~*~ Chapter Three ~*~

I see the best of me inside your eyes

(Uncle Kracker; Smile)

Scandal in the Morowin - Family

After the sudden death of their youngest daughter Rose, the next tragedy strikes the misfortunate family. A local woman claims Richard Morwin to be the father of her Doghybrid-child. Even though Mr. Morwin denies everything, he had to endure serious setbacks in his fight against the hybrid society. Supporters are afraid that this will endanger the believability of the young politician.

It is the message that shocks a whole nation: Yesterday at 9.14 p.m. the local police received the call of a young woman that sued Mr. Morwin for disowning his own child.

After several attempts of hers to contact him via phone, mail, and even trying to talk to him personally she saw this as her last possible resort, reported the young woman, who wants to stay anonymous so far. What was revealed during this short conversation and not much later published throws back what could have been the perfect career of a so far successful politician.

The women claims to have met Mr. Morwin a few month ago in a well-known bar of hers, where he invited her to several drinks. They saw each other several times after that and a few weeks ago the women has given birth to a little boy. An illegitimate child, while surely everything but honourable, is nothing uncommon in modern times, but what the woman revealed furthermore makes us question Mr. Morwin's sincerity. The women herself is a hybrid. A doghybrid to be exact, one of the same kind Richard Morwin is proceeding against since his youth. This newest revelation could seriously endanger his career and furthermore the future of Bill No.8. Mr. Morwin so far acted as the frontmen for the campaign against the bill and opponent of hybrid rights. Now his future and that of the Bill lays out in the open.

Reader's Corner

The latest happenings in the Morwin – Family just show once more how twisted and spurious the whole clan is. How can you expect honesty from a politician that is not even able to be true to his family? Not to mention the fact that he cheated on his wife in the most dishonourable way possible, Richard Morwin violated every value he stands for. The everlasting hate he propagates against Hybrids stands in clear contrast to the fact that he started a romantic relationship with a member of the species he loathes so openly. No wonder he wanted the relationship to stay secret. But now that it is out in the open he is not even brave enough to admit his mistakes! This behaviour is unacceptable and plain cowardly.

The rest of the week had passed by in a rush of adapting to Kurt's new curriculum, keeping up with the newest Dalton gossip and casual meetings with his new, as well as his old friends. While Kurt went home over the weekend his friends were permanent boarders and therefore enjoyed two quiet days in their dorms, doing homework, or in Wes and David's case doing everything but homework. Monday and Tuesday rolled past in the usual fashion, but on Wednesday morning Kurt woke up to a new text from Blaine asking if he would have time to get some coffee before school. Of course Kurt had time and one hour later the two boys found themselves in the middle of a surprisingly long queue, waiting patiently for their cups to arrive and chatting lightly.

"So, how went the rest of yesterday's evening? Nick told me about a big movie night after Warbler practice that should have happened?", Kurt asked.

"Oh, right, that." Blaine laughed. "We had to cancel it, because Jeff found two packages of marshmallows underneath Nick's bed and a chocolate bar in the kitchen. Then he decided it would be a good idea to pour everything in a big pot and melt it on the stove. Naturally he forgot all about it, after helping Wes to find a lost pen and we spent the rest of the evening scratching burned sugar from kitchen utensils. What about you?"

"Boring, mostly. I got a lot of homework done, but the Dalton curriculum is an all new challenge compared to that at McKinley."

"McKinley ... Your old school?"

"Hm? Oh yes. I was sure I had mentioned it before." Their conversation came to a short hold while they payed for their drinks and settled down on a table in the corner.

"Do you miss your old school much?", Blaine asked, slowly stirring his coffee.

Kurt thought about the question for a moment. "Yes and no. I do miss my friends, of course, but apart from that there isn't much at this school worth being sad over."

Blaine frowned into his coffee. "Is that the reason you left?"

"Um, yeah. Kind of." Kurt pressed his lips tightly together, as if to prevent more words from slipping out, eyes sternly fixated on his nervously fiddling fingers.

Blaine seemed to sense his discomfort and quickly changed the topic. "But you do see your friends on the weekends, don't you?"

"Yes, of course. Especially Mercedes and Rachel. Mercedes and I have been best friends since like forever and of course we were both part of the New Directions."

Blaine chocked on his coffee. "Excuse me? You were part of the what?"

"The ... oh. The New-di-rec-tions." Kurt emphasized every syllable. "I know the name tends to confuse people, but it is just their school choir."

