Disclaimer: I don't own anything.


"Kurt Hummel!"

Startled, I flinched when I heard the voice of my best friend from outside and destroyed the plans to sneak out of the house. The shoes in my hands to be able to sneak down the stairs, I wanted to grab the doorknob, when my dad – startled by Eleanor – shouted from the kitchen: "Kurt!"

"I need to leave!", I shouted back, ran outside, and slammed the door shut. I hastily put on my designer shoes and put on my ruby blazer while I was walking. I straightened my tie, hoping that my white shirt had no wrinkles in it. Those stupid school uniforms were so annoying!

My best friend Eleanor was waiting next to the door, but instead of khaki pants, she wore a checked skirt that went to her knees as well as black tights and red boots. Her dark brown, almost black hair went to her shoulders, apart from that silver necklace, she didn't wear any accessories. Or weapons- like me. My metal chain was safely preserved in my schoolbag, wearing it to my uniform would be too risky. That's why I also left my underarm blades at home because I still needed to improve them. If they accidently unfolded during class, I would get suspended again, and I could totally pass on that.

Eleanor put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath. "One day, no one will…"

"…wake me up and I'm going to be late for classes", I ended her sentence. "I know, I know."

For a couple of seconds, Eleanor managed to look at me sternly, but then, she smiled. "You're right. Good morning!"

"Nothing about this morning is good", I muttered while we went to my car and I put Eleanor's bike into my trunk … ahem, into my boot. Even though I had spent most of my life here in Scotland and not in Lima, I still couldn't quite get rid of my American accent, especially whenever I was mad, tired, or nervous.

The car actually belonged to my dad, but he gave it to me right after I got my driver's licence and was able to drive to school with it. Or because I always scared the living daylights out of the sheep when I sped down the hills to make it to my first class in time. But seriously, that only happened to me once. Only once! Okay, maybe twice, thrice…or thirteen times. Hey, don't judge me!

"You look like shit", my so-called best friend stated when she looked at me closer.

She was not wrong. Getting up that early after I ran for my life during that hunting trip the night before was pure torture, and all I wanted now was a cup of hot coffee. And let's not forget those red bruises on my neck I needed to cover up in the morning. Those darned elementals.

"Shall I drive?", Eleanor suggested innocently.

I narrowed my eyes at her and put my key in the ignition. "If you want us both to end up in jail – or at the morgue – then of course. Just go ahead."

She pouted. "Hey, I practised with mum. I'm good."

I just cocked my brows in disbelief. That's how Eleanor was since I knew her. She always wanted to do everything – as fast as possible. Her future was already set in stone, or already planned out in Eleanor's ten-year-plan. While I had no idea what to do after we graduated this summer. Dad wanted me to leave Scotland and spend one, two semesters abroad or join my stepbrother Finn in the states who had decided to attend military academy in Ohio. But to be honest, I had no idea what I wanted, other than my best friend. I already took a couple of online courses in pre-law, psychology, and arts, but in the end, they didn't really help me find out what I wanted to do in the future. Eleanor was different. Since we were little, she always had the dream to attend uni after highschool, become a therapist, buy a brickstone house, get a dog, and start a family with kids. Maybe not in that order, but she worked hard for her good grades and already sent her application to Edinburgh's university months ago.

I, on the other hand, didn't even know whether to pick porridge or cereal for breakfast, or where I wanted to be in ten, fifteen, or twenty years. Probably still hunting elementals, in the best case, I would kick their behinds, not the other way around. Shaking my head, I decided that it was way too early for deep thoughts like those. I needed caffeine to get out of that sleepy haze, or at least black tea; seemed like I needed to drink the mediocre drinks of the cafeteria. While Eleanor searched for the right radio channel, I turned the car around and followed the only street from my house to the main street. When I checked the rearview mirror, dad's car on the driveway got smaller and smaller until it disappeared altogether. Carole's car was nowhere to be seen, probably because she already went to work.

My best friend knew me well enough to leave me alone in the morning hours, so we spent the twenty-minute ride in comfortable silence. I was somewhere else with my thoughts when I suddenly perked up my ears because of the newsreader on the radio: "…last night, there has been an attack in Quiraing." My heart beat faster while the newsreader recounted how a camper had been attacked by an wild animal that went to their tent. Well, if one could believe the statement of that disturbed man when he talked about a beast. Just that this beast was no wild animal, but an elemental, that was for sure. I bit my tongue to suppress a reaction. Eleanor had no clue about all this and that was for the best. She was too focused, too nice, and too ordinary to lead such a dangerous life. Back then, dad and I had hunted those monsters together, but since he got hurt and got married to Carole, our hunting trips became a rarity. Finally, I had decided to take care of the elementals alone. With gritted teeth, dad had accepted that I put down elementals every now and then, but he had no idea I was sneaking out to do it. One day, he was going to find out and give me hell, of that I was sure. But until then, I wouldn't just sit around and watch those monsters cause mayhem even though I could make sure that no innocent people got attacked by those monsters.

