you had the love and support of family through the years or who knew you were, they were just waiting for you to catch up. There was always that risk that once you said it out loud, things would change or change for the worse. Everyone had different expectations put on them and different beliefs fostered onto them while they tried to figure themselves out. To know there were resources available, counselors, other people who'd experienced the same thing, a support team, would help.

"Great, now there's two of them here, won't we be the lucky ones on Monday with the slushies?" Puck said and was incredibly insensitive but he was honest and he didn't mean any harm in what he'd said, it wasn't directed at them.

"Do you still want us to come with? We'll be a great deterrent?" Rachel asked and Kurt shook his head.

"I think we'll be fine." He grasped Blaine's hand and then dropped it when he realized what he'd done and mouthed 'sorry' to Blaine who'd only shrugged and reached out for his hand again.

"They're holding hands, it's so sweet." Rachel said with a sigh. Finn looked uncomfortable but didn't say or do anything.

"Not-" Kurt started then stopped because technically they were. "Let's go Blaine." Blaine laughed and let him lead him out of the room but every step they took toward the door, Blaine could feel Kurt's tension growing until he stopped at the door and spun to his friend. "Thank you everyone for what you've done for me this week." Then he pulled Blaine out but when they got to the staircase they couldn't hold hands anymore, there were too many students coming and going and trying to squeeze by or between them. "Thank you for coming, Blaine."

"Of course, don't worry about it. No matter what, I've got your back, but let me do the talking here. Sometimes it's easier hearing it from someone you don't know." Blaine squeezed Kurt's arm and started mounting the staircase. They were going to find Karofsky where Kurt knew he'd be at this time but he was heading down the stairs.

"That's him." Blaine could see the panic flicker across Kurt's face and then disappear and Blaine's jaw hardened. He would remain calm and civil, he reminded himself and took the staircase a little faster so Kurt was behind him, just on the other side of the stairs.

"I've got your back." Blaine repeated reassuringly in a low voice just to him and braced himself for a confrontation and tried to remain casual. This guy had no fight with Blaine so wouldn't be aggressive towards him. "Excuse me!" Blaine called out to the... very large boy,coming down the stairs. He'd thought Finn was big, this guy was like two of him side by side. Blaine understood a little better what had kept Kurt from speaking out against him right away, he could crush Kurt with one arm. He kept his tone casual and conversational but it was very hard to maintain.

"Hey lady-boys." He greeted when both of them came up to him and stood in his way like a wall. He eyed Blaine up and found him lacking and turned his attention to Kurt with a scoff he said, "Is this your boyfriend, Kurt?"

Kurt's face was back to allowing expressions to cross it, he had looked offended at the term lady-boys as if he'd heard that too many times to be even able to let it roll off his back anymore; even Blaine looked less than pleased with the term and he had to unhinge his tense jaw again. Then Kurt looked annoyed at the question, it didn't have to be all or nothing; but overall his face had paled as he tried to stay within his hard fought courage and face him down now, even without being confronted first, emotions flashed across his face like someone flipping through television channels.

Blaine spoke instead of Kurt, drawing the attention back to him. "Kurt and I would like to talk to you about something." He tried to keep his eyes understanding and his tone reasonable but the tick in his jaw at the way he spoke to Kurt was unable to be controlled.

"I've got to go to work." He pushed Kurt out of the way who was pushed into the staircase rail and then turned to follow Karofsky even though he was wheezing a little. Blaine reached out toward him but Kurt shook his head, so Blaine kept his distance for now. If there had been more strength to it, then Kurt would have gone over it and they were at least 2 flights up. Blaine was fearful for Kurt, this might not be the best setting for it, but they were already there and might as well keep going, they'd caught Karofsky's attention and needed to keep it to get what they needed to say out.

Kurt didn't even care that he'd gotten the breath knocked out of him just then, he could only think that of course Karofsky had chosen to push him out of the way.

"Kurt told me what you did!" Blaine called out to him, and looked very casual and cool as he upended 2 lives with that statement and Karofsky looked up at them from the platform he was on, belligerent.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" He was avoiding it and acted all nonchalant about it too, thinking Kurt told him about the bullying but not the kiss.

Kurt hugged the strap of his satchel to him tighter and played with the bag itself with one hand while the other gripped it tightly. Blaine glanced at Kurt to see if he was willing to say it out loud but Kurt didn't look his way. He was always soft spoken but he was even more so now and he held Karofsky's gaze as he said what he had to, the first time he'd spoken since they came across him on the staircase,letting Blaine do all the talking like he'd asked. "You kissed me." It wasn't accusatory, just matter of fact.

Karofsky's gaze swung wider and that fear hitched up a notch and so did the anger, he couldn't believe Kurt could just announce it to the world like that, he was greatly offended by Kurt's words. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kurt looked to Blaine for guidance, what were they supposed to do now? Or should do? This had been Blaine's idea and Kurt would have preferred to avoid it altogether.

Blaine knew he was fighting himself and Blaine was a bit too cocky now, he had Karofsky on his back foot running and he kept pushing. "Seems like you're a little confused and that's totally normal." He was talking to him like he knew so many more stories about coming out, had been with them personally through them all, which was pretty far from the truth.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He was defensive and his body language was telling him to stop talking about it. The flight or fight instinct kicked in and for now it was flight winning. Karofsky started walking away again and Blaine followed and so too did Kurt, reluctantly. "This is a very hard thing to come to terms with and you should just know that you're not alone."

Kurt meanwhile was seeing the end to this confrontation and his breathing was still hard but it was getting better as he continued to try and calm himself down but then Karofsky was flying up those stairs faster and lighter on his feet than anyone had imagined from his size. He was pushing Blaine back who had his hands up in a stop position, a surrender position, telling the other person they could stop now and back off, they weren't going to fight and a normal person would have backed off instantly.

He had his hands in Blaine's jacket and pushed him back until he had him pinned up against the fencing of the stairway. "Do not mess with me." The fight instinct took over as he growled at Blaine and Kurt's protective and defensive side appeared out of nowhere and he pushed Karofsky off the guy who had come to help them, had been protecting him and guiding him and helping him all this time for no benefit of his own other than being a nice guy. He hadn't even known Kurt more than a week or so and now he was putting himself in such a vulnerable position on Kurt's behalf.

Kurt pushed Karofsky away with a strength he didn't know he had and screamed at him. "You've got to stop this!" He hated it being done to him but he wouldn't have it being done to Blaine too. Up until then, Karofsky kept looking at Kurt like he wanted to murder him but Blaine had finally pushed him too far and his attention swung to him instead.

Blaine saw him coming and let him move him backward, he'd looked behind him so he would know what he might hit when they reached the end and was ok with what he saw. He had his hands up in that position, first to try and reason with Karofsky but if it went further, his hands were in a good position to fight back. In fact as he growled at Blaine, Blaine was looking at him as if he was almost a little pathetic and was just resting his hands on Karofsky's chest and patted against one lightly. If he didn't let go in 2 seconds, Blaine would get him to release him. He had already spotted 3 weak points that he could use to his advantage. He smiled because he had already won this fight in his head, Karofsky just didn't know it yet.