"So, you sing?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Well, why didn't you say so? You have to join the Warblers! ... I mean if you want to, of course. It is completely voluntary. No pressure. Chillax, man."

Kurt raised an eyebrow and giggled. "Actually, I already thought about that, but wanted to wait until I have settled in a bit more."

"Oh, that's absolutely fine. I'm sure Wes and David could arrange an audition for you any time in the year, just not right before Regionals. Wes is very sensitive when it comes to competitions."

"I will keep that in mind. Anyway as I was saying Mercedes is incredible, we had our ups and downs, but now we are inseparable. Just four days ago we fought together in a big shoe sale in the mall."

"Sounds adventurous. What about the other one? Rachel, right?"

"Oh, Rachel. She's ... um Rachel? You can't really describe her. If you ever meet her do not, and I repeat do not mention anything concerning meat, animals, fashion, or eggs."

"Eggs?"

"Long story. It all started about one year ago when she started dating Jesse St. James, the leader of our competing show choir ..."

Blaine leaned back in his chair, smiling fondly while Kurt rambled on about his friends, their complicated and dramatic relationships ever so often having to stop his rant to take a sip from his coffee.

Blaine was pretty sure that he learned more about their competing school choir in the following minutes than he ever could have imagined, let alone remember. But it was fun listening to Kurt's story's reported with a never ending repertoire of sarcasm that could enlighten even the most boring and repeating tale of Rachel and her on- and off-boyfriend Finn.

They had arrived in separate cars, so they did not see each other again before the beginning of the morning assembly. Afterwards they split up, Kurt heading towards AP English, Wes hot on his heels, while Blaine sighed in the prospect of another Honors Psychology lesson.

At one o'clock they met again in the cafeteria, where Wes and David raced each other to the food counter, because apparently four hours without nutriment were way too long. In the end Blaine was the first to get his plate filled, because Wes stumbled over a used napkin and pulled David down with him in the process.

That settled, they had lunch (salad and ciabatta for Kurt, pasta for Blaine and junk-food for Wes and David). When they made their way towards the gym afterwards they came across Nick and Jeff, continuing their path together. It was a sunny mid-october day and the six boys enjoyed the last drops of sunshine, falling into a comfortable silence. After a few minutes they could make out the square outlines of their school's gym, build a little outside the rest of the ground so it would not disturb the panorama view from the visitors lounge but before they even entered the gym Kurt excused himself.

"I just have to talk to our teacher for a bit." Blaine opened his mouth to ask if they should wait for him, but Kurt who must have suspected the question beat him to it.

"You can go ahead. I will join you in a second." And with that he was off, prancing along the corridor towards the sports hall. Blaine frowned, looking after him.

"Stop staring, B," Wes, who noticed his eyes lingering, grinned at him and teasingly nudged his forehead.

"I wasn't-" Blaine protested.

"Just tell him that you think he is beautiful and that you can't take your eyes of him," David added, only half-joking. Ever since they had met the shy boy, Blaine had not stopped talking and wondering about him, keeping his roommate Jeff awake with speculations about his behaviour.

"I don't- Well, I do, but that's really-" Blaine tried again, blushing furiously, before giving up and huffing annoyed. "Oh, shut up," He crossed his arms and let them have a good look at his offended face, before turning and walking into the changing rooms. To his outrage his friends just laughed at him, following closely.

A short time later, after they had changed and stowed their bags into their lockers, the three boys entered the giant sports hall, still teasing and laughing (mostly at Blaine).

"Hey, looks like Mr. Medson is fighting with our new boy." Wes pointed towards Kurt and their teacher, a bald man in his mid-fifties who had once upon a time been very ambitious and passionate about his job, performing at least five different sports in his freetime and demonstrating all their curricular exercises with a strength and grace that made every student pale. About a year ago though he crashed into a group of trees with his mountain bike, broke his hip, at his age a very serious injury and therefore applied for an early pension at the school board. Due to the lack of sport teachers though he was committed to continue teaching. Even before the accident Mr. Medson had not been the most pleasant person to be around, strict and often quite cruel criticizing his students hardly, but now having taken away the opportunity to perform any sports at all he loathed every hour at his workplace with an everlasting passion.

Concerned Blaine looked over to where Mr. Medson and Kurt were apparently arguing over something.

"Do you think he needs our help?" he asked.

