The windscreen wipers worked franticly, failing to make a dent in the river coursing over the glass. That, combined with the darkness and Blaine's own exhaustion, was making it very hard to drive, especially when the van in front of him was acting like a total prat.

Almost growling in frustration at the idiots all around him, Blaine swerved out into the next lane, slamming the break in the next second as a figure appeared suddenly in his headlights. His tires skidded for a second, a horrible second in which he thought he would hit the person, before they caught and he jerked to a halt, the figure in the road freezing directly in front of his car.

Blaine sat for a second, calming his heart and waiting for the figure in the road to move. When nothing happened he realised he must have hit the person and not realised it and he hurried to throw open his car door, ignoring the rain as guilt drove him from the vehicle.

At first glance, Blaine almost thought it was a deer caught in his headlights and it took him a moment to realise that the wide eyes he was looking into were actually human. The man before him was soaked, white top see-through, hair dripping. He was extremely pale and his lips had a blue tint that didn't look healthy. The only colour on his face was the dark shocking bruise around his left eye, but it was something in the way the stunning blue gaze pierced Blaine that really tugged at his heart. There was a kind of lost hopelessness in the sheer gaze, a hidden and tormented past, and it sparked something in Blaine that he hadn't felt since his last high school crush; the desire to get to know somebody.

Blaine could already feel his curls beginning to drip, his work shirt sticking to his body, and he could barely hear his own thoughts through the thundering downpour, but he pushed through the rain to the man who still hadn't moved from his position in the middle of the road.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Did I hit you?" Blaine shouted through the rain once he was close enough, only a few feet away.

The man was young, in his early twenties like Blaine, and his eyes followed Blaine's movements with what looked like fear. He didn't reply though.

"Look, I'm really sorry. Is there anything I can do to help you?" Again no reply. "Your eye looks pretty bad. I can get you some ice if you like or... something."

Blaine was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the terrified eyes locked on him. He almost wanted to check behind him for some axe-murderer or monster.

Just as he decided to go back to his car and wait for this guy to move, the man spoke up.

"I-is it r-really b-bad?" His high voice shook with cold.

"What?" Blaine looked back up at the guy, who was gently prodding his bruise, some of the fear gone from his gaze.

"M-my eye. Is it r-really bad?"

"Erm, nah, it's... alright. What happened?"

The man's face drained of what little colour it still had and he looked down at the ground, biting his lip nervously.

"N-nothing."

"Look, you don't get a black eye from nothing." Blaine stepped forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, but thought better of it when he shrank back with a faint whimper.

A sudden honking made them both jump and Blaine turned to see headlights pulling up behind his still running car.

"Oh shit." He murmured before turning back to the man in the road, who was now shivering fiercely. "We should probably get out of the road, huh? Can I give you a lift somewhere?"

"Um, n-no, thanks. I'm j-just gonna g-go... um... th-that way." He gestured vaguely into the darkness to his left, eyes darting in all directions as if he was desperate for an escape.

"Come on, you're soaked through and your lips are turning blue. At least let me drop you off somewhere. Where are you headed anyway?"

The man's face took on a positively panicked looked and his breathing picked up. He jumped violently as the car behind them honked again.

"I don-don't really know, I just..."

Blaine couldn't tell if it was raindrops sliding down the pale man's cheeks, or tears, but the terror on his face was heartbreaking and Blaine couldn't stand it. Moving closer to the man and ignoring the way he shrank away, he lightly clasped his wrist and tugged him gently to the passenger side of his car. He expected the man to resist, or at least protest, but he came willingly, curiosity mixing in with jumble of emotions in his wide eyes.

Opening the door to the car, he guided the man into the seat, before shutting it again as quietly as possible (not that it mattered in the rain) and dashing round to the driver's side.

"So what's your name?" Blaine asked as he started the car and pulled it out of its awkward position across both lanes of the road.

