Chapter 5:

"You owe me?" Kurt asked, unable to conceal his smile. "He said that? That you owe him for making some stupid jump in a video game?"

"The kid's a freak," Santana said, sitting down next to Blaine on the sofa, a glass of water in one hand. "Seriously, he scares the crap out of me."

Kurt chuckled. "He's harmless, really. He's just a little.." he trailed off, searching for the right words to describe Colton Fisher. He wasn't sad, not really. He wasn't depressed, or overly emotional, or anything like that. He was just..

"Psychopathic?" Santana offered, as Blaine said, "Misunderstood?"

"Um, maybe a little of both," Kurt smiled to himself. "But seriously, he just needs a little push in the right direction and he'll be fine."

"And I suppose you've made him your own, personal, little challenge," Blaine said, a small smile on his pale lips.

Kurt shrugged. "Not exactly," he said. "But if he needs help, I'll help him. You know what it's like, Blaine, to try to come to terms with who you are and what that means for the future."

Blaine muttered something and looked down at his hands. He didn't like to talk seriously about that. If it ever came up, he would make a joke out of it, but sometimes he got quiet and Kurt knew he was replaying everything, all the bad things, in his mind and beating himself up over them. Kurt elbowed him, gently and Blaine looked up. He gave him a small smile and Blaine smiled back, which made Kurt feel better.

Rachel came out of the bathroom, then and sat down in the armchair, facing Kurt, Blaine and Santana. "What are we talking about?"

"Hummel's psycho stalker," Santana told her.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "He's not a psycho stalker, Santana," he objected. "He's just got issues."

"Colton? He follows you around like a lost puppy," Rachel pointed out.

"Well, so does Blaine," Kurt said with a smile, trying to add some humour to the situation.

"He's got a point," Santana said, leaning forward to place her empty glass down on the coffee table. "Maybe you should get him a lead and a spiked collar, Hummel. Ugh, actually, you probably already have those. I'm pretty sure with the amount of sex you guys have, you've tried out every kink known to man."

"He loves when I follow him around," Blaine said, nudging Kurt in the side playfully.

"Ugh, Rachel, get me a bucket, I'm about to barf at the amount of sugar-coated disgustingness occurring next to me."

Rachel folded her arms across her chest. "Santana," she said, firmly. "You need to embrace the true love that these boys exude. Finn and I have the same kind of connection. Now, isn't there a nice boy you'd like to try to connect with?"

Blaine forced a cough and Kurt shifted uncomfortably. "Um, Rachel," he said, warningly. She gave him a quizzical look. Kurt looked down at Santana, who was scowling, eyes narrowed.

"Are you..." Blaine trailed off and Santana stood up and left the room, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

Kurt looked at Blaine, who shrugged. "Is she okay?" Kurt asked.

"I have no idea," Blaine replied. "I mean, I knew she wasn't completely comfortable with everything, but I didn't think.."

"What is going on here?" Rachel demanded to know.

Kurt shook his head. "Rachel, Santana has to tell you herself. And she will, when she's ready, so just drop it for now, okay?"

"I don't see what could be so bad that she—"

"Rachel," Blaine said, calmly. "Just don't, okay?"

"Fine." Rachel sighed and sat back. "So, any other news?"

Kurt shook his head and Blaine hummed next to him, then said, quietly, "Other news," like he was trying to think of some. "Ooh, got it. In other news, I'm giving up alcohol. For the rest of my life."

Kurt spluttered and Rachel raised one eyebrow. "We had an incident," Kurt informed her and proceeded to tell her about what had happened with Sebastian. Blaine groaned as he spoke and ended up curling into Kurt's side, like an embarrassed child. Kurt gave his hair a few sympathetic strokes and Blaine looked up at him, with those bright, almost-yellow eyes and smiled and Kurt's heart skipped a beat. Blaine sort of was like a puppy, sometimes, he guessed. However, unlike Colton, Blaine was a puppy he didn't mind following him in the least.

"Go away," Santana demanded on Monday afternoon when Sebastian walked over to her and Blaine's table. "I'm warning you, Smythe, I've got razor blades in my hair. Scram."