It was with a mild surprise to have Kurt intervene and be able to push him off of Blaine and then shouted at him too. Blaine knew that Kurt was now ok with pushing someone away but that was it, he was just defending people by getting them the space to run away or regroup. Blaine hadn't needed it but Kurt didn't know that and he wasn't going to change Kurt's thoughts about that if he would then always run to Blaine's rescue, it felt nice having someone in his corner too. And he was standing so cute, with one hip cocked out to the side and his satchel hanging off his shoulder while in his sweet light blue jacket that matched his eyes.

Kurt and Blaine both also knew that the words Kurt had said meant that he needed to stop the bullying, point blank. Karofsky was sad that Kurt had gone to Blaine's defense in such a way and knew that Kurt had made his decision between them, not that he was surprised.

Karofsky looked scared and hurt, Kurt was breathing hard in fear, exertion and a little bit of anger and surprised that he'd found that strength within him again and Blaine just looked cocky as he leaned casually against the fencing. Karofsky ran away scared about his reputation, and maybe just to get away from a Kurt that had hurt his feelings. "Well, he's not coming out any time soon." Blaine said completely relaxed and moved away from it with only a flick of his wrist to straighten himself out. It was more than that but it was done with such ease and very minimal effort or task, very old school and dapper.

Kurt was still breathing hard, his chest rising and falling before he released the deeper breath he'd been holding in, letting go of that tension that had been in him since they started to seek Karofsky out for this confrontation.

Kurt collapsed down onto the steps and Blaine turned his head to look at him in alarm, he hadn't been pushed that hard into the railing, had he? "What's going on?" He belatedly remembered that he was gasping for breath after his impact. He didn't look hurt right now, Blaine reassured himself and he sat down next to Kurt and nudged his legs with his. "Why so upset?" As he said it, he realized that was the truth, Kurt looked sad and disappointed. He didn't know why he would look sad either, they'd come out of that conversation mostly unscathed and Blaine felt like they'd had the upper hand there.

Kurt sniffled and gathered himself to reply. "Because up until yesterday, I had never been kissed." Then Brittany and his make out session crossed his mind and he rolled his eyes at himself. "Or at least one that counted." That time had been more like he was a character in a play, where he'd kissed other girls before, or at least a show-kiss.

"That one doesn't count either." Blaine said instantly. "It had been foisted on you. Your first real kiss will be when you're expecting it and the other guy delivers." Blaine laughed. "Or vice versa but it'll be wanted by you."

Kurt didn't know, he felt like it was different. Kissing girls had been a performance, but he was gay and for a guy to kiss him when he didn't want it, it felt different. "By that logic, if any guy kisses me in the future and I don't want it, then it doesn't count?"

Blaine was going to say yes but he held himself back as he caught himself and wondered if he would have felt the same way as Kurt or if the guy he was dating had been kissed by another guy- how would it make sense if it didn't count for his boyfriend but did could for the one who'd sprang it on him or counted for Blaine? Not so much that he'd hold it against his boyfriend, depending on the situation, but holding it against the guy who'd done the action?

Blaine couldn't make it add up and he sighed and their sides touched as he leaned into him slightly. "I'm sorry that it happened to you. You're right, it's a different situation." His hand slid up Kurt's back and rubbed it slightly, trying to cheer him up and comfort him. "Come on, I'll buy you lunch."

Kurt smiled, not because he wanted Blaine to buy him a meal or even wanted one, but because Blaine was trying to make him happy again and just the effort was enough to make him happy. Plus he got to spend more time with Blaine and they'd be in public. "Ok." As they walked down the stairs, Kurt couldn't help but steal glances at him. He had his own fair share of pain in his background and yet he'd come out to help Kurt stand up to his own bully. He was so brave, selfless, kind and cool.

While Kurt knew he had found Blaine interesting and easy to talk to, it was just then that Kurt realized he was quickly developing a crush on Blaine and it was growing every day. Every time he saw Blaine, he did or said something that just touched Kurt to the core. Kurt smirked. "You do know that it's a little late for lunch, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Plus you have that dinner with your dad tonight, don't you?"

"Ah yes, the sacred Friday night meal with Finn and Carole." Kurt wasn't being sarcastic, he'd never skip that meal again for anything short of an absolute emergency. He did wish it was on a Thursday rather than Friday as Fridays did really cramp his style and ability to go anywhere/do anything but he could push back plans until after the dinner and still have fun and do things that night. His dad had been right, had they not had it scheduled before his heart attack, he would have never seen his dad. Now it was becoming more of a ritual throughout the week too, especially this last week. Burt made sure he was home every night this week to make sure he could spend that time with his son. Kurt had been the same way for the first few months after Burt's heart attack but slowly they started letting go and hoping that nothing would happen while they were apart and letting each other live their lives.

Blaine was looking a little unsure and Kurt raised both his eyebrows in curiosity. "Well... is it really ok for me to impinge?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course you can join us!" Kurt shook his head incredulous. "There's no way anyone would say anything against you coming."

"Finn might." Blaine wasn't sure about Kurt's dad or Carole, he hadn't really spent much time talking to her.

"My father never wants anyone to feel excluded. He knows -" Kurt cut off and swallowed hard and continued. "He knows how much I've been excluded from things and doesn't want anyone to ever feel that way because of him." Kurt's thoughts drifted back to when Burt was in the hospital bed and his life was unraveling and he'd walked up to Burt's room while everyone was rotating through prayers and prayer songs for his father. It wasn't until later that he realized how selfish he was, but it was his dad and he didn't want anyone else interfering, he didn't have anyone else. Finn had said that they were a sort of family but that relationship was on and off again and it wouldn't feel a 100% true until their parents married. Finn was gaining a dad but Kurt liked Carole, he really did, he wanted his dad to be happy with her but he didn't feel like he was gaining a mom, just a kind older woman who would share his dad's life. Finn never knew his dad and so hadn't felt his loss as keenly. Kurt knew and loved his mother so much, had idolized her and loved his father just as much if not more because he had to overcome a lot of hard obstacles but never once stopped loving Kurt with his whole heart and being. Nobody could replace either of his parents and he'd almost lost both.

Then even while his father lay comatose in his hospital bed, Kurt had felt left out because he didn't believe, that they all needed it and had gone around his back to do so, for Finn and for Carole in some ways,but she was there mostly for his dad and her son. They hadn't told Kurt they were going to do it. While he appreciated all their kind words and best wishes for his father, he felt like he was being ignored, that his wishes were being trampled upon and he did have legal guardianship over his father while unconscious even though he was only 16. Then they'd backed off and he'd created a bit of a rift between him and Finn in doing so but Carole had been supportive and still came every day to see his dad. They were all doing fine now and Kurt had learned to accept without having to believe in it himself, they'd done it for Burt and for themselves and they just wanted to be there for Kurt too but didn't know how to support him in a way he really needed but with time and being there, he'd managed to help himself because they wanted to help him. He'd felt so alone then but now he understood what he hadn't before, that he hadn't been. He didn't know when he started looking upon all that differently, it was right around the time he'd met Blaine, he supposed, when he realized that he wasn't alone in any part of his life anymore.

Blaine's hand covered his and Kurt looked up at him in surprise before glancing around to see if anyone else saw it. If anyone did, Blaine didn't care and he squeezed Kurt's hand to get his attention back on him. "I really appreciate this. I know I came out here for you, but I feel like I'm getting a lot back as well. I love seeing the relationship you have with your father."