"K-Kurt." The young man replied. Stilling shivering with his arms wrapped around his chest.

"I'm Blaine." Catching the movement of Kurt's shivering out the corner of his eye, Blaine twisted the knob for the heating up ridiculously high and reached behind his seat, blindly groping for his jacket. Once he found it he handed it to Kurt with a mumbled 'here'.

Kurt took it shyly, shock on all his features, before slipping his arms through the sleeves and wrapping it tightly around his body. It was slightly too large for him but his eyes slid shut as the shivers wracking his body slowed, and eventually stopped.

After about 10 minutes Blaine realised he had no idea where to take Kurt and spent another 3 mentally debating whether to ask again or just take him back to his own apartment. Deciding it would seem too forward to just head straight home, Blaine cleared his throat awkwardly.

"So, where do you want me to drop you off?"

The change in Kurt was immediate. His back stiffened and his eyes snapped open, tears welling in them with alarming rapidity.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kurt. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, no it's f-fine. I just, I don't have anywhere to go."

Blaine's heart ached for him. The confession seemed to cost him a lot and he turned his face away, staring out the darkened window.

"You can just drop me off where ever you like."

Blaine knew there was no way he was about to just drop Kurt off in the middle of nowhere and he didn't see any other choice than to invite him back to his home.

"Kurt, I'm sorry if this is too forward, but you're welcome to come back to my place. You can have a shower and I'll lend you some clothes and you can take some time to decide what you want to do."

Kurt turned to look at him, utter shock and confusion written all over his face.

"Yeah, sorry, too forward. Erm, is there any where at all you ca-"

"Would you really do that for me?" Kurt's voice was quiet but it shut Blaine up immediately.

"Well, yeah."

"Why?"

"Kurt, I almost hit you with my car and it's pissing it down out there and you look like one more raindrop would give you pneumonia. I think you need a hand right now."

Once more, tears welled in Kurt's eyes but there was something different behind the blue irises. Hope was beautiful on Kurt. It lit up his entire face and left him glowing. Before Blaine could comprehend it, Kurt levered himself over the centre console and planted a kiss on Blaine's cheek. For some reason this made Blaine's heart stutter in his chest and he was finding it increasingly difficult to focus on the road instead of staring at Kurt.

Eventually they reached Blaine's apartment block and they stood awkwardly side-by-side as the elevator took them up to the fourth floor. Blaine's heart was hammering furiously and he fumbled slightly with his keys, but eventually he got the door open, standing back to allow Kurt to enter before him. All of Kurt's fear and insecurity seemed to return as he took in his new surroundings and he hovered self-consciously in the centre of the living room, still hugging Blaine's work blazer to himself, as Blaine moved around, flicking on lights and doing various other menial tasks that he usually did once he was home.

Eventually Blaine was out of things to do to stall time. Shuffling back in to the living room he noticed that Kurt was shivering again and his heart ached a little for him.

"You're cold." He stated, moving a step closer to Kurt, who nodded slightly in response before continuing to study the fibres of the carpet. "You can use my shower if you'd like. It's probably the best way to warm up" He felt like a bit of a perv suggesting it but Blaine was nothing if not practical.

"S-sure." Kurt whispered, eyes flickering up to Blaine for a second before he looked away.

"Erm, yeah, it's through here." Blaine mentally cursed the layout of his flat as he lead Kurt through his bedroom to the bathroom. Once inside he quickly showed Kurt how to work the shower before retreating to find some clothes for him to wear when he was done. He agonised over the choice, at last deciding on pyjama pants and one of his smaller t-shirts to fit Kurt's slender frame.

He knocked quietly on the bathroom door before entering, just to be safe, but Kurt was exactly as he'd left him, standing huddled in the middle of the room staring dejectedly at the tiles. Dropping the clothes on the closed toilet seat, Blaine began a hasty exit when he was stopped by Kurt's voice. It was small and afraid and wrenched at his entire being.

