Summary: Sometimes Kurt was the strong one. And sometimes that was okay.
A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed! Your support is much appreciated. :)
Questioning Limits
The sun streamed down through the gaps in the rotting wood in the treehouse, softly resting on raven locks and clenched shoulders. A sigh flitted through the air, sending swirls of dust twirling through the golden light. "Stupid…" Triangular eyebrows clenched together, and shoulders tightened further as if to try and pull the rest of his body into itself. His head dipped into his arms, and his body shook once. "I'm such an idiot…"
"Blaine?" A voice filtered through the dust air, a hint of concern floating with it. He froze, catching the next shudder in himself and storing it away for later. He could pretend nothing was wrong, he was good at pretending. No tears, remember? He cleared his throat once. The sound reverberating, sounding wet and choked. "'M up here, Kurt…"
The creaking of wood and a slight puff of air and the other boy-Kurt- was up. "What're you doing up here?" He asked, his blue eyes filling with that same concern his voice held. Nothing, he was doing nothing. He shook his head, "Thinking…" The concern never left those blue eyes. "What were you thinking about?" A million excuses crossed his mind. Homework. Regionals. Vacation. "Today." He whispered. For a moment confusion replaced the previous concern in Kurt's expression, but then pity won out. "Blaine…"
Blaine shook his head, "Don't, Kurt. I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about."
"I'm not hurt, Blaine. They didn't do anything. I swear. Just a bit of name calling, nothing I can't handle."
He growled, "But you could have been hurt! And it would have been all my stupid fault!" He couldn't pretend with Kurt. Why couldn't he pretend? He was supposed to be the strong one, right?
"Blaine, I make my own decisions. You didn't force me to confront those guys today. I did that myself. You just gave me the courage I needed to do it."
Oh yeah, that 'courage' thing, Bloody fucking brilliant thinking on his part. He closed his eyes miserably, mentally berating himself again for his own stupidity.
"At least look at me…" Kurt's soft sadness was painful to hear. Knowing he had put it there was torture. He grudgingly raised his eyes, seeing the pity there made him want to hurl. "Blaine, there's something else your not telling me. You weren't this upset last time I stood up for myself…." He almost laughed at that.
Last time? The last time Kurt had done something like this was to Karofsky. And he'd gotten a forced kiss out of it. It had been Blaine's fault that time too and he'd never forget Kurt's tear streaked face when he told him about it. He hadn't slept for a week after. It was safe to say he'd been pretty damn upset the last time too, but Kurt didn't know that.
"Didn't you say you were going to visit your friend today?"
Blaine prevented a wince at the mention, but he couldn't stop the shudder that broke free this time. His friend… Her look of disgust flashed before his eyes again. 'Fag, disgusting homo'… The words swirled around in his head. 'Just a bit of name calling, nothing I can't handle'. Wasn't he supposed to be the strong one?
He buried his face in his arms trying to stem the tears. He stiffened at the warm hand that touched his shoulder. "Blaine, please don't close yourself off from me. You don't always have to be so strong. Let me be here for you, Blaine…" He gave in and collapsed into Kurt, sobs fully wrenching themselves free at the tears he heard in Kurt's voice.
Sometimes, Kurt was the strong one. And sometimes, that was okay.