Kurt and Nick spent the drive to Kurt's home chatting and laughing at each other's stories. Kurt had finished telling Nick about his earlier shenanigans.
"I swear this isn't typical behavior for me," Kurt laughs energetically. "I never got in trouble in McKinley. I mean sometimes my mouth got me in trouble, but not like this." He didn't consider maybe this more outspoken Kurt may be a result of being in a school where he could speak without someone harassing him.
Nick shakes his head; his eyes move to Kurt for a moment before returning his focus to the road. "I'll take your word for it. So tell me, what was McKinley like, what should I expect?" He's only ever been a private school student; he grew up seeing the same students every day. He's never even stepped foot in a public school. Nick instantly regretted asking as Kurt's face darkens a little at the question.
The smile drops a little from Kurt's face and shrugs, "It was school. I didn't really have friends at all, especially once I started High School."
Nick frowns sadly and hums to show he's listening. Their group of friends had discussed Kurt a few times since they met him a month ago. They figured there was something in his past, but no one really knew how to ask. Kurt's funny and witty, but very closed off in a lot of ways.
"I mean, I guess it doesn't matter now. But it got a little darker after I came out. My dad was supportive, as much as he could be. Thanks to glee club, I had a few people that cared," Kurt wasn't really delving into what really happened, be knew he was avoiding telling Nick what really happened. It's like experiencing it all over again when he talks about it.
Nick's eyes look over to Kurt's face that seemed very far away, "Something happened, didn't it? There's more to it."
"You really want to know this stuff?" Kurt asks Nick a little skeptically.
"Of course I want to know. But inn your time though, you don't have to."
Kurt looks down at his hands as he considers where to start. "I guess I can say I've always been bullied. But got worse as time went on and kids started to realize how different I was. How I dress, how look, how I talk, just everything. Last year, it got really bad. This guy did what ever he could to make my life hell. He would throw me into lockers, shove me, it got to the point where he started threatening me." Kurt refused to look at Nick and see the look of pity on his face, he was tired of being weak and looked at as a victim.
Nick took a long time considering everything Kurt said, it sounded terrible. He couldn't imagine that being his everyday life. Kurt was incredibly strong to experience that and still be the amazing person he is now. "He threatened you? With what?" Not sure he wanted the answer.
"To kill me," Kurt said as unemotional as he could. "Then he would taunt me with it, he'd just do little things here and there to make sure I didn't forget, to terrify me."
"Oh my god, Kurt," Nick moves one hand off the steering wheel to run it through his hair as he looks at Kurt in disbelief. "I'm sorry, I had no idea. I mean, is he going to be there tonight?"
"I assume so, he's a football player." Kurt shrugs, "Surely he's gotten it out of his system now that I've changed schools."
Nick scoffs, not sure he wants to even consider going now. What a fucking Neanderthal. It just made no sense, "Kurt, why did he care that much though? I mean, I know homophobia is still a huge issue. But why was he so determined?"
Kurt frowns in thought, in the end he just shrugs, "I don't know, I guess he just didn't like who I was."
Blaine sits down to dinner with his friends, deciding to take Nick's spot in front of Jeff. He kinda feels bad about the group teaming up against him like that. Jeff was such a great guy, always wants to do the right thing. Even if it went against his friends. A very underrated personality trait that Blaine really admires in him.
To his relief, Jeff greets him as friendly as ever. "Hey, Blaine. Warblers was fun today, a little weird with these two missing."
Blaine pouts a little, but smiles, "I know, it's crazy how Kurt's become such a huge part of our lives in such a small amount of time." Kurt was really the first person that really fit in so well with their group. They had other friends, but none of them ever got that close to the five of them. Blaine always got the new guys, took them under his wing, and then they just go their way. They all friends, but Kurt was vital to their every day.
Jeff stares at Blaine, not wanting to have another argument with his friends. It was confusing that they were leaving Kurt, who they say they value as a friend and Blaine more than that, out of something that was a big part of their lives. This fight club has gotten huge, and Blaine was the leader of it. Kurt should know, even if he wouldn't approve. It's not right. Jeff doesn't say any of that, he just nods instead.