"Yes, can you leave?" Blaine asked, with a scowl. A year previously, he wouldn't have thought twice about pushing Sebastian up against a wall and punching him until he hadn't an ounce of strength left, but now, most of the bubbling anger he'd possessed as a teenager was gone, turned into love and smiles and happiness, because that was where he was in his life at the moment.

Sebastian sat down anyway and Santana pushed her chair out quickly, as if she was about to start a fight. Blaine caught her arm and she looked at him like he was crazy. "Anderson, I—"

"Santana," he said, tiredly. "He's not even worth it."

Sebastian opened his mouth, but Santana pointed a long fingernail at him and said, "Make a crack about how he wasn't saying that the other night and I will shave your head!"

Sebastian smiled, slowly, then simply sat down.

"No, seriously, Sebastian," Blaine said, letting Santana's arm go. "You need to get up and walk away, because I told myself I'd stop using violence to sort my problems out, but I'm willing to make an exception."

Sebastian held his hands out. "I just want to talk." He looked at Santana, then, still smiling. "To Blaine."

"No way."

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of her," Blaine stated.

"I'd rather it was just the two of us."

They spent a long time just staring back at one another, then Blaine said, "Okay. Santana, can we just have, like, five minutes?"

"Are you insane? Blaine, this guy is—"

"I know," he nodded. "It's just five minutes."

She groaned and shook her head, then stood up, muttering something about Blaine being a sucker. She grabbed her bag and said, "Call me if you need me." She looked down at Sebastian and scowled. "Asshole." Then she walked away.

Blaine watched her go, then looked at Sebastian. He needed to ask him how he'd gotten the bracelet, because the clasp on it was perfectly fine. He needed to know where they had disappeared to at the party. Blaine needed answers and he wanted an apology for the little disruption he had caused in his and Kurt's relationship.

"Start talking."

"You and lady face are back together, then?" Sebastian asked, sitting back. "Back to playing happy families?"

Blaine clenched his fists and counted to ten, slowly, trying to keep his temper down. "First off, don't call him that and secondly, we're not 'playing' happy families, Sebastian. We're happy, more than happy and Kurt is my family. So yes, we're fine, no thanks to you."

"You really think you're going to be with him forever? Are you really that naïve?" Sebastian grinned, wildly, like an animal of some kind. "This is a mere infatuation and frankly, you're too good for him."

Blaine sat forward. "You don't even know him, Smythe," he growled a little. "You don't have any idea how we came to be the way that we are. You don't know shit. Kurt is everything to me. He's been there for me when the rest of the world turned its back. So don't even try to tell me—"

"Exactly," Sebastian said over Blaine.

Blaine narrowed his eyes at him. He really, really hated this guy. He wanted to punch him, to show him that he wasn't going to let him assume things about Kurt and his relationship. Sebastian had no idea.

"You think you're in love with him because he helped you out with a few things," Sebastian told Blaine. "Honestly, Blaine, when are you going to wake up and realise that little Hummel, with his too-tight jeans and his willowy figure just isn't right for you? When are you going to realise that he's pretty much a girl with a dick?"

Blaine fought as hard as he could to control his temper, to keep himself calm and collected, but it was hard when the asshole was sitting across the table from him grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Trust me, Smythe," Blaine said, a grin developing on his lips. "Kurt is no girl. I've had first hand experience with just how much of a man he is and you'd be the luckiest guy alive if you got to get into those too-tight jeans of his."

"You've had first hand experience with girls, too, haven't you, Blaine?"

"How did you—"

"At the party, silly," Sebastian smiled. "You don't remember our little chat?" Blaine didn't say anything. So they'd went somewhere to talk at the party. That made sense. "You told me all about you and little Kurt, about how he helped you with your daddy issues and your sexuality crisis and your bully phase. Showed me that pretty, little bracelet of yours."

"So?"

"So, doesn't that prove to you even more that you're just under the impression that you love him because he helped you through those trying times?" Sebastian leaned forward a little, still smiling. "Don't you think it's wrong, Blaine? That you're using him, making him think you love him, when he loves you so much? It's selfish and wrong, Anderson. Poor little girl Hummel."

