That something was a boy.

He was Kurt’s age, young and handsome with kind brown eyes and a soft smile. His hair was short but messy, as strands of dark curls stoke out around his face. To Kurt he was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

The first time they met was on the worst day of Kurt’s life.

___________________________________

It was a late Thursday afternoon in March 2001. Eight year old Kurt was busy marrying his pink and blue Power Rangers while “The Little Mermaid” played in the background for the third time that day. His father Burt was busy at the kitchen table watching him as he fiddled with a car part that had broken the day before. Everything was fine until the phone rang.

“Hello?“ he answered smiling as he heard his son exclaiming, “You may now kiss the Ranger!”. He always wasn’t so happy with how Kurt played with his toys, but his wife convinced him otherwise. “It doesn’t matter as long as he’s happy.” she’d say.

An unfamiliar woman replied on the other end of the phone. “Hello, am I speaking to Burt Hummel?”

“Yes, may I ask who is calling?”

“Sir,” she continued with the most sincerity in her voice, “My name is Sarah Mills from St. Mary’s Hospital. I’m sorry sir but your wife Elizabeth was in a terrible car accident earlier this afternoon and was brought here just an hour ago.”

Burt froze.

“Mr. Hummel?” she asked after he didn’t reply.

"She’s not…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Sir, she’s in ICU. She‘s barely holding on.”

Burt clenched the kitchen counter with his hand and looked at his son who was confused after hearing the sound of a screwdriver falling to the floor.

“I…we’ll be there.” He gathered the hospital info from the nurse and quickly hung up the phone as his eyes filled with tears.

Next thing Kurt knew was that he was in a car with his dad on the way to see mother for the last time. When they reached her hospital room, the boy’s father broke down as he ran and collapsed over his wife’s unconscious body. That was the first time Kurt had ever seen his father cry and he quickly hugged him and began to sob into his shoulder. At 9:34 that evening, Elizabeth Hummel pasted away without the chance to say goodbye to her husband and son.

When Kurt and his father finally got home that night, Kurt ran to his bathroom to erase the tears that he had shed earlier. A wet towel in his hand, he reached to wipe off his bright red face when he saw someone in the mirror and jumped back with a yelp. Next to him in his reflection was a boy staring at him. Kurt quickly spun around to see the boy, however he wasn’t there except when Kurt turned back to the mirror.

“How…how did you do that?” Kurt gapped. The boy didn’t say anything but gave a slight smile. It wasn’t a teasing or mocking smile, but a smile that was trying to tell him that everything would be alright. Though Kurt didn’t know the boy, he reached to press his palm against the mirror as the stranger did the same. Suddenly a name wrote itself above their fingers.

Blaine.

“I’m Kurt.” he sniffled. Their hands remained like that for what felt like hours, perfectly pressed into the looking glass and Kurt never felt more content.

___________________________________

From that day on, whenever he was going through a hard time or just needed someone to talk to, Blaine would be there for Kurt. Although they could only be together in the form of a reflection, he had never felt closer to anyone in his life. It turned out however, that Blaine never talked. He never told him why he didn’t speak to Kurt; he had asked several times and would never received an answer. This didn’t stop communication from becoming too difficult though. Blaine’s ability to write on mirrors helped out as well as a strange mental connection they both shared. It’s wasn’t powerful, but when the two placed their hands together they could exchange their emotions through the mirror. Blaine was a fantastic listener and helped him get through a lot; he was there when Kurt came out to his father in high school.

___________________________________

It was the evening after another McKinley High football game. Kurt had decided to briefly join the team as the kicker in attempt to cover up the week or so earlier when his dad discovered him dancing to “Single Ladies”. But because of the flamboyancy of the entire thing, he had been contemplating whether to tell his dad or not that he was actually gay. Right now he was moisturizing his face like he did every night. Blaine wasn’t there at the moment, the last time he had saw him was the day he made the team. However due to the circumstances he really wanted him there.

“Blaine?” he called.

When he blinked the boy was there right next to him as always. A sentence wrote itself upon the glass.

Are you going to tell him?

Kurt sighed and looked down. “I don’t know, I mean I want to…but I’m so scared.” His voice got quieter and Blaine smiled delicately at him. “I’m worried that once he knows he won’t look at me the same way again…or worse.” He heard a knock on his bedroom door.

“Kurt, can I come in?” Burt called.

He sighed and began moisturizing his face again. “Yea, sure.” The previous words on the mirror were now gone and replaced by a new one.