"Don't leave me."

"I'm not leaving Kurt. I'll just get changed and then I'll be in the kitchen making us some food." This just seemed to upset Kurt further.

"Please. Will you stay? Not in here, but somewhere I can hear you. I can't be alone." At last Blaine felt he had made the right decision bringing Kurt home. He just needed someone to take care of him at the moment.

"Of course I'll stay Kurt. I need to get changed but then I'll sit outside the door, alright?"

Kurt nodded quickly before pulling off Blaine's now slightly damp blazer and handing it back to him. It smelt sweet and bitter at the same time, but to Blaine the scent was perfect.

Back in his room he swapped his sodden work clothes for sweatpants and a t-shirt before moving to sit on the carpet so he could lean against the bathroom door. He could hear the water running but no other movement.

"You alright in there Kurt?" He called, his stomach twisting strangely as he remembered that Kurt would be naked by now.

"Yeah." Came the timid reply.

They spent some time in quiet, Blaine humming randomly and surprising himself when he realised he was actually enjoying having some company, no matter how shy and introverted it might be.

"Are you going to tell me who gave you a black eye yet?" Blaine called after a while. He heard a small clatter, as though a lid had been dropped, then the movement stopped.

"My boyfriend." The two tiny, barely distinguishable words did strange things to Blaine's emotions. He was angry that anyone would hurt someone has innocent as Kurt, especially someone who was supposed to care about him, pleased that Kurt was finally opening up to him, for some reason relieved that Kurt was gay, and was that jealousy biting at his insides? Was he jealous that Kurt had a boyfriend? And yet despite feeling all this, the only reply he could muster was 'oh'.

"Yeah. I've been living with him for a few months."

"Has he been hitting you for just as long?" Blaine couldn't help but ask, but the venom in his voice seemed to startle Kurt.

"No! He used to be so lovely. But then he lost his job and started drinking, forced me to sell my apartment to pay for booze and started hitting me when he was pissed."

"I'm so sorry Kurt."

"It's fine." Blaine thought he heard a sniff and turned his head to face in Kurt's direction, pressing his cheek to the cool wood of the door. He knew Kurt was in pain and he yearned to comfort him, the strength of his emotions frightening him a little. He had known this man for less than an hour and already he ached for his pain.

"It's not fine Kurt, no one deserves abuse."

"It doesn't matter anymore. I escaped, that's what matters."

"How did you escape?" Blaine heard the shower turn off and shortly after, the slide of clothes being pulled over damp limbs.

"He passed out and I decided that was it. I had a bag but he woke up as I was leaving the apartment and I had to run and I dropped it." He sounded distraught and Blaine stood up as footsteps approached the door behind him.

When it swung open timidly he had to bite his tongue to keep from gasping audibly. Kurt looked cute and beautiful and fucking sexy all at the same time. His towel dried hair was still a bit damp and it clung to his forehead in a way that meant he was constantly pushing it back. He eyes were bright and clear, slightly red-rimmed but still breath-taking. And the way Blaine's t-shirt clung to his damp skin was too hot to be real, Blaine considered pinching himself to ensure he wasn't dreaming. How could anyone have hurt him?

After a moment Blaine realised he had been staring for an inappropriately long amount of time and he tore his eyes away from Kurt, bringing up a hand to rub across the back of his neck.

"So, um dinner?" He mumbled, turning and marching out into the main living space, heading straight for the small kitchen. "Is pizza okay? I don't really have much in the way of fresh food."

"Sure, pizza's great." Kurt's voice was so much closer than he expected and he turned to find the pale man fiddling with the coffee machine. The sight of him in pyjamas making coffee spawned numerous different scenarios in Blaine's head, all on which involved it being the morning after the night before and him waking up next to Kurt. He swallowed a groan of longing at the thoughts of the night before part and turned back to concentrate on setting the oven.