"Okay, that does it," Blaine said, diving across the table and grabbing Sebastian by the scruff of the neck. A few people stared, but Blaine didn't take any notice. "You don't have a clue, do you? You don't know what it's like to find someone that you just want to spend every waking minute with. You don't know what it's like to be in love. You don't know what it's like to have someone who means more to you than anything else in the world. You don't know because you're a slut. Do you even know the last guy's name, Sebastian? The last guy you woke up next to? No? See, that's where you and I differ. He's the only one I ever want to wake up next to, the only face I ever wanna see when I open my eyes in the morning. You go out and you sleep with the first guy who shows an interest and you can't understand when other people just don't work like that. Kurt and I are happy, we're more than happy, we're perfect, so keep your ridiculous assumptions and your bad insults to yourself."

Blaine let him go and sat back, blood boiling, his heart racing in his chest. He grabbed his bag and stood up.

"Oh and the next time you feel like telling my boyfriend I've had sex with someone else, at least sit down and plan it out, because your little charade was full of holes and cracks, anyone could see right through your lies."

"You're really hot when you get mad. Feisty, I like that," Sebastian said, seemingly unscathed. "Like, so hot, it makes me want to—"

Blaine walked away before Sebastian could finish that sentence.

"Oh, so I just needed a shorter introduction?" Colton asked.

Kurt nodded. "Yes," he said. "See, you could have used half of your introduction and made it into a whole other paragraph, which would score you more points."

"Oh," Colton nodded, dark eyes on the essay in front of him.

"So, uh, Blaine said you stopped by," Kurt said, looking sideways at Colton, who simply nodded. "Said you helped Santana with her video game."

Colton nodded again. Kurt was quiet for a few moments, then he said, "Colton, do you have something against Blaine?" Colton went still beside him. "Does he.. Does he make you uncomfortable, or has he said something to offend you? Or maybe Santana?"

Colton didn't say anything, just flipped through his book, slowly.

"Because neither of them ever mean any harm," Kurt went on. "Santana can be blunt and a little offensive at times, but she means well and Blaine tries. He's had it hard and he tries his best to be positive about everything. It's just that sometimes he hurts. So, if you've ever picked up on a—a vibe, or whatever, it wasn't ever anything against you."

"No," Colton said, quietly and Kurt wasn't sure what he was answering.

"Blaine thinks you don't like him," Kurt told Colton, which was partially untrue, because Blaine had never said those words, but they were implied. "He thinks you've got something against him."

"I don't even know him."

"Right," Kurt nodded. "Yeah, I know that, but—"

"Maybe you could tell me a little about him," Colton said, finally looking up at Kurt with those dark, mysterious eyes. "A little about you and him."

Kurt smiled, because he was being stupid. Colton was just strange. He wasn't vindictive, or crazy, just odd. "Sure," he said. "What would you like to know?"

Colton was silent, studying his finger nails as he twirled his fingers around each other. Then he spoke, "Tell me about how you guys met, got together and.. And everything."

Kurt sat back and smiled. "Everything? That could take a while." Colton didn't laugh. "Um, well, we met in our senior year in high school. I'd just transferred, because my dad bought a new house and I'd had a lot of trouble with bullies and stuff, but that's not important." Kurt paused for a few seconds, then went on. "It wasn't exactly love at first sight. Blaine was the quarter back of the football team, the most popular guy at school, which seems like a huge cliché, right?" Colton didn't answer. "But anyway, he and the other guys slushied me my first day and I spent the rest of the day miserable, lost, wet and alone and then when I got to my English class, I got partnered with this obnoxious, narcissistic, gorgeous, adorable jock.

"We didn't hit it off right away, we just sort of spent our time disliking each other." Kurt was careful not to use the word 'hate', because he had never hated Blaine. "We spent a lot of time doing our assignments and I saw cracks in him, things that didn't fit with his perfect life and I called him out on it, but he wasn't telling me much, not really. After a while, we got better, we could bear each other, we were maybe even sort of friends and Blaine had a friend, Puck, who was having a party and he invited me and I went because Puck had stolen Rachel's—Rachel Berry, that is—her diary and to cut a long story short, Blaine got drunk and I took him home, because his girlfriend said his dad was abusive and—"

"His girlfriend?" Colton gasped.

