Chapter 11

Falling back to the patterns of public school, at least in terms of going back to being bullied, wasn’t quite as easy as everything else. On the other hand, there was a gigantic difference between Blaine’s life at McKinley and that he had led two years prior at Westerville North.

McKinley might have not had the no tolerance policy the Dalton administration were wise enough to introduce, but still Blaine felt safer. Although safer in a different way.

Because apart from those who wanted to hurt him – and Kurt – there were always those willing to help them put themselves back together. The New Directions seemed to have their consciences still slightly heavy for not being there for Kurt the previous year. If any of them happened to be within earshot of whatever slur was thrown Kurt or Blaine’s way, they would stand up to Azimio or Karofsky or whoever else it was to say it.

At one instance, Kurt overheard a conversation between Karofsky, Puck and Finn, which made his heart melt. He couldn’t see the situation from where he was changing back into his regular clothes after gym, but he could hear their words clearly.

‘So what, Hudson, you and Puckerman joined homoland now, too?,’ Karofsky was saying venomously. ‘Hummel should be wearing a sign Beware! Contagious homo.’

A shuffling sound followed.

‘Watch it, Karofsky,’ Puck said threateningly.

‘What, don’t want your boyfriend to meet my fist, Puckerman?’ Karofsky’s tone dripped with sneer. Kurt could almost see the expression the guy was wearing; he’d seen it so many times before as Karofsky had insulted him, he could draw it from memory.

‘No, I just don’t want you to pick on my boys, dick.’

Karofsky chuckled mockingly.

‘Oh, so now it’s your boys. What is it, like a foursome?’

This time it was Finn to finally speak.

‘I don’t want you, or any of the other guys to pick on my brother. Or on Blaine. If that happens again, I’m reporting you to Coach Beiste, got it?’

At first Kurt had to wonder for a second, whether Finn really called him his brother. He didn’t expect the guy who used to bully him almost as much as Karofsky and Azimio to change his attitude so much in such a short time. But it was true that the Hudsons and the Hummels were becoming a strange sort of a family and they really were about to be brothers within a short couple of months.

Silence pervaded for a moment, as Kurt stopped to listen and smile to himself at what Finn had just said.

‘Right,’ Karofsky snorted after a minute. ‘We’ll see about that.’

And the locker room door slammed shut behind him.

***

The beginning of October brought with it the news of Puck landing in juvie, and the New Directions were once again a member short. No one knew whether Noah would be out before sectionals or not. Thankfully, Finn never stopped praising Glee club to the newest addition to the football team. The blond-haired transfer kid, Sam Evans – as Finn had once mentioned to Kurt, with a curious blush colouring his cheeks – was supposed to have a really great voice. And with nationals taking place in New York, how could they pass on an opportunity to get as many of such voices as possible, even if Puck managed to be back for the competition season?

Eventually, Finn’s praises paid off, and Sam – temporarily deprived of football practice due to injury – joined Glee club. The first thing he said was a lame Sean Connery impersonation as he introduced himself James Bond style.

Kurt cast his eyes over Sam and motioned to Blaine and Mercedes to lean towards him.

‘Okay, he’s gay,’ he stated.

‘Nope, he’s not,’ Blaine countered. Sam’s hair could point to him playing for their team, but the rest – especially the way he was eyeing Quinn – said otherwise.

‘How’d you know?,’ whispered Mercedes.

‘How many straight men who dye their hair blonde like that do you know?’ He sent her a doubtful look.

Mercedes took a moment to consider it and studied Sam’s hair.

‘None. But it still doesn’t mean he likes guys.’

‘We shall see,’ Kurt smirked.

Mr Schue was going on about the duet competition they were having in Glee, and Kurt’s eyes were getting brighter by the minute.

‘You’re not gonna do this, right?,’ Blaine muttered to him, immediately seeing through his friend.

‘What are you talking about?’ Kurt threw him a glare and returned to staring at the back of Sam’s unnaturally blond head.

‘Yeah, what are you talking about, boy?,’ Mercedes cut in, staring at the both of them quizzically.

Kurt pursed his lips. Yes, he did want to sing his duet with the new guy. But then, Blaine would be left without a partner. He wasn’t keen on leaving his friend alone for the duet competition, while he’s off pursuing Sam, who could very well turn out to be as straight as they come, despite the Linda Evangelista circa 1993 hair.

‘Kurt wants to sing the duet with New Guy over there,’ Blaine said slightly indignantly. He was a little disappointed, but could understand where Kurt was coming from. Having friends isn’t everything. Sometimes it’s just not enough to hug your friend. Sometimes you need a different type of closeness. Especially when you’re a hormonal teenager.

‘What about Blaine? I thought you’d sing together,’ Mercedes said to Kurt, knitting her brows.

Kurt shrugged dismissively. ‘Yeah, it’s just an idea.’

It seemed to have satisfied Mercedes’ curiosity, but Blaine was still eyeing Kurt uncertainly.

‘You do know what it would mean for him, right?’

‘What do you mean?,’ Kurt asked, even though he knew the answer perfectly well.

Blaine sighed.

‘We get a lot of shit for being who we are. And you know that if you sing a duet with a guy, a guy who you can’t tell with one hundred per cent certainty whether he’s straight or not, they will automatically assume he’s gay, too. The truth won’t matter. And he’ll be totally screwed, you know that. There’s no need to drag him into this.’

For a moment Kurt stayed silent, chewing on his lower lip. There was no denying Blaine was right. And he had a duet partner anyway, that was never a problem.

‘Alright.’ He let out a long sigh. ‘So what are we singing?’

***

‘I’m starting to think it wasn’t the best idea for our duet,’ Kurt said, when the whole Glee club was waiting for Mr Schue to come in.

Blaine shifted in his chair to look at his friend. They were as well rehearsed as they could be, both sounded amazing, and the song was a hit. Why wouldn’t it be a good idea? His forehead creased, as he pondered over the matter.

‘Why?,’ he asked eventually.

Kurt rolled his eyes.

‘Have you ever listened to the lyrics? They’re gonna think we’re dating. Again.’ He scoffed and smoothed his shirt out.

Blaine couldn’t resist a giggle.

‘You’re getting suspiciously frustrated by that.’

Kurt shot him a glare.

‘Just shut up, Anderson.’

But as soon as they were in the middle of the room, with the first bars of Animal filling the room, Kurt wasn’t thinking about the meaning behind the lyrics. He was belting out his parts, knowing that they were really, really good, maybe the best in the duets’ competition. Their voices joined perfectly, their playful smiles mirrored each other. The other Glee-clubbers were dancing in their seats, torn between enjoying themselves and fearing the competition.

The applause they received was still enthusiastic, and Kurt bowed deeply, while Blaine gave a small nod, his lips spread in a huge grin.

‘So what, you and Hobbit are a couple now?,’ Santana asked from where she sat in the last row with Brittany.

‘No, Santana, it’s just a song,’ Kurt answered firmly, turning his eyes to Blaine in an I-told-you-so kind of look.

‘Too bad, you’re like a sexually frustrated old married couple.’

She shrugged her shoulders, and the boys rolled their eyes in perfect sync.