Kurt nodded. "It is pretty wonderful. I hope to have that kind of relationship with my kids some day."

"Kids?" Blaine asked with both brows raised. "How many are you looking for?"

"One to start. I don't know if I'd know how to raise siblings. Nobody I know has one, or if they do, they're really not close."

Blaine scratched the back of his neck. "Well I have a brother but you're right, we're not close. We're about 7 years apart in age and my parents hadn't really planned it well and we never really got on well."

Kurt flipped his hand around so their palms touched and this time it was Kurt who squeezed Blaine's hand. "I'm so sorry. To have family out there and not be able to rely on them- I couldn't even begin to imagine. I'm thankful my dad has been so accepting and supportive. I don't think I'd be here today without him." He knew he wouldn't, either the bullies would have came after him and finished the job they started with Blaine and others like him, or Kurt wouldn't have been able to support himself and no one else would have taken him in.

"It's not all bad. I mean they do pay for Dalton and they let me live my life how I want to. They're there for me in... different ways." They had made sure he lived and survived his experience, hired him a great therapist, moved him out of danger, paid for fantastic education that had him further along that any public school would have even if he'd gone the normal path he'd still be further along now than then. And if he'd always gone to Dalton- well he and Kurt may have never met and that would have been a shame. Already the two were fast friends and they didn't even talk about the bullying stuff much. All their texts back and forth was gossip or news or just random things that they found they could talk to the other about and the other would understand. Or they introduced the other to something new and shared their passion for it.

"I just remembered someone who was close to their sibling." Kurt laughed. "Sue Sylvester. They're actually really cute together."

"You'd have to have them pretty close together." Blaine commented. "Maybe even have 2 surrogates start within the same year."

Kurt shook his head negatively. "I don't know if they should be that close together. Maybe 1 or 2 years apart. How many would you have?" Though he and Finn were entering a siblingship the way Blaine was describing.

"I'm not sure. I'd likely be the stay home dad or work part time but how many never really crossed my mind. I'd probably say the same as you, 1 or 2. No more than 2 I don't think."

"No Jackson5 for you then?" Kurt teased and Blaine gave him a look that stopped Kurt's breath for a second, it was a very flirtatious no with a hooded gaze and a fluttering of the lashes and he was amused. He was breathless when he said. "Coffee then, and maybe a snack?" They'd walked to the Lima Bean from school, the weather while in the throes of autumn, was a brisk cold and felt nice.

Blaine was comfortable in just his blazer and under shirts but Kurt had to be overheating and he commented on it. "Do you ever take off the layers?"

"Very rarely." Kurt sent him a look and Blaine's answering smile was slow and sultry and Kurt couldn't help but bite his lower lip. The hazel eyes flickered over his mouth briefly and then his eyes lifted to Kurt's again.

Kurt wanted Blaine to kiss him, he did but they were in a very public location and some of his classmates were loitering about and he had a flash of panic too. He'd just been kissed by Karofsky and while Blaine wasn't anything like him, it just seemed too soon and yet he wished Blaine had wanted to kiss him on the first day or any day before yesterday and today. He would very much have enjoyed it and maybe he would have thought it was too soon but he wouldn't have pushed Blaine away, would have just wanted to talk about what it all meant instead.

Kurt skidded away from the table they found and went to get the drinks and snacks. They were both disappointed that they didn't kiss then and there but Blaine schooled his features and chastised himself for wanting to kiss someone who was fast becoming his best friend and who had been through so much in the last year. He kept forgetting that Kurt had suffered through his dad's hospital stay in addition to all this Karofsky stuff and it'd only been a few months since school started. He was an emotionally vulnerable wreck and Blaine would have only felt like he was using him or taking advantage of him, if they'd kissed and became more and it all imploded in their faces. It was something he swore he would never do with Kurt. It was just really hard because while he was emotionally vulnerable, he was also strong and courageous and such a beautiful soul calling out to his own. Blaine just really liked Kurt and he had a hard time remembering that timing was everything.

Blaine couldn't think like that about Kurt right now though, he didn't want to make Kurt feel trapped or like he couldn't trust Blaine because he had pressed his advantage with him. Kurt needed to be on a more solid footing before he could think about relationships and what they all entailed. Blaine could give Kurt time and while waiting for Kurt to heal first, would find someone else to distract him even if he knew it was all mental and not true interest, it would help curb his actions with Kurt.

Kurt knew he wanted that kiss. Knew he wanted Blaine to be more in his life but right now Blaine only saw him as a scared and hurt kid and would never actually go for him, so young and inexperienced. He could have any guy he wanted, why would he go for the one with so much baggage? Kurt couldn't lay all of that at Blaine's feet. He'd had his own demons to fight through and against. Kurt centered himself with some deep breathing and relaxing thoughts as he waited for their drinks and food to finish and then he picked them all up and brought it back to the table.

He distributed the items and sank down into the chair next to Blaine's. Blaine's knee touched his the entire time they sat there and chatted and enjoyed the other's company, trying not to place more onto their time together than just what it was and surface stuff.

They had a lot in common and a lot of differences too that they enjoyed talking about. Blaine's hand rested on the table next to Kurt's, the back of his hand not touching Kurt but as good as. Blaine fought the entire time with every part of him not to turn his hand and slid his fingers through Kurt's. He just wanted to touch the other boy and he had the hardest time keeping his hands off of him.

Layers, Blaine thought, thinking that not only were there layers on Kurt's body and it would be fun to take them off slowly one by one but also that it was also a good metaphor for the boy himself, Blaine was slowly peeling back all the layers of the boy himself and he wasn't sure if he would ever find the center of this sweet but knew it was there and would enjoy trying. There were also layers of armor built up around him and those would also need to be chipped at and freed from.

It was wrong of him, he knew it, but he couldn't help it, and that was a mantra that would become his life when it came to Kurt, he just couldn't stop himself. The back of his fingers lightly grazed the back of Kurt's hand and he watched as Kurt physically reacted to the touch and a wave of relief went through him when it appeared as if it was a pleasurable reaction. It was shot lived though as Kurt moved his hand away so he could drink out of his cup, conveniently with the opposite hand he had been using and he was looking away, looking at their potential audience.

Blaine wanted to grab Kurt's face then and there and kiss the taller boy but knew this was his hometown and there were ramifications to doing so. They had just spent the last week dealing with one of those. Kurt was an intriguing puzzle, he was able to come out and shout it loud and proud of who he was (albeit older than Blaine had been before doing so) but was unable to touch another boy in public?

"Mmh." Kurt looked at his phone and then suddenly made that sound. "Mercedes thought you were cute and wanted to meet up with the the two of us at Breadstix tomorrow. I guess I don't know what time you were thinking of heading back?"

"Saturday evening probably. We can go to the restaurant." Blaine agreed and he hadn't known, he would have preferred to leave on Sunday but knew Mr. Hummel would unlikely be ok with that.

"Oh." Blaine heard the disappointment in his voice with just that one word and was thrilled that Kurt wanted him to stay.

"I mean... I don't need to be back to Dalton until late Monday morning..."

"You don't want to drive about 2 hours before class." Kurt shook his head. "But maybe I can talk to my dad about you staying until Sunday evening. This way you can sleep in on Monday if you need to."

