Word Count: 3,377
Chapter notes: Sorry for the angst in this chapter. Thank you so much for sticking with my story and I hope you enjoy it! Enjoy! :D
He looked so helpless.
He was barely standing, let alone walking.
His arms were wrapped around his torso, almost protecting himself from something invisible that I didn't know was there. His Elmo backpack was strapped to his back. At least he brought some things, he thought. His curly hair was plastered to his forehead because of the rain that was still falling outside the windows and his clothes were clinging to his body. For once I didn't care that my clothes were wet.
I opened my arms and he collapsed into me. I felt the tears begin to well up in my eyes at his vulnerability and the way he melted against my body. His knees buckled beneath him and we both fell to our knees, still clasped together firmly. His head was tucked under my chin as I felt his tears pour through my shirt and on to my chest and my salty tears dampened his hair even more.
"Sh Blaine, sweetie, everything will be okay. You're okay now, you're here now and I've got you." I whispered sweet nothings into his ear for ten minutes and my knees began to hurt. His crying had subsided and become the occasional hiccup.
"Blaine, sweetie, can you get up so I can take you to the couch?" I asked softly, feeling so sympathetic towards him. He nodded weakly against my tear soaked shirt and I pulled us both to our feet, still keeping a firm hold around him, feeling as if it were my job to protect him from everything bad in the world. I knew that was impossible, but that wouldn't stop me trying.
All I wanted was to take away his pain, to take away his father, to love him and for him to love me, to be anything and everything he would ever need. But I knew I couldn't.
I led him over to the couch in silence, not knowing what to say. When he was seated I knelt in front of him like he had to me that morning. This morning seemed like a lifetime away. Everything was so much better thins morning. Why couldn't it be that way now?
"Honey, I'm just going to go get you a towel and make some coffee okay? Will you be okay for a minute?" I asked gently. He nodded, his bloodshot eyes looking down and refusing to make eye contact with me, encase I saw the fear hidden in those eyes.
"I'll be right back" I said, stroking his cheek, wanting to kiss his on the forehead but deciding against it. I quickly made my way to the kitchen and turned on the coffee maker. At every sniff, every noise, every whimper that left the boys lips, I flinched and spun around to make sure he hadn't broken down or needed me again.
I made the coffee quickly, making it just how he liked it; with a scoop of mint ice-cream on top so it melted into the drink and two mini marshmallows balanced on top, which I had stocked my cupboard with just because I knew he like them when he needed to be cheered up.
I walked through the arch and back into the living room quickly and placed the coffee on the table and putting the one with the ice-cream in front of him. I couldn't resist this time. I leant down quickly and pressed a soft, warm, lingering kiss to his forehead, making him look up. I smiled sadly and ran my hand through his hair and I swear I saw a faint smile lingering on his lips but not quite breaking through yet.
With that, I walked along the hallway to the closet with the boiler and pulled out the warmest, fluffiest towel I could find and hung it over my arm. I then went to my room and pulled down the fluffy bathrobe down from the back of my door and turned back towards the living room. I saw him taking a sip and his shoulders relaxed. I felt proud of myself that I knew how what made him feel better.
I sat down next to him and placed the items on my lap; I took a sip of my coffee, put it down again, and turned towards him.
"Right, what we are going to do is this; you are going to finish the last of your coffee, then you are going to go take a hot shower to warm yourselves up and do you have any clothes in that bag?" I nodded towards the bag that was now sitting on the sofa next to him. I picked it up, looking to him for approval before opening it. I found a pair of jeans, 6 pairs of boxers (that made me blush violently), 4 t-shirts, a pair of Pyjamas and a pair of Capri pants "I'll lay out some clothes and underwear on my bed and when you get out and dressed, you are going to come here and cuddle with me on the sofa because after being in the shower, I know you will still be cold. And if you feel like telling me what happened you can, but I won't push you, okay?" I said ducking my head to try and make eye contact with him. He broke his silence.
"Thank you so much Kurt. You have no idea how much this means to me. You just know exactly what to do and what to say to make me feel better. But you can't let me stay Kurt, I don't want to intrude" he said, shaking his head and looking down at the floor.
"Blaine, you listen to me right now. You are not an intruder. Those 4 hours, 20 minutes and 10 seconds you were gone for. The only place that I want you to be is here, because all the time you're not here, my heart might break because I can't bear the thought of you not being safe". He launched on me and embraced me tightly. I wove my arms around his back and squeezed him tightly. I didn't miss the hiss of pain that came from his lips. I didn't want to mention it now. I would ask him later.