David shrugged. "You are his knight in shining armour. It's your decision."

Blaine rolled his eyes, turning his head once more just to see Kurt suddenly storming of towards the changing rooms.

"Should I...?"

"Go on," murmured Wes, before pushing him forward. Quickly Blaine ran out of the hall, reaching Kurt as he was to enter the changing rooms.

"Hey," he muttered. "You alright?"

Huffing piqued, Kurt send him one of his deathliest glares. "Do I look alright?"

Blaine crossed his arms defensively and simply raised an eyebrow at him.

"... I'm sorry." Kurt heaved a long sigh. "I didn't mean to snap at you, but Mr. Medson is just so ..."

"... stubborn?" Blaine suggested.

"I was more going for narrow minded asshole, but I guess that works as well."

"What happened?"

With a frustrated sigh Kurt pushed back a strand of his hair that had escaped its product-prison.

"It's ... nothing. Mr. Medson just forces me to take part in the lesson."

Frowning Blaine asked, "Why wouldn't you?"

Suddenly Kurt looked cautious. "Um- there is just- this ... erm, well basically I have some problems with my health and therefore my doctor suggested I shouldn't participate in sport activities.

At my old school that wasn't a problem. We were lucky if our teacher showed up at all and the gym class was voluntary, so nobody cared if I had an attestation, or not."

"But Mr. Medson does," Blaine concluded. During his friends little rant they had entered the changing room and sat down on one of the wooden benches. When Kurt nodded, Blaine eyed him worried. "It's not dangerous for you, is it? Taking part in the lesson? Because if it seriously endangers your health I'm sure I could talk to Mr. Medson once more. Or ask Jeff to do it. Mr. Medson kind of likes him, because he is the only one who is able to climb to the top of the ropes."

A small smile graced Kurt's face at this, but his shoulders slumped defeated. "No, that's fine. I'm just going to change and try to survive it." He grimaced, gently hugging himself. Blaine's heart swelled with protectiveness for the boy.

Ever since the incident on Kurt's first day Blaine had been extremely careful when it came to touching him. Originally Blaine had not been a very tactile person. His parents raised him in an air of polite interest, never expecting a second child, after having Blaine's brother six years ago. They were never unfriendly, or uncomfortable around him, but with two full-time jobs there was little time for an unplanned child and apart from his nanny's occasionally hugs and kisses Blaine grew up quite isolated. So it was no surprise that Blaine never considered himself someone who needed or even craved constant touching. He had grown up nearly without it and done just fine, hadn't he?

However this changed quickly when he entered first grade and met the love of his life. Well, maybe not of his live but at least of his kindergarten time. His name was Joshua – my friends call me Josh - and he has the most beautiful smile Blaine had ever seen. So Blaine did what he always did when it came to his love life: He fell hard and fast, from his first day on worshipping him from afar until a life-changing day during his second week when they were the only ones left in the lego-corner and Josh had asked him on his opinion on his block-tower. Blaine was floating on cloud nine. After that they were inseparable. Well, at least Blaine was inseparable from Josh and he discovered that yes, when it came to the right person he could indeed be considered very tactile. Nothing would illuminate his day like the accidental brush of their arms, or the few seconds Blaine was able to get a hold of his hand, before Josh snapped it away.

Their young love received a slight damper when Josh pushed him off the swings two days later and called him a 'clingy idiot'. However after Blaine got over his broken heart, destroying bag after bag of gummy bears in the process, he had finally time to enjoy the rest of his kindergarten time without distraction and even made a lot of friends – all of them girls – in the process.

Today most of his friends had become used to the slight touches and occasional cuddling from his side and if they had not Blaine very quickly stopped referring to them as his friends. With Kurt however Blaine had been trying hard to keep the physical contact to a minimum and apart from occasionally not-so-accidental brushes of their arms his plan had been working quite well.

But right now the boy looked so lost that all Blaine wanted to do was hug him, or at least take his hand, until the seemingly imprinted frown on his forehead would vanish and his eyes started shining again like they did when he was laughing, or- Wait. Since when was he memorising what his eyes look like? Maybe Wes and David were right and he was coming on a bit too strong. He should seriously tone it down, before he scared him off ...

"Blaine? Are you alright? You kind of zoned out there."

"What? Oh, sorry. I was just ... thinking."

Kurt gave him a 'You don't say'- look. "What about?"