Blaine couldn't really get a read on Jeff, "Jeff, is everything okay after this morning? We haven't been able to talk." Blaine continues searching Jeff's face, he really hated making anyone upset. Jeff was clearly either upset, or angry, or something in between.
Jeff's face grows even more tense, "Blaine, can I ask you something without you getting pissed off."
Blaine scoffs, "When have you ever seen me pissed off." Jeff was acting like he was some kind of tyrant now.
"Fine, I know. It's just... okay, It's the timing today, it's weird. Kurt starts asking questions, you start flirting with him, and now you guys are official. And now he's happy. I'm being Kurt's friend here. Did you do that to distract him, or was it real?" Jeff felt his eyes prickling, he really hated confrontation, but no one else was going to ask it.
Blaine frowns in disgust, "You think I would do that to him." He felt extremely hurt, "Jeff, I love him. And I'm sorry if the timing was a little off, but I've been wanting to do that since I met him."
"I know," Jeff offered. "I don't know, maybe I'm just being sensitive."
"Maybe," Blaine offered teasingly, earning him a very intimidating glare. "It's not a bad thing, you're so caring and loyal to everyone. You should keep being that way, we need you here to be that for us idiots. But I need you to accept this one thing, at least for now. Maybe in time, we can tell him."
Jeff sighed and ran hand down his face, "Fine. But I can't stop him from figuring it out himself." Jeff felt the other boys were underestimating Kurt incredibly. This would not end well, he could feel it. Kurt was going to find out. Maybe not today or even this month, but he would.
Kurt made it to his house and took a selfie with Nick to send to Blaine.
Finn greets them at the door, pulling Kurt into a hug and helps carry their things to Kurt's room. Nick looks around Kurt's room, impressed. Everything Kurt did, he's just himself. The two boys change, right after that, Carole comes in and hugs Kurt, "Thank you joining us for the weekend. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes boys." Carole smiles sweetly at Nick before heading downstairs.
"Wow, your mom's so nice," Nick exclaims, "Your brother, too."
Kurt smiles and nods in agreement, "Yeah, they're amazing. But they're actually my step mother and brother. But we're pretty close at this point."
"Oh," Nick says surprised, "I didn't realize."
Kurt shrugs, "Yeah, I don't bring it up much. My mom died when I was eight. My dad married Carole a few months ago, but we've lived together for a while."
"Oh Kurt, I'm sorry." Nick had no idea what to say.
Kurt was used to that, he understood. What do you say, Kurt still didn't know. Maybe there are no words that could make it better. You just cope. "Thanks, I've worked through it. I just don't like to talk about it much."
"I understand-"
"Kurt! Get down here," there was a loud, booming voice. Nick jumped a little, turned to look at Kurt again, he was smiling, okay so that's normal for them, okay. Nick follows Kurt down the stairs where Kurt hugs a man Nick assumes is Kurt's dad.
Burt turns around and walks straight up to Nick, his voice dead serious, "Are you Blaine?" He points almost accusatorily.
Nick's eyes nearly bulge out of his head, "No sir! Not me."
Burt starts howling laughing at the look of pure fear on Nick's face, "Oh, you Dalton boys are a riot."
"Dad!" Kurt pulls Nick towards the table where he could sit safely next to Carole who loved doting on their friends.
Burt returns his attention to his son and moves to sit next to him at the table. "Hey, I got a phone call today from a teacher, named Mrs. Harding."
Kurt freezes on the spot, oh yeah. He looks towards Nick who was watching the family interact like it was a sitcom. This isn't fair, "You know what, he might be Blaine after all now that I look at him. You can give him a hard time instead."
Nick whipped his head over to look at Kurt in absolute disbelief, his mouth full of potatoes.
"Cut it out, Kurt. Yet again, that mouth of yours gets you into trouble. I want to know what happened!" Burt trying not to laugh at the look on Nick's face, Kurt could've warned the poor kid that we're all crazy.
Kurt launches into the story, conveniently skipping over the cougar part. "It was all innocent," Kurt finishes, looking at Burt with his eyes wide and innocent.
Finn laughs when Kurt calls himself innocent, "Yeah innocent like that time you told Stoner Brett that he smelled homeless."
"Kurt!" Carole exclaims in shock.
Nick chuckles, shaking his head, "That's so mean." He looks over and Kurt had a particularly sassy look on his face.
