In the car, Blaine broke down. Kurt drove them out of the neighborhood and pulled into a parking lot at a nearby park, leaving the heat on so that they could warm up while they composed themselves. Kurt was shaking much like Blaine, but he was still mostly together. Blaine was completely falling apart.

Pained sobs escaped his throat and tears fell freely down his cheeks. Kurt wiped those tears away, unbuckling them both and crawling over the center console of his Navigator to sit in his boyfriends lap, leaning in to kiss away the wet trails on his face while he wrapped his arms around the shaky mess that was Blaine.

"Im s-s-so sorry, K-Kurt," Blaine gasped, a hiccup causing issues with his breathing. Kurt shushed him, rubbing soothing circles into his back, but Blaine kept on. "I sh-shouldnt have let y-you meet them. I kn-new this would happen. Oh, K-Kurt, Im so s-s-sorry!" Tears were slowly sliding down Kurts cheeks now, and Blaine just felt worse for that.

Hed made this amazing man cry. Him and his family. His father. Oh, God, this was horrible. "Blaine, honey, please… Its not your fault. Youve done nothing wrong. I promise you, you did nothing wrong at all. Im so, so happy to be yours. Im so happy you let me into your life a little bit more tonight." Kurts voice was soft and soothing, and made Blaine look into those eyes, so full of emotions. "I love you. Nobody can change that. Nobody can take that away. I dont care what your father thinks. I just… I wish you didnt have to be in this situation. Parents are supposed to love and support their kids. Thats what my dad always says. Its what my mom believed. Its… its whats right."

Blaine could see Kurts heart breaking, and he didnt know how to fix it. It was the same way Blaine himself had looked, felt, when his father first told him he would outgrow his condition. It was the way he looked when he realized he would never be loved or accepted in his own house. It was the way he looked when he realized his house wasnt a home anymore. Or ever, really.

"Im sorry you have to deal with parents like them, sweetheart. I wish I could make them better for you. I really just… I could never hurt you like they do, Blaine. Never. I love you too much." Somehow those were the exact words Blaine needed to hear, and Kurt knew. The shorter boy leaned in for a kiss, wet with tears and soft as if he might break under any sort of pressure.

The moment passed and Blaine nuzzled the crook of Kurts neck like he seemed to do so often, his breathing back to normal and his shaking stilled. Kurt smiled at him, kissing him with a bit more force and all the same promises on his lips. "I love you, Kurt," Blaine whispered in a wrecked voice, arms wrapped around Kurts waist. "I am sorry for them. I just wish… I mean, Burts so great. He makes me feel completely loved and accepted and… I wish I could give you the same experience with my family. I just… cant. Im sorry."

Kurt pulled away and made a face at Blaine. "Stop it. I know what you wish, because I wish it too. It isnt your fault though and you will stop taking the blame. Now. I love you, and I dont care what anybody has to say about it. Now, were going to get some fast food, which you know I hate so you had better enjoy it, and were going back to my house, and were going to sit with dad and Carole and Finn and plan our trip to New York. Got it?" Then Kurt kissed him one more time before crawling back to his own seat, buckling up, and turning the radio up.

The two of them sang along to every song on the current top 40, stopping at Subway, which was not quite fast food in Blaines opinion but had more resemblance to real food so Kurt would actually eat it. By the time they reached the Hummel-Hudson household, they were both in better spirits and got all the brochures and college pamphlets and Kurts laptop before getting to planning with the rest of the family. Nobody asked about the puffy eyes or tear-stained faces.

Burt would find out all about it later on, and that was okay. Blaine knew Kurt shared everything with his dad, and it wouldnt be so bad to have an adult know what he was lacking at home. For now, they could enjoy the family time that Blaine was now a part of for what it was, and not dwell on the Andersons and their lack of love. Blaine had everything he needed in this family, and in Kurts arms and heart.

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Blaines parents insisted that he stay home when he wasnt in school the rest of the time they were in town. He was more than a little irritated that he couldnt go out on coffee dates or go to the Hummel-Hudson home for dinners that week, but Kurt kept reminding him that it was only for a little while and encouraged him to enjoy the time with his parents as much as he could. That just required Blaine to pretend he wasnt himself. No big deal.

"Hey," he said with a sigh on Friday morning when he leaned beside Kurts locker. They were both relatively exhausted since theyd been working so hard all week making sure they were well prepped for Regionals. Kurt, Blaine, and Finn would be missing the last half-week before it to go to New York, so they were finalizing everything ahead of time. "My parents left this morning. Do you… um, I mean, do you want to come over after school?"

