Elizabeth wasn't able to come and Mildred didn't want to leave her by herself so Cooper offered to video the performance for them which they were all grateful for. Both the Anderson boys had been so good the Hummel family and Elizabeth was touched by their generosity. She was especially thankful for Blaine, for taking care of Kurt in ways that she couldn't.

"You're tie is straight KK," Elizabeth mused as she watched her son re-do his tie for the fifth time. Kurt was getting ready to head to Dalton, which he would go to Regional's with the rest of the Warbler's from there.

"Sorry," Kurt said automatically, straightening his tie and dropped his hands to smooth some non-existent wrinkles in his blazer.

"Nervous," Elizabeth told him, knowing that he was.

Kurt sighed. "This will be my first duet in a competition so I may be a little nervous."

Elizabeth chuckled lightly. "You're going to do beautifully. I've heard you practicing and when you and Blaine ran through it for me you sounded amazing. You are going to knock the socks off those judges." Kurt smiled and his eyes lightened up. "Now, is it just the competition you are worried about or are you nervous about seeing your old glee club?"

Kurt wrung his hands together, a sign Elizabeth knew that her son was anxious.

"A little bit," Kurt shrugged. "I mean, I want to see Tina, Mike, Brittany and Santana but I'm not sure how I feel about seeing the others."

"Mercedes," Elizabeth said knowingly and Kurt nodded, looking crestfallen. "Don't let them get you down and keep you from enjoying you duet okay?"

Kurt nodded and smiled weakly at his mother. Elizabeth beckoned him closer and Kurt shuffled to her. She placed a kiss on his cheek and smoothed his tie. "You look so handsome. Now go and kill that show."

Kurt smiled and straightened. He called a goodbye to Mildred who was in the kitchen and headed out to his car.

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The venue was packed and Kurt took deep steadying breathes as he waited at the concession stand to get a bottle of water.

"Looking good princess," a voice sounded behind him and he turned around to see Puck leaning up against the bar beside him.

"Puck, always a pleasure," Kurt said dryly and took the bottle that was offered to him. Puck straightened and followed Kurt back towards the green rooms.

"Santana tells me you got yourself a boyfriend," Puck smirked and Kurt raised his chin.

"Yes, problem?" Kurt demanded.

"Nah, I'm happy for you," Puck said sincerely and Kurt looked at him with surprise. "I'm really sorry for what happened to you and I'm sorry that I gave you crap for a long time. I regret not doing anything."

Kurt just blinked at him. Out of everyone, Puck was the last person he expected to apologize for his behaviour.

"Did you really not see?" Kurt found himself asking and Puck clenched his jaw.

"If I had known that he threatened to kill you and forced himself on you, I would have punched the asshole into a pulp, Juvie be damned," Puck growled.

Kurt nodded but didn't say anything else on the subject. "I have to get back. Will you tell Santana, Brittany, Tina and Mike that I'll catch up with them later?"

"Yeah, I can do that," Puck smiled. "Good luck today."

"You too," Kurt nodded and Puck strutted off towards New Direction's green room. Kurt watched him walk away and moved to the Warbler's green room and stopped when he saw Blaine leaning against the door frame.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Blaine apologized but Kurt shook his head.

"It's okay," he assured Blaine.

"Who was that?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"Noah Puckermen," Kurt answered promptly. "He is the badass of McKinley."

"Did he used to bully you?" Blaine asked and Kurt bit his lip.

"Yes," Kurt murmured quietly. "but he stopped when he joined glee club." Blaine frowned at this and swallowed thickly. "It's okay," Kurt whispered, taking Blaine's hand.

Blaine shook his head. "It's not Kurt."

"Hey guys, sorry to interrupt but we need to warm up," Jeff stuck his head out the door sheepishly.

"Sure," Blaine smiled at him and followed him in. Kurt bit his lip, suddenly unsure and followed Blaine in.

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Kurt's heart was still pounding with adrenalin as the Warbler's took their seats to watch New Direction's perform. Kurt was breath taken by Blaine's performance. He couldn't help but smile at the way Blaine had looked at him during their duet, a warm heat pooling in his belly.

