WARNINGS for this part, there is a decent length rant about organized religion, so if that offends you, you may want to skip over it or not read this. Hazing rituals come into play in this part as well, so if that's a trigger, see above statement. Underage smoking and minor cursing warnings apply as well.

We're getting further into the story now, and there are bound to be a few things that may be hard to follow until they're explained a little later on, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me here or on tumblr at .com or on /users/shocumentary. Also, any criticism or comments you may have, or if you just generally want to fangirl over Kurtbastian or discuss the awesomeness that is nerdfighters, feel free to leave that as well.

one hundred seventy days before

The walk to the lake isn't too bad, except that Kurt has a feeling that Blaine is a little annoyed by the amount of questions that he has, but Kurt just cannot figure out why they (and he isn't even sure who 'they' is) deem it necessary to hike the mile, no exaggeration and maybe even an understatement, to the lake when it's pushing midnight. Blaine argues that it wouldn't have been pushing midnight if Kurt didn't insist on redressing himself before they left, and that's probably true, but Kurt refuses to cop to being the one that made them so much later than originally anticipated. However, he'd also refused to spend his first night out in France without looking his best, but after Blaine spent so much time arguing about the fact that they were just going to the lake and he'd be sitting on the ground anyway, Kurt had settled for all black, skinny jeans, V-neck, cardigan and boots.

Their arrival at the lake was, apparently, much anticipated, because Sebastian, Artie, Brittany and Santana were all waiting, and seeming more than a little irritated by the delay. Kurt found himself ducking his head then, pink creeping over his cheeks and up into the tips of his ears, burning hot when Sebastian muttered a hushed "Fuck, Anderson, what took so long?" Blaine didn't out him, though, not entirely, and Kurt suspected that it was his way of making sure that his friends were willing to deal with him for the year. Instead, he kept it simple "Minor crisis, all good." They seemed to accept it, and Kurt wasn't sure if it was apathy or the package that Blaine passed them, but they were all more than willing to make the rounds with the red box, then the lighter to spark each cigarette. When the pack was passed to Kurt, he shook his head politely and handed it back to Blaine instead, mostly because he didn't smoke, but partly because he figured that, though he was on French soil, there had to be some part of this that was illegal or they wouldn't all be sneaking off campus to do it.

The thought lingers with him for a second too long, and he can't stop himself from asking "I thought that was legal in France…" which earns him head turns from the entirety of the group before him, and he realizes then that he must look awfully ridiculous, the only one still standing, and also the one interrupting their conversation about some boy named Jesse that Blaine seems particularly animated about. Kurt wonders, momentarily, if Jesse is the J of the J&B from his box, but he doesn't ask. Sebastian is the first to speak, and Kurt suspects that the fact that he's speaking through an exhaling cloud of smoke is for effect, but he doesn't say anything. "It's legal to smoke, sure, but smoking on campus is punishable by expulsion," he explains, but he doesn't look like he's quite done, and the fact that no one else speaks afterward, proves his point. He's only paused, Kurt figures out, to take another long drag from the cigarette and speak on exhale again "so we mostly don't risk it." He finishes with a shrug, and all Kurt can do is nod.

He feels a little like an outsider when they all resume conversation, so Kurt surprises himself when he takes a seat in the circle, though he does notice that he's managed to keep himself mostly outside of it, and he figures that's good enough, because his legs burn from hiking through the hills and trees on their way to the lake. Blaine continues on with his story about Jesse, something about how he showed up to surprise Blaine with the most romantic date he's ever been on for their eight month anniversary, but Kurt doesn't pay much attention to the details, and mostly everyone just rolls their eyes and mock-gags at the gesture. Banter continues for minutes before Kurt finds himself speaking again, in response to Santana, who had, apparently, been reprimanded for her lack of going to mass, ("You're in France," her mother had said, "plenty of mass and confession schedules to choose from.") It seemed like Santana found it about as ridiculous as Kurt, but he was still a little surprised when his brain betrayed his mouth and he voiced his opinion without his conscious permission.

"Bullshit," was all he said, and the group fell quiet, all staring again, and Kurt wasn't entirely sure that he'd ever get used to that. There was a shift in the group, though of contemplation or discomfort he wasn't sure, but Sebastian was the first to ask "Excuse me?" Kurt swallowed, once, twice, and then he cleared his throat before he spoke again, repeating the word "Bullshit." No one moved, just stared expectantly, so Kurt continued. "It's just that organized religion is bullshit," He stated with a shrug, and Sebastian seemed as though he might interject, but Kurt cut him off, not really thinking of whether it was a good decision or not "I mean, really, so you let a man-made set of rules run your life, and when you happen to betray one, or often betray one," he paused then, motioning between the two girls who were so very obviously dating, even without their currently intertwined hands, " you sit in a box and tell a creepy old man how awful you feel, he prescribes a few hail Mary's, a twenty dollar donation to the church, and you're absolved of the sins and allowed back through the gates of heaven while you pay for his sanctuary of molestation and infidelity. It's bullshit." He finished his tirade to a group of smirking teenagers, and once more, Sebastian was the first to speak. But he wasn't just speaking, he was moving, extending his hand, accompanied by an "I don't think we've been properly introduced."

