Elizabeth woke early, used to the dim early morning hours after years of the same shift at the local children’s hospital. She stepped over the boys that were still fast asleep on the living room floor, Kurt still holding onto Blaine. She went into the kitchen and started making a pot of coffee, going over the talk she’d had with Blaine two nights ago.

They sat across from each other at the kitchen table. Elizabeth watched as Blaine tugged at the edge of the white table cloth covering it.

“Blaine”

“I’m sorry Mrs. Hummel. I shouldn’t have come here. I barely know Kurt.”

She reached out and put a hand over one of Blaine's.”

“Please sweetie, call me Liz and don’t be ridiculous, you’re welcome to stay here.”

She watched with a sad expression as Blaine looked up, tears shining brightly under the kitchen light.

“But if you want help I’m going to need to know what happened. You don’t have to tell me anything right now though; we can wait until you’re ready.”

She studied Blaine as he looked back down at the table for a few minutes. This was definitely his first time being kicked out, but it wasn’t the first time one of his parents had been abusive towards him.

Elizabeth started to open her mouth to send him back upstairs to get some rest when he started talking.

“I- I got into a fight with my father.”

Ah, his father.

“It’s not the first; I always disappoint him –them- and it’s just been worse since my brother –since he died.”

Elizabeth thought he sounded resigned; as if what he’d said was hard fact and nothing could ever change it.

“They wanted me to have dinner with one of his bosses and get to “know” the man’s daughter. I went but I barely talked to her. Every time my father’s done this the girls are all the same.”

He brought a hand to the nape of his neck in what Elizabeth was sure was a subconscious gesture. He touched his gelled down hair and dropped his hand, like he had forgotten.

Elizabeth assumed he didn’t normally wear his hair like this and figured Kurt would probably have a hand in bringing it back to normal.

“After they’d left’s when he started the yelling. I told him I didn’t want to get to know her and that he couldn’t make me. I never talk back so it just made him angrier and he was starting to yell more and then I just said it.”

She watched as his shoulders rolled in on himself, making him look smaller. She’d seen so many patients do this as a defense tactic.

“I told him that I’m- I’m… that I’m gay.”

His voice lost all emotion.

“He hit me and called me a faggot.”

Blaine went silent for a few seconds before breaking down into hysterical sobs.

“I wasn’t ready,” his voice cracked. “I wasn’t ready.”

Elizabeth stood and went around the table, taking Blaine into her arms.

“And n-now they h-hate me even more. They don’t want me,” he sobbed, his voice cracked again. “They’ll never want me.”

He clung to her shirt and cried harder. Elizabeth cooed into his ear and petted at his hair.

“Shh, sweetheart, you’ll stay with us, okay? As long as you need us we’ll be here.”

She gently rocked him back and forth until he stopped crying.

“Thank you, Mrs. –I mean, Liz.”

He sounded exhausted and she sent him up to bed.

Elizabeth idly sipped at her coffee, heartbroken even just remembering their talk. Last night she’d worked with one of the more fiery young nurses and together they’d formulated a plan that they hoped would work.

She poured out the rest of her cup and went about making strawberry pancakes for the boys. Soon enough they were awake and rubbing at their eyes while sitting next to each other at the kitchen table. They ate mostly in silence, each one wrapped in their own thoughts. Elizabeth went over and over what she was going to do as she washed the dishes, washed her hair in the shower and while getting dressed in a red and white sundress.

By the time she got downstairs again the boys were starting to play scrabble on their make shift bed, still pajama clad. “I’ll be back in a few boys, behave yourselves!” she called out cheerily, though it was a clear contradiction of her actual mood.

One okay followed the other, neither boy looking away from the game as she walked out the kitchen door. She headed down the row of houses, waving at Hiram Berry as she passed by, and turned onto the next row, gearing herself up for something she never thought she would have to do.