Blaine really wouldn't have minded, he would have preferred to sleep next to Kurt for another night but it was too early to push it. With a disappointed thought, he realized it might never be the time to push it. "I'd like that."

They lingered as long as they could over their coffees and Blaine wished they were old enough to spend the next weekend completely alone or doing more adult activities like go to the bar.

Blaine wouldn't realize this for some time but once he did, he would never let go unless Kurt asked him to. The day he met Kurt he'd been changed irreversibly, for the first time he felt right in this world and complete. He'd always been confident and self-assured in himself and his desires and never questioned them, but he had been missing something, had not realized that he was fully himself until Kurt asked him to be more without even uttering a word or knowing he had. Blaine had been going through the motions and drifting through life without realizing it until the second Kurt called out to him on the staircase and he'd looked into those blue eyes and wanted to be everything and more that he was looking for and needed. He would still be himself but he'd been opened up to a whole new part of himself he hadn't realized existed. Kurt brought out the best parts of himself and with Kurt's support he was free to be himself and grow, challenge himself with new activities he wouldn't have dared dream about before. He also wanted to be that for Kurt. He wanted to be Kurt's safe harbor and yet challenge him to be better too, to explore new aspects of himself he didn't know existed and be the most him that the could be.

It would be years before Blaine fully understand it but only months before he started to realize what he'd found by pure chance. He was blessed to find it so early on in his life whereas others took a whole lifetime to meet the person that was irrevocably theirs. While he and Kurt would have survived waiting to meet their one, they would have been far more scarred by the time they met and may not have taken a chance on it or believed it, too scared to try.

As it were, they would have to be very careful to make this work at this stage in their lives. They were not yet a 'sure' thing and both were proud and could throw everything away if pushed hard enough and it would be too late before they knew what they lost.

Yet they recognized it in the other and so took things very carefully, feeling the other out before making a move or comment.

Kurt's phone buzzed on the table and it was a text from his dad. He glanced at it, reading it quickly and easily and he sighed. "Time to head back."

"I like your family." Blaine commented as they gathered up their things and pushed their chairs in and Kurt glanced over at him in surprise and mouthed family? "Yeah, I mean it's not a typical arrangement but sometimes that just means it's more thought out and often stronger.

"I guess." Kurt shrugged. "Although it didn't start that way, have I told you how those two met?"

Kurt had Blaine laughing the entire way back to their cars with some of his antics and he kept laughing even though he was alone in his car on the drive to Kurt's. Kurt couldn't help but smile himself and they parked side by side in the driveway. His dad could always take his car to work tomorrow and Carole could take his dad's. They were lined up well enough, besides Finn had parked his mom in already; if he and Blaine didn't take both cars tomorrow wherever they headed. Lima was a bit boring but there were still things he and Blaine could find to do, even if was just a stroll.

His dad agreed with no murmur or hint of disagreement about Blaine staying the entire weekend.

Dinner was really nice that evening, Carole and Blaine really hit it off. Sometimes Finn would look annoyed by Blaine's presence, especially when Blaine actually joined in on the conversation he and Burt were having about college football and actually knew what he was talking about . Finn tried to switch the sport to baseball but Blaine kept up. Finn tried again with basketball but it backfired as Burt got caught up in what Blaine had to say and was totally lost when Blaine started talking hockey but Burt knew. It was with a last ditch effort that Finn switched to golf and Blaine's eyes lit up and Finn knew he was out of moves. There were other sports, of course, but they were more obscure and Blaine was actually far too familiar with them. As it was, Burt was out of the conversation and Finn was forced to talk to Blaine about it and Kurt smirked at his dad, knowing that the other man was weird and liked watching golf but not playing. They'd both noticed the competition for his attention and Burt winked back at his son who couldn't help the smile that blossomed.

Blaine peripherally noticed Kurt's smile and found it cute but didn't break with his conversation with Finn, who'd found it interesting, actually. Kurt started imaging them both in the old-school golf uniforms carrying their leather club cases around and a club on their shoulder as they chatted at a hole. Kurt had to start fanning himself with those thoughts, it was really quite an image.

To at least try and distract himself from the image he turned to Carole and spoke with her. Even though her life was even more removed from anything he was aware of or ever thought he'd be interested in, he found her interesting and her stories. Sports was a way of life around him and he could never escape it so he didn't even try to bother to and heard things but that wasn't anything he could say he understood. This was something that unless Carole told him about it, wouldn't have even really known it existed.

He was now interested in it as far as she was concerned but still wouldn't go into it himself.

"Boy, I'm stuffed. Great meal Carole." Burt patted his belly and Kurt grinned at Carole, he agreed and he knew it was incredibly healthy too, just so tasty Burt didn't know it.

"How long are you staying, Blaine?" Finn asked as he cleared the dishes, Kurt and Burt helped too but told Carole to sit and relax, she'd cooked and Blaine was told to sit down too since he was a guest. Blaine helped out anyway. Carole took advantage of it and laid her legs on the chair next to her and watched the four boys with a contented smile.

"Until Sunday evening...?" Blaine looked curiously at Burt and Kurt who also looked at his dad and Burt nodded.

"That long?" Finn asked in surprise. "And you're ok with that?" He asked Burt.

"Sure, why not? It's not every day Kurt brings over a friend and most of them have been females, except you and Sam."

Blaine's head lifted, that's the 2nd time he'd heard 'Sam' referenced and now he knew he was a guy too. He'd met Sam earlier today too but hadn't put the two together until now. He tried to think back and remember the blond that had caught Kurt's attention. Sam had a good voice and body, it wasn't a surprise he had been a crush for a day. Blaine pushed it from his thoughts, Sam had been a good friend and was straight, no concern there at all.

Kurt tried to hide the slashing gesture he made across his neck, trying to get them to stop but that only inspired them to start teasing Kurt more, not realizing he didn't want Blaine to know he didn't have much luck in the guy department – whether or not they were friends or boyfriends. Blaine still caught it though and thought it was cute, though Kurt was cute and he hip checked him as he walked by and Kurt's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"Oh yeah, Kurt has had girl friends all his life, and they've always been lining up out the door to spend time with him."

"Remember when he and Brittany dated?" Finn asked, "I was so confused".

Burt laughed. "I don't know what I was more surprised by, the flannel shirt or the girl making out with him on the couch, I thought for sure it was a very skinny tall guy for a moment and then I saw her and I didn't know what to say."

"Or when Mercedes thought that they were dating?" Finn continued.

"Or when Mercedes thought Kurt was in love with Rachel." Burt had found that story when Kurt came home hilarious.

"She was so funny to think that a car wash for glee club meant it was a date." Finn wasn't making fun of Mercedes, just the situation.

"Or when he claimed Tina was his girlfriend a week prior to Brittany actually trying to be his girlfriend." Burt teased.

"Guys!" Kurt interjected since his body language hadn't done enough. "Please stop!"

"So you've experimented?" Blaine shrugged, trying to calm him down.

Kurt's eyes snapped to him. "I wasn't experimenting."

"You really thought you liked those girls?" Blaine looked a little skeptical, and he had ever right to be.

"It had all been a show, first hiding who I was and then later trying to be a person I wasn't to please someone else. I knew it wasn't anything real, in my mind it was all a performance." Kurt wrapped his arms around himself. I've only ever pretended or fooled myself into thinking that pretense could become more if I tried hard enough or it was practice for the real thing."

