The things worth fighting for Chapter 16, a glee fanfic

Hi guys, here's the second part of their trip. Hope you enjoy it.

He just couldn't take it any more. He was shaking, he was sweating his heart was slamming against his ribcage. He couldn't think straight, he was so confused, so tired. He was hungry and cold and it was like everything in the room was spinning. He could hear the sound of footsteps coming. He panicked, he found himself flat on his stomach on the cold concrete floor underneath his mattress. He could smell vomit, he could see the dust on the floor and a dark patch that had stained the floor. Blood?

It was his door the footsteps stopped by. He knew they would be, he was pretty. Would he always be used because of his looks? His mother had paraded him around, his Dad had shown him off for female constituents, but now these man were using him. How many times? His mind was so confused, how many times.. he just hurt. He ached, he was still bleeding, he knew because he could feel the warmth of it.

He heard the click of his lock and the footsteps walking through. Two pairs of feet. Trainers and not black leather shoes, guards not trainers.

"He's under the bed."

"Of course he's under the bed, where else would he be?"

"Hey, don't get arsey with me. I'm just nervous, I've never been with a guy before. Are you sure it don't make me queer?"

"No. It's not queer if it's a slave. They don't count, anyway you'll like it, he's only been around for a few weeks, should be tight and those wanker trainers won't kick you out if they find out because they've already got bored of him."

"Okay, grab him."

"You grab him."

Blaine tried to shuffle further under the bed. But he felt two hands grab his leg. He tried to kick out.

"Hey grab his arm will you!"

He felt another could of hands grab his arm and he grunted as he felt himself being pulled out from under the bed.

He couldn't take this any more but he knew there was nothing he could do. Who was there to help? This was his life now. For a moment he wondered if he could die, how could he die? How could he kill himself? There was nothing sharp, no pills, nothing to hang himself from...

He was pushed to the floor. No he couldn't think like this, he had to hold a part of himself apart from all this. He had to let a little part of him survive. He went limp, it hurt less if he went limp but unfortunately his muscles still clenched at first intrusion. It was that part of him that was still alive and fighting that let out a scream of anger.

"Blaine, Blaine sweetie wake up."

It took him a moment to realize that the hand on his shoulder that was not holding him down. But by the time he realized the hand had disappeared. He sat up looking around trying to figure out where he was. The bed underneath him was not the tough and itchy.

"It's okay Blaine. You're safe. I'm here. We're at the hotel remember?"

Blaine put his hand up in his hair and gave a little tug just to feel the pain.

"Yes, yes I remember." He let himself fall back down on the pillow. He felt embarrassed, Could he not have given Kurt one night? Just one good night away from home? He felt his eyes fill with angry tears. He was so stupid. He was so.. pathetic.

"Hey, please don't cry."

"Are you going to have to go explain?"

"What?"

"Hotel guests screaming in the middle of the night."

"No. You weren't screaming,..you were.. sort of whimpering."

Oh god, he was even more pathetic than he thought. Why did Kurt put up with him?

"Please stop crying." Kurt's hands were reaching out for him they were working their way under his back and clasping his shoulder turning Blaine so that he was in his arms.

"I'm sorry. It's just a shock, to think I'm there and wake up here."

"It's okay. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Blaine shook his head.

Kurt nodded.

"Go to sleep." Kurt whispered.

"I don't think I can."

"Just lay your head down and I'll sing to you." Kurt muttered softly. Blaine could tell by the slight slur to his voice that he was tired and falling back to sleep.

Blaine let his head rest on Kurt's chest. He could hear the soft beat of his heart and feel his warmth.

Kurt's finger found there way to his hair gently tussling the curls. Blaine closed his eyes he felt himself start to relax. Maybe it would be possible to sleep again.

Kurt started to sing softly.

"Much as you blame yourself, you can't be blamed for the way that you feel
Had no example of a love that was even remotely real
How can you understand something that you never had?
If you let me, I can help you out with all of that

Let me love you
And I will love you
Until you learn to love yourself
Let me love you
I know your trouble
Don't be afraid, oh, I can help
Let me love you
And I will love you
Until you learn to love yourself
Let me love you
A heart of numbness gets brought to life
I'll take you there

I can see the pain behind your eyes
It's been there for quite a while
I just wanna be the one to remind what it is to smile
I would like to show you what true love can really do

Let me love you
And I will love you
Until you learn to love yourself
Let me love you
I know your trouble
Don't be afraid, oh, I can help"

Kurt woke up to the heavy feeling of Blaine on his chest. The secure feeling. He looked down and saw the delightful curls falling messily over the sleeping face. Kurt found himself stroking them away so he could look at Blaine closer. He looked so peaceful, his best friend, the boy he was realizing he had other feelings for. It wasn't just that he was a gay boy living in his house. It was more than that, he was so strong. He had been through hell and he could still smile, he could still joke and he was still capable of friendship and caring and creativity. Where most people would be shells he was something else, he was special. He made funny jokes, he argued about Disney, he smiled and gave gentle hugs. Everything he did fascinated or entertained Kurt. His smiles and singing made his heart soar. When he hadn't seen him in a few hours he missed him. He found himself sitting in school wishing he could tell Blaine what he thought about the teachers outfit, or how annoying the jocks were or how he wished he would get to sing solo in a competition for once. He would give him anything.