"He's like that," Burt says, now focused more on eating, they did have a game to go to and he wasn't going to fool himself into think Kurt was going to suddenly be angelic with the woman. "He can really get spiteful when he wants to be."
"I've seen it, he made Wes eat eggs off the floor."
"I did not," Kurt says in protest, "he did that completely voluntarily."
Finn shrugs, "I'd eat eggs off the floor, ten second rules, right?"
Nick starts laughing with Finn, "Oh man, you would get along great with him."
Finn smiles, looking pleased, but really wanting to eat so he was ready for his game.
"So, why didn't Blaine come?" Burt asks, "Too soon to meet the parents?"
"What do you mean, he's right here," Kurt almost died when Nick's head dropped, but managed a straight face. Kurt puts his arm around Nick's chair, not actually making any physical contact. "He's perfect, all the way down to his strange ability to charm the pants off even the oldest of cougars."
"Kurt come on," Nick responds, his face beet red, he looks over to Kurt's father to see him fully enjoying this, "I'm Nick, nice to meet you." He looks over at Kurt and tries really hard to glare at him.
"He'll change his tune in the car," Kurt says, finally breaking into a laugh.
Burt burst out laughing too before standing up, "Alright, let's go before you give the poor boy a heart attack. Also, if you guys wanna go separate so you can hang out longer, that would be great. We're old." Finn leaves with his parents so he could be there sooner, in fact he should have been there over an hour ago.
Finn turns around one last time, just so he could play along with Kurt's joke. I was rarely ever quick enough to do that. "Hey, I have supplies in my dresser, if you know what I mean."
"Thanks Finn. We'll check that out!," Kurt laughs, glancing at the corner of his eye, to see Nick typing furiously on his phone.
"I'll drive!" Kurt announced excitedly, going to steal his keys from his dad's room. He makes his way down quickly and winks at Nick who was officially not speaking to Kurt.
Nick follows Kurt, shaking his head furiously, "I can actually not believe you. I've already told on you to Blaine."
Kurt nods while he starts the ignition, "I can't believe Finn offered us condoms.
"You!" Nick almost yells, "offered you condoms."
The closer they were to the school, the quieter Kurt got. He sees the building and feels himself crawling back into his shell again. Damn this place for making him feel like this.
Nick could see Kurt retreat into a person he really didn't recognize. He seemed reserved and unsure of himself, not the bold and feisty Kurt he's been able to get to know. Nick almost preferred Kurt teasing him, almost.
He leads Nick to the football stands and points up to Mercedes, Rachel, and Tina who were already sitting. Kurt quickly introduces Nick, Rachel seemed more focused on Finn so she was being tolerable.
Mercedes slips arm though one of Kurt, "We really miss you, Kurt. Nick, you may have to drive home alone. He's staying here."
"Oh No," Nick says jokingly, "Well I think Blaine may actually kill me if I return without him."
Kurt starts pointing out his brother and other people to Nick and describing them. "That's Brittany, she's an incredible dancer, right next to her is Santana, they're together." Knowing Nick would ask about Karofsky, he points out number 77, "That's him right there."
Nick's eyebrows rise at the sight of him, "Wow, he's huge Kurt, what the hell." Nick looks at Kurt smaller frame, those shoves probably did a lot of damage. Seriously, size difference was insane. That's the weakest type of bully he's ever seen. Hopefully we won't have to run into him.
The game went on forever, but they were actually winning so that was a change. At some point, Karofsky turned and looked straight at him, just for a second before returning his attention to the game. Kurt looked around him to see if any of his friends noticed, they didn't. Maybe it was his imagination.
It got towards the end of the game, the girls started getting cold so he offered to get everyone something warm to drink. There was quite a line so he joined the back of it. It moves rather quickly and he gets the drinks in the final moments of the game. Kurt smiles as the crowd cheers for the final plays, unfortunately they were all gathered in the front blocking his way to his friends.
Kurt shrugs and walks through the path underneath the bleachers, he sees the team run across the path back to their locker room. Kurt picks up his pace to get to his friends. Someone grabs his shoulder from behind, he turns around and sees Karofsky and three other guys, shit.
His bully looks down at the cups in his hands and smirks, "usually we use slushies, but we could use these instead."