"Oh." Finn had never known that. He started to view everything that had happened this last year and a half very differently. He hadn't realized how hard it had been for Kurt, he'd known that he had never felt good tormenting Kurt before they were in Glee Club together but that's as far as it went, just thoughts about the kind of guy he wanted to be. He knew Kurt had it rough, but nothing like he was suddenly realizing. He'd always thought that Kurt had put himself into those positions and could change himself but he had tried, had pretended for everyone else's sake and he couldn't do it anymore and he had an explosion of himself, all of him wanting to come out at once and maybe it'd settle down again into something more mainstream once he had the freedom to be fully himself and then find his new self once every thing he ever wanted to do was acknowledged and done. Finn now felt badly for telling him to turn it down.

Finn struggled with things himself but he had never been tormented every day of his life for being himself and he'd always had back up and others who understood him, like his best friend Puck who wasn't always the greatest friend but always had his back. Kurt had finally been given support too and started to trust that others would continue to do so and so he could be himself and before that, he'd only ever been snarky but kind and kept to himself and away from others. He was never left alone, even when he had turned his own volume down. Suddenly Finn felt terrible for even teasing him about these girls in front of his friend. He thought maybe Kurt liked him but he hadn't remembered that it was the only other openly gay kid Kurt had met, he'd always assumed there were more running around and they had a network but the way Kurt tried to protect his image with Blaine told him differently and Finn didn't want to hurt his chances of having a friend who had his back and understood him.

"I'm sorry Kurt." Everyone thought he meant just the teasing but as he looked at Kurt and Kurt looked back at him, it was clear from the look on Kurt's face he understood and gave a slow nod accepting it. Finn relaxed and smiled at him and Blaine looked between them in confusion.

Blaine didn't know it yet, Finn thought, but he'd just become friends with the best guy anyone could ever know. Yeah he made mistakes and made things awkward for straight kids sometimes but he was always the sanest head in the room even if no one else recognized it and if he wasn't sane, then he was still right. He was also incredibly accepting of others and their faults and forgave even the worst things. Finn flinched as he remembered the slur he'd used over and over again with Kurt to his face and yes he'd been annoyed but he could have chosen a better word and still get his point across. Now Finn knew Burt had been right to toss him out until he calmed down and could have a rational conversation. He may not be able to think of a slur that would work with himself but he was sure one was out there and to be called it constantly would hurt, especially if it came from a friend in anger.

Some day Finn would have to have a private conversation with Kurt about this, not now but he'd do it soon. He wanted to make sure Kurt fully understood what he was apologizing for and saying.

Meanwhile Blaine's eyes slid back to rest permanently on Kurt as he put the dishes away that Finn washed and Burt dried. Blaine noticed that Burt kept looking at his son too watching his movements for something and concern flashed across the uncanny blues eyes that were so much like his son's. Blaine didn't have a job now that the table was cleared and food was put away and the counters cleaned. He'd just get in the way until he learned where things went and then he could help. He did think it was kind of cute that the tallest one was doing the washing instead of putting things away but perhaps Finn wasn't sure where things went yet either. It was Burt and Kurt's house until the other two moved in.

Burt missed Blaine's attention to the group but mostly on his son. Blaine wondered if Burt knew more about what was going on than Kurt realized and then he knew, yeah, he did, he was watching Kurt to make sure he wasn't hiding an injury and now the question was- how long had he been suspicious that someone was doing this to Kurt?

Blaine was so impressed about the concern Burt had towards his son and wondered if he'd have been this concerned had he been straight or bigger, like Finn, or both. Burt was so accepting and Blaine was just sad that he didn't have that same relationship with his own father. Kurt didn't talk about his mother much but he knew that relationship had been intensely close. It was somewhat of a surprise that he did know as much about Kurt as he had, they'd been friends now for only about 1 week now but in that time they'd spent a lot of time together and texting and talking on the phone. No, Blaine knew that if Kurt had been built like Finn, Burt still would have been concerned about him and wanted to protect him from those out there who would hurt him or try. Maybe he'd be more worried about Kurt's heart when it came to girls rather than physical abuse but even big guys like Finn could be abused physically, even by tiny females. Also guys like Finn were targets by manipulative females and guys trying to size themselves up against Finn, see if they could best him.

Blaine was lucky in that sense at least, he wasn't large so he wasn't intimidating or a challenge and he wasn't super small so he wasn't intimidated by others or have others who thought they could push him around. He also passed as straight and so unless he was making it obvious, nobody would know.

Blaine kept getting distracted by Kurt's movements. He moved around the room like a ballerina, so incredibly light on his feet and he probably didn't even know that every time he stopped he struck a pose. He was so iconic and photogenic without even trying or having a camera out taking pictures. Blaine just liked watching him move and couldn't help as the corner of his lips moved on their own accord.

Kurt looked over at Blaine with a question on his face and it took Blaine a moment to realize the question was about why he was just staring at him with a goofy look on his own face and he smiled sheepishly and lifted a shoulder in a shrug. He had been daydreaming about Kurt on a stage performing for just him. He hated that Kurt had not felt like he could have a real relationship with anyone until recently. Kurt shook his head and continued doing what he was doing.

As he reached up to put away a glass on a shelf, the jacket he was still wearing despite being home and indoors slid up his body and revealed a tiny strip of flesh and Blaine's blood started boiling at the teasing glimpse but then as his eyes feasted on something he knew wouldn't be on display often, his blood started boiling for a different reason. There was a dark purple bruise across the top of his hip and as he watched, he saw a slight wince cross Kurt's face as he pulled on those muscles that had to be tender.

Burt noticed the look too and he put the dish he was drying into the wrong pile without knowing what he did with it and Finn would have argued but Burt was already across the small kitchen and taking Kurt's hand that was just now empty and turning him to him. "What is it? Your head?"

"No..." Kurt was confused for a second, not knowing that his dad was watching him too. "What?"

"You're in pain. What's wrong? What hurts?" His hands reached for Kurt's shoulders and Kurt backed away a step instinctively and Blaine frowned, how many bruises were covering Kurt's body? He really wanted to find out for himself and he ignored the part of him that wanted to kiss them all better, later, he promised himself but not now, not when Kurt was so skittish. Burt was frowning too and his temper was out in full force right now and he wasn't letting Kurt run away and he grabbed the seams on Kurt's jacket near his shoulders and pulled him back to a foot in front of him and then spun him to look at the back of Kurt's head.

Kurt tried to protest and escape, nobody touched his hair, he was always immaculate or tried very hard to be that way. Blaine wanted to get up and help but he wasn't sure in what way or who he wanted to help at this moment, but the end result would be the same, no matter what he'd be helping Kurt. Burt ignored Kurt's protest and started moving his hair so he could look at the damage on the back of his head. He'd left it alone the night Blaine slept over, he'd left it alone when he'd kept Kurt in his shop rather than let him go back to school and Blaine wished he'd kept Kurt home the entire week, that had only been the beginning of his nightmare week. He wished Burt had pushed for information, not let Kurt come to him on this matter. He had wished that Kurt had said something to his dad about Karofsky before this week and especially before yesterday because he knew Kurt would never say anything now.

