"Blaine, are you staying the night here?" Maria asks, touching her sons arm gently when they were done eating.
"Maria- you know how I feel about Blaine staying here." Mr. Anderson says, grabbing his sons arm, and forcefully making him stand.
"It's Blaine's choice, Harold." Maria tells her husband, pulling his arm off of Blaine, who looked absolutely terrified of him.
"Really, Harold, it's fine. Blaine, do you want to stay here?" Elizabeth asks, kneeling down by Blaine's chair.
"Can I mommy?" Blaine timidly asks, his eyes glistening with hope.
Kurt sat in his chair, scared of what Blaine's daddy might do to Blaine, since he was always so angry.
"Yes, Blaine. You may. C'mon Harold, let's go. Blaine's bag is in the hall, Liz." Maria grabs Harold's arm, and pulls him out the door.
"Blaine, honey, are you okay? Do you need ice for your arm or anything? I don't know why your father acts like that at all." Elizabeth presses an ice pack to his arm.
"I'm fine Mom-Mrs. Hummel." Blaine stammers, moving his arm from under the ice pack.
Elizabeth looks at Blaine, and just hugs him, her second son. "You'll always have a home here." Kurt walks over to his mommy and Blaine. "Kurt, why don't you and Blaine go watch a movie in your room or something."
Blaine's face lights up. "C'mon Kurrrttt, let's go watch The Little Mermaid." Blaine races Kurt up to his room, and they settle onto Kurt's bed.
Kurt goes to put in the Little Mermiad, or well, rewind it. "Blaine, I love you. My mommy said it was fine for boys to love boys so, I love you."
Blaine puts his arms around Kurt, in an awkward side-ways hug, and says, "I love you too Kurty. I'm not sure why my daddy doesn't like me spending the night, it's so much fun falling asleep with you."
"I don't know either, is your arm okay Blainey? It looked like it hurt." Kurt falls back onto his headboard, which was supporting Kurt and Blaine's bodies. "Why does your daddy hurt you?"
Blaine fiddles with Kurt's hand. "He doesn't like you, or what you like. He thinks it's, well, he uses the word faggy to describe you.."
Kurt frowned. Kids at school had called him that before. "I don't know what that means."
Blaine frowned as well. "I don't know, Kurty. I don't like it though."
"I don't like that he hurts you, Blainey. I don't like seeing you sad."
"I don't want him hanging out with that fucking fag," Harold Anderson spat, slamming the newspaper down on the counter.
"Harold, they're five," Maria said sternly, trying to stay as far away from her husband as possible.
"I don't care. I don't want that Hummel kid's faggy germs to rub off on him."
"Sexualitys aren't contagious. Kurt's a great kid. You don't even know he's gay," Maria said, trying to keep a level head.
"He has fucking tea parties. If that doesn't scream gay, nothing does," Harold was in rage.
"And what if he is gay? What exactly is wrong with that?"
"Because then he'll make my son become a queer. No son of mine is going to be a fucking fag," he spat, spit flying out of his mouth. He looked ready to punch a wall.
"Harold, you're hurting him. You need to stop. Now. Our son will do what he wants. Kurt makes him happy."
"I don't give a fuck. He's my son. He has my name. Anything he does reflects off me. And if physical punishment is the only way to handle it, then so be it," Blaine's dad slammed the door leading to their room. He opened the door just a bit, "If I have to knock the gay out of him, then so be it," he slammed the door once again, a little more forcefully this time.
Just then, Cooper Anderson, Blaine's 15 year old brother came stumbling down the stairs, looking like he hadn't slept in ages. "What's dad's deal?" He asked, grabbing a Coca Cola from the fridge.
Maria tried to not let Cooper see her tears. "He..he's just angry because he doesn't like Kurt."
"Why not? Kurt's a cool kid. Blaine and him are like really close," Cooper opened the soda in a fiiiiiiz.
"That's what your father is worried about."
Cooper sighed. "Sometimes dad makes no sense. Well, I got to go, I have a big test on Monday. Bye, mom," Cooper ran back upstairs.
Maria crumbles down, her back resting against the counter. Nothing's going right.
"Blainey, if your daddy ever, EVER hurts you again, just come over here. My mommy won't care, she only wants you to be safe. You gotta promise me." Kurt tells Blaine the next morning when they wake up. Blaine has a few small, finger shaped bruises on his arm.
