Blaine seemed to go about in a haze the following day, constantly thinking of the night before, Kurt's face against the flicker of the movie screen and his lips against his own. He wanted to pinch himself that he had gotten so lucky, that Kurt was even in his life and it was only when Robyn bounded up to him in the corridor that he seemed to know where he was.

"Batman," she screeched, "How did it go?" She tugged so insistently that she inadvertently pulled a few hairs on his arm.

"It went well I think," he said, smiling shyly, "I'm meeting him for coffee later."

"And Adam?" she asked, eyes wide, smile hopeful.

"Just friends," he said grinning.

"Excellent!" she said beaming and putting her thumbs up, "Now your love life is sorted, we need to talk." She looked solemn and paused in the corridor on the way to class.

"We do?"

"Yeah, we have regionals coming up and we need to do a duet."

"Oh no, no, no," he said, shaking his head and walking to class, "I don't do public singing."

"What?" she said incredulously, "Why? Have you heard yourself? You're fantastic." She walked briskly to catch up with Blaine and tried to catch his eye but he resolutely kept his eyes down. "Blaine, I mean it," she continued, "My gramps agreed, he's totally expecting you to sing again soon by the way." Blaine turned to face her slightly.

"Really?"

"Really Blaine," she said sweetly, glad to have his attention, "He's hard to please, believe me. He critiqued my first piano recital when I was six."

"But I never know what to sing."

"It doesn't matter, you could sing the alphabet and you'd have people wide eyed and amazed." Blaine laughed. "Just sing what matters to you; just sing from your heart." He nodded, as if to say he was processing the information.

"I'll think about it I guess," he said.

"Good, but don't take too long," she said, "We only have a couple of weeks and we need to get in there quick if we want to suggest a duet."

Blaine opened the door to their classroom and sat down to listen to the teacher as he nibbled on his pen and hoped that Kurt would be able to help him later.

"Oh you should definitely sing Blaine," Kurt said, smiling widely as they walked to the superhero store holding hands, their arms swinging slightly. "You sound amazing and Robyn's right, you always sing from the heart: that's your strength."

"I don't know...."

Kurt slowed slightly and looked at Blaine carefully. "Is it because of your mum Blaine?" Blaine's silence said it all. He liked to sing for Kurt but only when he felt trapped inside his own head, only when it was a way to communicate his feelings and he hoped that music broke all barriers. He didn't like the idea of being a performing monkey, only there to help them win regionals.

"Blaine," Kurt continued, understanding Blaine's silence, "I think your mum would love to hear you sing now if she could."

"It's not just that," Blaine began, "I did always sing for her and whenever I sing it reminds me of how happy I was when I was with her. Now I only seem to sing sad songs."

"What else is it?"

"I don't want singing to be trivial, it should mean something," Blaine said.

"Regionals means something," Kurt said, "When we won regionals two years in a row it was the best feeling in the world. It meant something to us. We had strived and fought for our glee club, had too many slushies thrown at us but we showed that despite the fact we were 'losers' we felt like winners when we sang and it was the one place where we were celebrated."

Kurt looked so happy at the memory of his glee club, picturing the trophies and the lights that Blaine wanted what he had had - a place to belong, a feeling of celebration.

"I guess I don't really know what to sing," Blaine said quietly after a while.

"Sing what comes naturally, sing how you feel at the moment. I bet Robyn will love whatever you sing and I'll be there to support you."

"Really? You'd go?" Blaine said, completely surprised.

"Of course, silly," Kurt said, hitting Blaine's arm gently, "I'd never miss it."

Blaine smiled shyly, ducking his head slightly in his shoulders. If Kurt was there to see him perform then he suddenly felt like he could do anything and it was the greatest feeling.

Bobby was there again, in his usual spot drawing silently. None of the other kids knew how to communicate with him and although they sometimes sat with him to keep him company, he seemed to prefer sitting alone, with Steve just occasionally checking on him. As soon as they entered though his face lit up and Kurt went straight to him and signed in greeting. Bobby was eager to show the drawings he was working on and as he spotted Blaine shyly standing behind Kurt, not wanting to interrupt, he waved to him, causing a big grin to form on Blaine's face. After a while Kurt said he would get them both machine coffees and left Blaine and Bobby on their own, which caused Bobby to immediately get some paper out for Blaine to join him.