Kurt hissed and bolted away from his dad's probing when he touched a particularly tender spot but Burt was reluctant to be relieved when he found no spots bleeding or any other signs. He didn't want Kurt to have a head injury but he'd also wanted an answer to why his son was in pain other than when the spot was touched. "Any headaches or vision changes?" Burt asked and tried to cover one of Kurt's eyes to check his vision both straight on and peripherally. Kurt groaned and moved away again but his dad was following him through the kitchen, dining room and living room.

"Dad, I saw the doctor on Tuesday, they didn't find anything wrong." They'd done scans and a vision test and other tests as well. "You were there with me."

"That doesn't mean that it didn't show up that day and has since showed up."

"I know, that's why there's another appointment on Monday." Another day where he'd be missing glee club and he wasn't pleased but he had to miss that rather than classes. "Which you already know about also. What is going on?"

"I just want to make sure we don't miss any signs and that we don't wake up in the morning and find that you can't." Burt was so worried and Kurt came forward and hugged his dad, his head on his dad's shoulder and Burt's arms came around Kurt and held the slight boy close. "I can't lose you."

"You're not going to, I may not look it, but I'm tough. I was taught by the strongest person I know how to be soft and strong at the same time."

Burt sniffled. "Your mother."

Kurt had a gargled laugh and agreed. "Yeah, my mother."

Burt kissed the top of Kurt's head and just held him closer and Kurt did everything in his power to not let Burt see that where his hands were, were touching a particularly tender bruise. "I'm sorry I'm embarrassing you in front of your guest." Burt hugged Kurt a little tighter before pulling back and wiping at his eyes. "I was just so-"

"I know dad, I've been through it this year too, remember?" Kurt wiped at his own face and knew neither of them could look particularly good. "What are the Hudsons to think?" He didn't even want to think about what Blaine was thinking.

Blaine was thinking that Burt didn't push far enough again, he was a very good dad but Blaine wasn't restricted in quite the same way and if a child of his was hurting, he'd get to the bottom of it, no matter what the child's wishes were. But he supposed it was hard navigating a child like Kurt when he had no background in gays other than his personal history of ostracism of strangers. And Blaine was coming from a family background completely different, where his father didn't want to know anything that didn't fit into his perfect life. Maybe Burt was right, maybe Blaine was, maybe both were or neither. Maybe Kurt was but definitely wasn't in this case. Karofsky needed a different wake up call before he started to make a change. Unfortunately, at this stage it wasn't Blaine's place to intervene, especially not if he wanted to continue being friends with Kurt.

That was what it all boiled down to though, wasn't it? It was a fine balance between protecting Kurt physically and respecting his choices as a man and protecting the relationship they had with him. Push the right way and time and the relationship got stronger. Push the wrong way and it could disintegrate, even the one Burt and Kurt shared- they loved each other deeply and would do anything for the other but it was a fragile agreement between the two of them in the end, or at least that's how Blaine viewed it.

Finn and Carole meanwhile were doing their best to pretend that they hadn't seen any of that go down. They'd gone into the kitchen and were out of view of the Hummels but could still see them in return and Carole shook her head when Finn wanted to say something to break the tension and Finn closed his mouth. Blaine could see both from where he sat at the dining table.

It was right then as he looked at all of them dancing around each other that if they didn't do something to make this better for Kurt in the next month, then Blaine would. He wasn't sure what it'd be yet but he was going to intervene; fall out be damned.

Kurt pulled away from his dad. "I'm fine, honestly. It's nothing that you need to worry about." Kurt hoped his words were true. So far he'd been handling it, not the best maybe, but he was handling it and things were changing and even if it got worse before it got better, he could handle that too as long as it got better. He now knew Karofsky's issue with him wasn't as cut and dry and he would do his best to deal with that too.

"I really hope that's true, Kurt but know you can always tell me." Burt paused for a second. "And don't be afraid to go after what you want, whether it's a person or a role or to be yourself." Kurt looked at him confused and Burt tried to clarify. "I know Will asked you to be Frank'n'furter and you turned it down and threw the diva-off with Defying Gravity, I'd heard you hit that high F before." Burt held his gaze and Kurt looked away. "Don't hold yourself back anymore."

"Sometimes it's best for everyone to not go after something with no regards to anyone else." Kurt was not a gay male version of Rachel, he just really wasn't. "I'd rather not have to apologize for hurting someone after I get my way." He also never got his way if he did it that way, he let people come to him rather than force his thoughts and ideas on them. He'd gotten detention the one time he tried to fight for what he wanted. He knew how to pick his battles now and how to get what he wanted in a much better way, and sometimes that meant compromising and giving up something else he wanted. "Besides, while I'm ok with Gaga week, it's different, that required a lot of skin showing and barely any clothes. I'm all about the clothes." Kurt stressed and Finn's face furrowed as he tried to think through all of that and then he gave Kurt his point. Kurt was always about the clothes.

"Still, wouldn't you have enjoyed that role?" Burt asked.

Kurt shrugged. "I enjoyed my role even more, I don't often get to play that type of character and I found him fun. He was the role I wanted. And... I'm not after the spotlight, I want to be recognized for my talents sure, but I don't need the lead role right now in my life. I don't feel comfortable in it and I am just looking to be comfortable in my own skin and my own corner of the world for now."

"All right, but I'll be very mad if I find out you're holding things back from me Kurt. You can tell me anything."

"I know that dad." But it wasn't that easy and Kurt wasn't about to divulge someone else's secrets. "Thank you for always being here."

"I'm your father, of course I am. More than that, I love you and want to be."

Kurt sniffed back the tears that hadn't fallen and swallowed hard. "Hey, Blaine, want to go watch a movie or something?"

"Sure." Blaine got up and smiled at the Hudsons, Carole smiled warmly at him. "Will you join us, Finn?"

"Actually, I'm heading to Rachel's, but thanks."

"Finn, go help your brother set up Blaine's cot first." Carole was the one this time and Finn looked at her in surprise, nobody had actually said that word yet. He was already viewing Burt as a father, the other father figure he had other than Mr. Schue and respected them both a lot and they both cared about him. He was still working on viewing Kurt as a brother. Kurt was only a month younger than himself (but looked years younger) and it wasn't easy to wrap his mind around it. Had he been a year younger or so, he might have been able to adjust a little easier. Maybe not. Maybe they were exactly how they were supposed to be and would come to appreciate how someone he could call a brother was so close in age to him in the future

That was just it though, he'd witnessed so many intimate moments he wouldn't have been exposed to had he just been a friend or only child. He and Carole had had arguments since moving in too and they never even thought twice about the Hummels overhearing them, for them they were already family and he'd had an argument with both Kurt and Burt in the space of time of a few minutes and he hadn't noticed Kurt and Carole arguing but they had disagreed about a few things and Carole had sent him to his room.

They were truly becoming a family. So with that thought in his head, Finn shrugged and wandered downstairs with Kurt following slowly behind him and Blaine went with them. In the future he might give them attitude but he wasn't one to do that too often, he was a pretty good kid. Kurt too, while he had his opinions he did a lot more work around the house than most kids and was usually pretty willing to pitch in but he would get irritated if he was distracted from one of his projects in an inopportune time.

Burt and Carole shared a knowing smile and happy that everyone was getting along so well again.