Courage.

Kurt closed his eyes and took a breath as he heard his dad come down the stairs. “Courage.” He whispered to himself. Burt walked up behind his son with a questionable look.

“Nighttime skin care is a big part of my post game ritual.”

“Well I don’t know what to say about that, but uh, I was really proud of you tonight.” Burt began to smile. “I wish your mom would have been there. I mean, alive.” He began to walk away.

“Thanks.” Kurt said quietly and got up from his chair. He looked behind his shoulder to Blaine who gave him a small nod. “Dad?” Burt turned around.

“I have something I want to say. I’m glad that you’re proud of me, but I don’t want to lie anymore. Being a part of glee club and football has showed me that I can be anything. I know what I am…is…” Burt nodded for him to go on.

“…I’m gay.”

“I know.”

“Really?” Kurt sounded surprised.

“I’ve known since you were three, all you wanted for your birthday was a pair of sensible heels.” Kurt slightly smiled. “I guess I’m not totally in love with the idea, but if that’s who you are, there’s nothing I can do about it and I love you just as much. Okay?” Burt reached in and embraced his son. “Thanks for telling me Kurt.”

Kurt nodded, his eyes sparked with tears. Burt turned back around. “You’re sure, right?”

Kurt turned back to his mirror. “Yea dad, I’m sure.”

His dad said something else before he left, but Kurt didn’t hear him. He was too busy staring at Blaine in shock. “Did I really just do that?” he whispered. Blaine reached to place his hand up to the glass, signaling his friend to do so also. Kurt reached and pressed his palm to his and felt an emotion from Blaine that he had never quite felt from him before- Pride.

“You’re proud of me?” Kurt asked him. Blaine nodded, flashing him his signature smile. He smiled back. “Thank you for everything.”

___________________________________

That was about a year ago.

Now, Kurt was spending his junior just getting by. Sure he was having a great time in Glee club, but there was still the bullying. All this month he had been tormented by Dave Karofsky as well as the other football jocks. So far this week he had received two slushies and six locker shoves and it was really getting him down.

“Hey Kurt, some of the glee kids and I are going to Breadstix tonight. Wanna come?” He was walking with Mercedes to their lockers after an afternoon glee club practice.

“No thanks Mercedes I’m busy tonight.” He lied. “My dad and I have plans.”

“Oh come on, you and your dad never do stuff together!” she whined, seeing right through his lie.

“I said no Mercedes.” he snapped. “I have to go, I’ll see you later.” He grabbed his bag and walked off to his car.

Mercedes just looked at him. “Whatever.” she mumbled.

When Kurt got home he threw his stuff on his bed and set himself down on his vanity chair.

“Hey.” He sighed when he saw Blaine.

Trouble at school? He asked.

“You have no idea.” He took off the scarf he was wearing and threw it on the ground. “There is this Neanderthal named David Karofsky who has made it his mission to make my life a living hell, and nobody seems to notice.”

I’m sorry.

“It’s not your fault.” he mumbled putting his head in his hands. “I try to remain positive, but it’s…it’s so hard.” He began tearing up.

Kurt, you are the strongest person I know. Prejudice is just ignorance, and you have a chance right now to teach him.

“And how do you suggest I do that?”

Confront him! Call him out!

“I’m not sure I could do that.” he mumbled.

Blaine pressed his hand firmly on the mirror.

Come here.

Kurt sighed and wiped his eyes with hand before pressing his palm onto the mirror. He was surprised when a powerful feeling jumped through his body. He gasped. The feeling was a mixture of strength, confidence, and amiss it all…love.

“Do you love me Blaine?” Kurt asked quietly.

Blaine closed his eyes and nodded.

“Really?” he breathed.

Yes.

It never actually occurred to Kurt that Blaine was actually gay. It’s not like he was real, but Kurt had always felt in the back of his mind that he was. The emotions that he felt from Blaine, the conversation they have had. How could that not be real? Early on when they had met, Kurt would often convince himself that Blaine was just a result of his extraordinary imagination. Even today he wasn’t completely sure that Blaine was an actual person, which made it even more confusing when that figure in his mind just told him that he loved him…and he felt the same way.

You don’t have to say it back. The words quickly appeared. Blaine almost looked shy, down casting his eyes from Kurt’s gaze.

Kurt stood up shaking his head. “I-I have to go.” He began to walk out of the room. "I'm sorry." He didn’t see as the boy in the mirror tried to call his name.