a/n: Much love to everyone for the support, Jordan (proudofdarren) for her wonderful beta-ing and my lovely friends for nagging me into finally finishing.
Songs, if you don't catch it are Closer, Maroon 5 and Somebody to Love, Jefferson Airoplane. Title of this chapter taken from Belief, Gavin Degraw.

"That is bullshit!"

The resounding smack of a fist against the wooden desk echoed loudly around the room and Figgins trembled, almost fearful of the man's furious expression.

"Mr Criss-"

"Darren." The second voice that cut in was Mr Hummel and Figgins detected a seriousness and authority in his tone that made the young man freeze but a sincerity, concernedness and barely perceptible flash of affection that made him sink back in his chair, pulling his now miserable face into his hands.

"I'm sorry," Figgins said at last because he was, "but there's no witnesses… no," he coughed delicately, "verifiable witnesses."

I am sorry.

Still furious, Darren stormed out of the school, kicking some poor kid's locker in frustration. Burt followed on, slow and silent, patting his shoulder as he headed to his own car.

Kurt was waiting for him, leaning against his car wearing an expectant expression. He looked beautiful just as always. Darren almost said 'I love you' but he was glad he didn't. Instead, he pecked his forehead softly and opened the driver's door.

"Your dad is waiting for you," he said, climbing in. Kurt's expression crumbled at his words.

It broke Darren's heart.

That night Darren was a wreck.

The second he arrived at the venue, he tore out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him. his band mates waiting for him winced, taking their gear inside in silence.

His friends knew something was up the second they saw him.

"Hey, where's Kurt?" AJ asked obliviously. Ali kicked him under the table.

Darren's jaw visibly tensed. "He's not coming," he said harshly.

Joey bit his lip. "Dare…" he tried but Darren shook his head.

"Fuck it," he growled, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'll… I'll see you guys later…"

His friends watched him leave anxiously. Darren was a pretty cool guy for the most part but when he lost his temper…

It wasn't pretty.

Make me think I'm somebody else…

"Jesus," Brian yelped about halfway through his setlist. "Who knew Maroon 5 had so many angry songs?"

"Something's really wrong, guys," Lauren worried, chewing her pale pink painted thumbnail nervously.

"Do you think it's Kurt?" Meredith wondered aloud. "He did seem so tense when we brought him up…"

"Someone give the girl a star…" Joe drawled. Everyone glared at him. "Well, duh, I mean, Darren isn't the easiest guy to date… I imagine," he added quickly at Dylan's raised eyebrow.

Lauren furrowed her brow. "They seemed really happy when we last saw them…"

"I hope it's not Kurt," Ali piped up. "He seems so… fragile, almost. I don't want Darren to hurt him."

"Darren would never hurt him," Brian snapped. "You only have to see the way he looks at him; they're practically married."

"I think Kurt can handle himself, either way," AJ pointed out. "That boy is fierce…"

"As much as I hate to say this," Joey cut in finally, "I wouldn't be so sure."

"Richter!" Dylan gasped, outraged. "What do you know?"

"Yeah," Jaime chimed in, "you live with him; what's going on?"

When the truth is found to be lies…

"Oh dear Lord," Brian moaned, "he's moved on to Jefferson Airoplane…"

"Come on, Joey," Lauren urged, discarding Brian's comment with a wave of her tiny hand. "Fess up."

Joey bit his lip hesitantly. "I-" he sighed, giving in at his friend's relentlessly expectant expressions. "Kurt's just been going through some shit lately."

"Shit?"

"What kind of shit?"

"Friend shit?"

"Guy shit?"

"Please not another sexuality crisis…"

"That was one time!"