He wanted to talk to Kurt, let him know how much he didnt like what his parents said and believed. Inside, he knew Kurt already understood, but a part of him was so scared that his boyfriend wouldnt want to be with him anymore now that he knew just how utterly broken his family was. He was scared that Kurt would decide that it all wasnt worth dealing with. He got enough abuse at school.

The smile that bloomed on Kurts lips, despite the tired yawn that followed, had Blaine smiling right back. Kurt wasnt going to get bored or stressed or anything like that. The two of them were in love, no matter how young or naive they were. They cared about each other enough that nothing could get between them- even the jocks who just stole Kurts notebook while they were distracted talking.

"Dammit, my French homework is in that notebook," Kurt muttered, hurrying after the idiot puckheads to gather the notes and papers theyd pulled out of the notebook and left fluttering through the hall. Blaine, of course, helping him gather the notes and other papers, catching the notebook when Rick Nelson tossed it aside.

Blaine shook his head, only to grin at the heart doodle with his name and Kurts that hed caught toward the end of the paper-gathering. "I guess you werent kidding when you said your French class wasnt worth paying attention to," he muttered, only for Kurt to mutter back the French phrase for I love you. He gave back Kurts notes and notebook then, heading off to English where Finn was waiting for them, happy to report that hed actually finished his part of their big project. It was a good start to a good day, and the teasing only increased their fun bonding with each other.

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Glee that afternoon had been annoying. Rachel was freaking out on the three boys who would be heading to the city the following Wednesday and not returning until Sunday, just in time for Regionals on Tuesday. That meant they only had three total days of everybody there to prepare, and no matter how many times Finn told her they were ready, the girl wouldnt calm down.

Because of Rachels insistence, Blaine had to sing his solo (he was still a little shocked that hed gotten the lead parts of Dont Stop Me Now) twice through, the first time getting stopped every other line so that Rachel could point out invisible flaws. Kurt had finally cut her off and told her to shut up and let Blaine sing, so hed been able to get through the entire song the second time.

After that, theyd worked on the group number of Shout, which was really a lot of fun even when Rachel was panicking. Because of Kurts snap from earlier, she actually backed off a bit during the group performance.

Of course, when they were done with the group song, they were all ready to call it quits for the week. It was time for normal Glee practice to end, they were all tired after a long week, and they were all more than ready for a weekend of rest and relaxation, and more importantly, no Rachel Berry. Well, at least if they werent Finn.

"We still need to practice my solo!" Rachel screeched, and everyone, literally everyone, even the freaking band, groaned. Theyd all heard Rachels Girls Just Want to Have Fun enough times that they never wanted to hear the damn song again after this competition. It was nice having a good set list for a Classics theme, but really. There was a secret plea for Rachel to magically lose her voice in the next week. They could figure out something to win with on the fly. Just as long as they didnt have to hear her belt out about having a good time when she was, in reality, being the most anxious and annoying fun-killer in the Eastern US.

Santana started threatening to cut a bitch while Brittany and Quinn half-heartedly held her back. Puck was already up and walking toward the door, while Finn looked sadly at his apparently psychotic girlfriend. It was Kurt who finally stood up and approached the obviously-stressed Rachel.

"Rachel, sweetie, you need to calm down now," he said calmly and with an authority that had Blaine sitting up straight and staring at his boyfriend. "You know as well as the rest of us that we are ready for this. Weve all been working really hard, and were all talented. Youre a star, Rachel Berry. Now stop doubting yourself. And stop doubting the rest of us while youre at it, okay? You dont need to panic over this, honey. Its not Broadway yet."

Kurt winked at her, which seemed to break through her wall, and she finally stopped freaking out, leaning into him with a little shake of her shoulders, which might have been a sob but nobody but Kurt could definitely tell. The countertenor held his best friend for a minute, rubbing soothing circles into the small of her back, before kissing the top her head and letting her go. "You alright?"

The nod that Rachel gave Kurt was honest. Her eyes were a little watery, but she was able to take a deep breath and smooth out her skirt, turning to the rest of the room with a soft and somewhat embarrassed smile. "Right. We can just… start with my solo Mondays practice then." She didnt say anything else, but it was close to an apology from the slightly manic girl, so the rest of them accepted it and gathered their things, Puck finally going out the door at the dismissal, closely followed by a still-muttering Santana.