I walked with him to the bathroom until he disappeared in to the room. I walked back in to the living room to find Toffee staggering across the room obviously still half asleep. I smiled lovingly and scooped her up into my arms, kissing the top of her forehead and nuzzling my nose into her fur. I collapsed on to the couch, emotionally drained.
The rain was still falling violently outside still and I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I let the tears cascade down my cheeks as all my walls crumbled down and I buried my head in Toffee who proceeded to lick the tears away from my tear stained face, making my giggle at her adorability.
I just couldn't help but feel like I couldn't do anything to make his pain go away, no matter how much I tried. He just seemed so helpless and vulnerable. All I wanted was for him to be happy, and I would do anything to make that happen.
I heard the shower turn off 10 minutes later and I frantically wiped at my eyes, trying to get rid of the tears that were still on my cheeks.
When he walked in, he looked so adorable. His pyjamas consisted of an Elmo t-shirt that matched his bag and cross patterned trousers that hung way too low on his hips to keep dirty thoughts from my mind. How I would hook my thumbs un-
"Kurt? Are you okay there?" he said, almost jokingly. How could he still joke in this situation? How could he be that strong?
"I think I should be asking you that question" I said with a sad smile on my face as he elegantly sat down next to me on the loveseat.
"Urgh, I need to tell you Kurt, I can't k-keep this in any longer. I need to t-tell someone" he began. I took his hand in my mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. His gaze looked to our hands and a small smile played on his lips. "Well, w-where to start" he laughed breathily, the laughter stopping as fast as it started.
"My dad, you already know that he has never accepted me, but it was the worst when he was first coming to terms with it. He said, to start with, that he didn't mind, and I was so happy that maybe my father would actually accept me or who I was, no changes wanted. I knew it was too good to be true" he shook his head sadly. Even with just the warm light of the tall lamp in the corner of the room, I could see the tears forming at the corners of his eyes "He was fine if I didn't decide to act on it. Then one night... I got invited to a party by my friend, Henry he was called, and he said that I could go if I didn't drink or do anything stupid; basically as long as I didn't kiss any boys. W-when I got t-to the party" he stammered over his words so I put my arm round his shoulder. He hissed in pain again. "There were some boys from school there. Homophobes. I didn't know they were there at first, I found that out later. I had a few shots and a few beers, purely because everyone else was. I didn't recognise the boys; they were hiding in the corner, out of view"
He sniffed and wiped at his eyes before continuing.
"Someone announced that we were going to play truth or dare. So everyone gathered in a circle and we began the game. Eventually it came around to me. I had this huge crush on this straight boy from the year above, so I chose dare, hoping that I might get the chance to kiss him. I did, that was my dare, to kiss this boy. I was so excited, and it seemed he was too. I got my hopes up, like I always do! He leant over the circle and kissed me deeply, I was completely taken by surprise, and I thought he was straight. When we stopped kissing, I must have looked completely lovesick because everyone started laughing at me. I was so humiliated, but I was too drunk and naive to realise what was going on. He asked me to come outside so we could pick up where we left off. I followed like a lovesick puppy" he looked down, ashamed of himself.
"When we got outside, he just pushed me down on to the floor. He kicked me again and again. That's when I saw the boys from my school. The continued to beat me up, a human punching bag was what I had become. It was all a set up, to prove I was gay after all. I hadn't told anyone yet, but the look on my face after he had kissed me said it all. They left me there, bleeding on the floor in the alleyway next to the house" I felt myself crying freely.
"Oh Blaine" I was cut off.
"No Kurt, you need to know this, I need someone to know" I nodded, still not allowing me to make eye contact with him, as if I would reject him if I saw the fear in his mind. "When I found the strength to get up, I managed to stagger home. When I got in, my father just shouted at me for being late, not paying any attention to the state I was in. My mother noticed, however and they had an argument, right there in front of me, my dad saying how much of a disappointment I was and what a disgrace I was to the family name. I finally spoke up, not being able to take it any longer, just being looked down the nose at constantly. The moment I said a word, my father lost it. Something inside him just snapped and he lashed out at me, kicking me in the stomach. I screamed in pain and fell to the floor. I can still remember the look on his face. The way my mother screamed when I closed my eyes and passed out" I gasped and my hand flew to my hand. I sobbed brokenly into my hand, failing to hold back the tears.