"Don't worry, honey, we know you haven't slept with hundreds of men…"

"You-"

"Guys!" Joey snapped, bringing them back to focus. "This is really serious." The group quickly sobered up quickly and Joey resumed. "Kurt's getting a lot of crap at school and he was… hiding it from Dare but he found out and-"

"Who's giving Kurt crap?" Joe snarled, slamming his fist down, attracting the attention of a few nearby tables. "I'll fucking-"

"Jocks," Joey cut in, laying a hand on Joe, trying to steady him, though the whole group were wearing similar expressions of anger and horror, "in particular. The glee club at their school is really unpopular and they get a lot of shit-"

"What?"

"That's fucked up, dude…"

"I was in glee club!"

"-but Kurt gets it the worst," Joey concluded solemnly. "Because he's gay."

Gasps sounded from around the table.

"Doesn't anyone do anything?" Ali cried, her eyes wide and anxious.

"Dare's working on it," Joey said, "but so far nothing. Kurt's telling him not to bother – they're practically blink to it. They… fought a little bit when Dare found out. He was upset he hid it."

"I'm upset."

"Not the time, AJ…"

"So," Brian said finally, "what are we going to do?"

"We?" Joey coughed, taking a large gulp of his beer. "Nothing. Not our business."

"Joey's right," Jaime agreed. "They're big boys, they can take care of themselves."

Ali clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "I hate the idea of Kurt being hurt…"

"I agree," AJ said, sliding an arm smoothly around the back of his girlfriend's chair. "This affects all of us. They're our friends. We wouldn't back down if it was…" he waved a hand, "Joe."

"Well," Dylan grinned slyly, "maybe."

"Not funny."

"Kurt's one of us now, guys," Lauren intoned. "We have to do something."

"What do you suggest then?" Joey demanded. "We… go down to his school and confront the kid ourselves?"

"Not what I had in mind…" Lauren admitted, a pretty grin creeping up on her face, "but I like it!"

The following day, the sun sparkled radiantly through the clouds but the atmosphere in the choir room at McKinley high was beyond gloomy.

"I now call this meeting of glee girls to order!"

The other girls gave Rachel patronising looks as she attempted to keep her winning smile, hands firm on hips. Her eyes said everything.

She meant business.

"Ladies," she began, "the Kurt-Karofsky bullying situation is getting way out of control. Kurt's miserable, he's losing weight, not in a good way, and he's barely even fighting me for solos anymore."

Tina nodded in agreeance, her eyes bright with anxiousness. "We've all been teased, but something about what Karofsky's doing is so much worse."

"We're all lucky enough to have boyfriends in the football team," Rachel continued. "I say we band together and demand that they confront Karofsky."

"Okay first of all," Quinn interjected stubbornly, "I'm not dating Sam, and second of all, I think you personally just set the feminist movement back fifty years."

"Look," Rachel huffed, "guys like Karofsky only respond to muscle."

"So we're going to fight violence with violence?" Quinn challenged.

"No !" Rachel cried. "Look, I'm not saying that they should hit him, what I'm saying is that we need to defend Kurt and there's strength in number."

"Which is why you guys need all the help you can get."

All of the girl's whipped around at the sound of the foreign voice behind them. Entering their choir room was a group of people, a few years their senior, who they had never seen before.

"Spies!" Rachel shouted. The girls rolled their eyes and the newcomers looked confused.

"We're not spies," the guy standing at the front of the group defended, his crooked jaw tilting upwards in amusement.

"Why would you even think that?" a slightly smaller boy asked next to them.

The girls exchanged startled looks.

"Who are you?" Rachel demanded, looking appalled that people would just barge into their choir room without ulterior motives.

"I'm Joey," the boy with the crooked jaw said, extending his hand. "We're friends of Darren's."

Rachel shook his hand with a business like demeanour. Quinn rolled her eyes but Tina and Brittany giggled.

"That's Kurt's boyfriend, right?" Tina smirked. Joey nodded.

"And that's what we're here for," a girl, even smaller than Rachel, said, stepping out from behind Joey. "To confront Karofsky."

"But it looks like you guys already have a plan," a girl with thick curly hair prompted.

"Maybe we can help out," Joey grinned.

A small smile crept up on Rachel's lips and she nodded.