Just as he set the timer, he heard a smash behind him and turned to find Kurt standing next to the counter, one mug in his hand and the other in shards at his feet. There was a moment where they both stared at the broken ceramic before their gazes met, Kurt's instantly filling with horrified tears.

"Please don't hit me." His whisper was so quiet Blaine had to strain to catch it but it still managed to feel like a full blow to the chest.

"Oh no, Kurt, never." Stepping carefully round the sharps pieces on the floor, Blaine slipped his arms around Kurt's waist, pulling him flush against his chest and rubbing his back as the other boy finally broke down, full, heaving sobs tearing through his body.

They stood like that for what felt like hours, Blaine occasionally pressing a kiss to Kurt's soft hair as the other boy wept against him, only roused from their embrace by the beeping of the oven timer.

"Wh-what if he finds me?" Kurt's voice was rough form crying and the fear that was clearly constricting his throat also wrapped tight bands around Blaine's heart, the mere idea of anyone hurting Kurt leaving him slightly breathless.

"He won't. And if he does, well, then I'll protect you." Kurt looked up from where he was still encircled in Blaine's arms, the smallest of smiles lifting the corners of his mouth.

"You'd really do that for me?"

"Of course. I'd never let anyone hurt you." Their gazes met and Blaine was saddened to see the wonder in Kurt's eyes. How much cruelty must one person go through to be shocked at the smallest acts of kindness?

As they continued to stare at each other, the air seemed to thicken slightly around them, and Blaine almost leaned in, stopping when the oven beeped obnoxiously again.

Sighing, Blaine dropped his arms and Kurt pulled away, both of them returning to their prior activities of making food and coffee, Blaine taking a moment to sweep away the sharp pieces of the broken mug.

By the time they were both seated on the couch, each with a plate of pizza and a steaming mug of coffee, Blaine had had time to realise that, had it not been or the oven, he would have kissed Kurt back there. Knowing this slightly disconcerted him. He had been quick to fallen in love when he was young and had therefore had his heart broken many times. It seemed now he was falling into the same trap, though it hadn't happened for at least seven years. Trying not to over-analyse his emotions he had decided that the least he could do was get to know Kurt a little better, and it was with that in mind that he ignored the TV remote and turned to Kurt to begin the long list of questions forming in his head.

Each answer that fell from Kurt's lips only entranced Blaine more. He was captivated as he found out how a young boy from Ohio, the only out gay at his school and who was bullied terribly for it, broke free of the restraints of small town life to forge a path to New York. A boy who became a man as he struggled to make ends meet in the bustling city and fell in with the wrong crowd as he searched futilely for work. It broke his heart to discover that the man had turned to prostitution for a short while when money had stopped flowing, and he was horrified to hear all the ways the man had been ripped off and used. There was a brief flicker of hope in the form of a friendly recovered alcoholic but it was quickly overshadowed by the death of the man's father, his only living relative. And finally he heard how the man had turned to his last friend in the world for comfort and solace, only to be beaten and down-trodden to moment things got slightly rough.

By the time Kurt finished speaking, Blaine couldn't help but marvel at the fact that Kurt was still carrying on after all he'd been through. The kind of strength and bravery it must have taken Kurt just to recount the story was incredible and Blaine couldn't take his eyes off Kurt's face as the pale man folded over his pizza with carful fingers and brought it to his lips. He was in awe of Kurt. It was that simple. The things he had witnessed and experienced were the stuff of nightmares and yet here he was, damaged but not broken, never broken.

When Kurt looked up to find Blaine watching him with wide eyes and a slack jaw he pressed his fingers to his face.

"Is there pizza on my face? I always make a mess of everything." Kurt scrubbed harshly at his cheeks and mouth, scowling at the opposite wall and Blaine reached forward unthinkingly to grab his wrists, stilling his hands and getting his attention.