Elizabeth stood in front of the Anderson’s door, immobile for only a moment before firmly knocking. It took a few unsure minutes for anybody to answer and when the door opened a woman, no doubt Blaine’s mother, stood wearing dark clothing and looking quite bored. She looked Elizabeth up and down before curtly saying, “Whatever you’re selling we don’t want any.” And starting to close the door.

She reached out to prevent being shut out, “I’m not selling anything. I’m here because of your son, Blaine.”

The woman reopened the door, raising a thin eyebrow but not saying anything before shouting over her shoulder.

“Walter, I need your assistance at the door.”

Elizabeth squared her shoulders as a tall, lean man came up behind his wife.

“She’s here because of Blaine.”

Walter took Elizabeth in with a blank expression.

“What do you want?”�

Walter sounded as bored as his wife looked.

“Blaine is staying at my house,” she answered, her words much more confident than she felt “–and though I’m sincerely doubting you care – judging by the bruise on his face – I’m letting you know and asking if I can collect the rest of his things; he’ll be starting school in a couple of weeks, and will surely need something he forgot to grab in his haste to get out.”

The Andersons adopted surly looks as she went on.

“And furthermore, I’d think somebody who has already lost one son wouldn’t be so quick to lose another – and so willingly, too, especially one as kind and gentle as Blaine. I would go so far as to say you don’t deserve him; or his brother, for that matter. Now you two need to fix this with your son, or I will call CPS – a place where I have fantastic connections – and they will come and fix this for you.”

She promptly turned on her heel, leaving two very red faced people lingering in their doorway.

Elizabeth practically marched back to her house, hoping something good would come of what she’d said. She hadn’t meant to say that bit about not deserving Blaine or his brother but it was too late, and she’d just have to hope for the best.

When she walked into the house the boys were packing away Scrabble, Kurt looking victorious.

“That was a quick game. Who won?” she asked, walking towards the boys.

Blaine looked up.

“Kurt did – he’s very wordy.”

Elizabeth laughed. “He is, isn’t he?”

She reached down and ruffled Blaine’s hair.

“He beats everybody, don’t take it too hard.”

Kurt smiled proudly at his mother’s words but said nothing on the subject, choosing to change it instead.

“Mom, do we have any chocolate chips?”

“I put them in the vegetable drawer so they wouldn’t go soft. Whatever you make, be sure to clean up after.”

She bent down and kissed the top of Kurt’s head.

“I’m going to go into work early today to cover the end of Mary’s shift, so you two behave yourselves, alright?”

She started towards the stairs but stopped, one foot on the bottom step.

“Oh, Kurt honey, I’m going to leave some pizza money on my dresser if you boys don’t want leftovers.”

Kurt smiled at her.

“Thanks, Mom.”

00

Later that afternoon, Kurt and Blaine were going through Blaine’s suitcase, putting things in a dresser drawer Kurt had emptied out for him to use while he stayed. They had it about halfway done when Kurt realized Blaine had been holding a shirt in his lap for a few minutes, looking at it like his favorite pet had just died.

“Blaine, are you okay?”

Blaine started, having gotten lost in his own thoughts.

“Yeah. I mean – no.”

He sighed.

“I don’t know.”

He shook his head and looked back down at the shirt.

“This used to be my brother’s.”

Blaine toyed with a loose thread around the collar and looked up at Kurt, who has his head cocked to one side.

“I didn’t know you had a brother.” Kurt said softly.

“Yeah, I-I don’t really talk about him.”

“Do you guys not get along?”

“I –we,” Blaine sighed, “it’s kind of complicated?”

He looked down, his eyes welling with tears.

“Blaine?”

Kurt’s voice was laced with concern.

Blaine didn’t respond, too lost in the memories swirling to life in his mind. He shook his head, refocusing himself on reality and found Kurt sitting much closer to him than before; one of his hands on top of Blaine’s and worry etched on his face.

