Kurt nuzzled into his pillow, curling into a ball and wrapping the covers around his body. After a few moments, he sighed and flipped over, wrapping his arms around the pillow. That didn’t do it, either. He still felt empty. Empty and lonely. Ugh. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think about anything to distract him from the loneliness. Because if he thought about the loneliness, he’d have to think about the reason for the loneliness, and he couldn’t deal with that. He just couldn’t. So okay. Fine. He would think about school…. NO, okay, bad idea. Alright. Glee Club. Mr. Schuester had hinted that they would be doing something from Wicked, which probably meant Defying Gravity. Kurt tossed his head back, sighing heavily with longing. He didn’t even want to think about that, either. The solo would go to Rachel. The big solos always went to Rachel. Kurt would sway in the background, yet again, heart aching with longing to see himself on the stage, pouring out his heart to hundreds of people who hung on his every word.

This wasn’t doing anything to make him feel better. Time to think about something else. Friends. Yes, he could do that. Mercedes had stopped by his locker after Glee club as she always did. Their conversation made him giggle to himself…

“Call me shallow, but that new boy in Glee is f-i-n-e FINE,” she announced to the empty hallway, stretching her arms out and then trailing her fingers down the edge of Kurt’s locker as she watched him pack his things.

“Hmmm, you mean Sam? I had no idea!” Kurt smiled cheekily, throwing his best friend a knowing look. She hadn’t been exactly discreet about her attraction, having spent the majority of Glee club elbowing Kurt and nodding in Sam’s direction, blushing and turning away quickly whenever he met her gaze.

Mercedes chuckled and hid her face in one hand, punching him lightly in the arm with the other.

“Ahhh, watch the shirt, ‘Cedes!” he laughed.

“Mmmhmmm, and what about you, white boy? Anyone special you got your eye on?”

“Not at the moment, no,” Kurt said detachedly, hiding his face in his locker and fighting back the blood that was rushing to his cheeks. But Mercedes caught on. He knew she would. She knew him much too well.

“Is there something you’re not telling me, Kurt?” she said playfully, yet he detected the seriousness lurking beneath her light tone.

“No, nothing at all.”

“Huh, I don’t know, I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at that new teacher. And I don’t blame you, I mean… damn, just look at him!”

And it was just then that Mr. Anderson strode into the hallway from around the corner. Oh, dear. Oh, perfect. Just perfect. Kurt felt his cheeks blazing, unwilling to even think about how much of their his teacher had just overheard.

He quirked a playful triangular eyebrow up at Kurt and threw him a confident smile as he walked down the hallway. Kurt grasped onto his locker to hold himself up, feeling his knees grow weak. How did Mr. Anderson DO this to him? And even worse, to his horror, his teacher had seen the way he had stumbled slightly when he received the smile, then caught himself on the locker, for the older man cocked his head impishly, knowingly. Kurt didn’t think his cheeks could possibly glow any redder.

“Kurt! I’ve been looking for you. Can I speak with you for a minute about your paper?” He threw a charming smile towards Mercedes, and Kurt practically swooned. “I’m sorry, do you mind?”

“Oh, it’s no problem, I was just leaving.” She winked at Kurt before walking away and he groaned inwardly, praying to someone, anyone, that Mr. Anderson hadn’t noticed. But from the look he was giving Kurt at the moment…. Of course he had.

Blaine found himself working hard to hold back a grin at how adorably flustered Kurt look, a blush on his cheeks and his eyes darting around the hallway, unwilling to meet Blaine’s. He would never let on to it, preferring to leave Kurt wondering, but he had overheard enough of his conversation and observed enough to know what he had longed to know. Kurt felt the attraction as much as he did, or so it seemed. Blaine instantly felt better about his attraction to the beautiful boy. Earlier, he couldn’t help worrying that in comforting and holding Kurt, he had been manipulating him, taking advantage of his pain and fragile state. But no. Kurt felt something, too, he thought, his heart swelling with elation.

He resisted the urge to take Kurt’s hand in his, instead saying, “Come on, Kurt. Follow me,” and walking towards his room, Kurt following at his side but a step or two behind him.

“Go ahead and take a seat,” Blaine gestured toward a chair close to his desk. Blaine had to scold himself for giving into the urge to admire Kurt’s ass as he obediently strolled over to the chair and bent to sit down. But damn. Those tight pants Kurt always wore deserved some kind of award. Blaine shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts, then walked over to his desk and reclined in his chair.

“How was the rest of your day, Kurt?” A hint of a smile tugged at his lips as he leveled a firm, earnest gaze on the boy, who took a deep breath.

“It was, well, better. I didn’t see… him… for the rest of the day. Except when I walked by the office. I heard you telling Principal Figgins about Karosky.” Kurt vividly remembered Mr. Anderson’s deep, authoritative tone and the subsequent tightening in his own pants as his teacher had strictly and firmly told Karofsky just how he felt about what he had witnessed in the parking lot. His lips curved upward slightly. As much as his teacher’s resolute, commanding tone had turned him on, it had also made him feel warm, safe, protected. Here, behind the door, listening to Mr. Anderson telling off his bully, he felt safe and taken care of. It was a heady, comforting feeling.