Kurt nodded, smiled. "I know, right?" he said. "So, I took him home and he ended up suc—well. We got sort of.. um, intimate."

"Intimate?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Kurt blushed. "He, um.. Well, there was a blowjob involved and um, he fell asleep next to me and it.. It was nice. At school, he was still bullying me, but he held back a little, I guess because he sort of liked me, but wouldn't admit it. On my birthday, he woke me up at 2AM and he took me out to this field and we watched the stars and just talked for a while." Kurt smiled at the memory, his hear flipping over in his chest. "He was different out there, different when we were alone to when we were surrounded by others at school and stuff. And he gave me this," Kurt said, pulling his sleeve back to show Colton his bracelet. Colton bent to read the words. "The lyrics are from a song Rachel and I sang at glee club. We went back to my house and that was.. That was the first time we did it.

"We grew closer and closer and he still had his girlfriend and the issues with his dad and his friends and everything, but I couldn't let him go," Kurt told Colton. "He meant a lot to me, I was falling for him and I think he was falling, too. Then his girlfriend told him she was pregnant and we thought it was over, that he would have no choice but to take care of them. The day we decided we had to stop was the day he first told me he loved me." Kurt frowned a little at the memory, at how he had wanted Blaine to take the words back, because it wasn't fair of him to say them when they could never do anything about it. At the same time, his heart was doing a jig in his chest, because Blaine loved him. "On his birthday, I gave him a bracelet just like this one. It has lyrics from the song he sang for his glee audition. Blaine's actually a really amazing performer. We were on and off for a while after that, just sort of kissing and stuff every now and then and then when it all got too much for him, his dad, the football guys, Quinn—that was his girlfriend. He found out her baby's father was actually his best friend—when it all got too much, he just came out and we weren't really on speaking terms, but I was so proud of him for getting as far as he did.

"After that, we talked and stuff and I was leaving for New York and he didn't have any plans, so we decided not being a couple was for the best and we went to prom together and Blaine ended up moving in with my dad and I, because his dad didn't take him being gay too well and I left and he was miserable and then one day, I opened the door and he was standing there and we've been together ever since and he makes me feel like I'm falling in love all over again every time he smiles at me, which sounds sappy, I know, but it's true. He means the world to me. I know you probably don't understand that he still struggles a lot with his family abandoning him and everything, but he does and sometimes he gets down about it and maybe that's why you thought he was being.. I don't know, rude, or something. He's not. He's a really amazing guy, Colton, I promise."

Colton was silent, then he looked up into Kurt's eyes and said, "I don't like how you look when you talk about him."

Kurt gaped at him. "What? Why?"

"Because he's going to break your heart." Colton stood up, grabbed his books and walked away, leaving Kurt sitting there with his mouth hanging open.

"The boy needs help," Rachel told Kurt a few moments later when she sat down. Kurt had told her what had happened. "Seriously, Kurt. He could be dangerous."

"He's not dangerous, Rachel," Kurt rolled his blue eyes. "I actually need to talk to him, because I have no idea what is going through his head."

Rachel reached out and caught Kurt's arm. He looked down at her for an explanation. "Let me come with you." Her dark, wide eyes seemed to plead with him.

"Rachel, there isn't anything to worry about." Kurt smiled, hoping he looked reassuring enough, but Rachel remained serious, her eyes filled with.. something. "He's not dangerous, Rachel."

Rachel kept a firm grip on Kurt's arm. "Please, just.. Maybe you should invite him over? Yes! You could, um.. You could have a little get together! You and Blaine and Santana and Finn and I could come down and Colton would see that—well, that he's got it all wrong, you know?"

Kurt gaped at her. "No way." He shook his head. "No, Rachel, this is a bad idea, even for you and you've had some bad, bad—awful ideas."

She looked highly offended for a couple of seconds. "Okay, fine," she huffed. "But maybe you and Blaine could talk to him together. He obviously has some kind of misunderstanding concerning the two of you and he maybe has a little crush on you, so don't you think it would be a good idea to show him you are with Blaine and that you're happy? He'll know his boundaries, things won't be uncomfortable any more and everyone's happy." Rachel grinned.

Kurt sighed and sat back. She let his arm go. "I don't know," he muttered. "Maybe."