“S-sorry. It’s just – Coop and I didn’t get along so great. He was ten years older than me so we were just too different. He tried though, I guess, towards the end.”

Blaine squeezed Kurt’s hand as tears rolled down his cheeks, wetting the only thing he had left of his brother.

“He –uh, he died. A little over a year ago in a car crash.”

Blaine wasn’t able to elaborate further, finding himself almost knocked to the floor with the force of Kurt’s embrace.

He hugged back just as tight and just as hard.

They stopped unpacking, deciding to make cookies instead.

00

“Will you hand me the bag of chocolate chips?” Kurt asked, stirring the thick dough.

“Only if I get to eat some of the dough.”

“Blaine!” Kurt whined in warning.

“I know, I know. ‘No eating the batter until after the cookies are in the oven.’ See? I remembered.”

Blaine grinned.

Kurt punched his arm.

“Ow.”

Blaine rubbed his arm.

“No, wait, that didn’t actually hurt. I take that back.”

Blaine laughed at the glare Kurt shot him.

“Are you gonna hand me the chocolate chips or not?”

Blaine tapped his chin, “Umm – yeah, sure, why not?”

He handed Kurt the open bag, smiling innocently.

Kurt raised an eyebrow and started dumping the contents in the bowl.

Once he was stirring again, Blaine snuck up behind him and quickly dipped a finger into the bowl, scooping out a chunk of dough.

“Blaine! Hands off!”

Kurt turned away from Blaine to protect the dough with his body and continued to stir.

Blaine had other ideas, though, as he quickly reached around and put the glob of dough on Kurt’s cheek.

Kurt whipped around.

“You did not.” He wiped the dough from his face and gave Blaine a smile that had him backing out of the kitchen slowly.

Blaine turned and ran.

“Oh, no you don’t! Come back here!”�

Kurt took off after him and caught him halfway up the stairs, tackling him hard on the steps.

They landed with an oof, and before Blaine could blink, Kurt was halfway on top of him, splattering the cookie dough on both cheeks before tickling him. Blaine couldn’t stop laughing and squirming, failing at his attempts to retaliate until Kurt abruptly shot up and ran back down the stairs.

Blaine was hot on his heels and caught him by the couch, tickling him until they were a crying pile on the floor.

They laid near each other, legs tangled together and breathing heavily as they tried to calm themselves down. Kurt turned his head to look at Blaine, who looked back.

“No more cookie dough.”

Blaine just laughed and untangled himself from Kurt, standing up and offering a hand. Kurt took it and hauled himself off the floor. Accidentally stepping on his own foot, he fell straight in to Blaine, and he reflexively reached out to steady himself, ending up grabbing Blaine’s waist with one hand and his forearm with the other. Kurt looked up and smiled awkwardly, hastily letting Blaine go.

Neither of them moved from the other’s space, and Blaine was sure Kurt could hear his heart thumping wildly in his chest as Kurt raised a hand towards his face. His breathing hitched when Kurt laid gentle fingers against his cheek – he wasn’t sure what was happening, but he was hoping for the best case scenario; a kiss.

Kurt, however, didn’t seem to be thinking along those lines. He brushed what was left of the dough off and grabbed his hand, leading them back towards the kitchen.

“We’re going to put them in the oven, then clean you up, okay?”

Blaine couldn’t see but Kurt was blushing and smiling to himself.

All Blaine could do was follow, and maybe think about how Kurt’s hand felt against his cheek.

00

Ten minutes later, they’ve put the cookies in the oven and set the timer.

Kurt’s washed his hands, and Blaine’s leaning against the counter next to him, drying his.

Kurt turned off the tap and turned to face Blaine, “It’s time to get you cleaned up!”

He took the towel Blaine was still holding and quickly dried his hands, discarding it on the counter and – almost hesitantly – taking Blaine hands again.

They didn’t let go until Blaine was sitting down on one side of a small vanity bench in his mother’s bathroom.