Kurt swallowed thickly as he watched Rachel take the stage. He felt Blaine's finger tips brush over his hand before slipping into his, linking their finger's together. As the music started Kurt lowered his eyes to their linked hands.

Rachel voice was stunning and Kurt was surprised when he didn't recognise the lyrics before realising that they were original songs. Kurt unlinked his finger's with Blaine's as they applauded and listened to the next song. Kurt shifted as he listened to the song they had written and looked away.
They were singing about the bullying they had endured and Kurt felt Blaine take his hand again. Kurt squeezed it gently and then withdrew his hand, clasping them together in his lap. He missed the worried look that Blaine shot his way.

He applauded them when they were finished and just hoped that the Warbler's were good enough to make it through to Nationals.

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They came in second. Kurt was devastated but he had fun up on the stage, like his mother had told him too. He sat next to Blaine silently as the other Warbler's talked around them. Blaine hadn't said much to Kurt since he caught him talking to Puck.

"Did I- did I do something wrong?" Kurt asked quietly and Blaine's head snapped to him.

"What?" Blaine asked.

"You won't even look at me," Kurt said weakly. "I don't know what I did."

"Babe," Blaine breathed and Kurt's eyes snapped to his boyfriend hazel ones. This was the first time either of them had used a pet name. "You haven't done anything wrong. I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

"Then what's wrong?" Kurt asked desperately, making sure to keep his voice down so they weren't overheard.

Blaine sighed heavily. "They bullying you went through...it's so much worse than you made out."

Kurt frowned. "I told you what happened."

"You told me what Karofsky did," Blaine corrected. "You didn't tell me that the people who were your friends used to bully you too." Kurt was quite. Blaine was right and he didn't know what to say. "Kurt? When did you start getting bullied?"

Kurt looked at Blaine's worried eyes and swallowed thickly. "Why do you want to know?"

"Please Kurt," Blaine pleaded and Kurt sighed.

"Ever since I started school. I didn't get the chance to come out like you did. Everyone just assumed I was and started throwing slurs at me. I mean, I learnt to ignore them but they still hurt," Kurt murmured quietly. Kurt avoided Blaine's eyes and he said nothing. "I know I'm not exactly what anybody wants –"

"Stop it," Blaine snapped and Kurt froze, eyes snapping up to Blaine. He had never heard Blaine sound disappointed in him. He had tears welling in his eyes and Kurt's breathing hitched. "Don't talk about yourself like that. Kurt, you're gorgeous. Nothing will ever change that."

Kurt blinked. He had never had somebody tell him that he was gorgeous before and he was surprised at how good it made him feel. Kurt went to reply but was cut off by the bus stopping and everyone getting to their feet. He was surprised that they were at Dalton and Blaine looked the same. The followed everyone off the bus and said goodbye to their friends before Blaine was quickly pulling Kurt away to his car.

"What are you –" Kurt was cut off by Blaine's lips on his. Blaine pushed Kurt up against the door and pressed his body flush against his, hands on his hips to steady his boyfriend. Kurt moaned softly and cupped Blaine cheek with one hand while the other slid up into his curls. Blaine's tongue danced along with his and they clutched each other tightly. Only when they couldn't breathe and the urgency was fading did they pull away.

Both panted harshly, foreheads resting against each other. This was the first time they had made out this passionately.

"Wow," Kurt breathed and Blaine chuckled breathlessly.

"You move me Kurt. I'm crazy about you and I hate that you have been through everything you have been,"

"Blaine," Kurt murmured.

"You have so much courage," Blaine pushed on. "and I'm so glad that I met you and that I can call you my best friend and my boyfriend."

Kurt traced Blaine cheek with his fingers and blinked back tears. "You know I feel the same way. I'm crazy about you Blaine."

Blaine smiled at him happily. They didn't speak for a while, not needing words to fill the comfortable silence around them. The parking lot was emptying around them and Blaine knew that they should get going.

"Coffee?" Blaine asked, looking at his boyfriend hopefully. Kurt smiled and pressed another, sweeter, kiss to his lips.