But last night he'd made a mistake. He had tried to kiss him. He was confused himself over his feelings for Blaine and then he had tried to kiss the boy, the recovering boy who probably deserved and needed his friendship more than anything. But then Blaine had kissed him too once right? No, that didn't count, Blaine had been angry, he had been working through things. Kurt himself had no excuse. He was terrified of the boy waking up because he had no idea what he would say to him.

He considered just leaving a note on the bed and going to pick up his order but he couldn't stand to think of Blaine panicking when he waked up alone. He didn't want him to be uncomfortable at a single moment. This trip was meant to be special for him.

Yesterday had been fantastic. He'd had so much fun and he'd got to see some completely different sides to Blaine, the slightly rude jokes and that ridiculous little risk he took with the guy outside the auditorium. He would never forget what it felt like to run through the city holding onto Blaine's hand, the adrenaline, the mischievous light in Blaine's eyes and the way they just stood together laughing hysterically. He liked it, though he thought he wouldn't be able to put up with that Blaine all the time, he liked their time spent together curled up on the sofa. Those times of calm comfort with nobody around to watch them was precious.

He realized he had been staring down at Blaine with a fond smile for too long. If Blaine had woken up to that it might be creepy. He sighed and went into the bathroom to start his morning routine.

When he came back out Blaine was lying on his stomach with his head on his arms. He turned and gave Kurt an adorable sleepy smile.

"Hey." Kurt said trying for nonchalance. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well after you'd sung for me, thank you Kurt."

Kurt took a deep breath. He knew he had to do this. He closed his eyes to scared to see Blaine's expression because it might break his heart. And Blaine could break his heart, easily. It wasn't that he was madly in love with Blaine. It was that he was his best friend and he cared about him. If he'd ruined their friendship then Kurt it would hurt, badly.

"About last night.."

"Kurt."

"Just let me speak for a moment. I'm sorry I tried to kiss you. I consider you my best friend and I didn't mean to cross a boundary. It's just we spend so much time together that I sometimes forget what you've been through. I forget you were a slave. I forget that our relationship is complicated. I don't want you to ever feel like I'm forcing you into something and I'm grateful that you backed away yesterday. I'm glad that you felt comfortable enough to do that."

He was not expecting the warm heavy body that collided with his winding him slightly.. He opened his eyes in surprise and looked down at the curly head resting against his chest and beautiful muscled arms (toned by the work at the garage) wrapped tightly around his own.

"Thank you." Blaine breathed. "Thank you."

"What?"

"Thank you." Blaine looked up at him sincerely, his eyed wide with tears that would not be shed. Kurt didn't know what he'd said but it had obviously been important to Blaine.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Just.. saying that you're my friend and saying you forget that I'm a slave. I mean, I believed you and you not thinking of me entirely as a slave just means so much to me."

"Of course you're my friend, you're my best friend. And I don't see you as a slave..not anymore. I just have to keep reminding myself so I don't get you in trouble. Now, can you release my arm's so I can hug you?"

Blaine laughed and let go of Kurt for two seconds allowing Kurt to get his arms free so he could hug him back tightly. Kurt swore Blaine gave a happy little hum before he pulled away.

"I need to go shower."

"I have to go pick up yesterdays order, so lock the door behind me okay. When we come back we'll find something fun to do today."

Blaine nodded glancing nervously at the door.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to wait for you and we'll go together?"

"No. It's okay." Blaine said.

Kurt wasn't entirely sure if he was being truthful but he nodded and walked out the door a little reluctantly. He paused in the hallway waiting for the sound of the lock clicking behind him.

"Hello dear."

"Hello Lucy." Kurt said smiling at the lady he'd talked to for twenty minutes the day before.

"How's you're friend feeling?"

"I think he had a rough night." Kurt said keeping it as vague as possible. He'd told the master baker that he wanted the cake for a friend who was feeling low after a bad few months. She'd even given him ten percent off which was good because to have a rush order had cost almost as much as one of his signature jackets.

"He'll be alright, especially as he has a friend as sweet as you."

He smiled, Lucy reminded him a lot of Carol. She winked at him and went out into the back of the bakery. As Kurt waited several other people came in too order croissants, Kurt smiled at them and they gave polite little smiles back.

The Lucy came out. Kurt found himself straining his neck to see what she was holding on a board. The cake was just as he had imagined. The house made out of large square chocolate chip cookies and held together with icing sugar. The trees in front of it crafted out of pink and green marshmallows. That adorable little postbox and candy stick fencing.

Lucy put it in front of him.

"It's fantastic."

