A/N: 105 REVIEWS AND 204 FOLLOWERS?! You guys are so supportive and I love you so much. Congrats to Klaine Forever H.A. for being the 100th reviewer! To celebrate the holidays, here's Ch.12 (named after a great fanfic Beauty and His Monster by LovingUWithoutUKnowing)!

Chapter 12:: Beauty and His Monster

A week later

"KURT!" Her loud, annoying voice made both Kurt and Quinn shiver but the countertenor laughed when he was enveloped by her tight arms, grateful to have such a best friend.

It's strange to be back in his old Brooklyn apartment after spending the past two-three months with Blaine and as he's always there by his side, it's rare of him come visit his house. It's been a week since he declared his love for the blind man and with only six days left till they have to submit the completed novel for editing before publishing, Kurt oddly felt like a journey was about to end. Sure, he assured an anxious Blaine that he's not going anywhere once the book's done but the book itself—and Blaine's blindness—was what brought them together in the first place. Suddenly, he had a casual idea of bringing Blaine over to check out his old apartment someday.

"Heyyyyy Raccchhhellll," he deadpanned when she rocked him, pulling away when Quinn came over to hug him as well. Rachel had invited the blonde over for some coffee and girl talk, Quinn relieved that Puck was recovering from his relapse, and Brittany was at work at the restaurant until that evening.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Hummel. Where have you been?" Quinn asked.

"I bet you were doing the nasty with that gorgeous yet blind boyfriend of yours—" Rachel grinned but Kurt's eyebrows shot up through the roof, knowing that he and Blaine were nowhere near that phase yet. Will we ever move to that stage in our relationship anyway? Kurt randomly thought before the brunette's bright smile irritated his eyes.

"Calm down, look I have something important to tell you and I kinda need your opinion."

Nodding, the trio ventured to the dining room, Rachel brewing some hot chocolate and gathering snacks, Quinn encouraging Kurt to tell what he needed to tell and Kurt sighing, dropping his messenger bag to the ground.

"Everything okay, honey?" Quinn cocked her head in wonder.

"Ye-yeah, I just—" He took his seat and welcomed his hot beverage, barely smiling at the marshmallows and whip cream on it. "I have something important to tell you and I'm sorry for leaving you guys out of the loop for a while now."

When the two ladies looked at each other in confusion, they leaned forward in interest as Kurt began recounting everything about his and Blaine's blossoming relationship the past few weeks—leaving the Blaine-became-blind-because-of-gay-bashing part out because he felt it wasn't in his place to do so—and he couldn't help but blush when Quinn and Rachel squealed when he told them that he and Blaine were in love.

But the fun was short-lived when the man finally got to his dilemma.

"He's been nothing but honest with me and he told me a lot about his past...but the thing is, now is my turn. And I'm terrified..." Kurt fiddled with his mug, the steam softly rising.

"What haven't you told about?" Quinn crossed her legs, sipping her drink.

"You guys know about what happened with Karofsky back at McKinley, right?"

Both their faces fall and Kurt already predicted that these two knew what he was referring to.

"Kurt, if he really loves you—which I do believe—then the last thing he wants to do is pressure you into anything. He wouldn't like it when you're afraid about this." Rachel advised.

"It's just that...it's going so fast. But at the same time, I want to still be there with him. All this time, he appeared as the insecure one...and I've been nothing but supportive. But I guess it's my turn now to feel insecure. It's just the images of Karofsky over me that are painful whenever I'm debating whether or not to tell him."

"Does he really love you?" Quinn bit her lip. "I'm talking about legitimate, passionate, intimate, consciousness-altering love here."

"He does," Kurt breathes.

"Then he will be there to pick up the pieces when you find it too painful to talk about that douche, Karofsky. He will be there to hold and console you and the moment he leans in and tell you that he's not going anywhere, you'll be so grateful that you told him the truth. Now that's love."

Kurt pauses. Hearing what Quinn said it, he could still feel the fear and shame course through his veins but simultaneously, he felt the rush of surging blood and want to tell Blaine everything. He looks at her and Rachel and finds that they are regarding him with supportive smiles, his lips curving into a tiny smile as Rachel reaches out to take his hand.

"I love him so much," he says brokenly, the words still making his heart stop.

"Think about it, sweetie." Quinn nodded. "If Blaine was that willing to be honest with you about his painful past, then you should be willing to be honest with him too. Love isn't just about the mushy, cheesy Romeo-and-Juliet scene, it goes deeper than that."

"I mean, I'm not the person to go to for the best relationship advice but Quinn makes a good point." Rachel said.

"I love you guys, you know that?" Kurt exhales, tears daring to well his eyes. "I just don't want to screw this up."

The three pulled into a brief group hug that Kurt was grateful for and laughing, Rachel suggested a movie for old times' sake.

"Fine, but not Hairspray again." Kurt cautioned as they ventured for the living room, Quinn agreeing. "As much as Zac Efron's smokin', I think it's time to try another musical this time."