When they got downstairs, Kurt reached for the cot but Finn reached over him and took it down from the shelf and then with a hand on Kurt's chest, he pushed him onto the bed, not meanly or hard but with enough force that Kurt sat down on it with a moment needed to catch up. He could have been hurt that Finn did exactly what Karofsky did but it hadn't been the same and he didn't know why Finn did that, Finn never touched Kurt in the past except for a few moments of compassion and empathy. Never like that though. "Stay sitting down, Blaine and I will set it up. We did it before and it worked out pretty well."

"I can help." Kurt protested but he got a headshake as a response and Finn pressed one of the end joints roughly into Blaine's chest and he caught it and gave Finn a look, wondering what his deal was. Kurt wondered that too, but Finn had always been somewhat of a mystery to Kurt. Blaine had thought the two of them had a peace accord after the last time he was here and then again after their conversation about sports. Blaine really wanted to call him out about it all but held back, not sure where his place was in all of this. Yet he knew if Finn pushed him around one more time he was going to answer him back. "At least let me make the bed."

"Nah." "I'll do it." Finn and Blaine spoke at the same time and they acknowledged each other then as both having Kurt's well-being at the forefront of their mind. For Finn this was an opportunity to show Kurt that he cared about him but he was also incredibly skeptical of Blaine and his intentions. Blaine... he just cared about Kurt.

"Ok." Kurt sounded a little put out.

"Why don't you choose our movie?" Blaine asked nicely and he and Finn worked on the cot as Kurt went over and perused the selections. He pulled out a few so Blaine could have final choice and they were all a little different but he only had certain types of movies on hand and they weren't all the same genre or type but he didn't know Blaine's tastes yet and wasn't sure any of them would fit.

The temporary bed was made up quickly and Blaine jumped onto Kurt's bed to sit next to him, shoulders brushing as he looked over the choices. "Oh, you managed to pull several of my favorites." He stroked one of the spines. "I think this one."

"Definitely a personall favorite." Kurt agreed.

Finn about gagged and was going to say something but then thought better of it. It wasn't that Kurt had found a boy who wanted to spend time with him in such a fashion but because neither were being honest and were so nauseatingly sweet with each other. He was a bit jealous too of all the time they spent together and how little Kurt paid attention to him now. It probably wasn't fair to lay that at Kurt's feet though, he was still trying, really hard, to be a good brother and a good friend and good guy and a good roommate and a good classmate to Finn despite everything else going on.

"Well, I guess I'll be heading over to Rachel's now." He got a curious glance from Kurt as he looked up and smiled and waved goodbye and then the two were chatting about the movie again without even watching it first, they both knew it so well and Finn didn't know why they'd watch it afterward or at all if it wasn't new to either.

Then again he watched Die Hard every Christmas and he could quote every line of the movie. He supposed it was just something they'd be bonding over and another thing he'd be out of the loop on, he was already feeling that way when Kurt and Rachel spent time together, they were so in tune with what the other was saying because they knew all of it already and gossiped on stuff Finn had no clue about. Even when he dated Quinn, he always had an idea about what she was talking about, it was usually pretty shallow stuff that related in some way to his world.

Years from now, Quinn would tell him that it was because she knew he only related to that stuff so only spoke about it in his presence but he was oblivious to the world that she otherwise occupied when she was away from him. She catered to him, Rachel expected to be catered to and if not, then a mutual understanding that they had no idea what the other's interests were really about but would not interfere with. You could be totally in-sync, partially in-sync or have separate lives but shared the most important things.

He'd thought he and Quinn were the 1st and Rachel and him were the 3rd while Kurt and Blaine were somewhere between the first two but over time he'd realize Rachel and he were probably the 2nd and he and Quinn were more the 3rd, if that.

Finn hesitated before he headed up the stairs and after giving Kurt a returned smile he finally started to leave. He'd be back in a couple of hours, he just wanted to spend a few with his girlfriend on a Friday night. He was about to close the door to the basement when Burt's voice caught his attention. He and Carole were sitting on the couch with their back to the door while they watched a movie of their own. "Leave it open." Finn didn't know how he knew that the door was opened or closed or that Finn was there but he left it open, respecting Burt's wishes. "Be back by 10." Burt's voice caught his attention again and he barely raised it to be heard.

He nodded. "Yes sir." Finn grabbed up his letterman's jacket and headed out and over to Rachel's.

Kurt's dvd player and TV were in between both beds and the cot would have been straight on had it been more comfortable, they'd have sat there but instead both snuggled in Kurt's blanket and sat with their back against the wall and were their entire length was practically touching the whole time. Blaine caught himself from using Kurt's shoulder as a head rest a few times. He, however, had surprised himself when he found his hand on Kurt's or on his knee or wrapped around Kurt's arm. Kurt didn't offer up a single moment of protest or sign that he even noticed it other than a very subtle shift in his breathing but Blaine wasn't sure if it was in remembered fear or attraction. Kurt's head ended up finding Blaine's shoulder towards the end of the movie and the breathing changed again, it was more relaxed and consistent and drew Blaine into his own drowsy state. He looked down at Kurt and realized the other boy was sleeping. He didn't have the heart to wake him, just to move even slightly much less remove the entire support system. So he rested his head over Kurt's, intending to do something about it at the next movie but his breath was caught and unsure if he would have been able to move even if he wanted to as he looked at Kurt's peaceful face. It was the first time he'd seen Kurt look this relaxed and he was beautiful.

So Blaine's cheek found a place to rest against the top of Kurt's bent head and found his own eyes shut for longer and longer periods. The credits rolled and then the home screen came back on and the same scene played over and over again and he found himself dreaming about him and Kurt in those roles, Come What May, was his last coherent thought and something he would remember for the rest of his life.

–

Finn stumbled downstairs some time after 10:30, he had the same curfew as Kurt but ironically it was Kurt who was allowed to have sleepovers at Rachel's house. He noticed Blaine wake up minimally and peer at him through sleepy eyes and Finn noted their position on the bed with the TV still playing in circles and he didn't have the heart to tell them to separate. He too noticed how relaxed Kurt looked for the first time in forever. He still didn't like that Blaine got to sleep over but he did realize that it was a different situation than him and Rachel but judging from the two of them, it wouldn't always be that way. Kurt shifted and a smile crossed his face as he snuggled into Blaine's chest.

Finn turned around and headed back upstairs. He may be ok with them now, to a point, and he didn't mind seeing Kurt happy, he didn't want to spend all night downstairs with them. He got to the top of the stairs and would have started to set up the couch when Burt cleared his throat from the kitchen, he'd been watching the basement door for hours, his ears on high alert for any sounds from that region and while he heard the TV at a normal volume, he hadn't heard them talk much and then even that died out.

"They're both asleep." Finn reported.

"I had a feeling." Which made Burt happy to know it was confirmed. "But you're still going to sleep down there. I don't want Blaine to do anything Kurt is not ready for."

"So you know?" Finn thought that Blaine did a good job hiding it behind his uniform and sports talk. Yet he wasn't hiding it, Finn knew, he'd admitted as much just not in so many words to Finn when they met on Monday. He supposed it wasn't something you just went around telling people, like 'Hi, I'm Blaine, I'm gay.' It wasn't part of his name nor was it any of anyone else's business. Finn didn't feel the need to go around say 'Hello, I'm Finn, straight, Hudson.'