Kurt hated himself for freezing up like this. Again.
Dave grabs one of the cups and splashes it in Kurt's face. The pain was searing, thankfully it missed his eyes. But unfortunately, he lost grip on his other cups, causing them to splash all over his clothes. Kurt screamed in pain, but he knew no one heard him over the excitement.
"Leave us alone, guys."
And then they were alone. Karofsky shoves Kurt into one of the poles holding up the bleachers and he hits his head. Just enough to bruise it. Kurt falls to the ground, finally allowing himself to get angry before standing. "What the hell is wrong with you."
"You," Dave screams, shoving Kurt hard into one of the poles. Kurt winced as his back hit the unforgiving metal. Dave did it a few more times, feeling the power of making someone feel pain. Eventually he held Kurt against it instead, grabbed Kurt's face roughly and kissed him.
This kiss was very different than the one he experienced earlier, it hurt and not just physically. When Blaine kissed him, it was warm and soft. This was rough, his bottom lip pushing into his teeth painfully. His neck was cramping on one side from fighting against the tight. Kurt tried pushing him off, but he was no match.
Everything else happened so fast, someone grabbed Dave around the neck from behind, causing him to bite down hard on Kurt's lip. Kurt hated fighting, but he wasn't so against it right now. Nick shoved Dave on the ground, Dave runs off to the locker room, yelling out lame insults.
Nick approached Kurt slowly, looking him up and down. Another moment where he had no clue what to say. What the actual Fuck.
Kurt hadn't caught up mentally with what just happened, he just looked to Nick and shook his head desperately, "I didn't want to Nick, I swear. I didn't want that." He had to believe him. "Blaine's going to hate me."
"No," Nick said sternly, getting close enough now to see actual burn marks on his friend's face. "No he won't. You didn't do anything. Look, don't worry about that right now, let's find your dad. He'll know what to do." Nick definitely didn't know what to do, Jeff would have been great in this moment. His heart lurches longingly.
Kurt shook his head, "No, I can't out him, it's wrong."
"Are you serious, Kurt, he just assaulted you! Even if he's closeted, that doesn't make this okay." Nick didn't mean to raise his voice, but this was the most fucked up this he's ever seen. Pretty sure that hate kiss scarred him for life, no one should have to experience something like that.
"No, I don't want to bother my dad with this. I'll just tell him some asshole bumped into me and I fell. Please Nick."
Nick was not on board with that plan, "He should go to jail."
"You're right," Kurt's hands shaking as he removes his ruined jacket, hissing as it moved across the now sensitive skin. "He should be arrested, but he wouldn't be. Why do you think he's still in this school, on the football team even! I don't want this fight. Just so he can get a few hours of community service? I already did this once. Trust me, I hate it too. But when he threatened to kill me, he was expelled, for like a week. When he came back, it was like it never happened. It was not worth the pain and stress it put on my dad. I can move on from this." He knew he probably didn't sound convincing with his voice cracking at the end.
When Nick didn't say anything, Kurt looks up and sees him pacing, looking conflicted. Nick looks back at him, he looked so sad and defeated.. and cold! See, Jeff would have had him cleaned up and taken care of. And Blaine would kill Nick if he saw Kurt in such a state, Wes too. Nick curses himself, rips his jacket off, and puts it over Kurt's shivering body. "Alright, first step, we're getting you back home so you can change. Let's just… get out of here." Kurt agrees, sighing in relief.
He grabs Kurt's hand, not in a romantic way he swears, and leads him back to the car. It didn't feel that weird to hold his hand, he was hoping it comforted him in some way. There were still a lot of people there, Nick had no idea how long they were under the bleachers. He guesses no longer than ten minutes, it felt like an hour. He saw people chatting and laughing, like there was nothing wrong. That was supposed to be them. He spots Mercedes laughing and chatting with some of the cheerleaders Kurt had pointed out, didn't they notice their friend was missing? Things were definitely different here.
Nick turned on the heat while Kurt puts his seat belt on, Kurt's car was a lot bigger than his, it took a few minutes to adjust. Nick gets them to Kurt's house, thankfully before his parents.