Rachel was about to start a riot in opposition but Quinn made a threatening glare.

Santana was sorting out the mail as she was lounging in the living room, nonchalantly eating a Panini when she heard the soft padding of footsteps. Blaine had kissed Kurt goodbye and to stay safe when the countertenor left to visit his old friends at his old apartment.

She perked up and saw her best friend slowly taking a seat as well, resting his cane by his side and still looking half-asleep even though it's already 12pm. He was sporting his worn midnight blue robe, a simple pair of lounge pants and fuzzy slippers. He looked blindly towards where he thought Santana was and he subtly smiled.

"Thanks for everything, San." He muttered. "I-I know that I've been with Kurt practically 24-7 for the book and...other stuff—" He grinned when Santana mm-hmmed. "But thank you for being with me ever since I practically lost everything and my sight. And even before that actually!"

"Jesus, what's with all the deep, emotional words today, Anderson?" She rolled her eyes whole-heartedly. "But you're welcome. How's it going with you and Lady Hummel by the way? Since you told him about how you lost your sight, you two have been all extra lovey-dovey these days."

"Yeah, he's been nothing but supportive and just last week, he told me that he loves me." Santana couldn't help but chuckle at how Blaine was beaming then. "I'd do anything for that man."

"I assume you two are staying as an item even when you finish the book in a few days?"

"Yeah, at first I was afraid of Kurt leaving to return to his normal lifestyle prior to meeting me once it's done but he told me straight out that he's staying no matter what."

"He really does love you."

Blaine ducked with a blush.

"Oh by the way, Graham called earlier today." The Latina continued, not failing to see Blaine raise a curious eyebrow. They both knew that their last, recent visit to Graham at the MountCrest Publishing headquarters did not go well. With Blaine hearing how several employees were negatively whispering about why a monster like him was back and Blaine recalling how awful he was to the people around him, he'd freaked out and left when Graham, despite his good heart, proposed an important dinner and launch party to celebrate his new novel as well as his past literary works.

"He was just asking if you really still are against the dinner slash launch party event. Trust me, he's just trying to be a good friend—"

"I get that, it's just that part of me feels like it could be fun and heartwarming to have my works commemorated and there could be a lot of people there but another part of me feels like...no one would come because of my tarnished reputation and they'll tear me apart in the press and tabloids—"

"You'll get bring Kurt as your plus-one. I'm sure you'll love it for him to be there to support you. At least there's that," the woman gently soothes, face falling when Blaine appeared dejected, conflicted and torn.

"This would be the first time I'd ever be in the public eye since I lost my eyesight during which awful newspaper and magazine articles were written about how karma finally arrived for me. No one cares about me—"

"You have me, Graham, Nick, Jeff and Kurt on your side, Blaine. And this could the time for you to get back on your feet." She looked at him despite knowing that he couldn't see, daring to reach out and take his warm hand. "Why do we fall, Blaine?"

He peered up, towards the direction of her voice. His breathing was slightly uneven, his biting his lip as he felt the anxiety overcome again.

"So that we can learn to pick ourselves up," she encouraged, showing her vulnerable side and she leaned in to delicately kiss Blaine's cheek, the man closing his eyes with a sigh of content, forever grateful to have Santana as not only just his housekeeper and chauffeur but also as the closest thing he has to a true friend (aside from Kurt, of course).

She stood up and travelled over to the kitchen, "Why don't I make us some pasta? Do you want me to make your favourite—"

"Lasagne, please." Blaine grinned, Santana nodding as she expected that.

"Hey, Santana! Before you get started—" He quickly added in, the woman turning around to listen to him. "Could you help me call Graham's office? I figured that I'm blind so I don't really want to dial the wrong number on the telephone—"

"Okay, Anderson." She shook her head, finding it funny whenever Blaine appeared embarrassed or timid. She walked over to pick the phone and dialled the number for him and after doing so, she placed the receiver on Blaine's hand and she went off to get started while Blaine waited eagerly for an answer, the ringing still incessant.

"Hey, Graham, it's me..." A pause. "No, I'm fine now. Look, about that launch party thing you proposed, I...I-I think that we need to talk about that. I think that it would be a great idea."

Santana couldn't help but listen in on Blaine's end of the conversation and she was so glad that her dear friend was growing more confident and slowly becoming the extrovert he once was.

Ever since that Hummel guy came in, she could visibly see Blaine improving, healing and coming out of his shell, something that she thought would never happen in a long time after the accident. She wished to never relive those dark days when Blaine was so hurt, damaged and horrified to accept his blindness. Back at his Long Island beach house, she vividly recalled Blaine hurling several furniture around in a fit of unprecedented rage and shouting a load of vulgar words and she had to calm him down and clean everything, sighing when Blaine came to his senses and apologized amidst sobs and cries for why this had happened to him. On the outside, his life may look glamorous and opulent but on the inside, he was broken.

It almost felt like this all was a modern version of Beauty and the Beast.