"I think we could work something out…"

Finn aside, the jocks were rather cooperative. Albeit, a little intimidated by the impressive enigmas that were the Starkids but they were all rather eager to do their part to help out their friend.

But you can imagine David Karofsky's surprise when he was changing after football practice only to be cornered by Mike and Artie.

"We want you to stay away from Kurt," Artie said seriously.

Dave's eyes darkened at the mention of Kurt, shooting them furious glares.

"Do you mind?" he snapped. "I'm trying to get changed."

"Hey, we're serious," Mike intoned, slamming his locker door shut to get his attention. "This is a warning."

"Oh yeah?" Karofsky huffed.

"From now on you're going to leave Kurt alone," Artie said firmly.

"Look," Karofsky said harshly, "if he wants to be a homo, then that's up to him. Don't rub it in my face."

"We weren't asking you."

"Yeah," an added voice said from the doorway, "we're done talking about this."

Karofsky narrowed his eyes as Joey, Joe, Brian, AJ and Dylan stalked in wearing dangerous expressions.

"The fuck?" Karofsky snarled.

"We're Kurt's friends, too," Dylan said solemnly.

"And if we hear that you're giving him more trouble," Joe growled, stepping forward protectively, "we'll fucking-"

"Just back off, okay?" Joey intoned, putting a hand on Joe, weary of what his next words would be.

Rage pulsing through him, Karofsky acted on impulse.

"You back off!" he shouted, shoving Joey into the lockers. Joe lunged at Karofsky but the Starkids held him back, Mike quickly moving to help Joey as Sam attacked Karofsky. They were a blur of fists before they heard Beiste calling in the distance. Mike turned to the older boys urgently.

"Quick," he hissed, "get out of here before she catches you."

Nodding quickly the Starkids managed to escape, shooting quick apologies and thanks to the others before Beiste arrived, her horrific shrieks echoing across the locker rooms.

That afternoon, sitting in the choir room the boys were basking in the glow of their triumph over Karofsky while Kurt sat silently in the front.

"Dude was a wild animal," Mike enthused.

"A manimal," Artie corrected.

"I'm so turned on by you right now," Brittany told him in a hushed voice.

"How bad does it look?" Sam asked Quinn, not sounding to anxious as she smirked.

"It's pretty hot, actually."

"You have no idea how hard it was for me not to jump into that beatdown," Puck muttered dejectedly.

Santana frowned, turning to Finn suddenly. "And where were you, Finn?"

"I was out on the field, okay?" Finn said frustratedly, eyes cast to the ground. "I totally would have given him a beatdown if I'd had been there, though."

"The fact is, it shouldn't have gone down without you, Finn," Mercedes said, sounding disappointed. "You should have been leading the charge."

Finally seeing need to interject, Kurt spoke up. "Lay off Finn, everyone. It isn't his problem. It's none of your problems, actually." He sighed. "But thank you for what you did… especially Sam."

His dad's message to meet him straight after glee club was open in his hand.

It's urgent, it read.

"I have to go," he said, realising he couldn't take another moment of this. No one tried to stop him as he left, not bothering to shut the door behind him.

His dad had been surprised to see him so early but beckoned him into the shop eagerly. Kurt felt mildly suspicious at the large grin he was sporting and was careful as he took a seat at his desk in front of him.

"I know Carole wanted to be here when I told you this," Burt began, half serious, half excited, "but with everyone that's been going down I thought it would be better if I told you myself."

Kurt nodded, worrying anticipation building in his stomach. "Go on," he urged.

Burt's grin broadened.

"Carole and I are getting married."

Kurt felt utterly numb.

Words wouldn't reach him as he faced his father's hopeful expression. He had so many feelings but he couldn't quite place them at this moment.

Truth be told, he just hadn't expected it.

"You alright, kid?" Burt ventured carefully.

