A/N: This story is basically at a point where Blaine is the one who is struggling with having to protect himself and wanting to help Kurt… I don't know if that is conveyed in this chapter, but I can only hope. Next chapter will get more of a plot!
"You shouldn't smoke," David said distractedly, staring down at his homework.
"I'm standing by the window. Don't be pissy."
David spun his chair, turning to glare at the boy currently holding a cigarette and releasing puffs of smoke from between his lips. "Blaine, you shouldn't smoke. First, it's bad for your health; second, it's against school rules—"
"Ha!"
"—and third, it's making me crave one so put it out."
Blaine didn't do anything except bring his hand back up to his mouth and take another puff.
David sighed, giving up. "What happened with you and Kurt? You haven't spoken for a week."
"None of your business."
David ignored him. "You never come to breakfast, you stare at Kurt during group… Did you two break it off or something?"
"We're not dating!" Blaine rolled his eyes.
"Well why not?"
"Are you serious? You really want to know why I'm not dating him?"
"Yes, actually, I believe I just asked that."
Blaine sighed, putting out his cigarette before throwing it down onto the concrete. "We're not dating because I don't do relationships. I don't. I like sex. Sex is awesome. But relationships are shit. We're in a reform school. We're going to be here for five more months and I've already made him hate me, so that's not exactly going to work out, is it?"
"Tell me honestly, Blaine, since all you seem to care about is sex—if you found out that there was another gay guy at this school, would you try to get him too?"
"Are you telling me that you're gay? Because you're not exactly my type."
"Do me a favor, Blaine. Kurt's a good kid. He isn't a criminal and he's certainly not a bad ass. So just…lay off. Woo him if you want, just don't hurt him."
"Yeah, David, it's a little too late for that."
"It's never too late to make things right. Especially with what he's been through."
"What do you mean 'what he's been through'?"
"Well…"
-0-
"Is it true, Mr. Hummel?"
Kurt, from his place in front of Mr. Danielson's desk, nodded gravely.
Mr. Danielson was the dean of Dalton Academy. His hair was nearly almost completely gone from the top of his head and his eyes were cold and grey. However, he was round and stout and didn't look mean, more like tired.
"Well, I'm afraid there are some new things to take into account. Why didn't you tell the arresting officers about the boys?"
Kurt cleared his throat, saying softly, "They'll get me back."
Mr. Danielson grunted. "Kurt, your grades are remarkable, you're an upstanding citizen, far better and more mature than many boys your age. Besides this, you've never done anything wrong. I…I see no reason for you to stay here."
He looked up from his lap. "You mean I can go home?"
"I'll have to have a conversation with the judge, but I'm meeting him for lunch today… I suggest you pack your bags, Mr. Hummel."
-0-
This was what he wanted.
Right?
He was going to get to go home, the bullies were going to get in trouble, and he was going to get to be with his friends.
So why was he so terrified?
"Kurt."
He froze with his hand on the doorknob of his dorm. "What?"
"David told me."
"About what?"
"Everything you didn't tell me about the bullying."
"Blaine, don't—"
"You could've talked to me."
"Really? Because the farthest I remember our conversations going are moaning."
Silence.
Kurt nodded slightly, still facing his door. "Anyway, it doesn't matter."
"You're leaving, aren't you?"
He nodded again, a larger motion this time. "I'm going back to Lima, to McKinley."
"Okay, I'm going to sound like an idiot or a commercial or something but…just…I don't know… You don't have to be the victim, y'know? Look at us here. We're total bad asses." Kurt smirked. "You can fight back. They're just…they're being ignorant."
"Did you have to deal with the same thing at your school?"
Silence again. Then, "You're a courageous person, Kurt."
"No, I'm not," he laughed. "I'm scared."
"Courage doesn't necessarily mean not being scared. It just means following through even though you are." Blaine touched his shoulder. "People suck, Kurt. But you're…you're the rare exception."
Kurt stood there, listening to the footfalls of Blaine as he walked away.
And for the millionth time in the last month, the only thing he could think was:
Well, shit.