"Youre like, the Rachel Berry whisperer or something, I swear," Blaine mumbled to Kurt as Finn shot his brother an appreciative nod and smile before sweeping said girl out of the room and toward the parking lot. Kurt had told Finn at the start of practice that he would catch a ride with Blaine later, since theyd ridden together that morning and it was Finns turn to drive. "Ready to go?"

Kurt nodded with a grin and a small yawn, pulling his phone out as they walked out of the room, keeping a small distance since they werent just with the Glee kids now. "Im just gonna text my dad and see if its okay with him if I crash at your place. Im so tired and I dont want to make you drive me home later." Blaine nodded his approval of the plan while unlocking his car so they both could get in.

If anything showed how much Burt trusted and genuinely like Blaine, it was his allowance of Kurt to spend so much time with him without supervision. It was also made obvious that Burt approved of him when the man actually encouraged Kurt to skip Friday dinners. If Kurts reaction was anything to go by, that spoke real volumes. They were cleared for the impromptu sleepover while Blaine drove, and Kurt muttered something about being glad hed left a few of his clothes at Blaines house after the last time hed spent more time than planned there.

Wasnt that supposed to be some big stepping stone in a relationship? Leaving personal items at the other persons house? Blaine had a couple shirts and a pair of sweats at Kurts house, and he had already borrowed at least two pair of Kurts boxers which he hadnt and didnt intend to give back. Theyd barely been dating long at all, though. Blaine almost felt like he should be worried about how fast things were going, but then… theyd both confessed to liking each other from the start of the school year. Theyd been spending time together and doing pretty much everything boyfriends did besides the physical long before they started dating. Their progression made more sense when thought about that way.

When they got to his house, Blaine dropped his bag in the living room and went to the kitchen to get them some coffee and a snack. Kurt joined him, helping to gather some fruit from the fridge while Blaine prepared their coffee the way they each preferred. When they finished, they snuggled together on the couch with something on the TV that neither was paying attention to. They sipped their coffee and ate the fruit, watching each other and smiling every now and then. They were just so comfortable together. So happy.

"So, I um… I wanted to apologize again for my father and um… explain I guess," Blaine started, looking down as he spoke. Kurt reached over, though, and tilted his chin up, understanding eyes giving the shorter boy courage to keep talking. "He doesnt… well, obviously he doesnt accept my sexuality. Dads always thought he could fix me or something, I think. He had me build a car with him one summer. My father who doesnt believe in manual labor as far as I could ever tell. It was obvious to me then that he was trying to make me straight somehow. I just… I dunno. I did it with him so that I could feel like I was actually making him happy for once, I guess. He stopped trying after I refused to hide who I was."

Kurts hand reached out to rub silent circles on Blaines knee and thigh, sending him support and encouragement to continue. "My mother never even tried to understand or change me. She just… didnt care I guess. She always seemed to care more for Cooper. I think she only ever wanted one child, honestly. Coops the only one who ever accepted me for who I am, at least as far as family goes. I think he just doesnt think it should matter. I mean, he just sees people for who they are all the time. He doesnt judge. I dont know how the hell my parents made him, but Im happy for it." Blaine smiled at the thought of his older brother. "I really want you to meet him. I think hed like you."

"I think Id like him," Kurt said softly, setting his mug down and leaning in to rest his head on Blaines chest. "You know, I used to think my dad wanted me to be straight." At Blaines shocked look, Kurt laughed. "I know. I know it was crazy of me. I mean, my dad is the most supportive person in the world. Hed love me no matter what, and I know that now. But, it was last year, when I was dealing with the most teasing ever because I was out and open about it and… well, I decided I didnt want to be that guy who got shunned as if he was diseased or something. And I didnt want my dad to have more in common with the guy I was crushing on than me." The explanation that the guy in question was Finn made Blaine laugh a little while Kurt blushed and proudly said hed gotten over that foolishness.

Blue eyes sparkled up at Blaine as Kurt continued. "Anyway, the point is I wore freaking flannel and trucker hats and sang Mellencamp and kissed Brittany and it was just… weird. And when I told my dad why, he basically told me I was being crazy and that he loves me no matter what and made it all seem so stupid." Kurt shook his head then, looking back up at Blaine and taking his hand with a squeeze. "The point is, though… You cant be what or who youre not. Even if you really want to be for the people you care about. If they care about you, theyll understand that. And if they dont… well, the Burt Hummel answer to that is screw em, but I prefer show them exactly what they are missing out on. You dont need anyone who doesnt need you, Blaine. There are plenty of us who do need you to take up all your time."

