Chapter 31

James Anderson sat at his desk, a photo album and a bottle of bourbon in front of him. The funeral director had told him to pick out a photo of Phil to use for the obituary. They could use the official campaign photo but, James wanted to use a different one.

As he looked through the photos, tears rolled down his face. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried. He hadn't cried at his father's funeral. He had cried at his mother's. She had died exactly one month after his father and the fact that she wanted to die, had left James feeling abandoned and unloved, despite being almost 30 at the time of her death.

What was he supposed to do without Phil?

Phil had been his rock. His champion. His number one supporter. His best friend. He owed everything to Phil. And now he was gone, leaving James to figure it all out on his own.

And to deal with Blaine.

James closed the photo album, took a swig of bourbon straight from the bottle and went over to the window. He looked over the expansive backyard. He saw Blaine, walking with another boy. A slender boy with brown hair. They were holding hands.

James watched as they walked into the woods part of the backyard. Blaine had built a fort back there as a young boy. He also had a treehouse.

James sighed. He was too depressed to even care. Besides, he had to go to Phil's condo and find a suit for the burial and see what campaign information Phil had stored there.

"Oh, Kurt. You are such a girl!"

"I take offense to that on behalf of girls everywhere. I am sure Lauren Zizes could handle this with no problem. I'm just not the nature type."

Kurt was carefully picking his way through sticks and brush to visit Blaine's treehouse. Blaine had bounded ahead of him, easily jumping and running through the woods. He turned back and laughed at his beautiful boyfriend, walking as if he were stepping on eggshells.

Kurt finally caught up with him.

"You know. I did get beaten up yesterday."

Blaine's face immediately fell.

"Oh, shit. Kurt...I'm sorry. I didn't think about that."

"It's okay. Show me this fabulous treehouse of yours."

"No. That's okay. Let's go back to the house."

"No. Don't be silly. I'm already out here. Come on. Maybe I can lay out an interior design plan for you."

Blaine took his hand and led him slowly down a small path.

Wow. Kurt was impressed. It really was a house in a tree. Complete with windows and steps, instead of those ladders that were hard to climb.

Blaine looked up wistfully. "I used to love it up there when I was a kid. My mom would make me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and come have lunch with me." Kurt thought about the crying woman he'd sat across from earlier that day. Yes, he could see her doing that.

Blaine sighed. "I actually had a great childhood until I came out."

They stood there for a few minutes until Kurt asked, "Do you want to go up?"

"No. I don't want you climbing up there. We can come back when you are better. I shouldn't have dragged you out here in the first place."

Kurt took his hand and kissed him on the cheek. "It's fine. I'm glad you did."

They walked back towards the house, stopping to sit on a bench underneath a tree. Kurt laid his head on Blaine's shoulder, holding his hand. He took a deep breath.

"Blaine...what happened yesterday...after I left?"

He felt Blaine's body tense up. "Why do you ask?"

"Blaine...I want to know."

"Why?"

"Because...I need to know."

"No you don't. Just know that Phil is...gone and your safe."

Kurt was quiet for a few minutes. His voice was quiet.

"Did you kill him?"

Blaine turned and looked into Kurt's eyes.

"Yes."

"How?"

"How?"

"Yes, how?"

Blaine sighed. He really didn't want to get into this.

"Look, he's dead, okay? I killed him. The end."

Kurt's voice was quiet but, firm.

"How exactly did you kill him?"

Blaine looked out over the backyard.

"Blaine...how exactly did you kill him? Tell me."

"No."

"Blaine..."

"Kurt! Enough! I killed him! It doesn't matter how."

"It matters to me."

"Why?"

Kurt hesitated. He wasn't ready to tell Blaine about the sensation he felt when he pushed Phil off of him. How his hands felt warm, almost hot. Hot the way Blaine's body often felt. If he was getting infected by Blaine, he wanted to know more about his power.

"I just...I need to know."

Blaine sighed. He couldn't deny Kurt anything. He looked into his eyes.

"I stabbed him. I burned him. I choked him. I tortured him. And then I left him to burn."

"Did you do it or the darkness?"

"It's one in the same. I gave up control and let it overtake me so...yes, I did it."

