For the next hour and a half Mr Schuester grilled Kurt on any possible skill or craft that he might have.

“Are you sure there isn’t any special skill that you have that could help you win?”

Kurt sighed; he was tired and frustrated. “Not unless you count fashion designing as a skill!”

“Look, I’ve had it with your sass! I know you don’t want to be here, but do you really think that I want to be here?! Do you think I like watch kid after kid, year after year, get sent into the arena with little to no chance of survival? I still wake up with nightmares of my time in there. Now, are you one hundred percent sure there isn’t anything that you can do?!”

Kurt kept his scowl up, but was suddenly looking at William Schuester in a different light. Finally, he felt some sort of connection with the man what was supposed to keep him alive. Not that he was going to drop his attitude, though.

“I swore I would never speak of this to anyone.” He muttered, but knew he was giving in.

Kurt looked around, and found April’s tiny purse where she had dumped it once they had gotten on the train. He rummaged inside it around until he found her lipstick that for some reason matched her dress and hair. Not the most appealing shade either. Kurt quickly made a mental note to himself to, if he got out alive; give April Rhodes some serious wardrobe advice. Maybe just burn everything and start over..

Having found the small tube, he walked over to the wooden wall and drew a vertical line with the lipstick. He then tossed it back in her bag and collected all the knives off the table.

“What are you doing, Kurt?”

“Just stand back and watch.”

Kurt closed his eyes, took a deep breath and focused on the blue line on the wall. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed one knife and carefully pinched the blade between his pointer finger and thumb. He lightly lifted his right arm back behind his head, and---

*THUNK*

“Pull it free please, then stand back.” Kurt said in a monotone.

Mr Schuester obliged, then watched in awe as Kurt repeated the process six more times. After the last knife was removed, Mr Schuester walked over to the wall and gasped.

“Kurt, you hit the same mark seven times in a row! How did you learn to do that?”

“When you get bullied every day for most of your sophomore and junior year you learn ways to keep the bullies away from you. While I never used it on somebody I made it known that I could do this.” Kurt lamented with little thought. He almost sounded bored. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to find Blaine and the girls.”

Leaving the rendered-speechless Mr Schuester behind him, Kurt walked from car to car before he finally found his three targets in the sitting room, huddled together on the couch crying as they were watching the reaping ceremonies. Kurt promptly walked over and shut off the television and stood in front of it.

“Kurt, we were trying to see who our competitors would be!” Quinn snapped furiously.

“Save it, Fabray! Look, I know that none of us want to be here, but I have a plan.”

The expressions on the trio’s faces changed simultaneously. Annoyance, anger and misery all to confusion in less than a second. Kurt was secretly quite proud of the reactions.

“What is your plan exactly, Kurt?” Blaine looked confused.

**A moment of Kurt**

He looks so damn adorable right now….

Gah, focus Hummel!

 ********

“Okay. Since we are from a higher up district, and the Careers won’t want anything to do with us, I say we form an alliance now. Only us; nobody else. I only just trust you three enough to suggest it.”

“But then what do we do when it’s down to the final four?!”

Kurt inwardly sighed at Quinn’s bitchy remark. But thankfully, he had an answer waiting.

“Well, if you’ll let me finish. Should it be only us, then we pull a Katniss.”

“Excuse me, but what?!” Rachel shrieked, looking horrified.

“We threaten to kill ourselves. Together.” Kurt simply stated.

“Who told you to do this?” Blaine asked, clearly in half a mind to try and talk him out of it.

“Nobody. I sort of thought about it from the moment we were all reaped. I want to show the Capitol that we are more than just their pawns.” He finished quietly. All the strength in his voice had gone, revealing the uncertainty behind it.

Blaine got up from the couch and pulled Kurt towards him. The taller boy leaned into the hug and all his walls came crashing down. Hard.

“I have no idea what I’m doing! I’ve fought so hard to keep my head above the water in school, and just when I thought I was moving up, I’m pushed back under!” Kurt was sobbing into Blaine’s shoulder and shirt but the smaller boy didn’t care.

** A moment of Blaine **

Why can’t this beautiful boy catch a break? Right. From now on, I’ll do whatever I can to see him smile. Constantly.