"I promise Kurty. I'm hungry." Blaine rubs his tummy, as it makes a grumbly noise.
Kurt's mom walks in, with a small tray of food for the three of them. "I thought that maybe you two would like to eat up here."
"Thanks mommy." Kurt tells his mom, giving her a hug.
"Your welcome sweetie, Blaine, is your arm okay?" She lightly hugs Blaine as well, making sure not to hit his arm.
"I'm fine Mrs. Hummel. I don't know why my daddy acts that way.. he thinks Kurt is 'faggy' or somethin'." Elizabeth makes a face of shock, her son did NOT deserve to be called that. Poor Blaine didn't need to hear that come out of his fathers mouth, no.
"Blaine, don't, don't listen to your father. He is a mean person, a VERY mean person. If he ever, ever hurts you again, you must come right over here. Okay?"
"Okay Mrs. Hummel. I'm sorry for saying that.. but, what does it mean? Kids at school always call Kurt that.."
Elizabeth sees that Kurt is just awkwardly sitting on his bed, eating a bowl of fruit. "Kurt, can you, Kurt, come over here."
"Okay, mommy," Kurt moved so he was sitting next to Blaine and Elizabeth on the floor.
"Well, you boys are a little young to understand this, but, Kurt, you know how we talked the other day about how some boys love boys and some girls love girls? The same way a boy and a girl can love each other?" Kurt nodded his little head. "Well, some people, for whatever reason, think that it's not right for a boy and a boy or a girl and a girl to love each other," she explained.
"But mommy, I don't get it. Why does it matter?" Kurt asks. He didn't see anything wrong with having two daddies or two mommies, the same way he had a daddy and a mommy.
"Yeah, what's the difference?" Blaine chimed in. "And girls have cooties," Blaine stuck out his tounge, and Kurt laughed.
"That's the thing. There is no difference. But some people think that it's not right, and they use words like Blaine's dad uses to describe people like that," Elizabeth tried to explain it as simply as possible.
"My daddy says that it's not right for two boys or two girls to like each other. He says that they're sick," Blaine said, putting on a pouty face.
"They're not, Blaine. You two could grow up and marry a man or a woman, it's up to you. There's nothing wrong with either choice."
"I guess I get it. Same way that I like tea parties and Blaine likes sports? They're just two different things, but there's nothing wrong with either one?" Kurt asks, trying to wrap his little five year old mind around it.
"That's one way to think of it. And, Blaine, I want you to tell your mommy and me if your daddy says anything like that or hurts you again," she turned to Kurt. "And honey, I want you to tell me if anyone at school calls you any names like that."
"Okay," they both said.
"Now come on," Elizabeth said, standing up. "Let's go to the park."
Kurt and Blaine jumped up in excitement, "Yaaayyy!" they cheered.
"So, you're just going to let him hang out with that fag?" Harold asks Maria the next day over breakfast, Cooper in the room.
"HAROLD. Stop! I will, I like Kurt, he's the sweetest kid I've ever met next to our sons."
Maria tells him, tears forming in her eyes.
"Dad, Kurt is just a kid. Calm down, please. Chill. If Blaine turns out gay, along with Kurt, so be it. They'll make an amazing couple." Cooper says, before being slapped by his dad.
"I won't have that talk in my house Cooper, I won't stand for it." Harold leaves the room,
leaving Cooper and Maria alone.
"Coop, I'm sorry about dad. Here, let me get you an ice pack-"
"I'm fine mom, I'm just scared about what will happen to Blaine. I care about him, y'know? And Kurt, they're just so sweet to each other." Cooper stands up to leave, "I have a study date with a few friends, I'll be back by dinner time."
After Kurt and Blaine went to the park, Blaine had to go home. Elizabeth dropped him off at his house, going inside to talk to Maria.
"Kurt, if you want, you and Blaine can go upstairs to play." Maria offers, seeing Kurt standing timidly behind his mom.
"Is Coop home?" Blaine asks excitedly, bouncing up and down.
"Yeah, He's upstairs sweetie, why don't you and Kurt go up there"
Kurt and Blaine run up the stairs to Cooper's room, opening and slamming the door behind them.
"Maria, I, we need to talk about something." Elizabeth tells her, sitting down at the table across from Maria.