They sat in silence. Kurt closed his eyes and tried to process what he had just heard. The man he was madly in love with had tortured and killed another person. The man he wanted to marry was a murderer. He could feel Blaine's eyes on him. Another question popped into his head.

"How did you find me? How did you know I was there?"

"I heard you scream my name."

Kurt nodded slowly. "And I heard you tell me to tell you where I was."

Blaine suddenly got down on his knees in front of Kurt. He locked eyes with him and released the control. It was tight. So tight, Kurt struggled to breathe a little.

"Blaine..." he gasped out.

"Kurt, I love you. I love you so fucking much it hurts. I've always asked you if you understand because...I need you to understand Kurt. To really, really understand what I am saying to you. It's not bullshit. It's not teenage puppy love. I. Love. You. I will kill for you. I have killed for you. You are mine and that will never, ever change. I need to know that you really understand that, Kurt. I will marry you and take care of you forever. Yes, I tortured and killed Phil and you know what Kurt? I don't feel bad about it. I'm glad I did it. He deserved it. He wanted to rape you Kurt and I couldn't have that. I can't have anyone hurting you. So, yes, I killed him and I would do it again, and again, and again. Do you understand? Do you, Kurt? Do you?"

Blaine released the control and stared into Kurt's eyes. For the first time ever, Blaine's eyes were desperate and pleading. Kurt closed his eyes and like so many times before, he asked himself if this was what he wanted. The crazy, scary, consuming, passionate, hot, dangerous, possessive love of a boy who could fuck him to pieces, control him with a single touch and apparently, lose his mind and murder those who threatened to hurt him.

Did Kurt Hummel want that? Could he live with that type of dangerous love?

Kurt opened his eyes.

"Yes, Blaine. I understand completely."

Blaine relaxed.

"But..."

Blaine tensed up again.

"I will not marry you unless you understand something and agree to do something for me."

Blaine took Kurt's hands in his and softly kissed them.

"Anything beautiful, anything."

Kurt arched an eyebrow. "Don't be too quick to agree. You may not like what I am about to say."

Blaine took note of the serious tone in Kurt's voice. He got up from the ground and sat next to him on the bench.

"Okay. Let's hear it."

"First, I love that you want to take care of me but, I am not about to sit at home, waiting for you to return from the office. I will not be a stay-at-home husband."

Blaine frowned. "What do you want to do?"

Kurt turned giddy. "The House of Hummel. Or, Kurt Hummel Designs. I haven't decided which. I have several draft sketches of the K & H logo I plan to use."

Blaine continued to frown. A fashion design house. Lots of gorgeous male models walking around. He would have to put the fear of the devil in them to make sure they stayed away from Kurt, except in a strictly professional manner.

If there was a gay male version of a sexist, Blaine was it. He wanted Kurt barefoot and in the kitchen. Or maybe in heels. Baking cupcakes. In his apron. Waiting for Blaine to come home.

But, he knew Kurt was smart and talented. He should have his own career.

"Okay. You're working instead of waiting on me. What else?"

Kurt shifted nervously. This next request was not going to be as easy.

"I want us to figure out the darkness."

"What?"

"I want us to figure it out...do some research. Try to figure out what it is and where it comes from."

"I already know what it is. It's my protection and I got it from my grandfather."

"But, don't you want to know...how it works? If sex makes the darkness grow weaker, why have you gotten so strong over the past few weeks? We've been having sex like rabbits and, you have not grown weaker, Blaine. If anything, you are stronger and more powerful than ever. We need to learn how this works."

Blaine was curious but, who was he supposed to ask?

"Kurt, I don't mind us trying to...figure things out but, frankly, I wouldn't know where to begin. My dad is not going to be helpful. Especially after all that has happened."

"I know. I'm not sure what to do but, I want you to agree that we will at least try."

Blaine sighed and looked at Kurt. How could one person love another so strongly? So fiercely, with a desire and need for the other than bordered on obsession? Did Kurt understand what had transpired yesterday? His boyfriend, his fiancee, his lover had killed for him. Killed for him. Something men and women have done for centuries. Killing another out of love. Did Kurt understand just how deep that was and what it meant?

If he didn't belong to Blaine before, he sure as hell did now.

"Okay beautiful. Anything you want."

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