They stand awkwardly looking up at the entrance to Lima High School, a dreaded feeling of 'I'm not ready for this' sitting low in their stomachs. Kurt brushes his hand down Blaine's forearm, trying to gain comfort. When they were little they used to hold hands freely, but now, under the gaze of high school students, it just wasn't acceptable. They quickly came up with a new way to 'hold hands', which was to just brush their hand along the length of the others arm, to try and convey the message, 'I need you.'
Blaine looks over to Kurt and tries to smile the best he can but he knows it's a weak effort. He's just as scared. They've heard all the horror stories, especially for kids like them. Kurt and Blaine knew they were gay since before they could remember, and they know their parents have no problem with it. They haven't come out per say, but they don't really feel the need to in their homes. They feel welcomed enough without having to.
But they know that this isn't the case for every gay kid in the world, many facing abuse or even being kicked out in their homes. Kids in school also have a tendency to pick on the gay kids for whatever enjoyment they get out of that. And they live in Ohio for Christ sake, it isn't the most accepting state they could be in.
They know they need to start heading inside soon or they won't find their lockers and will be late to their first class. Definitely not the best first impression. So, begrudgingly, they start to walk towards the daunting doors, and push themselves into the new crowd of people. From there their days don't seem to be too bad. They have quite a few classes together and homeroom, their lockers are not far apart and no one has said anything to them. It's okay.
But all good things seem to come to an end.
Zach and his new football friends corner Kurt after gym, a class he doesn't have Blaine with unfortunately, and they pin him against the wall, "Where's your faggy boyfriend now, huh?"
"Leave me alone Zach!"
He feels the pain radiate in his stomach when one of the older guys punch him, "Did I say you could talk fairy?"
He starts to feel the tears as they stream down his face, "Look at little baby Kurtie, crying his eyes out for his Momma," They all laugh cruelly giving him two more punches connecting to his ribs, "But you don't got a Mom do you? She's dead."
That hurts more than the punches.
They take a couple of turns to turn his flesh on his chest and abdomen from white to dark blues and horrible purples, laughing manically as they do so. After what felt like a lifetime they finally leave him, high fiving each other as they exit the locker room.
Kurt knows he only has a few minutes to pull it together and make his way to his next, and last, class of the day which is History. With Blaine.
Oh god Blaine.
What's he going to do when he finds out?
What's his Dad going to do?
It's a mess. A mess that Kurt can't quite deal with at the minute, so he ever so slowly raises from the floor and starts to change out his gym clothes and into his normal attire. He feels like his world is crumbling…or that might just be his ribs. He gives himself a quick onceover, keeping his tears in check, before he leaves for History.
He rounds the corner, hoping he isn't lost again, but then he sees him. Blaine. Kurt didn't realise how hard it would be just to see Blaine, he wants nothing more for them to skip class and head home so he can safely snuggle into his embrace. But he can't.
He plasters on a fake smile, that he's sure Blaine can see right through, and nods his head towards the classroom. He feels Blaine's hand brush along his arm and he looks up to see him with an eyebrow raised and concerned expression, almost asking without saying, 'do you need me?'
It almost breaks him.
But he can't. Not now.
Kurt resolutely shakes his head, and tries to put on a brave face before walking away from him to find two empty seats. Blaine follows behind him watching him as he tries to slowly sit down in his chair, wincing the whole way down. Blaine knows something is up.
Like a diligent student, Blaine grabs a notebook from his back pack and a pen, already ripping a page out to start writing on it,
'Are you okay?'
Kurt feels a piece of paper being pushed towards his hand, reading it with a curious expression. Soon enough he feels his eyes well up but he pushes it down,
'I'm fine.'
'No you're not. What happened?'
'Nothing.'
Blaine was starting to get frustrate, because he knew his best friend more than anyone, and Blaine knows when he's upset. Just like he knows when he wants to be cuddled, or to be fed his favourite ice cream, or when to make his mother's famous pancakes. And Blaine certainly knows when Kurt is so bothered by something, he feels like he's going to cry at any second. He can see it in the way he bites his lip, and keeps his eyes downcast. His shoulders are tense and he's obviously avoiding all of Blaine's questions.
He dreaded asking this but,
'Did someone hurt you?'
By the way Kurt starts to bit his lip so hard it's almost bleeding, Blaine knows his answer,
'Where?'
'My chest and stomach.'
'Who?'
'Does it matter?'
Hell yeah it matters. Blaine needs to know or this could seriously escalate. This is just day one, and Blaine doesn't even want to imagine what could happen in the next few weeks if this continues.
'My house. After school.'
He watches as Kurt's shoulders drop, his head nodding slowly in resignation. He knows when he's beat. He just dreads the moment he has to show Blaine the damage.
"Shirt off."
"Gosh Blaine, a little dinner would've been nice." It could've sounded like the normal sarcastic Kurt Blaine loves, but it was weak.
"Kurt. Take the shirt off."
Kurt feels like he's under a giant microscope as he slowly pulls the hem of his white undershirt over his head. He hears Blaine gasp into the silence of the room but Kurt refuses to open his eyes, too scared to see the disgust gracing Blaine's features.
"You need to tell someone Kurt. This is serious."
Hell no. Absolutely not. He refuses.
"Blaine, no. It's fine. It doesn't hurt that bad and you know it's pointless telling a teacher about it. They don't do anything."
They both knew all too well about it actually. Ever since they started school they've had issues with bullying and whenever they plucked up the courage to tell a member of staff, they've always been left to deal with it on their own. Even some teachers going as far to say that they bring the bullying onto themselves. Of course they could say to their parents what's going on but that's also going to lead them nowhere. They just go to the school board who also shrug their shoulders at them.