Blaine got up and took in his surroundings as Kurt left the room momentarily – there were a woman’s –obviously Elizabeth’s – things on one side of the large counter; perfume bottles, makeup, bottles of things Blaine wasn’t sure of.

The other side of the counter had fewer things on it, but they obviously belonged to a man – aftershave, cologne, a razor next to a soap pot and deodorant surrounded the sink on either side.

Blaine was confused; he’d never seen a man around the house since he’d been there. He’d never heard Kurt talk about a dad, or even a possible boyfriend of Elizabeth’s.

Blaine picked up the cologne and popped the cap off, lightly sniffing it. It was pleasant and a little bit familiar.

“Blaine?”

Blaine started, and quickly put the bottle down, turning and looking like a deer in headlights. Kurt was standing in the doorway, holding a damp washcloth and a small white bottle. He didn’t look upset or angry with him, surprisingly – maybe just a little curious.

“S-sorry. I was just looking.”

Kurt walked over to the bench and sat down, legs crisscrossing. He patted the spot in front of him.

Blaine quickly went to sit down again, mirroring Kurt, who scooted closer, putting settling his knees on top of Blaine’s.

Kurt cupped the side of Blaine’s face that wasn’t bruised and brought the cloth up to gently rub at the doughy residue.

“It’s okay, you know. That side of the counter is –was my dad’s. He died eleven months ago.”

Blaine reached out and laid an empathetic hand on Kurt’s knee.

Kurt worked carefully around the top part of the bruise and lowered the towel.

“Okay, you’re all clean.”

Blaine moved his hand from Kurt’s knee and put it over the hand that was still cupping his face. He removed it and pulled Kurt into a hug.

They only broke apart when the timer went off.

After heading downstairs, Kurt and Blaine were sitting on opposite counters, waiting for the cookies to cool enough to eat.

“Kurt?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we talk?”

“What about?”

Blaine hesitated.

“Cooper?”

“Of course.”

Kurt jumped down from his counter and joined Blaine on his.

“Are you okay, Blaine?”

“I just can’t stop thinking about him now.”

“Yeah – I know how it feels.”

“And I’m sorry about in the bathroom. I really am.”

Kurt took one of Blaine’s hands in his.

“I told you, it’s okay. It really is.”

“Did you know that my father has told me four times now that he wishes that it was me instead of Cooper?”

Kurt blanched, releasing Blaine’s hand in a fit of outrage.

“He what?!”

“Yeah.”

“Screw it. We’re eating these cookies now. C’mon Blaine.”

Kurt jumped from the counter and started piling cookies onto a waiting plate. Blaine jumped down, and followed after Kurt as he marched to his bedroom.

They both crawled on his bed, and spent the rest of the afternoon talking about their families and the tragedies that fell on both.

They only stopped to order pizza.

They were lying down on Kurt’s bed, facing each other, when the doorbell rang. Both boys sprung up and went downstairs.

Kurt opened the door, money in hand, to pay for the food but it wasn’t the delivery guy. A sour looking woman, wearing clothes far too dark for the heat, was staring at him almost appraisingly.

“Mom?”

Blaine walked forward and Kurt quickly moved out of the way.

“Hello, Blaine. Your father wanted me to let you know that you’ll no longer be going to Dalton and he’s enrolled you in the local school. You’re also allowed back home starting tomorrow as long as you don’t flout your,” she looked past Blaine, sneering at Kurt, “disease any further. He’s also had a promotion so we’ll be gone more often. You’re to keep the house in order when we’re not there. If you break either of those rules, we will not hesitate to send you away.”

Blaine didn’t notice her walk away or hear Kurt’s concerned question. He just closed the door and sunk to the floor, crying.

Kurt caught Blaine halfway to the floor and pulled him into his lap. He could feel Blaine’s hot tears against his neck and felt helpless as he rubbed his back and held him tight.