The rest of the night goes better than Kurt had initially expected it to, and he finds himself scooting just a little closer within the group, and more involved in conversation, but by two AM they're all heading off and sneaking back into their rooms, which seems unfairly easy for Artie, because his chair hardly even makes noise against the sidewalk, while Kurt's boots are loud enough that he has to tiptoe when Sebastian threatens physical violence if he's the reason that Sue (Kurt has yet to meet her, but apparently she's the reason that Sebastian has a single, after she caught his roommate with a girl in the room, simultaneously drunk and high, all expellable offenses.) catches them and expels them all. But they make it, tiptoeing and all, and Kurt finds himself near collapsing on the bottom bunk, stripped down to boxer-briefs and splayed out on top of the blankets in an attempt at escaping the heat that lingers over him, leaving a damp patch on the sheet before he even drifts off to sleep.

When he's startled awake he isn't sure what time it is, what's going on, and for a minute, he's not even sure where he is. But reality floods back to him quickly when he blinks the sleep from his eyes to find two boys standing over him with devious grins. The blond one demands that he stand, and Kurt is so sleepy and so confused that he doesn't know what to do but listen. So he stands, unsteady on his feet and more than a little groggy. He only asks once where they're going, and he tries to keep his voice from being too panicked, when they lead him out of the room and back toward the direction of the lake. Kurt is suddenly very aware of the fact that he's in nothing more than underwear and two boys that he doesn't know the names of are leading him to a secluded lake, far enough away that the night's earlier laughing and talking hadn't even gotten the attention of the staff. So he's more than a little nervous when they stop on the bank and two more boys are waiting, and he's shaking just a little, and he doesn't argue when they have him stand, feet together and arms at his side. He doesn't argue when they bring the tape first around his wrists, then his arms and middle, around his upper arms, thighs, knees and ankles. He doesn't argue until they're hoisting him up, two at his feet and two at his head and hauling him toward the lake. Then he argues, squirming as best he can and frantically demanding "What the hell? What are you doing!" Even as they take a swing back, forward, back again, and the dark haired one from the room gives him a sort-of answer. "Maybe next time you'll think twice about hanging around Anderson." And then he's in the water.

He's in the water, face down and taped and he can't move but to squirm, and he can feel hot tears building behind his eyelids while he does the best he can, and he finally manages to flip himself over, though he's not even entirely sure that he's flipped himself face up until he goes dead still and floats to the surface. He spits once, ridding his mouth of the murky water and takes in a quick, sharp breath. His eyes sting and he instinctually tries to raise a hand to wipe at them, but he's quickly reminded of his inability to move when he doesn't. He's helpless, confused, and all he can do is hope that the ripples of water from the wind will send him shore-side again. He shifts again, flexing his fingers and allowing the muscles of his wrists to feel against the tape, and a spark of hope rises in his chest when he feels it slip a fraction of an inch. The rough adhesive tells him that they've probably, more than likely, used duct tape, and after years of Burt's 'duct tape will fix anything' mentality, Kurt is more than aware of how it slicks when it's wet.

So he bides his time, waiting impatiently for the tape to slip more freely, and when it does, he manages to free his hands first. He's dangerously close to shore, so he's not willing to risk only getting himself further away, no matter the fact that he's not even sure which side of the lake he's making landfall on. By the time he's laying against the rocks he can feel the unmistakable sting of tears, slipping from the corners of his eyes while he sits up, twisting and contorting his arms free of the now slick tape. He's vaguely aware of the sting of the parts that managed to cling to his skin before he was submerged, but he's more focused on making his trembling hands cooperate. Once he manages to get himself free, he's on his feet in record time, wincing only slightly from the sharp jab of rocks while he hurries back the way he came. He's still not entirely sure that he's on the right path until the dirt hollows out just a little and the stray cigarette butts are visible, glaring white against the dark, reminding him already of the finer moments of the night. When he looks up, he can see that day is breaking, and the outlines of the dorms are visible against the navy blue of the lightening sky. So he walks a little faster, never minding the scratches and nicks against his legs as he weaves his way through a seemingly endless maze of trees and roots and weeds, and before he could even stop himself, he was marching his way straight to Sebastian-has-a-single, knocking quickly before covering himself with his hands.