"Can I just ask you something first, what's wrong? You've been off lately." Maria looks concerned, since Burt came down to pick Kurt up.
"I have breast cancer, and they don't think anything will help. Apparently I'm already in
stage II. I need to get better for Kurt, Burt doesn't even know how to properly play dress up, or boil water."
"Oh, Elizabeth. If, if you ever need anyone to watch Kurt, I can take Blaine over to your house with me. I would offer to keep hiim here, it's just.. Harold is, well, he doesn't like Kurt very much." Maria holds Elizabeth's hand, applying light pressure.
"I'm scared what'll happen to Blaine if Kurt keeps hanging around him. What your
husband did to Blaine last night was simply unacceptable, Blaine has bruises from it. Bruises Maria."
Maria's look saddens, she wants Kurt and Blaine to be able to have playdates, and she knows if Blaine and Kurt were separated that everything would tumble down. "He-he hurt Cooper today. He slapped him, and last night he told me that he would beat the gay out of Blaine if he had to. Beat our son. OUR son."
"I told Blaine this morning that if Harold ever, ever, laid a hand on him, he needs to tell you, and come running to our house. The same goes for you, Maria. Along with Cooper. You guys are like a second family to Kurt, and Burt and I." Elizabeth tells her, standing up. "I should get going, Harold must be getting home soon. I don't need him to hurt Kurt as well."
She calls for Kurt to come down the stairs, "I have to go in for Kemo tomorrow, will you pick Kurt up from school? You know where the spare key is for the house, right?"
Maria nods, and Blaine, Kurt, along with Cooper come running down the stairs.
"Hey Mrs. Hummel! What's up?" Cooper asks, bouncing up and down, just as his brother does.
"I'm doing fine Cooper. Wow, you're growing up to be a fine young man. Your mom is doing a terrific job of raising you. Kurt, say bye to Blaine. We need to get home and make dinner for daddy."
Kurt and Blaine embrace, then rub their noses together. Eskimo kisses, Elizabeth and Maria think.
"I'll see you later Kurty, well, actually, at school." Blaine smiles, and latches onto his mother's leg.
"Bye Blainey. I love you." Kurt turns around and tells him as they're heading out the door.
"I love you too Kurty."
Cooper smiles at the two boys, "Blaine, do you really, really like Kurt?"
Blaine smiled up at Cooper, "Of course.. I love him. Duh."
Maria picks Blaine up, and twirls him around. "What do you say Coop, you and I go out to eat tonight?"
"Yay! Can we go to McDonalds?" Blaine's little mind only memorizes McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Burger King as restaurants.
"Ugh, mom, can we not go to McDonalds? Could we go to Olive Garden?" Cooper asked, rolling his eyes at his brother.
"Let's go to Olive Garden." Blaine's mom decides, grabbing her keys, and buttoning up Blaine's coat. "Cooper, put your jacket on."
"Fine mother. C'mon Blaine, let's, go out to the car." Cooper swings Blaine in his arms, and takes them out to car.
"Coop?" Blaine asks once he's settled into his car seat.
"Yeah B?" Coop turns his head so he's facing Blaine.
"Why does daddy hate me?" Blaine asks, looking up at Cooper with sad eyes.
"Blaine, he's just jealous because you're special, and he's not," Cooper explained.
"Coopy, I don't like it when daddy calls Kurty and I names." Blaine's eyes look sad, as if he could cry.
"Blaine, don't cry. Please, daddy's just being mean because he's not special." Cooper
pleads Blaine to not cry.
"Coopy. I'm scared of daddy," Blaine whispered so quietly that Cooper barely heard him.
"Me too, Blainey, me too. As long as mommy's here though, he won't hurt us," Cooper comforted.
"Good. I love you Cooper."
"I love you too, Blaine. Don't ever forget that," Cooper placed his hand on Blaine's knee.
"D-daddy doesn't love me," it looked like it hurt Blaine to admit such a thing. "But that's okay, because Kurt loves me. And you do. And mommy does," Blaine tilted his little head, thinking.
Just then, Blaine and Cooper's mom finally finished up in the house, and walked out to the car. "We'll talk about this later, Blaine," Cooper said, turning back around.
"You're the best big brother ever," Blaine decided, buckling his seat belt.