It was warm and it didn’t really matter to him if he sat here or in his apartment. Work was done for today and he heard Carrie, his secretary, packing up outside the door, probably ready to head home.

Leaning his head against the cold window, Kurt sighs into the darkening room and is about to gather his things and get up to leave when something outside catches his eye.

His office is on a rather lively street, so demonstrations are nothing unusual, except that one was. They hold several large signs and every single one of them make Kurt want to vomit. Frowning, he stretches up a bit, watching those people rant on.

‘Burn in hell’, one sign says. ‘Homos are the real problem of our society’ reads another one. Kurt shivers slightly, but then he sees what was really going on. Obviously, he hasn’t been the only one who has seen this because in front of that crowd, stands Ben. Since the window is closed, Kurt can’t hear what they were saying but it looks like Ben is yelling and being yelled at back. But what makes him jump was when one woman seriously pulls out balloon and tosses it at him. How old are they again? Eight?

At this point, Kurt doesn’t waste time anymore. He jumps up and rushes out of the door, not bothering taking a coat, and hurries down the stairs, always taking two steps at once.

When he steppes outside, the cold cuts in his face but he doesn’t care. His mind is set on something else. He can hear them now and what they’re shouting isn’t less offensive than their signs, if not more. Kurt has heard those words far too often, he knows them by now and tries not to be affected as he runs over to stand by Ben’s side.

“Oh, did you call your little Homo friends?” some guy shouts and hold his sign higher. It says ‘God hates fags.’ Again, he only takes one look at Kurt and seems to know, doesn’t even second guess before he labels him gay. Kurt’s jaw clenches as he steps closer to take a look at Ben.

“You okay?”

“Yeah it just… pisses me off.” He grumbles, loud enough for them to hear as he runs a hand through his damp hair.

“You know what pisses me off? People like you abusing marriage.” Another man yells and points at the ring on Ben’s finger. He fists his hand defensively. And that’s where Kurt snaps, where he can’t keep quiet and stand idly by while those people are talking about stuff they obviously have no idea about.

“You know who’s the one abusing something here? You are. You are saying we’re not allowed to marry and be happy. But then you are the ones throwing stuff at others and insulting them. Now, what’s worse? Being different and happy or being boringly normal and fucking mean?” he yells at this point, one hand on Ben’s arm as he struggles to not jump at them.

For a second, there’s silence and Kurt thinks he has done it, he has made them shut up and think for a moment. But then, the woman with the balloons lunges out and before Kurt can even process what’s going on, it hits him on the shoulder and soaks his shirt, wets his hair but he still doesn’t care.

“Oh you think that’s going to make it better? That it’s going to wash the gay out of me?” he shouts and really wants to lunge at them the way they do at him.

“Well once you die, you’ll wish you have some water because you will burn!” the woman with the balloons exclaims and shoots another one, but Kurt manages to duck away, hearing it pop on the sidewalk behind him. Shaking with held back anger, he steps closer and ignores Ben who tells him to let them be and how they’re just another bunch of ignorant people. This time, he won’t let it be.

“You know who will burn? Not me. I’ve never done anything to harm a person. I don’t believe there is a place for me to burn in in the first place but I believe. I believe in love and acceptance and tolerance. Isn’t that what you people preach? Love your neighbour and all that? Well, I don’t feel very loved. All you do is tell us we’re wrong for loving. But where exactly does it say that you’re not supposed to love who you love? I am that way and if you don’t like it, I honestly don’t care. Keep on throwing those balloons but it’s not going to change who I am. They didn’t break me in High School and you won’t break me now. When they say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, they were right.” He huffs and breathes for the first time since he started talking. It’s good to get it all out and the surprised looks on everyone’s faces satisfy him.

A car pulls up besides them, making a few of the demonstrators jump as it stops abruptly. The door swings open and a tall – taller than Kurt and Ben – man gets out. His hair is light brown and a bit messed up. He looks like he hurried like hell and his eyes have a glint to them as he stalks over in large steps. It’s David.

“What the hell is going on here?” he snaps as he stares down the group of people who are still sort of frozen in place from Kurt’s rant. Shaking his head, he reaches one hand out for Ben and interlaces their fingers. Giving the signs a look, he nods towards them. “You spelled remarkable wrong.” He tells one guy who’s sign says ‘You’re revolting’.

“You okay?” he asks Kurt who nods quickly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Smiling weakly, David tucks Ben into the car with him and they drive off with another wave in Kurt’s direction. He wishes he had someone there to come sweep him away. But all he has is his office so without another word, he turns on his heel and makes his way back to the door.

A balloon hits the ground next to him and splashes the hem of his pants a little but Kurt just keeps walking until he’s inside where it’s warm. He doesn't think while he takes the stairs, stepping into the dark quiet room at the top. He still doesn’t think of anything as he closes the door behind himself and sits down on the couch.

Once he’s sat there, on his own and in the dark, the room only illuminated by the moon outside, he does start to think. And that’s when he realizes that, no, he is not okay. Nothing is okay at all. He had thought coming to New York would mean leaving all of that behind and finally being able to be himself without fear of repulsion. But obviously he had been wrong. People didn’t change, they still made him feel like this and even though he had managed to keep his brave face to them, he just wished that he could be accepted for once.

Sniffling, he pulls his knees to his soaked chest and rests his head on top of it. He hadn’t allowed himself to loose it to their face, that was a victory they weren’t going to get. But in here, where he was alone and no one saw him, he didn’t hold the tears in but let them flow freely. Tightening his grip around his legs, he took a shaky breath and tried to calm down. He should really go home and change out of his wet clothes. But somehow, he can’t bring himself to do that.

