When Blaine was little, he remembered how his dad used to be able to stop him speaking with just a look. As he got older, he learned to keep his opinions to himself. He never challenged his dad. He was too afraid of that look. He gave his mum that same look too. Which was why she probably had an affair. And why she left him later on. Everyone agreed Blaine should stay with his dad. Even Blaine. He loved school. He loved his dad too and saw the hurt his mum had inflicted upon him.
Blaine thought, as time passed, he would be his dad's equal. He was wrong. His Dad was deluged with bitterness and regret. It flowed through his veins, like poison. It twisted his mind and turned his heart to stone and his hands into fists.
Blaine followed his dad into the living room. He noticed the carpet was sticky from spilt beer. It was no longer the bright room it had been when his mum was there. It was gloomy with a stale smell and a coating of dust. Blaine didn't bother trying to keep that room clean like the rest of the house. His dad teased him for it and took pleasure in creating a mess.
His dad turned the tv off and looked at Blaine.
"We have a problem, son," he said.
Blaine felt his palms sweating. He was nervous, but he tried not to show it. Anything that could be construed as weakness by his dad gave him ammunition.
"What's that?" he asked casually.
He dad took a deep, cleansing breath.
"Your little friend has been here…" He closed the gap between himself and Blaine. Blaine winced at the expression on his face. He felt his heart begin to race.
"Kurt…"
"That was it. Kurt." He laughed. "Can you guess what the wanted?"
Blaine swallowed. How could you Kurt? Blaine shook his head. And why didn't you tell me?
The clock on the wall seemed suddenly so loud. It filled the room.
"He told me, on my doorstep, that my son was being bullied." He clenched his feet. His eyes blazed. He was breathing through his nose. Panting almost. Blaine no longer heard the ticking of the clock. He took a step backwards.
"He had no right," he said. He hated himself. He wanted to sound strong and brave. "He's worried about me, Dad." He felt himself shrinking before him. "I have these bruises…"
"You showed him your bruises?"
Blaine shook his head. "I was in pain and they saw…"
"So, it's not just this little Kurt, then?" Blaine swallowed again. He was so thirsty. His dad, inexplicably, smiled again. "And they've seen your bruises, have they?" He stepped towards his son and discarded the smile. "Shall we give them something to look at, son?"
Blaine didn't even see his dad's fist as it connected with his face. There was an explosion of pain that travelled down to his neck. He fell to the ground. He saw the blood. He put up his hand. Both hands. It might have been to plead or to pray, but his dad ignored the gesture. And he ignored Blaine when he called out. And he ignored him when he cried.
"I need to talk to you…" Kurt trailed off. Blaine was at his locker with his back to the world. He had frozen when he heard Kurt's voice. Kurt put a hand against his back, but Blaine flinched. "He told you, didn't he?" Kurt bit his lip. "Look, I'm sorry and I tried to tell you yesterday…" He stopped.
Blaine turned around slowly. He was wearing dark glasses. That was the first thing Kurt noticed. The second thing was the cut on his lip and the swelling on his cheek, partially hidden by his disguise. He put up a hand to his mouth. "Oh my god, Blaine!" He didn't try to check the tears that flowed down his cheeks. "Oh my god," he said again.
Blaine stared at Kurt. He realised how much he loved him, but his love was not enough to save him. He blinked away his own tears and walked away. He left Kurt, broken at the locker.
"Hey, Kurt. You okay?" Finn sat down next to Kurt and nudged him with his elbow. Kurt looked at him and shook his head. "What's happened?"
"You were right," Kurt whispered. He felt so ashamed. So powerless. More tears fell. He wasn't sure how it was possible to cry so much. "It was his dad…" His face crumpled. "And I've made it so much worse."
Finn didn't say anything at first. He wasn't sure what to say. "You cared enough to want to help," he said, eventually. He looked around. "Where is he?"
Kurt shrugged. "He was in earlier, but I'm guessing he won't come to Glee." He hung his head in shame.
Mr Schue walked in. He looked troubled.
"There is a weird atmosphere in here," Mercedes said. She was sitting at the back next to Santana who was leaning against Brit.
"It's the full moon," Brittany said. "It's always weird at the full moon." She smiled at Santana. "Werewolves," she whispered. She jerked her head in Puck's direction. "I think he may be one."
Santana giggled.
Sam was watching Kurt and Finn. "Mercedes is right," he said. "What's going on?"
Blaine walked in. He stopped in the doorway and for a moment it looked as if he might flee. Kurt stood up, but Blaine put up a hand.
"Sit down, Kurt," he said. He walked into the middle of the choir room as Kurt was tugged back into his seat by Finn. "I have a song to sing." He turned to Brad and put some sheet music down for him. He cleared his throat. "I know we've probably wrapped up the Cat Steven's week," he said to Mr Schue, "but I have something I need to say." The piano began to fill the room. "This is called Father and Son."
He started to sing.
"It's not time to make a change, just relax, take it easy…"
Kurt felt his heart breaking as Blaine sang. His dark glasses seemed somehow obscene. And his bright yellow jumper seemed obscene too.
His voice, usually so strong and clear, was breaking with his emotion. Kurt could hear the pain. Everyone could hear it. And then he removed his glasses.
A collective gasp rippled around the choir room.
"From the moment I could talk, I was ordered to listen now…" Blaine sang with his soul. Telling them all. Wanting them to understand.
"All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside…" The beauty and rawness of his voice made the mess of his face somehow more horrific.
Every pair of eyes in the choir room was trained on Blaine. Mr Schue didn't bother trying to wipe the tear from his cheek. He wanted to hold Blaine and tell him everything would be okay, but he wasn't sure it would be.
"There's a way and I know, that I have to go away. I know, I have to go…"
The song finished and no one said a word. Mr Schue was the first to move. He put his hand on Blaine's arm.
"We need to sort this out, Blaine," he said.
Blaine hung his head and sighed. Then he looked up and a ghost of a smile crossed his face.
"No," he said. He looked at Kurt. "Now you know," he said. He looked at everyone. "Now you all know."
He turned and walked away.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thoughts?