"Oh, I'm glad you like it. I noted your specifications but when I was putting it together it seemed a little childlike."

"No, it's meant to be, well I didn't know that it was meant to be but now that I look at it it's like if the Disney channel did a four year old friendly version of Hansel and Gretel. I should mention he loves Disney shouldn't I?"

Lucy smiled.

"Let me just get the final piece."

Kurt found himself holding his breath as Lucy turned to open the fridge behind he and brought out the little marzipan figure. She put it on a little spike in front of the red marshmallow door. The brown hair had little marks in it too make it look curly, the eyes had been painted a color between brown and yellow, the grey jumper and red pants were accompanied by a tiny little blow tie.

"Does it look like you're friend?"

Kurt nodded, it looked like the picture he'd snapped yesterday on the way to the hotel.

"It does, it's perfect. It's almost a shame to eat it."

"If you don't eat it then you won't get to see how good it tastes."

"I can't wait. "

"I'll just box it up for you."

"What's in the box?" Blaine said the instant Kurt walked through the door.

"Hello to you too."

"Sorry that was rude."

"And it's a present, for you. But I thought as we have to sign out by eleven we could go out first."

"Kurt. You didn't have to do that." Blaine said with a soft look that Kurt was pretty sure had just made his heart melt into a puddle of goo.

"I know, but I wanted to. But, like I said, we're going to wait till after we get a breakfast slash lunch."

"Urgh. I think I'm still full from dinner yesterday."

"We'll get something light and healthy. Like.. a fruit plate, some poached eggs. But we've got about an hour before then is there anything you would like to do?"
"Could you look up second hand and pawn stores on your iPhone?"

Kurt raised his eyebrow.

"I'm intrigued. What are you looking for?"

"If I don;t get to see what's in the box you don't get to know what I'm looking for."

Kurt gave Blaine his best bitch glare but started typing into his phone.

They had been too two pawn shops in half an hour and Kurt was starting to feel slightly depressed, he found the atmosphere stifling. Each time Blaine had looked around the shop quickly then gone to talk to the manager. Both time's he'd turned to Kurt and shook his head and Kurt they'd got back in the car and riven to the next place on their list.

As they pulled up to the third place Kurt found himself staring at the large store front with a grin. Below a sign advertising vintage clothing and second hand goods was a display with a perfect nineteen fifties mint green dress, a multicolored seventies play suit and a crazy black frizzy eighties dress.

"This has promise."

"It is bigger than the other places." Blaine agreed.

"Let's go." Kurt parked up, they separated the instant they were inside, Kurt drawn to the old clothing desperate to sort through the tacky to find the gold and Blaine to the used items at the back.

What felt like two minutes later Kurt felt eyes on him. He looked up to see Blaine smirking a guitar in his hands.

"So.. are we going to eat after signing out?"

"No, before. You play the guitar?"

"Then shouldn't we go?"

"We've only just got here."

"We got here twenty minutes ago and it's twenty to eleven."

"Oh I didn't realize it was so late, guitar?"

"I miss playing." Blaine said simply.

"You." Kurt said walking up beside him arms filled with various pieces he could alter or completely tear apart for fabric. "Are just full of surprises."

"Okay Tim Gunn let's go."

They had arrived at the hotel with only five minutes to go before sign out time but Kurt had managed to persuade the receptionist to give him an extra half an hour. He had been thinking so hard about what he was going to do with his new vintage finds that he had forgotten Blaine's cake.

"Okay, I'll grab our stuff from the bathroom." Blaine said rushing to start packing. Kurt caught his hand.

"Wait. You're present." Kurt said suddenly feeling nervous. What would Blaine think of the gift?

Blaine looked over at the box.

"!How could I forget?"

"The sides kind of fall down." Kurt explained at Blaine looked over the box. He lifted off the top and looked. Kurt watched his eyebrows draw together as he released the side. He laughed in glee as the sides can loose and revealed the cake.

He looked at it with his mouth open and shook his head.

"Kurt, it's just, it's just perfect thank you. A house made out of cookies and marshmallows." Blaine bent down to take a look. "Is that me?"

"You said you dreamed of living in a house made of cookies and marshmallows, this is the closest I could get."

Kurt found himself turning away because Blaine was giving him that heart melting look again.

"Better pack."

This time it was Blaine who grabbed Kurt's hand.

"Kurt." He said turning him back round. "Seriously, thank you, this is the sweetest gift anybody has ever given me."

"Yeah, it'll literally give you cavities." Kurt said with a laugh.

Blaine gave a chuckle. The looked up into Kurt's eyes.

"I just hope you know how much I truly appreciate you Kurt."

Kurt took a deep breath.

"Of course I do, I'm fabulous." He said with a little hunch of his shoulders he turned to go pack the stuff in the bathroom.

He closed the door behind him and fell back against the door frame. Why did Blaine have to make him feel dizzy? He just wanted to be a decent friend to him but it was starting to feel impossible. There was no denying he was falling and falling fast. How worse could it get?