After a while, we arrived in Portree with its countless colourful houses and its big coast and I parked my car at the parking in front of the schoolbuilding. We could already hear the waves of the sea and the people that worked at the haven nearby. Even though I overslept, Eleanor and I entered the building in time and parted ways at the door to go to our respective lockers. Soon, the bell would ring and start the first lesson – history for me. Even though I liked that subject, I wondered what idiot was in charge for our timetables. Get up at that ungodly hour was bad enough, but history in the morning? Come on.

Sighing, I unlocked my locker. While I searched for my books, I noticed that someone was leaning against the adjacent locker.

"How's your neck?"

"Fine." Without looking up, I searched through my belongings. Only when I was done, I looked over to Blaine. Just like everyone else here, he wore the school uniform, his hair was gelled exaggeratedly. We normally avoided each other in school, but he also seemed to know of the incident about the camper. When I looked at him, I shortly needed to think about the nightly Blaine – unruly hair, dressed in black, with his two swords in his hands. He seemed to feel more at ease in his fighting outfit than in his school uniform, another thing we had in common.

"How's your ego?"

The corners of his mouth twitched. "A little impaired since yesterday."

"Good.", I muttered teasingly and closed my locker.

Blaine cocked his dark brows. Now in the daylight, his long scar next to his left eye was visible. He never told me how he got it and I never asked, but it surely was painful and needed to be sewed. Whether elementals were to blame, or he just fell as a child, I didn't know. Just like so many things about him even though we went to the same school and fought together a couple of nights per week.

"So you like that my ego is impaired?", he repeated, sounding disbelieving and amused. He leaned over to my ear and whispered: "Why am I not surprised?"

I didn't back away. "You just know me well enough."

And that was the truth. Even though I didn't know anything about his family or why he moved to Skye all alone, Blaine was the only one that knew me best. He had already seen all my versions, not only the school-me, but also the side of me that hunted down elementals at night. No one but him knew about that.

"What happened yesterday was weird." He sounded quiet now.

Just to be sure, I checked the hallway to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. However, our schoolmates were too busy gossiping and chatting, or complaining about homework while they walked to their first classes.

"I know." I leaned against my locker with the books in my hands. I hesitated before I said what I was thinking all the time. "I want to go again."

"I know."

One, two seconds, I got distracted by his smile and looked in his eyes again. Big mistake. The familiar glint in his brown-golden eyes told me everything I needed to know. Before I could speak up, he cut me off. "Okay, suggestion." He put his hands in his pockets. "You. Me. Tonight. Same place, but not that late."

"Wait, I can't bear that much romanticism at the same time."

He glanced to the clock on the wall above us. "You have fifteen seconds until the bell is going to ring."

"Oh, sounds like blackmailing." I wrinkled my nose and pretended to think about his suggestion. "How can I possibly resist that temptation?"

"You can't." He turned on his heel. "I will text you later where to meet. Bye."

"Until later, Sir Blaine."

Shaking his head, he left me behind when he walked to his first class. Just like he predicted, the bell started ringing just when he went out of sight. Time for me to get moving.

"What did he want from you?" Eleanor was suddenly standing next to me and looked after Blaine with a frown. "Flirt with you?"

I just shrugged even though I felt bad for lying to my best friend. But it was just for her protection. No one except for us knew about elementals and it needed to stay like that. "No idea."

"Hm." She didn't look convinced while she followed me down the hallway.

Surprised, she startled when I suddenly nudged her. "Your crush on nine o'clock." She froze and halted abruptly. Her chocolate brown skin suddenly turned kind of ashen. "Don't call him that!", she hissed and glared at me.

I bit my tongue but couldn't suppress a grin when Matt went past us and greeted her with a smile. "Hey, Len."

"Good morning!", she said shrilly just to grip my right arm tightly. I flinched. "Oh my god! Please tell me he really just talked to me."

"I would if you didn't hurt me like that." I gently put away her fingers from my arm.

Eleanor fanned herself excitedly. She looked at me with determination. "One day, I will make him my husband."

"Because you know him so well and he is the love of your life?", I answered dryly.

"No. Because I know what I want, and I always get it." I needed to give her that: She may look innocent and sweet, but once she wanted something, no one could make her change her mind. She would do anything to reach her goal. Poor Matt. He wouldn't stand a chance.

Amused, I watched Eleanor throw back her dark hair and march to her classroom determinedly as if she needed to defuse a bomb or solve a complex mystery. I followed her, not that motivated, but at least I could look forward to that rematch in Quiraing tonight. That thought made this morning almost bearable. Only almost.