They drew silently for a while, both enjoying the peace in the rhythmic action of drawing seemingly untouchable faces and delicate hands. Bobby would glance every so often at Blaine's drawings to see how he was getting on and Blaine would take inspiration and ideas from Bobby, who seemed to be working on a particular scene with several characters. Bobby slipped another piece of paper out of his work book and wrote words, passing it along to Blaine, who looked at it in surprise.

You draw well now.

Thanks – not as good as you though. Yours are amazing, so delicate and beautiful.

Thanks – I really like drawing, it's peaceful and nice here on my own

Doesn't it get lonely?

Not really – I guess my world's pretty quiet anyway

Bobby looked a little sheepish at his last written comment but Blaine smiled in understanding.

What do you like to do?

I sing sometimes

What kinda songs?

Anything really - pop, soft rock, musical classics – I love music.

I wish I could hear it.

Blaine didn't know what to write in reply. He couldn't imagine his world without music, without hearing the rustle of leaves, without hearing laughter and the sing-song voice of Kurt. Bobby seemed to sense he wasn't going to reply soon so he continued writing.

I wish a lot of things but I think I miss music the most, even though I've never been able to hear it.

Blaine could understand that. He missed a lot of things, mainly those that he had known and had treasured and lost. To miss something that he had never known seemed strange but to be left out, to be denied an experience seemed abhorrent too.

I like reading song lyrics though. They're like poetry.

Blaine nodded. He had tried to write songs of his own, turn his poetry into music and although it often seemed trite to him, he tried and he wanted to get better.

I sometimes write songs.

I'd like to read them.

Bobby smiled encouragingly.

I'll bring some next time.

What do you write about?

Blaine paused. His songs were never really fully formed, more a collection of images that haunted him, that he knew he needed to express or it would eat away at him. They had always seemed so personal to him and the thought of anyone seeing them scared him, but as Bobby continued to look at his drawings, he knew that he would share all his songs with this quiet boy that was unassuming and just wanted to see a little more of him.

Things that haunt me a little, things that live in my head.

Bobby didn't write for a while, his eyes transfixed at the paper in front of him, Blaine's final sentence staring at him.

It's quiet outside but inside my head screams.

Blaine looked at Bobby, then again at the words he had written, surprise showing on his face that this kid knew just what he meant. It scared him slightly.

I feel like that sometimes. It hurts but I think the best thing is being able to talk, no matter how you do it and the madness stops for a little bit and you're understood for a while and there's peace. Like when you draw.

Like when you sing?

Yeah, like when I sing.

Blaine looked over at Kurt, who was talking excitedly to a kid about his Sai swords and gesturing madly. He looked so happy, his smile stretching his face so beautifully that Blaine could only smile in return and Bobby noticed.

And when you talk to Kurt?

Blaine looked at the paper, then back to Kurt and he smiled.

Yeah, when I talk to Kurt.

And Bobby nodded in understanding.

A little while later Kurt was helping another slightly older child called Bea with her writing, reading it carefully and making suggestions which she took readily. Her story was fantastic and involved little magical creatures that sang and spread joy and love just by their voices. She had named them the Naelib and her description of the leader – a quiet and reserved creature that was wise and full of understanding – reminded Kurt of Blaine, causing him to look at his new boyfriend that was writing on a scrap of paper and passing it to Bobby. He smiled that Blaine seemed to be getting on so well with Bobby, the boy always quiet and reserved, not perhaps trusting the others to let him join in and preferring his own company. Kurt knew some of the trouble that Bobby had been through and knew that the friendship with Blaine would probably help them both. He caught Blaine's eye as he looked over and smiled as Blaine smiled too, their eyes twinkling. He suddenly knew the song that Blaine had to sing at regionals and could hear it clearly in his head. If he was honest he had been falling slowly for the honey eyed boy sitting in the corner away from the others for a long time but as he had gone home the night before, he couldn't help but do the happy dance as he plopped down on his bed. He had never known something feel so easy and light and it left him feeling tingly and magical. Although he worried over Blaine, wanted to take him in his arms and protect him from any unwanted evil thought of guilt, he revelled in their light touches and kisses, feeling like he was falling and enjoying every moment. He remembered where he was though and turned to find Bea looking at him expectantly, nodding at her writing and Kurt turned to it again, making suggestions that brought her story more to life and inadvertently immortalised Blaine more and more in words.