A warmth spread through him then, and Blaine couldnt help but pull Kurt up into a kiss, having set his own coffee mug down as well. The brunette climbed into Blaines lap and they kissed for what felt like forever. Both of them put their all into the kisses, making sure that they knew just how much love flowed between them. They knew they mattered, at least to each other, and that nothing could take that from them. It didnt matter how many people hated them just for being who they were. It didnt matter what Blaines parents thought of either of them. It didnt matter how many slushies they took or how many bruises shaped like lockers littered their bodies. They had each other. That was all that mattered.

"My dad doesnt want me to go to school in New York," Blaine mumbled when they broke apart. "He wants me to study business at Brown or Harvard. He went to Brown, so he really wants me to go there. Wants me to enter the family business and make something of myself." He held Kurt close, still in his lap, and shook his head. "Im not doing that though. I wont do what he wants when its nothing I want at all. I… I want to study music. Im leaning toward NYU, to be honest. Composition and performance both. I was thinking maybe… maybe someday I could compose for broadway."

Hazel eyes sparkled with previously unspoken dreams, and Kurt smiled at him with a little laugh in his throat. It was the kind of laugh that just escapes when a person is too happy. A sound to express pure joy. "Oh, honey, that sounds perfect! You know youll have no problem getting in. Your grades are really good and having Dalton on your transcripts is a big feather in your cap." Kurt winked at him, and Blaines heart soared.

"I dont think they can take away my trust fund, either, and part of it opens when I turn eighteen, so I shouldnt have any problems with tuition…" The bigger part of the fund would unlock at 21, but hed at least have enough money for school and rent. He didnt think hed want to live in dorms at school. In fact, he was pretty sure he knew he wanted an apartment and who he wanted as a roommate, but it was too soon to bring that up. There was still another year of high school to get through before that, after all. For now, hed just keep dreaming of the future in silence.

The rest of the night was spent discussing their school and professional dreams while they watched Clueless followed by Bring It On. Even though it was time alone after a week of no time outside of school, the two were happy to just lie on the couch together. They held each other and kissed and murmured I love yous at random, falling asleep at some point during the cheerleading sequel. The morning saw sore muscles and awkward neck-cramps due to the odd sleeping arrangement, but they were both happy.

They went to the mall that day with Tina and Mercedes, spending the entire day shopping and laughing and just having a great time. It was fun, relaxing, and just what Blaine needed after a stressful week with his parents. The girls were great and Kurt was obviously enjoying himself. He even got Blaine to try a bunch of stuff on, giving them all a fashion show and even buying a few sweaters for the New York trip.

By the time the day was over, Blaine dropped Kurt at his house and kissed him softly on the doorstep. Of course, that just led to Carole opening the door and insisting that he stay for dinner, which ended in another chaste kiss on the doorstep as Blaine left two hours later with a container of leftovers riding shotgun.

_______________________________________________________

Monday found a surprise slushie to the face when Blaine walked through the doors of the school, which had him dragging Kurt and a change of shirt to the bathroom so that the countertenor could quickly clean the bow tie that Carole and Burt had bought him. "Thank God youre good with stains. Id be pissed if that was ruined," he muttered, pulling a new shirt over his head and grimacing at the state of his nice dress shirt that was now speckled with blue where it once was a green and white plaid print. "Why do they have to use slushies? I mean, theyre so damn annoying and cold and colorful. I dont know how you can stand wearing nice clothes to this place."

Kurt just laughed that musical laugh that always seemed to make Blaines heart flutter. "I just refuse to let them take that away from me. Plus, as you said, I am a master of stain fighting. This should be fine, now, by the way. Just hang it in your locker so it can dry properly." He handed the tie back to Blaine and dropped a kiss on his cheek.

Blaine smiled and kissed him back on the lips before stowing the shirt in a bag and leading the way out of the bathroom to drop his wet things back at his locker so they could head to English. It was getting harder for Blaine to stop himself from taking Kurts hand in the hallway or kiss him at his locker, but hed already made a promise to himself. After his parents reaction to Kurt and NYC and all of it, Blaine had made a big decision. He was coming out with a statement of love and devotion, and he was done hiding anything about himself. He was going to New York, he was going to school for music, and he was going to do it all with the man he loved.

No jock could stop him and no parent could tell him he was wrong. Hed prove his love for Kurt on Valentines day. He just had to keep up the act for two more weeks. He could do it. Hed done it all this time, after all, so a couple of weeks wouldnt be hard at all, right?