The two boys rush into the house into Kurt's room. Kurt runs into his bathroom had pulls off his shirt to assess the damage. His back was going to be badly bruised, as well as his forearm, probably how he landed after falling. He had little splotchy burns on his arm and abdomen. Not bad burns, but it would hurt for a while, and maybe even blister in some places. His face was very red from the hot liquid, a bump on the right side of his head that would likely bruise. His lips looked bruised, from the amount of force in the kiss, and it was a little cut from where his teeth bared down on him. With these injuries, Burt would not believe him, Nick was right.
Kurt's phone buzzed, Kurt jumps but then bends down to pick it up, he didn't even remember where is phone was with all this going on. He had like five messages from Blaine. Two of them were sweet messages about missing him, Kurt feels his eyes burn as everything that happened truly sinks in, for this one time he allows the tears to come out.
The other texts were about his earlier jokes with Nick, Kurt would give anything to go back to that. He didn't have it in him to joke right now. He didn't know what to say to Blaine. Nothing seems right. He wasn't going to explain what happened by text or phone. No, he would talk to him in person. But he didn't want to send fake, happy messages if he didn't feel happy.
Kurt changed into a pair of comfortable pants and a t-shirt that he had sitting in the linen closet. He takes a deep breath and shakily steps out of the bathroom. When he walks into his room, Nick was sitting on the edge of his bed, chin resting on his hand with his legs drawn up. Nick stood up, it was so much worse than he thought. It was dark outside, so he couldn't really see the injuries on his face before.
"Okay," Nick says stupidly, wrong thing to say. Kurt's shoulders drop and a few more tears fall down his face.
"It looks so bad," Kurt's cracking as he wipes his tears, how was he supposed to face Blaine like this?
Nick kicked himself internally, he's the worst friend ever. Nick scratches at the back of his neck, about to start crying too. He doesn't know how to comfort people, he's an only child, the most he's ever gotten from his parents was a pat on the back. No, he could be better. If Jeff were crying, he'd know. Nick sighs and steps closer to his crying friend, "Come here," he says and pulls Kurt into his arms, gently though as to not cause more pain.
Kurt didn't cry more, but he let Nick comfort him for a few minutes. Kurt pulls away when he sees headlights pulling into the driveway. Kurt suddenly starts getting nervous, what was he going to tell his dad?
Nick saw the fear and desperation in Kurt's eyes, "Are you still sure about what you said earlier.. We could still tell him everything." Maybe that was just Kurt in shock.
"I'm sure," Kurt watches his dad walk into the house through the window. "But I don't think he's going to believe anything I say either."
"Kurt?" Burt yells up the stairs, "I didn't expect you to be back before us, everything okay?"
Kurt looks at Nick desperately again, shaking his head. Nick does his best to pull it together, "If that's what you want, just let me take care of it. I don't think this is the best thing for you, but I respect your choice."
Kurt nodded and ran back into his bathroom, slamming the door.
Nick lets out a deep breath, he was a Dalton boy, he could use his Dalton charm. He's no Blaine or David, but surely he's learned a thing or two.
Nick makes his way down the stairs and spots Burt looking around sneakily in the kitchen, "Mr. Hummel?" Nick decides to announce himself.
Burt freezes on the spot, turns and looks around him, "No Kurt?"
Nick shook his head with a smile, "No sir, he's busy at the moment."
Burt rolls his eyes, "probably that damn face routine thing he does. Listen, don't tell him about this alright." Burt reaches in the cabinet and pulls out some cookies.
Nick follows Burt to the table where they were sitting before. Burt frowns at Nick, "Alright, why is he back so soon? I want the truth, I know you're covering for him."
Nick throws his head back and sighs in frustration, was he that obvious.
Burt chuckles at the poor kid, "Hey, I know my kid. I had a little heart issue a while back and he thinks any time something bad happens, it's going to kill me. I'm not that fragile, I'm fine. I play along with it mostly cause of his mom, I understand why he's like that."
Nick's heart ached for Kurt, he's really been through it.
Burt scoots in a little closer to Nick, "Okay, I'm going to be fair with you, you seem like a nice guy, and I know you're friends. So, how about this. Don't give me the details. Just answer yes or no, does it have to do with a certain football player that looks like a thirty-five year old man?"