"There's nothing on your face Kurt. You're beautiful. And you haven't made a mess of everything. Everything has tried to make a mess of you but... it failed. You're... amazing." Kurt stared at him with shock in his doe eyes, a stray tear slipping down his cheek. "Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise Kurt."

Leaning forward ever so slowly, Blaine pressed his lips to the tear making slow progress down Kurt's face, catching it with his lips and feeling as though he could somehow lessen Kurt's sorrow, take some of it as his own, with the passing of the tiny bead of salt water.

Getting to his feet, Blaine picked up their plates and mugs before moving to the kitchen, smiling slightly to himself as he realised Kurt was still sitting in exactly the same position, one hand pressed lightly to the cheek that Blaine had kissed, wide-eyed wonder on his face.

When Blaine returned to the sofa Kurt was still sitting like that and Blaine had to clear his throat twice to get Kurt's attention.

"The sofa turns into a bed so I'll sleep out here and you can have my bed." Blaine began to shift the cushions even as he spoke but stopped abruptly when Kurt spoke up.

"No."

"What?"

"Blaine, you've done so much for me already. The least I can do is let you sleep in your own bed." Kurt picked at the couch, not quite meeting Blaine's eye when he looked up.

"It's fine Kurt, honestly, I don't mind." Blaine continued removing cushions, fumbling under the sofa for the right lever.

"Blaine, I've slept on concrete before, this is luxury compared to that." He stood so Blaine could pull out the bed part of the sofa, standing back slightly as Blaine started arranging the cushions to make it more comfortable.

"Kurt you're my guest, you're supposed to take the more comfortable bed." Blaine argued as he pulled blankets and pillows out of a cupboard.

"I'm sleeping on the sofa." Blaine turned back to find Kurt sitting cross-legged in the middle on the sofa/mattress, arms folded over his chest and a determined look on his face.

Dropping the blankets and pillows on the end of the makeshift bed he admitted defeat and turned towards his bedroom, wishing Kurt goodnight as he flipped off the light. He thought he heard a slight whimper as the darkness engulfed them but wrote it off as the wind as he realised what a perv he would seem if he stood there any longer.

He brushed he teeth quickly before sliding into bed, thoughts full of Kurt as he slipped easily into sleep.

After what felt like a matter of minutes his eyes fluttered open. His clock showed him it was 2:17 and the darkness told him it was still night-time. It took him a moment to realise what had woken him until he spotted the head poking shyly round his door in the darkness. The figure was a shadow as it slipped into the room and crossed to the side of his double bed but already he could recognise Kurt merely from his silhouette.

Kurt just stood for a moment, gazing at the empty side of the bed before him like it was forbidden territory. Eventually his eyes flicked up and he gasped as he realised Blaine was awake.

"Sorry." He whispered. He sounded terrified and as if he had been crying. "I had a bad dream and I didn't know what to do."

Blaine's heart broke slightly and he rolled form his back to his side so he was facing Kurt.

"It's fine." The gazed at each other in silence for a moment before Blaine just decided to take a leap of faith and hope it went well.

Lifting the covers back slightly he nodded to the empty half of the bed, not needing words to convey his message.

Kurt didn't hesitate to slide under the covers, wriggling down so all that was visible of him was half his face as he rolled onto his side so he was facing Blaine. Blaine smiled sadly at the fear still laced across his features, even as he closed his eyes, and hesitated a moment before sliding one hand around Kurt's waist onto his back and using it as leverage to pull him close. Kurt gasped slightly as he found himself flush against Blaine's chest, before he relaxed, the last of the worry leaving his features as he buried his face in Blaine's t-shirt, one hand coming up to rest on Blaine's hip, the other fisting in the front of his shirt.

Blaine leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Kurt's forehead, holding him securely.

"I care about you very much Kurt." He whispered quietly, though he thought the man in his arms was probably already asleep. "You're safe with me."

With that he tightened his hold on Kurt, buried his face in his soft hair and let sleep claim him.