A couple of hours later, I put down the epee as well as the mask and wiped my sweaty face. Fencing wasn't the most popular elective at my school, but I grew to like it. Especially after all the sitting during classes. Eleanor next to me put her mask down as well. Her dark ponytail was messy, and strands had already dissolved from it. Her forehead was full of sweat and she was breathing heavily, but her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"You broke the rules again, white boy", she stated while we went to the changing rooms.

"So did you", I countered. "What was it this time?"

"Body contact", Eleanor said immediately but halted in her tracks. "Wait. What was my mistake?"

I smiled at her blissfully. "Turn the back to me."

"What? No! Besides, I didn't break any rules by doing that…"

"But you would still get the yellow card", I reminded her and put down by gloves. If there was a thing dad had indoctrinated me, it was to never look away from the opponent and never turn one's back towards them – unless it was part of my tactics. Otherwise, one careless instant could be lethal.

Eleanor, however, just stuck out her tongue and went to the girls' changing room. I went to the other one for boys and immediately hit the showers. The other boys were already done showering and had left, so I was alone. When I was about to rub dry my legs and arms with the towel, my phone was buzzing. I thought that Blaine had texted me the time of our meeting, but when I unlocked it, it was not his name on the display that showed up.

"Everything alright?", Eleanor asked me when we met outside.

"Dad just texted me. I need to go to the pub after school", I muttered and pocketed my phone.

Eleanor frowned. "Why?"

"I don't know." There could be a lot of reasons. Maybe a herd of tourists where at the pub and they needed my help – or my parents found out I sneaked out last night. "I just wanted to ask you whether I should drive you home", I said to change the topic.

Eleanor shook her head. "No need for that. I have dance lessons now", she answered.

"Don't sprain your ankles", I teased her. When I was younger, I also took ballet lessons, but I stopped because the children at school started bullying me for that, calling me a girl because of my 'unmanly' hobbies. Besides, I lost interest in dancing after some time, so I searched for other things to do in my spare time. Hunt down elementals, among others.

Eleanor grimaced. "If you really need to help out at the pub, your muscles are going to be sorer than mine tomorrow."

"You're right." I grinned and waved at her. "See you."

I inhaled deeply and started walking to the pub. Since it was so close to the school, I left my car at the school's parking and put Eleanor's bike to the bike station. Portree was more like a big village than a city. During the season's peak, more tourists than locals were on its streets, but I quickly got used to it. I loved the breeze of the sea and the coloured houses, the haven, and the small shops. The ground was still wet because of the rain, the sun was burning down on my porcelain skin, much to my annoyance. I didn't like the heat and was glad that it rarely got that hot here in Scotland.

On the way, I spotted a group of backpackers that checked into one of the multiple hostels around here. They would probably come to the pub later. But when I finally arrived at said pub, I noticed that it wasn't even crowded. The familiar scents of old wood, beer, whiskey, coffee, and freshly prepared food hit my nose all at once. Some of the people were sitting at the bar, the others at the tables while they were chatting with each other with food and drinks in front of them. In the corner of my eyes, I noticed a family with two kids. The father put the baby on his lap, the mother just dipped one chicken wing into sour cream and fed her daughter.

Carole was already standing at the bar; the sleeves of her flannel shirt were rolled up, her short hair was in a ponytail. The pub used to belong to her first husband, Christopher Hudson, who sadly died when my stepbrother Finn was still a baby. She never had the heart to sell it, so she quit her initial job as a nurse to run that place. I didn't know what was worse – not to remember his dead parent and still feel the void in his life or grow up with a mother for eight years before she was taken from me. When Carole saw me enter, she stopped talking to her costumer and waved at me happily. I smiled. Looked like a normal afternoon at the pub to me. There was no reason to send me here, unless…

"Kurt!"

I froze. That tone didn't sound great at all.

My dad had gotten up from his seat at the side and stopped in front of me with his arms crossed. He didn't look happy. "Where have you been last night?"

"In bed…?", I tried lying with an innocent smile Eleanor always bought.

His frown deepened. "I know exactly you where anywhere but in bed, young man."

Young man? Ouch. If he called me that, things would go south very soon for me. Sighing, I slumped down on the corner seat in front of me. Luckily, this spot of the pub was secluded enough for us to have a private conversation. A glass of orange juice was already waiting for me next to dad's beer bottle. Finally! The drinks in the cafeteria were infuriatingly expensive.

"I was in Quiraing", I confessed.

Dad and I had always been honest to each other. He told me about Carole before they had made their relationship official and also about everything concerning his car shop. I came out to him two years ago even though I feared the consequences. I even told him that the other kids at school used to bully me because of my accent, my hobbies, my taste in fashion, or because of what happened to me in the past. I could do whatever I wanted; take speaking lessons to sound more British, change my hobbies and my appearance, but I would always stay that weird boy that almost drowned when he was eight and just survived because another little boy had saved his life. The half-American boy that lost his mother during the worst ship accident since the Titanic happened. Children could be cruel.