After a while Kurt finished with Bea and she thanked him for the help as he left, looking at her final words with a pleased expression, knowing it was at its best.

Kurt smiled warmly at Blaine as he approached and started signing to Bobby who showed him his latest drawing. Kurt was clearly impressed and signed some more, Blaine not able to keep up. He had taught himself some sign language using the internet over the last week but felt woefully inadequate as he watched Kurt and realised that he had learnt silly vocabulary like colours and food that he would never need in conversation with Bobby. Kurt signed that they had to leave soon and Blaine signed goodbye as he stood to go and Bobby beamed, knowing that Blaine had put in the effort for him and he signed a reply.

"You learned some sign language?" Kurt asked as they left the store and faced the cool breeze outside.

"Just a little," Blaine said shrugging, "I wanted to communicate a little better but I realised as I watched you that I learnt silly stuff and will practice more."

"What you did was just great Blaine," Kurt said, smiling, "Bobby's not used to anyone bothering to sign and to learn it for him."

"But why?" Blaine said, truly perplexed, "He's a great kid, why don't people make the effort?"

"They don't know that he needs it I guess," Kurt said sadly, "He's always kept himself to himself and people are suspicious of that and think that he wants to always be alone. He seems happy enough and they don't realise how lonely it must be."

"Yeah it must be," Blaine said, looking at his shoes as he walked, "He was writing earlier of how loud his head is. I get that." Kurt looked at Blaine as he continued to walk, noticed his hand loosely placed by his side and he took it and squeezed, causing Blaine to look up.

"I hate that," Kurt whispered, "No one should feel like that. Sometimes when I was bullied in high school I would shout insults in my head, I would reply with a witty comeback but never had the courage to say anything out loud. I vowed that I would do well for myself, that I would show them but sometimes I just wished I could speak and scream. I don't know how it must feel to know that you can never express yourself fully because of a disability so I never want Bobby to feel that he has no one to talk to."

"He knows he has you Kurt," Blaine said, smiling sweetly.

"And now he has you," Kurt said smiling back and kissing Blaine on the cheek, causing a blush to grace his face. "Never feel you have to keep silent Blaine, I want to know anything and everything that goes on in that lovely, sweet head of yours. If you'll let me," he finished quietly, unsure of his comment.

Blaine looked at him as they stopped, his eyes twinkling in the lights of the avenue.

"I could tell you everything," he whispered, as if he wanted to, as if all his words were just there on the tip of his tongue. "You already make me feel safe, I think you sometimes know everything just by looking at me," he smiled, his lips twitching and his face relaxed. Kurt kissed him on the lips chastely and Blaine felt his breath hitch at the surprise contact but he realised that all the chaos and guilt that Blaine thought would be a constant in his mind, always calmed around Kurt. If his head was a blurry ball of knots and twisted vines before, it was a clear sea like the reflected stillness in Kurt's cyan eyes now.

Robyn jumped up from her seat as soon as glee club started, bounding to the front of the room and making her suggestion for a duet known.

"Oh no, hold up!" Bobby shouted, holding up her hand fiercely, "I hope this doesn't mean it will be the Blaine and Robyn show?"

"Oh no," Robyn said smiling, not fazed at all by Bobby's scary expression, "We just want to sing one song, the others are up for grabs."

Bobby, the girl who would never want to be called Roberta seemed to be placated at this sentence and she nodded her head in understanding.

"Have you any ideas?" Natalie asked quietly.

"Not really," Blaine said shyly.

"Well whatever you want to sing, I'm sure will be great," Zachary said, patting Blaine on the shoulder as he sat next to him. Zachary was confident, always chatting to the others but he would glance over at Blaine every so often, seeming to understand his reticence and wanting to include him. Robyn smiled even wider at the kind gesture as she stood at the front of the choir room and she took her seat again.

"We'll come up with a great song, I promise," she said, nodding repeatedly, "You wait."

Blaine looked at her optimistic expression and gulped, looking at the floor and wondering if it could swallow him whole.