The shuffling from inside the room is almost ominous while Kurt waits impatiently until the door swings open to reveal a sleep riddled Sebastian, all pale skin and long lines, and for a second, Kurt almost forgets that he's upset, or why he's there in the first place. But Sebastian grins at the sight, quirking an eyebrow even in his groggy state and mutters a quiet "Welcome to Dalton," and Kurt isn't exactly sure what his face looks like, but he thinks it must be some mix of mortification and another bout of impending tears, because Sebastian is quick to tell him "It happens to the best of us, the worst is over now, stop crying about it and get out of here before Sue makes her rounds," and closes the door in his face.

Kurt wants to scream, bang on the door and demand answers, because right now he's pretty sure that the entire school banded together in a 'drown Kurt Hummel' campaign that no body, even the people he would consider near friends, bothered to warn him about. But he is Kurt Hummel, and he's overcome worse than being thrown in a lake, so all he does is salvage what is left of his dignity and slip as quietly as possible into the third door down from Sebastian's. He also silently vows to never sleep in his underwear again, no matter the heat and humidity. He hurries into the bathroom, grabbing a towels and clothes on his way, and he slams the door with every intention of waking Blaine up. He thinks that maybe he'll stay in there for a minute, intent on making a point, but it's hot and the bathroom seems hotter than their actual room, so he makes do with just starting up the shower instead.

When he finally moseys back into the room Blaine is sitting on the top bunk, a crease from the pillow red against his cheek and hair in complete disarray, and Kurt's wide eyes say that he understands why he uses the gel. Kurt's eyes narrow just the slightest bit, and he almost feels a little bit bad to berating him so soon after he wakes up, but Kurt is mad, damnit, and Blaine needs to know that this is his fault. "It's because of you." He growls quietly while he folds the towel over the rails of the top bunk to dry, though he's certain it will only add to the humidity of the room. He stops, though, because Blaine is laughing, a sleepy, raspy laugh and Kurt can't even fathom-

"Why are you laughing," He exclaims, but Blaine just keeps on.

"My fault," he finally asks incredulously, "how is this my fault?"

Kurt is furious now, sure that Blaine is fully aware of how this is his fault, even when Kurt isn't sure how it's his fault. He doesn't know what Blaine has done to piss those boys off, but it must have been something big enough for them to try to drown him just for hanging out with him. Which, he thinks, is unfair anyway, because he was assigned to the room and obviously can't help being around Blaine, or he would be happy to drop him rightthissecond. He talks it up in his head, but Blaine is looking honestly confused, so he tries to provide answers, even if he has none himself.

"They said "maybe next time you'll think twice about hanging around Anderson," and threw me in the lake." He knows the pitch of his voice is leaving very little in the dignity department, especially considering he'd gotten a door closed in his face and had to do, essentially, the Dalton-walk-of-shame in his underwear in to a highly amused roommate who needn't see any more of his body as far as Kurt is concerned.

"What?" Blaine is speaking again, and Kurt is almost so sick of it that he drops the entire thing, but Blaine just keeps on. "No, this happens to everyone. They pull you out of bed, the less clothing you're wearing the funnier it is, they take you to the lake, make you lie on the rocks and then they toss you in the lake. You swim out; walk home, no big deal." He explains it as though it's that easy, and Kurt is more furious now than he was to start. He drops the blanket on the bed and stands quickly, narrowing avoiding smacking his head on the rails of the top bunk, and his voice is near yelling.

"How do you propose I swim out with my entire body duct-taped so tightly that I can't even move?" He spits the last of the words like venom, and Blaine seems to be more confused now than he was when they started. Kurt is about to go back to making his bed when Blaine is moving, and there's not much he can do but move out of the way of the swing of Blaine's legs, and he mutters a quiet "that's why there's a ladder," while he steps back to let the boy jump from the top bunk to the floor. Blaine is the one demanding answers then, and Kurt doesn't know what to tell him.

"Who was it? Do you remember what they look like?" And he looks positively furious in a way that Kurt wasn't even sure that he was capable of. Kurt sighs, running a hand through his hair before nodding "I think so," he bargains, defeat plaguing his voice. He chances a glance out the window when Blaine moves the curtain, noting that it's almost fully light out, and he's sure he won't be getting much more sleep. He groans quietly, dropping his head against the rail of the bed before turning to sit on the bottom bunk and scrub his hands over his face. It's quiet, so he can't be sure, but he swears that he hears Blaine declare war from the bathroom. He lays back, arm thrown over his eyes, and he thinks that maybe he could squeeze a few more minutes of sleep, but Blaine is back and demanding "Did you hear me? This is war. Get up."