Chapter 9

'Don't you think we should get back?,' Blaine murmured against Kurt's lips.

The evening around them was quiet, except for the muffled voices, laughter and songs coming from the barn.

'No,' Kurt groaned. 'I like it here.'

'People might get suspicious.'

They both hated the hiding. Being this ecstatic and being completely unable to show it without messing up their lives was the worst part of their budding relationship. It wasn't that they wanted to show off, to rub their love in other people's faces. They simply wished they could let the world see how proud they were to be with one another.

'I guess you're right,' Kurt admitted finally with a sigh.

He pulled Blaine by the hand, stealing one more kiss in passing, and they made their way to the barn gate.

'Can you imagine their faces if we walked in like this?,' Kurt said lightly, holding up their locked hands.

In spite of himself, Blaine barked out a laugh.

'This wasn't funny,' he protested, still giggling.

'It was. A little. The view would be spectacular.'

He pushed the door open, forgetting he hadn't actually let go of Blaine's hand. The sudden feeling of something being missing made him turn to his boyfriend with an apologetic look.

'It's fine. I don't think anybody noticed,' Blaine whispered in his ear.

'I'm sorry anyway. I should've been more careful.'

'Come on, let's get some food,' Blaine suggested, pulling Kurt closer, holding him gingerly by the elbow.

'Okay. I need something to occupy my mouth, so that I don't kiss you,' Kurt whispered leaving to Blaine and making his cheeks turn brightly red.

***

Josh was standing alone in a dingy corner of the barn, where he could watch everyone without being seen. He wasn't a big fan of sings, but he always found it interesting how much one could find out from observing other people's interactions. That was why he wasn't surprised in the slightest when Joe Hershberger wanted to ask his sister out. He knew who liked whom and which people hated each other's guts.

This time, it was his younger brother that drew his attention most of the evening. At least, whenever Blaine wasn't disappearing outside. Walking out of the barn would be a risk of someone noticing Josh, and he didn't like the idea.

But every time the gate opened, his eyes were immediately fixed on that spot. Mostly it would be some engaged couple sneaking out for a moment or groups of girls going out to get some air. And then, there were Kurt and Blaine.

For whatever reason, they were walking extremely close to each other, their shoulders brushing, their eyes barely checking the way in front of them, too busy staring at one another. They disappeared for a good half hour and Josh waited. There was something oddly familiar about the way they acted around each other. Something he'd both seen countless times and never witnessed before.

When the two boys eventually appeared back in the barn, Josh was still watching vigilantly. It was quite dark at the entrance, but he caught Blaine jerking his hand out of Kurt's. They exchanged a look and whispered something to each other, before going back to the tabled with Josh's eyes staying glued to them.

There was hardly any space left between the two when they settled on the wooden bench. Their arms were flush against each other, their eyes invariably fixed on the other's face. They barely looked at the food standing before them. They were talking and laughing, the outside world almost completely forgotten.

Josh squinted, his suspicion steadily growing. It seemed he had no choice but to talk to his brother about this.

***

Blaine went to bed right after coming back from the sing. He'd never had so much fun at any of those, and since he couldn't be with Kurt anymore, he wanted to at least have a moment to daydream about him before falling asleep.

Only he couldn't have known that his brother would have other plans.

'Blaine?,' Josh started. 'What's going on with you and Kurt Hershberger?'

Grateful that he was turned away from Josh, Blaine took a deep calming breath. This was nothing, it meant nothing.

'We're friends,' he answered with a one-shoulder shrug.

'You looked awfully cosy at the sing,' Josh went on, cautiously choosing his words.

'Really? Huh,' Blaine mumbled with fake astonishment. 'I mean, we are- close friends.'

Josh snorted.

'Close, huh? Since when?'

Blaine turned onto his back, glaring at his brother. There was an evil spark in Josh's eyes. For once Blaine knew exactly why Kurt called the Amish judgemental hypocrites. A lot of people in the congregation thought Josh the most likely to become the perfect minister as soon as he's old enough. And he was definitely not in perfect concord with all the commandments.

'Since recently,' Blaine snapped. 'And it's none of your business.'

'How so? I don't want people to think that my brother is a sodomite.'

Blaine's chest constricted uncomfortably.

'What do you care what they say about me?,' he said. His voice almost broke.

No one was supposed to suspect anything. Fucking Josh and his nosiness. Now everything could come out, get them shunned and universally hated, and what for? A couple of stolen kisses? Were they really worth all that?

As soon as those thoughts crossed Blaine's mind, he wished he could punch himself for ever letting himself think them. He had never been this happy in his life, and it was all thanks to Kurt. It wasn't about the kissing or anything physical really. It was about the warmth that spread over Blaine's heart every time Kurt looked at him with that bright smile of his.

'I happen to care what people think about our family,' Josh spat. 'And you better not be an ungrateful little piece of horse dung. Don't you remember you're the bishop's son? You could make Father look bad.'

'Well, he doesn't have a problem criticising me in public,' Blaine replied icily. 'Why should I care about how people see him?'

''Cause he's our father!'

Blaine snorted, shifting back to his side.

'And – a tip for the future – don't ever say a word about me and Kurt, 'cause you have no idea about it.'

'But if you're such close friends, why don't you invite him over some time?,' Josh asked, his attempt at hiding the venom in his voice futile.

'I don't know if you've noticed, but Father hates him.'

'Convince him he's wrong,' the older of the brothers insisted.

Blaine jumped up on the bed, worked up into a rage.

'Have you ever seen him getting convinced by anyone? About anything?,' he almost shouted. 'What Jeremiah Anderson thinks is right is right, end of fucking story! I could give him ample proof that Kurt is a good person and a great friend, and he still wouldn't change his mind.'

Josh looked at him scornfully, his eyebrows pulling together.

'Since when do you swear?'

'I don't.'

'I'm pretty sure you just swore. A word that starts with an "f"?'

With another glare at his brother, Blaine threw himself back onto his pillows.

'You pissed me off.'

'And there's another one. Not to mention that you're very touchy about Kurt.'

'That's what you do for your friends, you defend them,' Blaine mumbled. 'Not that you could know that, nobody can stand you.'

Josh laughed mockingly.

'So you defend your friend like a lioness her cub, but you insult your own brother? Nice.'

'I wouldn't have if you didn't give me a reason to.'

Neither added anything, leaving the room in a charged silence.