He doesn’t know how long he has been sitting there and is so caught up in this that he doesn’t even notice the door opening until it hits the doorstop with a quiet thump. “We’re closed.” He says automatically as he jumps and rips his head up, trying to figure out who had just entered. But when he realizes who the figure in the doorframe is, his stomach drops. Of course that would be just his luck.

He doesn’t say anything as he steps in and closes the door behind him. And he’s still silent as he shrugs off his coat and walks over, flipping on the lamp on the desk. It doesn’t lighten the room up much but Kurt knows there is no way he can hide his tear-stained face now. He has lowered his head again by now and is burying it in his knees as he feels the couch dip next to him. He had had a bit of hope that he would leave again once he sees him but he doesn’t. Of course not.

“What’s wrong?” Blaine finally asks. Kurt doesn’t answer and just shakes his head, taking deep breaths to calm his nerves and make sure he doesn’t look like an idiot when he raises his head.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You’re crying.” He points out and when Kurt meets his gentle eyes, he can’t look for too long because he’ll just start crying all over again. So he just bites his lip and looks out of the window though he can’t really see anything.

“I’m sorry. I’m a professional and you shouldn’t… see me like that. It’s okay.” He says quietly, his voice still shaking a bit. And what catches him off guard then is a warm hand on his drowned forearm, squeezing gently.

“Don’t. Whatever happened, it was enough to upset you like this and it’s not okay. Nothing that makes anyone cry is okay.”

Kurt’s face crumples up and a choked sob escapes his throat because Blaine doesn’t even know what’s happened but he still somehow manages to find the right words. He tried to hold himself together, he really does but when Blaine’s hands pull and tuck, he gives up and throws himself onto him.

The other man’s arms are around him as soon as he’s there, safe and warm and utterly comforting. Kurt didn’t even notice how cold he had been in his wet clothes until he is pushed against Blaine’s chest and he shivers slightly. They’re quiet for a long time, Kurt silently crying into his shirt while Blaine rubs soothing circles into his back and tucks his head under his chin. It feels good to be held like this.

“I-I’m sorry-“ he tries but Blaine shushes him and a hand comes up to hold the back of his head as he starts to rock from side to side slowly. Kurt doesn’t try to speak up again until the sobs subside and he is sure his voice won’t break again.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Blaine finally asks and leans back a bit, attempting to look at the man currently against his chest.

And strangely, Kurt does. If it had been anyone else, he would have insisted on being alright and left, but something about Blaine and the way he still holds onto him makes him want to tell him. Somehow, he feels like he may understand.

“There was a demonstration outside. Some anti-gay group or something.” He starts slowly, head still leaning against Blaine and he doesn’t even care how weird this should be. You don’t do this with your clients. “There were all these horrible signs and they were so mean to Ben and just… I had to do something. So I went downstairs and called them out on it and… I don’t get it. Why do you have to get down on people like that?” he asks and sighs.

Blaine hums as he takes everything in and tips his head to the side. “I don’t know. I never got that. It’s not fair and completely uncalled for. You’d think New York was more open-minded and it is, most of the time. But I suppose there are a few intolerant people everywhere.”

“They kept telling me what I am is wrong.” Kurt says softly and feels Blaine’s arms tighten around him.

“It’s not. It’s who you are and that’s all you’re supposed to be.”

Kurt doesn’t dare to look up at that but something in Blaine’s voice changes. It sounds like it’s about to break as well. Like that one sentence did something to Blaine that Kurt doesn’t know of and it seems so intimate and secretive that Kurt doesn’t feel in the position to comment on it. He hears Blaine swallow above him and then he clears his throat so Kurt decides to keep talking since the silence is killing him.

“They even threw water balloons. And they call themselves adults.” He snorts and realizes that he’s still pretty much dripping wet. Jerking back, he almost knocks Blaine in the face and sends them both falling of the couch but catches himself before it can happen. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.” He says, staring at the rather large wet spot on Blaine’s chest.

But the other man just laughs and shakes his head. “It’s just water, it’ll dry. You however… Don’t get me wrong, I think the whole wet hair look is still in, but you look a bit like a drowned poodle.” He grins and Kurt can’t help but laugh. Again, he seems to find the right words immediately.

“And I thought you were the one with the curly mop.” Kurt answers and no, this is really not how he’s supposed to act around a client. He shouldn’t insult their hair. Or tease them. Let alone basically cuddle them like he had a minute ago. But he can’t help it and Blaine doesn’t seem to mind so he hopes this is alright.

“Oh wonderful. Just great. I feel appreciated.” Blaine laughs before sighing and sitting back a little. “How about this, I drive you hope so you can actually get some dry clothes on before you catch a cold?” he proposes and Kurt smiles. So there is his someone to sweep him into a dry and warm car.

As he gets up and puts on his coat, he looks over at Blaine. “Hey, why did you come here?” he asks, only now remembering that he must have had a different motive before he had turned to comfort him.

“Oh, I just wanted to let you know Santana liked the suit.” He said with a small shrug. “And show you that I’m still alive.” With a grin, he buttons up his coat and wraps his scarf around his neck before he opens up the door for Kurt who looks at him slightly surprised. But he isn’t going to pass out on a chance to have at least a bit of what he dreams of. So he gives Blaine a smile and heads out of the door, followed by him.

That night, when Kurt’s dry and tucked away in bed, he falls asleep with a smile on his face. Maybe he can’t have romance, but at least, there’s a chance of having a friend. And that is more than Kurt could ever ask for.