Kurt wasn't a religious man but sex had always been something sacred. Before Blaine he had only been with his ex and they had been together almost a year before they even attempted anything below the waistline. It had taken a longtime for them to learn each others quirks and kinks but it hadn't mattered because they were in love. Sex for them had been pleasant but rarely passionate. Kurt recalled a time he surprised him in the shower and was told to get out because showering was his 'me time'. �But Kurt had loved him so he didn't do it again even though shower sex was something he was more than eager to try.�

Blaine sighed in his sleep and rolled onto his side, curling his body around Kurt. A smile formed on Kurt's lips as he looked down at the other man. �Blaine's brow was furrowed and he sighed again. Kurt looped an arm over his shoulder, lazily running his fingertips over Blaine's upper arm.�

His tanned skin was smooth with curly hair decorating his chest and just below his navel, forming a delicious trail. He had a dusting of freckles on his shoulders and a faint scar, about five inches long, on his collarbone. Kurt gently traced his finger along it a few times before Blaine jolted awake. �He scrambled out of Kurt's arms and off the bed with a panicked look on his face.�

"Blaine, it's okay, it's just me," he said cautiously. Blaine's face relaxed but he still looked upset. �Kurt reached out to him, moving slowly to the edge of the bed. "Blaine, it's okay."

Blaine inched his way towards him, his chest still heaving. He fell to his knees in front of Kurt and flung his arms around his waist. �Kurt wound his arms around his shoulders, bewildered at the man he was holding.�

"I'm sorry," Blaine muttered, his lips pressed to Kurt's skin. �"It's... uh... it's a reflex."

"It's fine, Blaine," he whispered. �They held each other in silence but Kurt's thoughts were screaming in his head.�

The Blaine before him was not the sexy, confident man he had been sharing his bed with for the past two months. �Kurt knew, of course, what Blaine's father had done to him but he never mentioned it as it was Bianca that had told him. �He knew that it had never been Bianca's place to reveal such personal information about her son to Kurt. He was forced to operate as if he knew nothing and it was getting harder and harder to pretend.�

Blaine sniffled into his shoulder, his breath gradually becoming even again. �"I'm sorry, Kurt."

"It's fine, Blaine. It was my fault; I shouldn't have startled you." �Blaine loosened his grip on Kurt and sat back on his heels to look at him.�

"I just feel so... stupid." �He stared down at the floor, hands falling to his lap.�

He cupped Blaine's chin in his hand, wiping a tear away with his thumb.�Kurt swallowed back his own tears. This was about Blaine, not him.�

"You're not stupid. �Far from it." �He kissed Blaine's tear-stained cheeks between words. �"You are intelligent and kind. �Your students adore you. You are loved by you mother, grandfather, and brother. �Nothing else matters."

Blaine gazed up at him. �"I guess I should explain."

"Only if you want to." �

"I shouldn't still feel like this. It was years ago." �Blaine leaned against Kurt's hand on his cheek.�

Kurt gave him a sad smile. �"I know what you mean." �He shifted to the floor, sitting in front of Blaine, and raised his right arm over his head. �He pointed to a long thin white line along his rib cage. �"See that?"

Blaine nodded and smirked a little. It was one of his favorite places he had found in his exploration of Kurt’s body. �"I'm very familiar with it, yes." �

Kurt shivered, remembering the sensation of Blaine's tongue on his skin. �"Yes, well, I've had this for twelve years now. �I didn't always react to it being touched the way I do now. �It took a long time."

Blaine slowly raised a finger to Kurt's scar. �"How'd it happen?"

Kurt paused, not sure how to explain. � "I was bullied a lot in school. �Some guys beat me up and cracked a few of my ribs but I also had a collapsed lung. �It's a surgical scar."

"What happened to the guys?" Blaine asked, still running his fingertip along Kurt's scar.�

A big part of Kurt wanted to lie but he had to be honest with him. He softly said, "Nothing."

Blaine swallowed. �"Same as mine."�

"It sucks, doesn't it?"

Nodding, Blaine asked, "How'd you get over it?"

Kurt watched the adorable man in front of him study the scar that had turned out to be an omen of sorts. �"It was easy. �I hated the person that did it to me."

"You're lucky." �Kurt could barely hear Blaine's voice but he was certain of what he had said. �"It's harder when it was someone that's supposed to-- never mind."

"We don't have to talk about it. Not until you're ready.” Kurt opened his arms to him and Blaine curled up against his chest, willing his heartbeat to calm. They sat in silence on the floor, just holding each other.

“Thank you.”