When the pizza got there Kurt put it in the fridge and took Blaine, now looking extremely downcast, back up to his room and made him change into pajamas as Kurt did the same. When Kurt came back in the room from changing, Blaine was curled in a little ball in the center of the bed. Kurt moved the plate of cookies to the nightstand and crawled onto the bed behind Blaine who reached out an arm to grab Kurt and pull him closer until Kurt was holding Blaine.

“What do you think she meant by away?” Blaine whispered.

“I don’t know.”

They fell into a fitful sleep.

00

Blaine’s trying to wake Kurt up from a nightmare.

Kurt’s face is wet from tears, and he’s thrashing around in the bed, and Blaine’s worried because he’s already been at this for a full five minutes, and Kurt seems just as scared as he was when he’d first punched Blaine in the rib after his first attempt to shake Kurt awake.

He watched helplessly as Kurt cried out just before he shot into a sitting position, eyes wide with fear and breath coming short and fast. Kurt brought his knees up and crossed his arms over his chest, gripping onto his shoulders as his fast, heavy breathing turned into hyperventilation.

Kurt was having a panic attack and Blaine didn’t know what to do.

Blaine sat right beside Kurt and started rubbing his back, trying to calm him down but it wasn’t working at all and Blaine was about to get up and wake Elizabeth when remembered something Cooper had taught him – one of the only times his brother had been there for him.

Blaine sat behind Kurt, placing him between his legs and pressing until Kurt’s back was against Blaine’s chest – Blaine was surrounding him like a blanket. He wrapped his arms around Kurt’s, and gently removed Kurt’s hands from the tight grip on his shoulders, lacing their fingers together and bringing them to rest on Blaine’s knees.

Blaine spoke directly into Kurt’s ear in a calm, even tone.

“Try to mimic my breathing.”

He started breathing deeply in and out and followed with reassurances.

“You’re in a safe place, Kurt.”

He felt Kurt squeeze his hands on Blaine’s knees.

“You can breathe.”

Kurt gave a strangled response.

“No I can’t.”

“If you can talk, you can breathe.”

Kurt’s breathing started to slow down and as each minute passed he felt Kurt relax more and more until he’s breathing normally and slumped against Blaine.

“ ‘m all sweaty.”

“Do you want help changing?”

Kurt quickly shook his head ‘no’

“’mbarrassing. Get me a new shirt?”

“Okay.”

Blaine leaned Kurt forward and crawled out from behind him and grabbed a shirt from his still open suitcase.

He went back to the bed where Kurt was sitting crisscrossed and trying to undo his shirts buttons but failing because of his shaky hands. Blaine sat across from him and moved Kurt’s hands without a fight, beginning to� undo the buttons. He kept his eyes focused on the buttons, and then on Kurt’s face as he shrugged the top off his shoulder and down his arms to pool behind him.

Kurt weakly held his arms out towards Blaine, silently asking for him to put the shirt on. Blaine gave him a small smile and bunched the shirt up to the sleeves, quietly redressing Kurt and trying not to let his eyes linger on Kurt’s very bare chest when he has to look down to help the shirt over.

When the shirt was all the way on, Kurt laid himself down on his side, facing Blaine.

“Are you alright?”

“Mm, yeah. Stay?”

“Of course.”

Blaine lied down, mirroring Kurt.

After a few minutes Kurt started to fidget, trying to kick the covers off the bed. Blaine chuckled and sat up, pulling them off the bed and laying back down on his back. Kurt closed the small gap between them, resting his head on Blaine’s shoulder.

He mumbled into Blaine’s ear.

“I would be mortified right now if I wasn’t so tired.”

Blaine squeezed the hand that Kurt laid on his chest.

“You’ll have time tomorrow to be mortified.”

“G’night, Blaine.”

Blaine sighed softly, relaxing under Kurt’s weight, all thoughts of the coming day chased from his mind as Kurt nuzzled further into Blaine’s neck.

�“Goodnight, Kurt.”