Kurt frowned, biting back the bitter comments that rose to the surface of his addled mind. Instead he plastered on a fake smile.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. "I'm just… surprised. I mean, good for you, dad! That's great…"

Slowly, Burt managed a grin. "Yeah, it is," he agreed. "And I know it's a bit of a bad time but… love doesn't wait for you, bud."

"Yeah, dad," Kurt said softly, "I know. I'm really happy for you…"

Burt patted his shoulder gently before leaving and Kurt couldn't mistake how truly happy he looked. The way he hadn't looked in a very long time.

He deserved this. He deserved to be happy. He deserved to marry the woman he loved.

And Kurt was happy for him.

But everything was so up in the air right now… things with Darren were so tense… things at school were worse than ever… there was even the added glee drama…

He just needed a moment.

The rest of the night stumbled by in a daze. He fought through his homework, knowing the teacher's probably wouldn't even care if he finished it, anyway. He sent a text to Darren telling him that he wanted to meet up with his friends soon so he could thank them for what they did. He also told them about the wedding and Darren's enthusiasm was adorable.

Kurt sent him five goodnight kisses with no regrets.

He slept restlessly, but he slept and was making passable progress at putting himself together for his day at school. He dressed carefully, prepared for what the day might throw at him.

But of course nothing could have prepared him for this.

It was final period and he was gathering his books for AP French when he felt a harsh shove behind him, making him drop his books with the force of it. He glared up at the leering figure above him, suddenly crowding his space.

"You tell anybody what happened," Karofksy growled, "and I'll kill you."

With everything so tense between them the last person Darren expected to see at his door that night was Kurt.

The knock at the door came suddenly and unexpectedly. Darren checked his watch, wondering who it could be. Shock and worry rushed through him as he opened the door to Kurt who collapsed against him the second he let him in, clutching at him desperately, wrecked sobs shuddering through his chest.

Darren so very nearly told him.

But he didn't.

Instead he pulled him into the living room and guided him over to the couch. Kurt climbed gingerly into his lap and Darren carded his hands through his hair soothingly.

It would be hard to admit just how much Darren loved having a man in his lap; this man in particular. Even when he felt helpless, he could hold him and kiss him and be a support, a frame for his human art.

It made him feel stronger than he was.

Finally, when Kurt was able to talk he leant his forehead against Darren's and grasped his cheeks in his palms.

"Please," he uttered brokenly, "don't run away when I tell you this. I need you right here."

"Of course," Darren whispered softly, letting the unspoken dance in the air.

I would do anything for you.

"He threatened to kill me."

Oh.

All of a sudden Daren understood his words. He wanted nothing more than to tear from the room, bolt out the door, find David Karofksy and beat him with every inch of his life.

But he didn't.

He promised.

He simply clung to Kurt a little tighter, trying to ignore the shake of his fingers as he delicately wiped his tears away.

"What do you need?" he asked pleadingly. Kurt's eyes were wide and soft as they locked hopefully with his.

"I need you to hold me."

So as the hours fell under and the minutes faded behind, they remained still for all but a few promising touches and sweet whispers. Darren held him and Kurt didn't cry or smile but just stayed.

Those three little words still played on Darren's tongue but he held them in. once more, it was not the time.

He didn't have to tell him now. Not when he could show him.

In payment for letting him stay the night at Darren's, Kurt was giving Burt dance lessons. Since that didn't really constitute to punishment, Finn tagged along too. Sun prickled through the cracks in the choir room windows as they practiced and now Kurt was getting frustrated.

"Come on, Finn," he groaned, "it's not that hard."

"I'm trying," Finn grumbled helplessly, attempting to do the steps Kurt had shown him and failing, once more, miserably.

This was the worst punishment Kurt could ever fear to face.

Burt wasn't so bad but Finn…

Indescribably awful.

"Come here," he snapped at last, snatching Finn's hand and putting one on his waist. Finn flinched at first but didn't complain. Kurt exhaled in relief. He had learnt a lot over the past few months and they'd grown closer since he started dating Darren and Finn realised he was no longer interested in him.