Dad took a seat on my opposite and took a gulp of his beer. "You went hunting."

I nodded.

"How often do I have to tell you that you shouldn't go outside at night, all alone?"

I swore the beer glasses behind the bar were trembling because of his anger. I felt a lump in my stomach, but still didn't look away from him. Instead, I stuck out my chin. "Then you shouldn't have told me about those monsters and train me in the first place. What else shall I do? Sit around at home and twiddle my thumbs?"

That was my standard answer. I lost count of how often we had that discussion. And it always ended with us getting loud. But no matter how badly we fought, I always knew that dad had my back. If I broke my arm ten seconds after our fight or came home with a bad grade, everything would be forgotten.

"I just did that to protect you!" Sighing, he rubbed his neck. His hands were calloused due to his work at the car shop, helping out at Carole's pub, and the fights against elementals. "We already had that topic. You need to be able to defend yourself – and not go hunting every night."

"Not every night…"

Only every other night. Or something like that. Right...?

"Kurt!"

This time, I flinched, not only because of his sharp tone but because of another emotion he showed besides his anger: Worry. He really worried about me last night. I opened my mouth to assure him that I was fine and he shouldn't worry about me constantly, that I had the best trainer in the world. And that I wasn't alone because I got help most of the time. But then, I closed my mouth again. Dad didn't know of Blaine – and that wasn't going to change. It wasn't my secret, it was his, plus, it was not my job to tell my dad. I had no idea why Blaine was so secretive, but I wouldn't backstab him. Just like he wouldn't backstab me. I knew I could count on him.

"Kurt…", he repeated, this time more insistent. "Enough is enough. I want you to stop doing that. For good."

"What?" My voice sounded weak. For seconds, I could only stare at him. He wanted me to stop hunting? Forever? Stop doing something that gave me the feeling to make a crucial change? My face fell, but I was not ready yet to give up that fast.

"I want you to stop hunting. It was a mistake to tell you about all that and teach you how to hunt. I thought I would protect you, but I did the exact opposite."

Was it because of the camper in the news? Sure, but this topic had always been a sore topic between me and my dad, but he had never told me to stop it altogether.

"You cannot be serious!", I blurted out.

"Yes, I can. You will give me all your equipment first thing we get home. No sneaking out, no climbing out of the window, no nightly trips. Don't force me to take your car keys", he added when I wanted to protest.

"You can't do that", I said weakly. "Why now? Because I snuck out once at night?"

"Once?", he said disbelievingly. "I can't stop counting how many times you weren't there when we came home from the pub, or how many times I woke up at night and the car was gone. You never tell me and take unnecessary risks. How many times did you come home with bruises, huh? And what's that on your neck?"

I resisted the urge to touch my throat. Only if one looked at me closer, the red marks were visible even though the majority was hidden under the collar of my shirt. Most of the people would think that it was a hickey, but dad knew better. He knew because he also had taken elementals like those and because that encounter almost took his life. Mine too if Blaine didn't turn up in time… But other than me, dad had had a bone fracture that needed a lot of time to heal and made him walk on crutches for months, just because he fell down a cliff. Since then, he rarely went hunting, and shortly after that incident, he met Carole, so he didn't have time for that anymore.

"I'm sorry", I muttered with gritted teeth.

He sighed and stroked my head. "You know that I have that business trip for the rest of the week. I need to be sure you won't go hunting while I'm absent, kiddo."

Sorry, dad. But I was still not done. A silly businesstrip was no valid reason for me to forbid me to hunt.

"Sorry, but I just can't sit at home and allow those monsters to kill around. I know that's what you wanted me to do after mum's death, when you told me about them and trained me." I just couldn't help the sarcasm in my voice.

Even though the pub was full of life, laughter, and happiness, there was this icy silence between the two of us.

"You will stop it. That's my last word."

"And my last word is no." I grabbed my schoolbag and got up. Anger let my hands shake, but there was no way I would back down now. Why all the training and all the trips if I wasn't even allowed to hunt elementals anymore? Why did he tell me about those monsters if he didn't want me to do something about them? Just like he had done it when he was younger – and would keep doing it if his hurt leg didn't hinder him.

"Kurt!", he called after me, but I ignored it.

I stormed out of the pub, ignoring Carole's questioning glance from the bar, pushed open the door, and ran to the school's parking where I got into my car. I needed to get away from here and clear my head, and I knew exactly where to go.

However, I just couldn't escape dad's words. They kept haunting me, whether I wanted it or not. I just did that to protect you! You need to be able to defend yourself.

Because mum couldn't defend herself. And then, they just killed her.