"We can deal with this on our own B, okay? We can do it."
It looks as if Blaine is dealing with an ongoing battle in his brain, before he finally sighs and nods his head, "I'll only agree to this if you tell me everything that happens, okay? And I mean everything."
Kurt smiles for the first time since his beating, "I promise."
They soon regretted it.
"Dad don't you dare answer that door! It's my first date with Blaine and you're not going to ruin it by being embarrassing."
Burt watches his son run like a bullet down the stair, decked out in a smart tuxedo, still in between the awkward stages of baby face and teenager. He takes a quick last look in the mirror by the front door, primping to perfection before answering the door, and welcoming in Blaine and his parents.
"Hi Blaine." His son's cheeks are nice pink colour as he takes Blaine's hand.
They look at the adults shyly as if this was a big deal but when you've seen them hold hands for most of their lives it isn't really new, but to them, Burt guesses it is new. It's holding hands but in a different context.
And of course like the embarrassing parents they are, they make their boys stand in awkward prom photo positions, taking a million photos till their hearts content.
It was their boys' first prom.
Not only that but it's their first date. According to Kurt, Blaine asked him to be his boyfriend a few days ago in the library at school. He said he was very sweet and admitted, with a very red face, that Blaine kissed him. That was the moment Burt realised his sweet baby boy was growing up. Of course when hearing this it made his heart pang with loneliness as he couldn't share his son's milestone with his beautiful. Much like he can't share this moment with her either.
It was previously decided that Burt would give them a ride there and Michael would pick them up afterwards, so they jump in the car and make their way to Lima High School Freshman Prom.
Kurt and Blaine had a great night at prom. They didn't dance much, not wanting to cause too much of a stir with their fellow classmates, but they did hold hands a little bit as they made their way through the large crowds as to not lose one another. They were sweaty and tired from the night, so Blaine texts his Dad to ask if he could pick them up a little earlier, so they wait patiently in the car park.
"Well if it isn't fairy and the fag." They both quickly zip their heads towards the cruel voice that echoed across the car park. They hear something trailing behind in his wake as he make his way towards them.
Blaine realises that that thing was a metal baseball bat as it connect very sharply with his ribs.
It's all pain, and blood, and screaming, but all he can focus on is Kurt. He tries to make his way over to him, only managing to see his almost lifeless body before he too quickly passes out.
It's bright. Kurt knows that…but that seems to be all he knows.
His eyes keep dipping in and out of focus, reaching for reality. He hears voices, some he doesn't recognise, but others…the other voices tug onto his memory, trying to pull him from this bleak trance. He starts to smell familiar things, like motor oil…and home…
"…Dad?"
A broken left wrist and right leg, a mild concussion and deep cuts a bruises. He has a nasty scar along his left thigh…a very prominent 'F' standing against his pale skin. The doctors had to sit down and explain to Burt that a few of the bruises on his son's chest were not new. There was evidence that this has happened before but obviously not to this extent. It broke his heart to think his son kept this away from him, wanting to cover up his pain. But Burt could understand it too.
What hurt Kurt the most though, wasn't the physical pain he was feeling, but when he heard about Blaine was going through, made him feel a lot worse.
Three broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken right wrist and worst of all is that he suffered so much head trauma he's in a coma. And they don't know for how long. Could be a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. Kurt doesn't like to think about it. The sick fucks who did this even carved a matching 'F' into Blaine too, but into his right thigh.
It was hard for Kurt, the few days he was in the hospital, having to watch Blaine's chest slowly move up and down, but having that as the only signal he's alive. He doesn't move, he doesn't speak. And Kurt needs him. He needs his reassuring words and his goofy smile, because without him here Kurt doesn't think he will survive this.
Even after the discharge him from the hospital, claiming it was safe for him to return home, you could hardly keep Kurt away from there, he was always by Blaine's bedside, holding his hand. He didn't talk because he felt like he didn't have anything to really say. He just wants his best friend back.
Kurt knows he's not supposed to fall asleep here but he's so tired, and ever since the attack he hasn't been able to sleep, the nightmares clouding his vision every time he so much as closes his eyes. He just wants to rest his head on bed his arm across Blaine's thigh. Only five minutes…
He feels someone brushing their hand down his arm, probably trying to wake him, but he keeps on, not wanting to be aware just yet and return to this sick reality. A reality without Blaine. However the hand is a little more forceful as it brushes its way down Kurt's arm, as if to try and convey a message.
Kurt opens one eye slowly and greeted by the most beautiful hazel eyes. The tears are there before he even realises but he doesn't care. Slowly, he reaches up and tangles his hand in his curls, bringing his face closer to his, their lips only inches apart, "Hi."
It's whispered so quietly and hoarsely, his voice not used to it from being unconscious for two weeks. Their lips connect instantly, although it's still only shy and short pecks. Soon enough Kurt snuggles his face into Blaine's neck, still not saying a word. This is just the beginning to their recovery.
It took months for them to be back up and running like themselves again. Many sleepless nights, willing the nightmares away, and countless amount of tears shed over the ugly marks branding them. So much time that they actually had flunk out of freshman year. They're not happy about it but they know there's nothing they can do now, they just need to start fresh.
And so again they awkwardly stand outside the entrance to their new high school. This time their hands are fiercely clasped. No they don't want to rock the boat but they need this. They need each other.
Hopefully William McKinely High School will be better.
A/N: Next Chapter will introduce the New Directions. Please review.