Blaine rang Kurt that evening with a hint of panic in his voice, desperate to find a song that meant something, that would impress the others. Kurt told him calmly the song he had thought would be perfect for him and Blaine was silent on the other end for a while, which Kurt took to mean he hated the idea.

"You don't have to sing that song," Kurt started, after the silence had become awkward.

"Oh no, Kurt, it's perfect," Blaine whispered, as if he was afraid that his voice would ruin the moment of realisation. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before."

"You know the song?"

"Yeah, I love it, it's one of my favourites," Blaine said, "What made you think of it?" he asked after a pause.

"I was just watching you with Bobby, at the superhero store yesterday and it came to me. This other Bobby sounds the complete opposite of sweet superhero Bobby though," Kurt said laughing, hoping the mention of another topic might distract Blaine from the implication in the song. No such luck.

"You thought of that song when you saw me?" Blaine whispered.

"Yeah," Kurt whispered shyly, his voice shaking slightly, "Is that ok?"

"Oh yeah," Blaine said after a while, realising Kurt was still there and not a dream.

"It's a perfect song," Kurt continued, feeling more confident, wanting Blaine to understand. "I guess it reminds me of those times near the bridge, over the water. Even though I wasn't there, I couldn't see you, I always think of water when I see you. Not in a bad way," Kurt started, realising Blaine might take it the wrong way, as Blaine's eyes widened. "It doesn't remind me of death though I know it might to you, I think maybe it reminds me of new beginnings, starting again and being clean. I think it means loneliness looking out at that water and the song sounds more hopeful than that. I want to be more than the water, I want to be the boat," Kurt finished, his cheeks blushing slightly and he was suddenly grateful that Blaine couldn't see him although he realised he couldn't see Blaine's reaction and wondered how his words would be taken.

"I always think that when I see the water," Blaine began, realising he would be admitting more to Kurt than he had ever said to anyone. "I always wanted to be clean, like the water could wash it all away."

"Do you think Robyn will like the song?" Kurt asked quietly.

"I'll sing it at glee tomorrow and see," Blaine said, "Thanks Kurt, that's a perfect song."

"A perfect song for a pretty perfect guy," Kurt said and Blaine chuckled slightly.

"I don't know about that, but thanks," Blaine said. They finished the conversation soon after, talking about school and NYADA, hopes and dreams and Kurt hung up after singing the song quietly to Blaine as he fell asleep.

The reception to the song was not what Blaine had expected. He stood at the front of the choir room as he finished, an eerie silence hovering over the people gathered to watch him, many mouths open and eyes wide. He looked scared, his body starting to gather in on itself until Robyn realised and hopped up from her seat.

"Batman," she said, shaking her head from side to side as she walked over to him and grabbed his arms. Blaine looked at her earnestly, his eyes questioning what she was to say next. "There's no way I'm singing that with you," she said and Blaine looked taken aback. "I am not going to ruin that song with my added voice, you have to sing that on your own." At the realisation of what she had said, Blaine looked to the others, who were all nodding in agreement, their mouths still open. He had never seen Bobby so quiet.

Singing with the group for regionals went well, Blaine feeling part of a team, feeling like he belonged. They had worked hard on their choreography and Blaine knew they looked like a family and that it would translate to the people in the audience. As the rest of the group left to go to the wings of the stage, he remained, nervously touching the hem of his jumper but searching the crowd again, his eyes alighted on Kurt who smiled and Blaine thought he could even see the twinkle in them from this distance. He swallowed and began, singing for Kurt, singing for his mum who couldn't see him and his dad who was next to Kurt in the audience.

I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that

His voice trembled slightly but his eyes focused on Kurt and he gained confidence, knowing that Kurt believed in him, knowing that he meant everything he sang.

Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react

Kurt looked to his boy on stage, his hands placed nervously at the bottom of his top and he felt his eyes fill with tears, knowing the confidence it must have taken for him to sing. He blinked them away, determined to see all of the performance and catch everyone's response to Blaine's beauty.

And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You'll make it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

Blaine knew where he was home and he looked to Kurt, his eyes still twinkling in the dim light of the auditorium and realised he had fallen and it felt glorious, just as Kurt realised the same.

You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing it loud