"Hey!" Finn exclaimed delightedly. "I'm doing it!"

He wasn't, but it was better than before so Kurt nodded, giving him a small smile. "Go you…" he mumbled with half-hearted cheer.

Everything was running smoothly (well, as smoothly as possible with Finn trambling over his feet) until Kurt made the mistake of looking up and catching the eye of a dark figure in the hall.

Karofsky sneered at him, making an obscene gesture. Kurt winced and Finn noticed, following his gaze, his eyes widening angrily as he saw him. But caught on his brow furrowing as Karofksy stalked away.

"Is that him?" he growled. Kurt nodded. "And he's still bothering you?"

Frozen fearfully at both the re-appearance of Karofsky and his father's reaction, Kurt could only nod once more.

"He-he…" he stammered the truth bubbling in his chest until he couldn't hold it in any longer. He needed to tell him. "He threatened to kill me."

"What?" Finn asked, horrified.

But Burt simply stormed off, his eyes burning with anger as he charged off in the direction of Karofsky.

"Dad!" Kurt shrieked, "No!"

"Kurt," Finn protested, trying to hold him back but Kurt broke out of his grip, racing after his dad, Finn hot on his heels.

"Dad, your heart-" Kurt tried but it was too late. Burt had cornered Karofsky in the middle of the hall, slamming him up against the notice board.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, huh?" Burt growled, pushing up into his face. Karofsky looked terrified before Kurt finally managed to pull him off and Karofsky scurried away.

He turned to Finn with fierce anger lining his features.

"And where have you been while this is going on, huh?" he challenged before storming off in the direction of the principal's office. Finn stared after him numbly but Kurt was already gone, Darren's phone number already dialled in his phone.

You might want to see this, he messaged him.

This time when they went to meet the principal, Kurt was there. But Darren is too and he holds his hand and Ms Sylvester is there not Figgins so things turn out better than expected.

And when Karofsy was expelled Kurt is sure it's too good to be true.

Karofsky's eyes are hurt, but Kurt can't even bring himself to meet them. He's done, done with the constant distress, the constant torments.

And as Darren pulled him into a tight hug, laughing into his hair, a delightful thought struck him.

He's finally free.

The next week is one of the best of Kurt's life.

Karofsky is gone and he gets to plan his dad's wedding and the glee club are performing and Darren is coming and everything is lovely.

On the day of the wedding Kurt half expected to wake up to signing birds but is confronted with the less idealistic reality of his age old alarm clock. He doesn't mind, though, hurrying to shower and fix his hair before racing down to greet his father with pancakes. Burt eyes the breakfast suspiciously.

"This isn't… organic, is it?" he asked with an unnerved look at the butter. Kurt laughed.

"No, dad. Not today."

When they arrived at the venue there's a distinct lack of chaos that is almost more stressful than actual mess. Kurt helped Burt into his tux and tears dusted his eyelids as he pinned his lapel.

"Thank you," Burt told him earnestly. "Not just for helping me get ready…" his voice is gruff so Kurt knew he was feeling emotional, too. "But for everything. This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you."

Kurt smiled. "I know," he laughed, mock proudly and Burt patted his shoulder.

"Do you think I'm ready, bud?" he asked.

Kurt nodded. "Yeah, dad, "he said softly. "Let's go get her."

Darren watched the ceremony with wide eyed enthusiasm. He was allowed a plus one and Joey sat attentively at his side, grinning and singing along to the New Directions performance. Darren felt his heart swell as he watched Kurt perform, his eyes never leaving him. when he sang he just radiated and he was so beautiful. And that tux…

Like Kurt, Darren adored weddings. The shared looks of love, the assembling of families, the beautiful churches, the pretty dresses and fancy suits; all the little details of the bride and groom's selves that they'd put into the decorations that you could spend the entire ceremony pondering over if you weren't too busy sobbing over the vows.

