"Kurt, we're gonna be late!" Blaine called from his bedroom.

It was Blaine's fathers birthday and, as always, his family was making a huge deal out of it.

Every year since before Blaine could remember, Mr and Mrs Anderson would always have a huge party full of business people and other strangers Blaine had never met before. As a child, Blaine dreaded these parties. Then again, he still dreaded them – even at thirty.

Blaine was ready for at least an hour before Kurt was, and as Kurt was a fashionista – an adorable eleven year old fashionista – he took a liking to the bow-tie he saw Blaine wearing. As a result of this, Blaine ended up rummaging through his stuff for an old bow-tie that he used to wear when he was little and it was making Kurt take even longer to get ready.

"I don't understand!" Kurt huffed loudly as he stomped into Blaine's room with an untied bow-tie hanging around his neck and the cutest pout Blaine had ever seen on his face.

"You're adorable," Blaine laughed, sitting down on his bed. "Come here."

Kurt walked over to Blaine and watched in fascination as the thirty year old tied the bow-tie for him.

"Ready?" Blaine asked the little boy when he finished tying the tie.

"Mhm." Kurt hummed, nodding his head.

Blaine looked down before shaking his head with laughter and pointing at the door, "Shoes!"

Kurt ran out of the room giggling while he hid his face in his hands, returning a few moments later completely dressed – shoes and all.

"Come on, Starfish."

As soon as they arrived at Blaine's parents' house, Kurt began to hide himself behind Blaine and grip onto the thirty year old's shirt.

"Hey," Blaine said softly, bending down slightly so he was level with Kurt. "You okay?"

Kurt just shook his head with a whimper before wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck.

Blaine sighed, his arms encircling Kurt's waist as he lifted the eleven year old off the floor and, yup, Kurt was getting way too old for Blaine to keep carrying him. Nonetheless, Blaine kept Kurt balanced on his hip as the little boy hid his face in Blaine's neck and refused to make eye contact with anyone.

"Kurt?" Blaine said gently, Kurt lifting his head to look at the thirty year old. "Why don't you go find Wes?" He suggested, praying internally that Kurt would agree as he had no idea how long he could continue to hold Kurt before his arms gave out.

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief when Kurt nodded shyly and allowed himself to be place gently on the ground.

Kurt slowly walked off, looking more shy and little than Blaine had ever seen him before and he kind of just wanted to run to him and wrap him up in his arms but he was also proud that Kurt had said yes; that he'd actually agreed to walk around a house full of complete strangers by himself.

It wasn't until much later that Blaine saw Kurt again, and when he did he wasn't expecting what he found...

"Wes? Where's Kurt?" Blaine asked confusedly, walking up to his best friend.

"What do you mean where's Kurt? Why isn't he with you?"

"I told him to come and find you, did you not..."

"I haven't seen him..."

"Then where the hell is he?" Blaine said a little too loud, beginning to worry.

"Woah, Blaine – calm down!" Wes replied, rushing after his best friend when he began to frantically bustle through his parents' house.

"Calm do – how am I supposed to calm down, Wes!? That kid can barely say hi to another person without hiding behind me, I have no idea where he is, he's in a house full of complete strangers and he's probably freaking out right now, how am I supposed to calm down!?"

"Blaine, breathe! You freaking out isn't going to help anyone so just try to calm down and we'll find him, okay?" Wes said, miraculously succeeding in calming his best friend a little.

"I need to find him."

"We will, I promise. You go look around and I will too, I'll call you if I find him okay?"

"Thank you." Blaine sighed before he and Wes set off in different directions to find the shy eleven year old.

Blaine walked into the bathroom about ten minutes into their search to find Kurt huddled up in the corner, clearly crying.

"Oh thank god," Blaine said quietly, rushing across the room and kneeling down in front of the little boy. "Are you okay?"

Kurt shook his head before launching himself so hard at Blaine, he was almost knocked over from the force of the hug.

Instead of asking Kurt what was wrong, as he was clearly freaking out still, Blaine just lifted Kurt up once again before sitting him on the edge of the sink and gently wiping his eyes dry with a tissue. He then proceeded to lift Kurt back into his arms and carry him out of the bathroom, happily allowing the eleven year old to snuggle his face into his shoulder.

Blaine could visibly see Wes's sigh of relief when he saw Blaine carrying Kurt, mouthing 'is he okay?' to his best friend. Blaine shook his head sadly before mouthing back 'I'm gonna take him home' and beginning to leave when he got a nod in reply from Wes.

When they got home, Kurt changed into his pyjamas before curling himself up on Blaine's lap.

"What happened tonight?" Blaine asked softly, rubbing calming circles over Kurt's back.

"I went to look for Wes, but I got lost and there were loads of people everywhere so I got scared and started running towards the bathroom but there was this boy there and he said I was strange for wearing a bow-tie and I couldn't find you so I got even more scared and hid in the bathroom."

Kurt was practically bawling his eyes out and it was all Blaine could do to hug him close and whisper calming 'shh' noises.

"I'm sorry I ruined your night."

"Hey, you didn't ruin my night," Blaine said, pulling Kurt away from his chest slightly so that he could look at the little boy. "Firstly, I hate my parents' parties anyway," He began, eliciting a barely there giggle from the eleven year old. "And secondly, I want to you to always feel happy and comfortable, regardless of what I'm doing, okay?"

"Okay." Kurt sniffed before burying his face back in Blaine's chest.