She was about to gather a tear in her eyes when she heard Blaine chuckling from the living room and she realized how far he's come. Morphing her sympathetic features into a gentle smile, she began on the lasagne.

It was already 5:45pm when Kurt arrived back at Blaine's place, finding it odd that just a few months ago, he was humbly living in a cozy little apartment and now he's staying over at a rooftop penthouse overlooking the city. It's a weird, silly feeling, something that he still has trouble wrapping his head around and plus, he's fallen in love with the blind man who inhabits here.

And the novelist loves him too.

Today, though, had been a great day: having a heart-to-heart talk with Rachel and Quinn, going shopping down at the streets of the city, having lunch together and vowing to have days like these more often. But now, he knows he has to face the music. It's his turn to be honest with Blaine.

"Hey there," he said warmly, the sight of Blaine relaxing in the study doing crazy things to his heart. "I've missed you, sweetie." He bends over to kiss him on the forehead, rousing him up and making him stand up, cane still at hand.

"Mmm, I've missed you too, babe." He smiled, gathering Kurt in his arms, humming when Kurt wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Remember the time when I told you I was going to tell you the truth about what happened with high school?"

Blaine's features plummeted at the sound of that question. "You don't have to tell me if you're not comf—"

"I have to, I feel like I need to get it out of my system and the only way I can is if I'm honest with you."

Blaine nodded understandingly and Kurt quickly dropped his messenger bag and the sounds of the thudding made Blaine nervous. But when he felt his boyfriend's hand take his, he felt at home once again.

"I was thinking that I would tell you everything while we stroll around Central Park," Kurt exclaimed and Blaine, having already changed into casual wear, asked him to help him get his fall jacket and scarf and before long, they were now at ground level, slowly ambling through the greenery and trees of the famed park, a nice escape from the hustle and bustle.

Kurt had bought them each a cup of coffee and as they hooked arms, Blaine greatly depended on holding close to his lover as he purposely left his cane at home—an efficient excuse to have Kurt beside him all the time. As Kurt admired the calmness of the park, Blaine cherished the comfortable silence between them but before long, he knew that Kurt was still anxious of getting down to business.

"Kurt, you don't have to do this. If you're not confident in telling me what happened—"

"Blaine, it's okay, you don't have to worry. It's all in the past—"

"That's just it, baby, I have to worry about you." He self-consciously tightened his arm around Kurt's and the countertenor sighed, electing to sit down together on a bench where not many people lingered.

Images of McKinley, the bullying, the tormenting, Karofsky...they suddenly attacked Kurt's mind and although it's been years since then, he could still feel the awful, sick warmth over his body and he trembled.

"I was bullied a lot at high school for being gay, especially from the football team. I never got to escape to a fancy school like you did at Dalton so I was stuck there at Lima, Ohio. At first, it was just verbal with all the teasing and names but then it got physical...I was suddenly pushed aside, hurled into lockers and all that—"

Blaine took Kurt into an embrace, abandoning his coffee as he held him tight and close. He knew the awful feeling of being bullied. The assistant hugged back, reciprocating as he felt himself crumble inside. When Blaine pulled away to allow him to continue, Kurt sighed.

"The glee club was always at the bottom of the social ladder at McKinley but because of my sexuality, I was their number-one target. But there was this one guy named David Karofsky who tormented me the most, he made sure to exclusively make my life a living hell and he...he—"

Blaine almost died from his breaking voice, how could his angel get hurt by assholes back then? "I'm here, I got you." He encouraged, tracing circles over Kurt's shaky hand, internally glad there weren't many passers-by.

"One day, he-he cornered me in the boys' locker room...and he pushed me up against a locker and he k-kissed me—" Who the fuck is this Karofsky asshole?! Blaine felt his blood boil but he froze upon hearing those last words. "And h-he gr-groped me and practically forced himself on m-me...but eventually, he left and threatened to kill me if I ever told anyone what happened..."

He threatened to kill Kurt?!

"Is he gay?" Blaine breathed, gripping Kurt's hand. He inhaled when Kurt said yes.

A self-homophobic gay guy taking out his frustrations on his angel? How dare he?! HOW DARE HE HURT THE ONE GOOD MAN IN MY LIFE?!

"I'll never hurt you," Blaine swore. "I won't let him come near you ever, I'll protect you, okay?"

"I-I gained physical scars over my body because of all the shoving then..."

"Come here," he brought him in for another deep, bear hug, whispering unintelligible loving words into his ears as Kurt broke down. "I may have been a monster before I met you b-but I've changed. And I love you so much."

Blaine truly meant those words and Kurt, knowing that there weren't any people around here, allowed Blaine to kiss him deeply, his loving touch so different from Karofsky's. The blind man then snaked his arms around his arms, lips not letting go, holding him in a protective embrace.

"I love you too," Kurt whispered. "I'll be okay."

"And I'll help you get there."

A/N: Tell me how you feel about this! I really think Blaine and Santana's friendship here is important and Klaine's closer than ever! Do tell me if you want a new chapter next week or in January bcuz many of you would be probably off on vacation. :)