"That settles it then!" Rachel enthused. "Invite him over and show him how things are! Everything will work out fine!"

"Okay, sounds good," Blaine told Kurt that night in bed, after Kurt had told him about what had happened with Colton and that he would be over tomorrow. "Kurt, I've been thinking."

"Hmm?" Kurt shifted beside him, then settled. "What about?"

"About Santana."

"Oh," Kurt said.

"Yeah," Blaine said with a nod, even though Kurt couldn't see him in the dark. "I keep thinking about how she reacted with Rachel."

"Have you talked to her?"

"No," Blaine said. He didn't know how to go about it. Most of the time, Santana wasn't serious. It was difficult to go to her about emotional subjects, especially ones that involved her personally. "Not about that."

"I was thinking, too," Kurt told him. "And I was wondering how you felt about her staying? I mean, not forever, you and I won't even stay here forever, but she could call it home, you know? I know it isn't much, but until she actually feels like moving on, she could stay. What do you think?"

Blaine leaned up a little to look down at the dark shadow that was his boyfriend. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

Blaine dropped down until he landed on top of Kurt. He moved until he could slip his arms around him and pull him into a hug. He kissed him quickly on the mouth. "You're amazing," he told Kurt. "Seriously, she won't say so, but it'll mean a lot to her."

"Yeah," Kurt smiled against Blaine's shoulder. "Besides, she's not so bad, is she? It's kind of nice having her around."

"Yeah." Blaine pulled Kurt closer and placed a small kiss to the tip of his nose. "Better get some sleep if we have to show Colton how good we are together. Don't want you getting cranky in front of him and making liars out of us just because you didn't get enough sleep."

Kurt chuckled and elbowed Blaine gently. He rested his head on his boyfriend's chest and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Blaine replied, closing his eyes. "Always."

Blaine arrived home the next evening to find loud noises coming from Santana's room. He dropped his bag by the door and shrugged his jacket off, then walked across the room and rapped lightly on Santana's bedroom door. "Santana?"

There was a loud crash, followed by the sound of Santana cursing in Spanish and then she was opening the door. Blaine walked inside. The room was a mess. Clothes were flung all over the floor and across the bed and shoes were every where.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking around.

"Moving out, what does it look like?" Santana asked, matter-of-factly, slumping down on to the bed.

"Moving out?" Blaine asked. "Why?"

"Why?" Santana asked, looking at Blaine like he was crazy. "Because I don't want to intrude on your little love nest any longer. I'm like a frickin' third wheel."

Blaine made his way towards the bed, carefully and pushed some clothes away to make room to sit down. He sat and looked at her. "So, here's the thing," he began. "Last night in bed, Kurt and I—

"Oh, gosh, wow," Santana said, quickly. "Already too much information, Anderson."

Blaine furrowed his eyebrows, then he realised what she meant. "No, not that! Santana, we didn't even—No, I wasn't going to say that." Santana raised one eyebrow and looked bored. "I was going to say we talked about you last night—let me finish." Santana sighed, but nodded. "Kurt asked me what I thought about you staying. Permanently."

He watched as Santana's dark eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"We figure we like having you around," Blaine said, shrugging one shoulder. "What do you think? Think you can put up with two sexually-active, gay guys for the foreseeable future?"

Santana smiled, then. "I don't know," she teased. "You guys do an awful lot of fucking."

"So, is that a yes?"

She was silent for a short time, then she smiled, her dark eyes level with Blaine's brighter ones. "Yeah, that's a yes, Anderson," she told him. She paused again, then said, "Thanks."

Blaine grinned. "Great! I can't wait to tell Kurt!"

"I always figured lady lips didn't like me," Santana said, thoughtfully. "I figured he just put up with me because of you, because you'd made some sort of sick deal that you'd suck him off every day if he let me stay."

Blaine spluttered. "Oh, God," he shook his head. "Are you kidding? Kurt likes you. He would never let you stay if he didn't. Trust me."

Blaine watched her, sitting there, smiling and it occurred to him that she was actually really happy for once. Most of the time she was mad, angry at everything, for whatever reason, but she wasn't a bad person. She could be affectionate, in her own way, that was just how she was. It was nice to see her smiling.