*****

“Shhh... it’s going to be okay.” Blaine quietly mumbled to Kurt while rubbing soothing circles on his back.

At that moment Mr Schuester opened the door and asked to see Rachel for a few minutes. Kurt shot her a look. The look clearly said Open your mouth about the plan and I’ll end you. Rachel shook her head a fraction to let him know she’d understood, and walked away. Blaine waited a few moments, before tugging Kurt out of the seat and turning to Quinn.

“If Mr. Schuester comes and asks for me, tell him I’ve taken Kurt to our room.”

Quinn sat on the couch looking them over, and nodded her head.

** A moment of Quinn **

Could it be? Could this be the boy who will love Kurt? I have nothing but high hopes that they make it out together, this could bring them together. Now, what am I supposed to do about my feelings about Rachel?

*******

Hours later, there was a soft knock on the boys’ shared cabin’s door.

“Come in.” Blaine murmured, as Kurt snored softly into his chest.

April popped her overly bright blue head into the room and announced that they were pulling into the Capitol.

“Okay. I’ll wake Kurt up and see you guys in a moment.”

April nodded her head and vanished out the door. Blaine really didn’t want this moment to end; he wished he could stay in this moment forever, but he knew that sooner or later they would have to get up and face the music.

“Kurt, you gotta wake up. Come on buddy, where here.”

“Did we win? Are we home?”

Blaine laughed at the fact that Kurt was still asleep.

“Kurt, honey, you really need to get up. Like, now. Everybody’s waiting.”

Boy, did that one statement wake up Kurt Hummel fast.

“What did you just call me?!” Kurt looked scared and confused.

“I, uh… um, oh shit, Kurt, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Blaine apologised quickly, stumbling over the words. But it was no use; the damage was done.

“I--- W-we can’t… I can’t… I’m sorry!” Kurt spluttered.

There was a pause, where both boys just stared. Then Kurt leapt off Blaine and bolted out the door.

** A moment of Blaine**

Way to freaking go Anderson. You possibly just blew your last chance to tell him how you feel. Well, better make the most of your time left with him.

******

“Ahh, there you are, Anderson! I was wondering if you were trying to hide.” April chided him.

“Nah, wouldn’t want to miss the arrival to the Capitol.”

April missed the sarcasm in his voice.

“Oh, of course; It’s going to be very exciting! Wait a second, why is there a line of my blue lipstick on the wall?”

Kurt looked sheepish. “Erm, I was showing Mr Schuester an... ability of mine...” He mumbled nervously.

“And what would that be?!” April shrieked.

“Uh... Knife throwing….?”

“THAT’S MAHOGANY!” she screamed.

“Guys, look. We’re here.” Quinn pointed out; trying to draw everyone’s attention away from the fit April was throwing. Glad for the distraction, the group rushed over to the windows and took in the spectacle that was the Capitol’s train station.

Outside, people were pushing and shoving to get as close as possible to the train to see the latest tributes. Rachel, Quinn, Kurt and Blaine gave odd little waves to the crowd as the train pulled to a stop, causing screams and yells that could be heard even through the thick glass. Kurt glanced at the others. Was there anything left to surprise him?

Once it had stopped, they were ushered off the carriage and through the crowd before being shoved into a Capitol car. After barely ten minutes (although it felt like hours to the startled teens) of riding, they pulled up in front of the tribute tower. It was an impressive spectacle; stretching up as far as the eye could see, with the marble walls shining in the late evening moonlight. Before they knew it, the walls vanished as the group was led into the building’s elevator. Even though they were one of the middle districts, it took mere seconds for them to reach their floor. Kurt stepped out in a stunned daze. They must have covered nearly a hundred metres in the time it took him to do up a button on his shirt.

April strode up to a magnificent oak door and pushed it open, shooing them all in.

“Okay everyone! Boys’ room is down that hallway,” she pointed with a sky blue-coloured nail. “...to the left. Girls, same but on the right. Your dining room is straight ahead, adjacent to the kitchen, and our living room is down that hall on the right. I’ll see you all in one hour for dinner. Busy couple of days ahead of us!”

And with that, Kurt and Blaine were escorted into their room, and left alone.