And Darren had to admit that when they said their I do's he got a little teary. Kurt glanced across the space and Kurt his eye and Darren gave him a sweet smile, his heart fluttering as Kurt winked in return.

As the ceremony ended the guests all waited on the church steps for the bride and groom. Kurt sought him out, holding his hand as they waited, giggling as Darren pressed a kiss to his forehead.

When Carole and Burt came out at last, Darren's grin split wide across his lips. They looked so happy. Kurt squeezed his hand a little tighter as they threw confetti over their heads and watched their car drive off in the distance.

"Time for reception," Kurt murmured, exhaling shakily. Darren could tell he was fighting tears and wrapped his arms around him, hugging tightly.

"I love you," he reminded him earnestly, burying his face into the crook of his neck.

Oh shit.

That wasn't a reminder.

Kurt tensed in his arms and Darren's heart flipped frantically in his chest.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

He wasn't supposed to say that yet. His cheeks burned as he glanced up at Kurt, gauging his reaction tentatively. There was no way he could take that back now…

And as he caught Kurt's eye, he noticed with a start that he was crying.

"Kurt…" he breathed, "I'm…I'm sorry if it was too-"

"Shut up!" Kurt cried, taking his cheeks between his hands and kissing him messily. "I love you, too, you idiot, don't you dare ruin this for me!"

Incredulous laughter bubbled from Darren's lips and a huge weight lifted in his chest. He slid his arms up around Kurt's neck, pulling him tight against him, kissing him breathless.

"I love you so much," he whispered, "I love you, I love you…"

The rest of the day was magic.

It was agony to sit at another table from Kurt, but Burt eventually invited him to sit with them. It was lucky Joey had found a new lady friend (some distant cousin of Carole's) or Darren might feel guilty for practically clinging to him. Sadly, Finn got to dance with him first and then his friend Mercedes and his dad and then Carole but Darren was happy to wait and watch, utterly enchanted with this boy who had arrested his mind and stolen his heart.

And when the night was through Darren had to go home to his empty apartment (Joey and his lady friend really hit it off) but it was with a happy heart.

Kurt loved him.

He kicked the couch so hard in his excitement, he nearly broke his toe.

No.

This was not happening.

After the passing of the blissful weekend, Kurt was ready for yet another lovely week, donning his new favourite outfit for school, grinning as he read Darren's good morning text. He was pouring himself coffee when Burt's solemn form appeared at the doorway.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked anxiously, immediately sensing his apprehensiveness.

"The school called," Burt began gruffly. "They want us in for another interview."

The next few hours passed in a blur.

Karofsky was coming back.

And Kurt knew he couldn't.

Carole and Burt had generously donated their honeymoon money in offer of tuition for Kurt at a private school, Dalton Academy, with a strict no bullying policy.

Telling his friends had been heartbreaking.

"No, you can't leave!" Mercedes had cried.

"Can we at least talk about this?" Finn had asked, alarmed.

"We can protect you," Sam insisted.

But Kurt knew it was no use.

"They're our competition," Rachel protested weakly and not for the first time Kurt turned his back to her.

He couldn't bring himself to look back.

He spent the rest of the day stripping his locker bare before returning home and going over the paperwork for Dalton with Burt and Carole. There were tears and there were apologies but they got it all done and it was settled.

He started Monday.

When they were done, Kurt made them all dinner, still too numb to want anyting himself. the table was tense, Finn studiously ignoring him and Carole and Burt exchanging worried looks over their pasta. When he was excused, Kurt asked if he could go see Darren and no one had the heart to tell him no.

Kurt had texted him earlier in the day with news of what happened and Darren had been anxious all day, his relief only settling when he finally came over, and Darren pulled him wordlessly to the bedroom, sitting him on the bed.

"What do you need?" he asked urgently.

Kurt sighed, closing his eyes, hating how everything lately had been about him. this was a relationship. He was done being weak, he was done being needy.

But his hands spoke before his mind, tugging Darren closer by his belt buckle.

"You."