"I wish you'd told me an hour ago," she said, standing up. "Then I could have avoided this clean up."

Blaine stood up and began gathering her clothes. "We should totally have your room redecorated. Kurt would love that. If you're going to be here for good, you're going to need to make this your own. Something that screams Santana."

"Oh, wow, you are so gay."

Blaine grinned. "Especially if you're going to start bringing girls back," he went on, shoving shoes into the closet.

He noticed her going quiet, then, the atmosphere in the room shifting. He stood up and looked at her. She was pulling frames from a box and frowning as she set them back down on her dresser. Blaine moved forward to see. He saw the photos in the frames, then. Some were photos of Santana and her parents, some were pictures of the Cheerios, one was the year book photo of the glee club, senior year and several were of Santana and Brittany, messing around, goofing off, smiling. One photo caught his eye, however. Santana and Brittany were sitting next to each other in the McKinley cafeteria. It was clear someone else had taken the photo. Brittany was being her usual, bubbly self, laughing at something. Santana was next to her, smiling at her and Blaine didn't know about a lot of things, but he knew that look.

Santana was in love with Brittany.

"What happened?" he asked, quietly. "I mean, you don't have to tell me, but.."

"She's bi," Santana told him. "She.. I let her go, because I was scared. She's with Artie now, apparently—the dude in the wheelchair? You locked him in a portable toilet once?"

Blaine shuddered slightly. "I know Artie, Santana. I was in glee with you, remember?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's whatever," she told him. "I try to avoid talking to her if I can. Sometimes I'll pick up because I want to hear her voice, see what she's up to, but it mostly just hurts. I'm trying to move on."

Blaine frowned. "Santana," he said, softly. "Maybe you should tell her the truth."

"It's too late now." She dropped the frames and walked across the room, then pulled her jacket on.

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked.

"To get drunk," she told him, with a smile. "You're welcome to join me, but I think that's a bad idea, since last time you nearly fucked up what you have with the only guy who'll ever put up with you."

Blaine smiled back at her. "Yeah," he said. "Plus, I've got this.. I don't know what to call it. Colton's coming round. Kurt wants to prove to him that we're a good couple, or something, because he said something weird."

Santana scoffed. "As if anything that ever comes out of that guy's mouth isn't weird." Blaine laughed. "Hey, listen, I'll be home late. Thank pretty boy Hummel for the whole letting me move in for reals thing and for the love of God, Anderson, put on a pair of socks."

"Got it," he smiled. "Call if you need anything. We'll come get you."

She nodded and grabbed her bag, then went towards the door. She reached out for the handle, but stopped still. Then she spoke, her back still to Blaine. "I know I make fun of you, like, all the time," she began. "But I really do think you and Kurt are right for each other. Do Auntie 'Tana a favour? Don't screw up like I did. Don't let him get away. You'll regret it."

Blaine smiled, because this was a side of her he hadn't seen before. "I won't," he assured her. "And Santana? Things are going to work out for you. I know it."

"You're my favourite enthusiastic, little gay, Blainers," she told him, then opened the door and went outside. Blaine followed. "Don't wait up," she told him, then opened the front door. The second she closed the door behind her, Blaine's phone beeped in his pocket. He took it out and looked at the screen.

1 NEW MESSAGE FROM: KURT.
Hey, honey. I'm going to be late. I'm so sorry. Trying to squeeze lessons for two lectures into one. Colton will be there soon. Keep him busy and don't get mad if he says anything strange. I'll be home ASAP. Love you.

Blaine groaned. This was going to be harder than he'd anticipated. He sent a quick text back to Kurt.

To Kurt:
You live to torture me, don't you? I'll do my best. Love you more.

Blaine slipped his phone back in is pocket and there was a knock on the door. He put on his best smile and opened it, to find Colton standing there. When he saw Blaine, his neutral expression changed. He looked cold and hard and Blaine shivered slightly at the darkness of his eyes. He stood back and let Colton inside, then closed the door and pulled out his phone.

To Kurt:
Colton just got here. I'm glad we don't have a bunny, because the look he gave me just now tells me he would boil it and laugh evilly while doing so. Please be as fast as you can, or he might boil me instead. Love you. -Your very attractive, very frightened boyfriend, Blaine. X