"Erm ..." You. "Just that you still appear so troubled and if there's anything I could do to make it better?"

A surprised laugh escaped the other boys mouth. "That's ... very sweet of you." He smiled warmly at him, before he hesitantly reached out, lightly touching his forearm and after Blaine made no move to pull away, resting his hand there. "Thank you."

Blaine held his gaze, returning his smile. "You are welcome."

From outside they heard a muffled crash that made them realise that they still had a lesson to attend. Kurt retreated his hand with a slight blush on his checks.

"Erm ... right I should change and ... go back into the hall."

Blaine tried to hide the massive grin that threatened to overtake his features. "Want me to wait for you?"

Good-naturedly Kurt rolled his eyes at him. "I am indeed capable of finding the hall myself, thank you, Blaine."

"Okay, okay." He held up his hands in appeasement, before waving and turning towards the door. "I will see you in a bit."

"Alright folks, gather 'round," Mr Medson called across the hall the moment Blaine entered.

"As you all know, something like a teaching schedule exists at this school that we have to follow. Like every year this schedule also includes a six week period of gymnastics."

The students around him groaned. "I know, I know, but it's not me who creates the schedules so stop whining and get going! The gymnastic equipment is not going to set itself up!"

Grumbling the boys around him dispersed, as slowly as possible wandering towards the devices.

"God dammit, Prestley if you don't get a move on someone is going to stumble over you!", Mr. Medson howled at a gigantic boy that was especially dawdling.

"How nice of you to finally join us, Hummel!" Kurt who had been trying to sneak into the hall as discretely as possible, froze mid-move.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Medson, but I had to change and-" He gestured to his grey sweatpants and the wide Dalton shirt.

"Save it! I'm not really interested in any of your false excuses."

"But you just told me-"

"I said 'Save it', didn't I?"

Kurt opened his mouth like he was going to argue again, but closed it again, lips tightly pressed together, posture tense. "What he says doesn't even makes sense," he mumbled under his breath.

In the meantime the rest of the students had set-up a wide variety of gymnastic equipment, including a balance beam, high bars on several levels and a long series of mats for floor gymnastics. Mr. Medson had retreated into a corner, slouched casually on a wooden bench, a cup of coffee in the right and his grade book in the left hand.

"Oh, are we doing gymnastics?", asked Kurt interested, while picking uncomfortable at his wide sweatpants. Wes nodded sullenly.

"Sweet", he exclaimed, earning disbelieving glances all around.

"No Kurt, I think you misunderstood. We ..." David motioned to him and his friends. "Are forced to humiliate and ridicule ourselves, cricking our arms and legs in absolutely unnatural angles and getting the worst grades for abilities we are never ever going to need in real life."

"Oh, now you are exaggerating. Gymnastics can be fun." Wes pretended to shoot himself and fainted mock-dead into David's arms.

As it turned out Kurt had been right. At least particularly since Kurt seemed to be a natural on the balance beam, jumping and turning like he was walking on air. Even Mr. Medson looked impressed and condescended himself to leave his bench and get a closer look at the boy. During the next hour more and more boys gathered around, shouting encouragements, betting on Kurt's grade and silently discussing his techniques. By the end of the lesson the other devices were deserted and instead of working everyone was sitting casually around the balancing beam, chatting among themselves. Mr. Medson seemed to come to the conclusion that this lesson was a lost cause, so he send them back to the changing rooms, accompanied from some good-natured grumbling.

"Wow, Kurt. That was really impressive," complimented Blaine, carefully nudging his shoulder. To his delight the other boy just blushed.

"Ah, I – um have always been very flexible?" he murmured, gently picking at his wide shirt that was hanging loosely on his small frame.

Meanwhile the swarm of students had flooded them into the changing rooms, where a bunch of boys were already loudly fighting over a pair of socks.

Kurt seemed suddenly a bit uneasy, shuffling from feet to feet and shooting nervous glances at the casually undressing boys.

"Hey new boy, pass me my shirt?" shouted Jeff from the other side of the room, gesturing wildly towards a white dress shirt to Kurt's feet.

"Sure ..." he murmured, passing Jeff the shirt and quietly asking himself how on earth it had ended up down there. Then his eyes fell on his clock and widened panicky.

"Sorry boys, but I really have to hurry now. I promised my father to go grocery shopping before dinner." Kurt shouldered his bag and waved one last time at his baffled friends. "See you tomorrow."