"That Blaine is gay? Oh yeah. I figured it out the second Kurt mentioned him and meeting him just confirmed it."

"How did you know?" Finn thought that Kurt was interested in Blaine but hadn't thought that Blaine had returned Kurt's preferences, was just a really nice guy, like Sam and a little bit like himself, although he was seeing more and more that he could have been nicer and more supportive through all of this.

"I know you haven't met very many gay men in your life, probably just Kurt and now Blaine. I truthfully haven't met too many more than that but I've been alive a lot longer than you. There are still some people who have and will continue to surprise me because I didn't get the feeling but sometimes you just know even when there are no obvious tells. I knew Kurt would be special the second he was born because he was my son, when he was 6 I knew that he would definitely be different and after that I just knew, even before Kurt started thinking about it himself or even realizing that there were other people out there that someone could be interested in, whether it was a girl or boy in a way other than friendship."

"Yeah but Kurt is-"

"Watch what you say-" Burt warned, he wouldn't accept any type of slur against Kurt, even from Finn, even in a conversation where he was just trying to understand and learn. He could say it in a better way.

"Kurt is..." Finn started, stopped and thought about it and how to say it without getting kicked out again. "Kurt is not afraid of showing all sides of himself."

Burt took that in with grace and nodded. "I'm not even sure if it's a choice for him. It's just who he is. I have no doubt that Blaine is also just being who he is too and who he is has been formed by his own life experiences. I've tried to get Kurt involved with sports and cars several times through the years but I've never pushed him. I've let him decide what he is interested in and have tried to guide him to expand his interests but he's not interested and so I don't make him do it. If it's not something to teach him responsibility or a work ethic, then I don't see the need to change him; I don't want him to grow up regretting our relationship or resenting me. My responsibility is to help him grow into the best him that he can be, not a mini-me. Meanwhile Blaine is so new to us and we don't know what he's going to do or not do. We've only ever seen him in his uniform."

"Then how did you know?" Finn pushed.

"You never really know for sure but you confirmed it for me and-" Burt grinned here, pleased for his son. "I saw the looks Blaine was sending Kurt's way, it wasn't just one-sided. Those were not looks of a friend but someone just absolutely fascinated in a potential life partner. It doesn't matter if it's a guy for a girl or a girl for a guy or a girl for a girl or a guy for a guy, the look is the same and it's the great equalizer; it's universal."

"Something everyone can understand." Finn sighed, he'd noticed it himself. "Then why can't I sleep up here if you know that they have a budding relationship starting? I'd just be in the way."

"Because, I don't want them down there alone. I am starting to get a really good idea of who Blaine is but he's still too new to me and I trust him but at the same time I don't want that trust to be wrongly placed in his hands without some supervision until I can be sure. I've met a lot of guys really good at schmoozing and while I'm a pretty good read with people, and I think Blaine is genuine, I don't want things to go sideways because they're going too fast at the wrong time. Kurt is in a very delicate place right now."

Finn sighed. "How long will it take you to know for sure?"

Burt smirked and he looked so much like his son just then. "Well it depends on what happens with the two of them."

"I can't believe you're going to let him stay the whole weekend if you know this is a possibility." Finn couldn't imagine them letting Rachel stay for the weekend, even if Kurt was down with them in the room.

"I would have preferred him staying in a different room." Burt agreed. "But this is a special situation. Blaine is helping Kurt through everything going on in his life right now and they need each other, Kurt is doing the same for Blaine, I can just feel it."

"I don't think I'll ever understand any of this like you do." Finn ran a hand through his hair, impressed by Burt and disappointed in himself equally.

"I've been living with Kurt for 17 years, had a very compassionate and understanding wife starting before he was even born who opened me up to a lot more of life and many more years of experience and learning prior to that. You'll get there Finn, don't be to hard on yourself. Now, come here, I'm sorry for jumping down your throat a few weeks ago when I caught you and Kurt arguing. Your mom told me the rest of the story. While I'm not a fan of the word you used, I understand it more now." He opened his arms and Finn moved into them without hesitation and hugged Burt back.

"I understand more about what was happening then and there now." Finn continued. "He's been acting out and that was just a way for him to regain control. I'm sorry I called his decorations that, and indirectly called him that. I'll apologize to him too."

Burt nodded. "I know you are sorry and it wasn't totally your fault. I should have built on the addition before having you and your mom move in, I was just too excited and I didn't think about what it would be like for you. I think as brothers you should be able to share a space but you're both juniors and will only be living with each other like this for 2 years, then maybe never again except for holidays when you come to visit." Kurt wouldn't be coming home over the summer like Finn likely would if he went to a state school. He already knew he was going to lose Kurt to New York permanently once he found an apartment out there and would never be living in Lima for more than a week at a time again. It didn't help that they were both only children and unlikely to know how to share a space with anyone other than their parent. It was a big change for both of them.

"No... no, it's been good for me. I do really care about Kurt, I always have. I didn't like when the other football players were picking on him even before he came out and I didn't do it to him myself but I didn't stop it either." Finn didn't know if Burt knew that or not but he wanted to say it and get it out there.

Burt sighed but didn't say anything, it was in the past, it was their future actions that mattered now.

Finn struggled daily with being that guy, the one that stood up for Kurt even if it put him in line of fire himself. Some days he did better than others and was braver than others. It was an ongoing battle and struggle and he was also just a teenager, same age as Kurt and he was going to make mistakes and learn from them, had learned from them. Every day was a new day to make a different decision or fall into old patterns.

Finn had always had to defend himself and others but nobody had defended him. At least that was the case until recently and through Kurt and Rachel he had gained a much bigger family, both in the glee club and with the Hummels and Mr. Schue. Being the biggest kid in the class for most of his life had set him up as a target and a star and he felt uncomfortable with all of it but had never known any differently. They all expected him to be the mature one, the oldest one even though he wasn't. A lot of times he wasn't allowed to be viewed as a kid himself with his own insecurities that he'd have loved guidance with. His mom was great and helped a lot but sometimes she forgot that he wasn't an adult too just because he towered over everyone else.

That's why he sank further into Burt's hug. This was a man who saw him as both a child and an adult and wanted the best for hm and was willing to work with him through everything and guide him when he loses his way, not just let him get away with it, but make him take responsibility for his actions and supported his decisions when done with forethought.

"You're a good kid, Finn." Burt hugged him tighter for a second and then released him. "Never forget that we all see it and love you."

Finn had never been told by a male father figure that he was loved and Finn tried to hide the tears that escaped but Burt was used to tears being a near daily thing and caught them and hugged Finn tighter. "It's ok to cry in this household. Don't be afraid to feel your emotions here."

Finn nodded and hugged Burt tighter too. It was Carole who interrupted them when she came downstairs dressed for bed for the night. "Did I miss something important?" She asked with a soft smile, pleased by the scene she was witnessing.

"Nothing that we need to talk about." Finn pulled away from Burt and Burt patted him on the shoulder.

"We were just having a father and son talk." And Finn almost started crying again at that, he loved hearing that.

"Can a mother get in on that hug?" She asked and Finn and Burt engulfed her in that hug too. Finn felt at home and would always view this as his home without even thinking about it from now on.