"My mother left the next morning. She thought I was dead. I just remember waking up the next morning, still in my position on the kitchen floor, a note left beside me. The last words my mother left me, she said that she c-couldn't stand the man called my father anymore, so she left me alone with him. I have no idea where she went; I've never heard a word from her since. Now every time I sleep over at a man's house or I go out on a date, he tells me how much of a disappointment I am and how I drove my mother out of the house, and sometimes, if it's really bad, he will hit me" I let out a strangled sob. He pulled his shirt off over his head and turned his back to me. Just for a moment, I was too mesmerized by Blaine's naked back, but too soon, I noticed. Giant purpling bruises covering his left shoulder blade. My hand flew to my mouth and the other one ghosted over the dark skin in front of me.
I let out a choked sob and his shoulders began to shake. I slowly brought his head to my chest and encased him in my arms, careful to avoid the bruises that spread across his shoulder blades. I rocked him back and forth, trying to soothe his but failing. He was wailing now.
It took him at least 10 minutes until his eyes ran dry. I moved away from him, making him groan, and reached for his shirt. I rolled it up and pulled it over his mass of curls. I put his arms through the holes and then kneeled down in front of him.
"You are going to take my bed tonight, and believe me, it's the comfiest bed you have ever slept in. I couldn't bear to see you sleep on the sofa with your back like that. I can't believe he did this to you" I was interrupted by Blaine.
"Please Kurt, don't sympathise me. I don't want it right now. And I can't take your bed, that's not fair!" he protested weakly, as if feeling he had to fight back to stay polite.
"Yes it is Blaine. Come on, I think we should go to bed, or would you like to watch 'Tangled' first, to cheer you up?" I said, rubbing my hand up and down his arm gently. He smiled and looked down bashfully.
"Why are you so perfect?" he said, looking right into my eyes, Glasz meeting liquid honey. I blushed and was thankful for the dim light so that I could hide my red cheeks fairly well. I got lost in his eyes, my lids blinking drowsily and sleepily.
"I'm not. I'm anything but perfect, just wait until you get to know me a bit better, and the bitchy side of Kurt Hummel will show it's face" I said, trying to relieve the sexual tension in the small space in between us.
"Well, I would really like the opportunity" he replied. How did this boy always know what to say to make me weak at the knees?
"Well I'm willing to give it to you" I said. I decided to be brave. I leaned in and pressed my lips to the soft skin of his cheek. I heard him gasp and hoped that was a good thing. When I pulled back, I squeezed his hand before pulling him down on to the sofa and heading towards the DVD player.
I stroked Toffee before placing 'Tangled' in to the DVD player and pressing play before heading back over to the sofa. I sat down and Blaine's hand found mine, intertwining our fingers. I put my arm around his shoulders, being careful to mind the bruises dotted on his back. His head rested on my shoulders.
We sat in silence, until he started to sing along to the song on the television.
"All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be"
I was mesmerised by his voice. I decided that I would join in, but I could see he was the verge of sleep, his head becoming heavier on my shoulder.
"And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you"
His head turned so his chin was resting on my shoulder, looking straight at me. He stopped singing and urged me to carry on. So I did.
"All those days chasing down a daydream,
All those years living in a blur,
All that time never truly seeing,
Things, the way they were
Now she's here shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go"
He stared at me in awe. I was on Broadway and I knew my voice was good, but I had never seen anyone look so... in love before. I so desperately wanted to kiss him, and I knew I would, one day. But after everything he had been through today, it wasn't the right time. He joined in again, our voices blending beautifully.
"And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog is lifted
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once, everything is different
Now that I see you,
Now that I see you!"
We finished in perfect tune. He smiled a dazzling smile, showing all of those teeth, glistening in the low light. I had to physically hold myself back from leaning in and touching our lips together. He nuzzled his nose into my shoulder and murmured into the skin there.
"You're voice is incredible, Kurt. I don't know why you aren't still on Broadway, but it's their loss and my gain" I smiled brightly at his words, my cheeks beginning to ache at all the strain I was putting them under.
"Thank you, Blaine. It's very nice of you to say so. Your voice is amazing too" I answered resting my chin on his head.
The credits rolled 20 minutes later. I let them run all the way through, not wanting this moment to end. I looked down to see that his eyelids were closed and his breathing had evened out. I didn't want to move him, but I knew I had to.
I lifted his legs and placed them over my thighs, blushing at the contact. I wound my arm around his lower back, still dodging the bruises on his shoulder blade. I hoisted him up easily. Did this boy even eat? He is even lighter than me.
I carried him gently into my bedroom and laid him down so his head was on the pillow. I pulled the covers down and tucked him in. His eyelids fluttered slightly and he turned his head so it was looking towards me. I looked down at his and felt my heart sadden. The poor thing.
I leant down and gently pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead before walking out into the hallway and closing the door gently.
I would fix him. We would fix him. Together.
A/N: Thankyou so much! Review? They make my day! :)