-0-
Ugh, he was pissed. He was pissed at himself, he was pissed at Wes and David, he was pissed at the dean, he was pissed at Kurt. He was just pissed.
He didn't want this. He didn't want to start having to…feel something. He thought that when he had walked out of Kurt's room last week, it was over. He would've found someone else or at least just be okay with hanging around the rest of the guys and feeling Kurt glance at him every few seconds.
But instead, all he could think about was Kurt.
People sucked. He'd meant it. People really, really sucked.
And that included him.
He was careless. He was stupid. But he was emotional. And considering the fact that that was a state Blaine Anderson didn't often fall into, the fact that he managed to drive his bike at all was a feat. He rode for an hour, just trying to think about anything but Kurt. He wasn't going to let himself think about the bullying. He wasn't going to imagine Kurt getting shoved and taunted and receiving death threats and Dumpster tosses and slushie-facials…
When he got back to Dalton, he should have been more careful. He should have made sure the garage door to the dorm on the far side of the school that nobody used was locked, regardless of its placement. He should have guessed; he should have been prepared. But he was too busy being pissed.
-0-
"Mr. Danielson has informed me that there was a motorcycle found on campus this morning," Mr. Harmon began. He eyed them all carefully, all spread out in their group circle. "I have reasons to believe that one of you is the owner. So, boys, how are we going to do this?"
Jeff had his poker face on. It wasn't really his fault, though. It was Blaine's. Blaine was looking at the wall like he couldn't give a shit about anything. However, he dropped that for a moment to look at Kurt, whose eyes were moving around the circle.
He looked awful. He looked so depressed. Blaine frowned slightly.
"Alright, fine. If somebody doesn't fess up in the next two minutes—"
Kurt couldn't hear the rest of the sentence. His brain was too busy working. He was safe here. Relatively. He had told Ms. Warner, the dean, and Thad, Wes, and David about the bullying and tormenting and his mom. Sure, maybe this place didn't have Mercedes and the rest of the glee guys, but it certainly didn't have Karofsky. There was no guarantee that Karofsky was going to get in trouble for what he did. He didn't really have proof. Even if he went back to McKinley, it was highly likely that the bully would be there, waiting, ready to make his life a living hell again.
He didn't really want to leave. The food was great, the homework was easily getting manageable, the friends he was making were the most interesting people he'd ever met… His first month had gone okay. What was to say the other five wouldn't if he stayed?
More importantly—what was to say the other five wouldn't be better? What if this was good for him? Exactly what he needed? He had people here who didn't know how weak he'd been compared to his bullies. Maybe…maybe they could help him. They could teach him to fight back, to feel good about who he was. Nobody here had judged him when he and Blaine had been…whatever.
"Mr. Harmon," the slender lady said, nails clapping her clipboard, but she never got to finish whatever it was she was going to say.
Kurt looked up from where he had been watching his knee. "I did it," he said hurriedly. "It's my bike." His eyes met Mr. Harmon's. The older man's mouth was opened slightly, his eyebrows furrowed, as if asking how. "I snuck out and took the bus to my house on Saturday when everybody was distracted with weekend plans and took my bike," Kurt said, his hands clenching into fists.
"Mr. Hummel," Ms. Warner said, frowning. "Why—"
"It's the truth." His eyes didn't leave Mr. Harmon's.
"Ms. Warner and Kurt, come with me—the rest of you go back to your rooms and study."
As the three of them left the room, Flint turned to them all. "That wasn't his, was it?"
"No," Jeff said, shaking his head slowly. "No, it wasn't."
"So why would he do that?" Trent whispered.
They all exchanged glances, the tension rising in the room. But nobody spoke. Because nobody knew. Blaine, however, thought he knew.
It had to be one of two reasons:
Either Kurt was too scared to go back—which Blaine didn't actually think was true—or Kurt didn't want Blaine to get in trouble.
Way to go, Hummel. Way to make life more complicated than it already is.
A/N: Thank you all so much! Hope you enjoyed!
Love always,
E. M. Zeray
Mythoughtshavenooffswitch [dot] tumblr [dot] com