Nick looks up and their eyes meet and he nods. He looks back at Burt who wasn't speaking, his eyes were full of what looked like pain and anger, righteous anger. "I'm so sorry, I wanted go find you-"
"He wouldn't let you, I know. Is he okay?" Burt in no way thought it was this kid's fault or responsibility.
Was he okay? No, Nick didn't think so, not right now. "I think he will be, but this is deeper than just a jock picking on people. There is a reason he's not telling you. It's a moral thing. He's giving him a respect that he absolutely does not deserve."
Burt sits back and considers Nicks words, interesting. "Well, that's Kurt for you. He's a brat, but he's also a really great person, too good sometimes. And people like Karofsky will walk all over that."
Nick frowns sadly, looking down at his hands. This has been one long as hell day. "So what should I do, should I go get him?" Kurt was going to feel so betrayed, but Burt was in charge here.
Burt sighs, pulls his ballcap off and runs a hand down his face. "No. Let him get some sleep, in the morning take him back to Dalton. Save him the humiliation and stress of having to lie to me, like I know he will. I think one day he'll tell me. But it doesn't have to be today. Tell him that I understand he needs to keep caught up on his schoolwork, but he better get his ass back here for Thanksgiving in a few weeks."
Nick was now positive there wasn't another dad in the world like him, wow. "This is extremely thoughtful of you. Anything else I should tell him?"
"Yeah, tell him I want to meet the other Blaine."
Nick barked out a laugh, he totally forgot about that. "I'll tell him."
"And hey, you and his other friends are all welcome to visit. Even just for a weekend like this. Don't be strangers." Burt stands up, claps Nick on the shoulder, "And I need Kurt's keys back, he's not as slick as he thinks."
"I can't believe you got my dad to send me back early. I mean, I feel bad. But I really didn't want to have to lie to him," Kurt says as he looks at his face in Nick's visor mirror. His face wasn't as red, but still noticeably pink, especially so on his left side. The bruise was darker on his head, and his bottom lip basically was a bruise. Shit.
"He's a pretty understanding guy, your dad is," Nick says pleasantly as they merge onto the freeway, almost laughing at how terrified of the man he was when he first saw him. A teddy bear really.
Kurt put the mirror back up, he couldn't look at it anymore. "He really is.. So about Blaine. What should I do?"
"Well, you're going to tell him right? The truth?" Nick's eyes study Kurt's face before facing the road again. It was one thing lying about Fight Club, he was always lying about Fight Club. This was too big of a lie.
"I guess I have to, I'm just afraid of how he's going to react. You think he'll hate me? What if he doesn't believe me?"
Nick scoffs, not because it's funny, nothing about this was funny. "Kurt, I can assure you that won't be a problem. I know Blaine, everything will be okay. He's going to have your back, we all will."
Kurt felt a little better, loads better, "I guess I'm just used to not sharing stuff about my life."
"Apparently not!" Nick says, "I learned so much about you even just over one night. Does Blaine know any of this stuff. You know, about McKinley or even your family?"
"No," Kurt shrugs, "you know, you guys don't share much either!"
"Yeah, well we're pretty basic. We're Dalton kids, we grew up with each other. Apart from Jeff, most of us don't really talk to our families enough to even have something to talk about."
Kurt's face breaks into a dry smile, "Yeah and I could make a movie about mine."
"It's not a bad thing, and I do think you should share more, we're your friends. I think we'd all like to know your experiences."
"I guess so. I never thought about it like that, I just don't want to depress people."
"Okay, let me share something with you. Ready for it?" Nick smiles at Kurt, after Kurt he nods excitedly, "I'm bisexual and I've had an undying crush on Jeff for three years."
Kurt's head pops up, his face brightens into a real smile, "Oh my god, Nick. That's amazing, does he know?"
Nick shakes his head, "No, I've never told anyone. I guess I should take a page out of my own book."
"When it's right for you. You didn't have to tell me that. But I'm happy you did." Kurt was flattered to have someone trust him enough to come out to him.
Eventually they make it back to Dalton, Nick looks over at Kurt. "Are you okay, you ready?"
Kurt stares up at the building, "No, but let's go anyway," Kurt opens the door and they make their into the Dalton building.
I hate this ending, I'm sorry. I hope you guys are enjoying this story, I've already started on the text chapter! :)