Kurt came out looking just a little bit deflated and Blaine didn't have to ask to know why.

"His name's Sebastian Smythe and he's moving in this afternoon," Kurt's mouth pulled together in what was almost a pout. Blaine wanted to kiss it away, so he did. The courtyard was empty but the kiss was brief and sweet. It left Kurt smiling which made Blaine light up inside.

"I'm sorry you're getting a roommate," Blaine told him softly as he held his hand out for Kurt's.

"Me too," Kurt said. He tucked his hand into Blaine's as they walked toward the student parking lot. "No more space, no more privacy, and Blaine, what if he's a pig? I can't even go into some of these guy's bathrooms! I don't want to share mine with some cretin who doesn't know how to lift the toilet seat!"

Blaine just squeezed his hand, giving him the space to rant as he needed. Blaine was lucky in the roommate department and everyone knew it. He and Trent had been fast friends and had even joined the Warblers at the same time. Trent was tidy and friendly and generally a treat to be around. Not everyone got that lucky. Blaine would just have to hope that Kurt could win in that department too.

"And where will we go to be alone?" Kurt finally got around to asking as they slid into his car.

"People find ways," Blaine said thoughtfully. "Maybe we set up a system with our roommates or find other private places. It could be fun." Okay that was slightly reaching, Blaine knew. What was fun was being alone behind a locked door with nothing but each other to think about, but Blaine wasn't about to let Kurt worry about them when he was already worried about having to share his space with some new guy.

"Sure, fun," Kurt huffed, but he reached over and squeezed Blaine's hand one last time before driving them out toward the main road out of Westerville.

After that they talked for a little bit about school and the Warblers. Mainly their upcoming Sectionals performance and which songs they were going to use to audition for solos with. Talking music always led to sing-alongs and Kurt had Blaine plug in his iPod so they could sing with their car trip playlist. Before either of them even realized they were crossing into the Lima city limits and pulling into the Lima Bean.

They settled into a table by the window and Blaine stirred the cinnamon in his coffee as he thought of a way to begin. Across from him, Kurt was quiet, patiently waiting for Blaine, never pushing him to get on with anything. It struck Blaine then how much they balanced each other and how that balance swung and switched and somehow always remained even. An anchor for him no matter what life was throwing his way. Which was how he knew this was right.

"You know I came to Dalton to escape some bullies back at my old school," Blaine began and Kurt watched him, his face serene as he waited.

"It was the Sadie Hawkins dance, in April of my eighth grade year. I didn't want to be left out just because I was gay, and I was tired of hiding myself to make other people comfortable. I had a friend, Kyle, who felt the same way. So we decided to go together. It wasn't really a date and we didn't do it to make some big statement. In fact we were only brave enough to dance just once toward the end of the night, and then we left." Blaine had to stop then and take a sip of his coffee. He knew it wasn't going to be easy to say all of this to Kurt, but it had to be said, because he wanted Kurt to understand the specifics of why he struggled with the particular things he struggled with.

"They jumped us in the parking lot. They took Kyle down first, holding me back as they beat him. When he went limp they turned on me, beating me unconscious. I didn't wake up for almost three weeks and then I was in the hospital for almost a month just trying to get back the ability to eat and go to the bathroom by myself. Kyle wasn't much better, but his parents moved him away and I didn't hear from him again."

"Kurt, I didn't start the ninth grade when I should have. I was still recovering from head trauma that left me confused and a body so broken I was in physical therapy for the better part of that year. When I finally did get better, I came to Dalton. I didn't keep in touch with any of my old friends, because they hadn't kept in touch with me. And what was worse, the guys that did that to me, they all got off with community service since it couldn't be proven that they meant to hurt us that bad, or that they were trying to kill us. So Dalton was my refuge. I learned self defense, and took up boxing. I started the Dalton Fight Club, which actually I'm not supposed to talk about, and I promised myself that I wasn't going to let anyone scare me like that again."

Kurt reached forward and took Blaine's hand, squeezing hard. Their eyes met and Blaine could see that Kurt knew that fear, even if their stories were different, the fear was universal. He hated that Kurt had been afraid himself, but he was relieved at the same time to finally find someone that could really understand what he'd been through.

"I wanted to tell you that because I felt like I'd misled you before. When I told you that I ran from my bullies and I told you to stand up for yourself? Later, when everything happened with Karofsky, I felt so much guilt. I hadn't wanted you to be a victim, but I hadn't been honest with you either, and I felt like..." Blaine's voice broke off in a quiet choked sob. "I felt like I'd put you in danger."

"Oh, Blaine," Kurt's voice was soft, his eyes surprised. "You didn't put me in danger, Karofsky did. I was already determined before I even met you. I would have done the exact same thing no matter what because that's just who I am. I'm the one that chased him and stood up to him. And when that wasn't working, I did finally leave. None of that is on you, Blaine. I promise."

His smile was so sincere that it made something constricting in Blaine's chest ease up a little. Kurt seemed then to reach another conclusion just then. "And that's why you've been having those nightmares," he said gently. Blaine just nodded.

"But I haven't had any lately," he said. "Things have been so good with us that I've just... my sleep has been really quiet."

"I'm really glad. I hate to think about you worrying and carrying so much when you don't have to." Kurt soothed his thumb over Blaine's knuckles. "Thank you for sharing your story with me, Blaine," he whispered.

"Thank you for hearing it," Blaine smiled a little then because he felt so grateful to have someone like Kurt in his life; someone to trust and share with. It was a miracle to know him and to belong to him.

Afterwards their conversation turned to lighter topics again, and they made plans to get together later, even if it wasn't for a hot and heavy make out session in Kurt's room. There was still the new roommate to meet and after the release of Blaine's story, he wanted nothing more than to curl up with Kurt and maybe watch a movie which they could do in several places. It didn't matter where so long as he had Kurt with him. Blaine didn't say it then, but it was just on the tip of his tongue as they headed out into the afternoon sunlight to climb back into Kurt's car. He loved Kurt, he realized. He'd loved him for a long time now and someday soon, he was going to say it.