"Blaine?"

The boy started at the noise, looking up at where Kurt was sitting before responding with a quiet "Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?" Kurt continued, fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt.

"You just did," Blaine joked, a small smile crossing his face.

"Oh shush," Kurt laughed in return, "I'm serious."

"Kurt, I've known you for like a week and you're pretty much my best friend. Yeah, you can ask me something."

Kurt was taken aback by those words, not able to imagine that Blaine didn't have any other good friends. "Uh, I was just wondering why you haven't really been home much- I mean, it's the holidays, that's just why I'm wondering."

Blaine stared at him for a second before looking down at the floor, "I- I've been too clingy, haven't I? I'm so sorry."

"What?!" Kurt responded almost immediately, sitting up much straighter, "No, definitely not Blaine!"

Blaine finally ventured a look up at Kurt, face tense and almost scared.

"Blaine," Kurt sighed, threading his fingers through Blaine's, "That is absolutely not what I meant and you have most definitely not been clingy. I'm sorry if that's what it sounded like what I was saying."

Twisting to face Kurt, legs pulled up underneath him, Blaine took a deep breath, "Sorry, I just kind of felt like I was being clingy."

"Stop apologizing," Kurt smiled sadly.

"And as for your actual question, which I was prepared to avoid but might as well tell you, I really don't want to go home," muttered Blaine, "Like ever."

"Oh," Kurt whispered, full of questions but not wanting to overstep. He just sat there patiently, rubbing his thumb over Blaine's knuckles.

"You can ask me whatever it is you're thinking," Blaine said with a soft laugh, "I can tell when the gears in your head are turning and you have a million things that you want to say."

"I was just going to ask why, but I don't want to overstep here. You don't have to tell me."

"My parents," Blaine started slowly, "are not my favorite people- Which sounds bad, I'm quite aware."

"Not necessarily," Kurt interjected, "Sometimes crappy people are just crappy people, even if you give them kids."

Blaine smiled at Kurt, squeezing his hand, "It's just that they're not home most of the time, but that's actually kind of a blessing..."

Kurt just sat there, waiting for him to continue. He pulled his legs up underneath him until his posture mirrored that of Blaine's. The two sat there just looking at each other for a moment before Blaine spoke again.

"When they're home, they don't really want me around."

Kurt's heart wrenched at that. How could someone not want this wonderful boy around them? "How-" he whispered before realizing that he had spoken aloud.

Blaine just stared at their hands in the middle of the couch, "My dad finally gave up on making me straight sometime last year and now he just talks to me like I'm scum. And my mom just ignores it. It's- it's really not that bad, I mean, a lot of people have it worse-"

"That doesn't make it any more acceptable," Kurt said, caught between being sad and angry. No one should ever treat anyone like that, and to imagine Blaine of all people being treated like that...

"And now I get to go home tomorrow for a big holiday dinner with Dad's company where I can pretend to be straight, but I'm not really allowed to talk anyways so it doesn't matter," Blaine ranted, finally moving past being quiet and becoming slightly upset.

"That sounds awful," Kurt whispered.

Blaine nodded vehemently, curls moving with the sudden gesture, "Oh, definitely. It's worse before the guests get there though, which is pretty sad."

Kurt sat there for another moment, thinking furiously, "What if I come with you?"

Blaine's jaw dropped slightly as he registered what had just been said.

"Or would that make it worse?" Kurt asked, trying his hardest to think of what would be better.

"I- I honestly have no idea," Blaine murmured, "But it wouldn't be any fun for you. At all."

"It's not for me."

Blaine blushed, looking at their hands again, "I mean, I guess you could come, but really, why would you?"

"If it makes it any less painful for you, I'll go," Kurt said without hesitation.

Blaine didn't say anything in response as he pulled Kurt in for a hug, squeezing tight. "You really are my best friend," he whispered.

Kurt held on tighter, blinking back tears, "You're mine too."