"Okay," Darren said softly, kissing his lips slowly as Kurt exhaled, feeling the tension in his shoulders uncoil as Darren helped him remove his shirt, his hands massaging his skin tenderly.

"You too," Kurt pleaded and Darren pulled away quickly to pull off his own shirt, tossing it beside Kurt's, crawling up beside him, leaning up on his knees and pulling Kurt back towards him.

Darren swallowed hard, attempting to steady himself as Kurt caressed the lines of his sides, his touch gentle and soft yet electric. Barely there but everywhere, Darren felt the aftershocks buzzing all through him, his toes curling against the tangled sheets, a harsh shudder coursing down his spine.

He was sure Kurt felt it too for as he bit into his shoulder, he felt his lips pressed into a smug smile. Darren gently pried them away, pulling him to his lips so he could wipe the smile away with a kiss of his own.

Kurt moaned into his mouth, his hands winding into the matter of messy curls that Kurt was not-so-secretly fond of and he pulled harshly, making Darren's hips jolt up in arousal.

"Oh, Kurt," he groaned softly, pulling away to rest his forehead against his, "you're everything."

Kurt freed a hand gently from his curls, tracing it softly down his cheek and caressed his jaw. Darren let out a long, shaky exhale at the intimate contact and Kurt kissed the corner of his mouth.

"I love you," he whispered and Darren felt an odd swoop in his stomach.

"I love you, too," he returned.

It was nice not having to hold it in any longer.

Kurt caressed both his cheeks now, his sweet breath tickling his nose before he leaned down, kissing him deeply once more.

Darren pulled away with a gasp, a plead falling off his lips before he could stop it.

"Make love to me."

Kurt didn't hesitate, nodding frantically and kissing him once more with a new urgency that was all need, desire and pent up love.

The rhythm of his heart beat pounded furiously in his chest as Kurt pressed him back into the sheets, removing his pants and then his own, looking glad to be able to control something in his life for once.

Darren would let him have what he wanted. He would surrender to him, gladly give himself over.

He would give him anything.

Kurt was everywhere. He bit at his hipbone, sucking bruises into his heated skin, his careful hands holding him steady as his body shook, trembling with the sensations thrumming through his every nerve. He grasped at the sheets under him frantically before grabbing at Kurt's hips, rolling them down against his.

"I need you now," he said, his voice a husky plead, need thick at his throat, want stuttering between his teeth. Kurt nodded, never one to tease as he kissed him, sliding off to bed to grab the lube and condoms Darren kept in his side drawer. Darren loved that he knew his way around. He wanted him to feel at home here.

With him.

Kurt was quick in his preparation, coating his fingers and cock generously before his fingers found Darren. Darren gasped and sighed around him, loving the press of him, the feel of him there, where he needed him. He pushed down eagerly on his fingers and Kurt kissed him messily, dragging his nose across his cheek lovingly.

"I think you're ready, sweetheart," he whispered and Darren nodded eagerly, fighting a whine as Kurt pulled away. But he was back in a second, Darren's arms holding him in place as he lined himself up. A murmured assent and he was there, pushing in once more with more of himself, burying deep inside Darren as he shook with the effort of keeping still.

"I love you," Kurt said, his voice charmingly husky as it rang in his ear reverently, "I love you, I love you."

The words were tantalising under his tongue as Kurt kissed the words across his skin. He gripped his wrists in his hands, rolling their hips rhythmically as they breathed together, Kurt's voice soft and tender under the current of Darren's desperate whimpers.

"Je t'aime, j'adore…"

"Oh!"

Darren moaned long and loud as he arched back, the motion drawing Kurt even further in, deeper than they'd been. Their fingers intertwined and Darren was coming fast between them, his breathing short and erratic as Kurt stroked him through it.

And when it was over, they took a moment, resting their foreheads together, catching their breaths.

"I love you," Darren murmured, "in case you didn't know."

Kurt giggled, squeezing his hand.

"Please never stop reminding me."