“I’m so sorry you had to hear that, baby.” He placed a hand over Kurt’s.

“No, you ca – you shouldn’t be sorry. It….” he trailed off, embarrassed.

“It’s okay, honey. You can tell me.” Blaine stroked his thumb across the top of Kurt’s delicate hand reassuringly, loving the way his cheeks flushed slightly and he averted his gaze, his stunning blue eyes following the path of his teacher’s thumb across his porcelain skin.

“I just… It was nice. Knowing that you were doing that for me, taking care of it for me. No one’s ever done something like that for me before.” He trembled slightly, afraid to meet his teacher’s eyes.

“Kurt, look at me.” The boy did so slowly. “I will always take care of you.”

Kurt’s pulse quickened at the intensity of the man’s gaze and dominant tone combined with the wealth of emotion and honesty in his words.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright now, sweetheart?”

Kurt nodded. “Yes, Mr. Anderson. Thank you so much. For everything.”

“Of course,” he said softly and earnestly. “Now,” he stood up, striding across the room to grab a bottle of water, “what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“Well, Finn took the car to do something with Rachel… I think, because Gaga knows what they’re doing these days. But he’ll be picking me up in a couple hours, so I’m probably just going to wait around and work on the reading you assigned for class tomorrow.”

“I’m going to stay here and grade some papers, so you’re welcome to work here if you’d like.”

“Sure.”

“Can I get you anything?” Blaine gestured towards his closet, where a ridiculous amount of snacks were piled.

“Oh my goodness, really? And I thought you actually had something important and scholarly in there,” Kurt teased, laughing.

“Excellent. I’m keeping up the fa�ade,” he chuckled over his shoulder, pulling out a box of Twinkies. “What would you like?”

“Um…” Kurt felt a bit uncomfortable. “Do you have anything… healthier?”

“I think I have some unsalted popcorn in here somewhere,” Blaine winked.

“Perfect.”

Blaine brought both their snacks over to the couch, gesturing for Kurt to sit next to him.

Kurt came over, reaching for the bag of popcorn, but Blaine pulled it just out of his grasp .

“Ah ah ah, baby, you have to earn it first.”

“I have to do what?”

Blaine chuckled. “Well, come on, now, this popcorn is expensive, even sacred, in certain African countries,” he joked. “I mean, I can’t just give it to you.”

“Then… what do you want me to do?” Kurt looked at ease on the couch, albeit slightly nervous. But that was okay. He was learning, beginning to trust him.

“Mmm… well, I believe it’s about time you mastered the art of catching a piece in your mouth,” he said amicably, and Kurt giggled. “Open.”

Kurt did so, and made a valiant attempt in catching the popcorn in his mouth, despite missing it by several inches.

“Hm, now I think you can do better than that.” And after two more tries, Kurt succeeded, and Blaine handed him the bag of popcorn, smiling warmly at him. “Excellent.”

“Thanks, Mr. Anderson,” he giggled.

“Don’t mention it. You should start your homework now. It’ll probably take you a while to get through the reading for our class.” Kurt nodded, opening his book and trying his best to focus on the reading despite the distraction of Mr. Anderson’s muscles flexing deliciously as he lifted a heavy stack of books and essays onto the table from the floor.

After about an hour, Kurt jumped when he felt his phone vibrate. He had felt so at ease, so comfortable doing his homework next to his teacher, safe and cared for.

“Sorry, Mr. Anderson, that was Finn. He’s here now, so… I should probably go.”

“Alright, Kurt,” Blaine said, standing up and picking up Kurt’s coat, holding it out for him to put his arms into. “Come on over here, baby.” He rubbed Kurt’s shoulders gently after he put the coat on before turning the boy around and kissing him ever so gently on the cheek.

“Goodnight, Kurt. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“G-goodbye,” he whispered breathlessly, eyes wide and heart pounding.

Blaine placed a hand on his back and gently prodded him towards the door. “Wouldn’t want to keep your brother waiting.”

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

And smiling at that memory, Kurt rolled over again in his bed. Yet he still felt empty, lying there without his teacher to warm him and keep him safe. It had only been a few hours, and his heart already hurt from missing him. His heart hurt with confusion and longing. He wanted Mr. Anderson so, so, so badly. He didn’t know how he could go the rest of his life, even another day, without feeling those lips on his. He needed him there, he needed him to make him feel secure, protected. But he was his teacher. He couldn’t like him… like that, could he? But then again, he had kissed him. On the cheek, but still. He sighed and rolled over again. He needed to get to school tomorrow, and he didn’t have time to think about this now.

Yet he still rolled over and wrapped his arms around his pillow, dreaming it was his teacher, and he was warm, loved, and sheltered in his strong, loving arms.