Kurt and Blaine had barely been separated from the phone since they had their first call almost a week before. Blaine had become as familiar with Kurts voice as he was with his own. He knew every inflection and every tone; he knew every sighs hidden meaning and most of all, he knew Kurt.

“Don’t lie to me. I know somethings wrong. Just tell me, baby.”

Kurt sighed and smiled, suddenly grateful for having someone to talk about this with. This was a big thing on his mind and he wanted to share the weight of it with someone else. He didn’t think he could carry it alone.

“There’s this neanderthal that’s made it his mision to make my life a living hell. He’s pushed me into lockers, thrown slushies in my face, and made all kinds of derogatory remarks about my sexuality.”

Kurt took a breath and closed his eyes trying not to let the tears fall.

“But today, I tried to stand up to him. Prove to myself that I was stronger then all of this.”

A tiny sob of a breath was sucked into his lungs. Blaine’s heart broke in two.

“You are,” he murmered brokenly. “You are so much stronger.”

“I followed him to the locker room and yelled. I told him he was an idiot and I said he was just scared. He told me not to push him but I was too angry to listen.”

Another broken sob.

“He kissed me, Blaine. He took my first kiss from me. I just feel so violated.”

Both boys stopped breathing, each trying to calm themselves. Blaine broke first, his voice low and dangerous.

“Who is he?”

Kurt shivered, insticnt telling him he should be afraid.

“Blaine, I-”

“What’s his name, Kurt?”

He heard venom coming through the words and could tell his jaw was clenched. He could almost feel Blaine’s hands ball into fists.

“Dave Karofsky.”

Blaine breathed in and out, reminding himself that he couldn’t let his anger overpower him. He had to be there for Kurt.

“I am so sorry, baby. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you from that. It never should have happened to you.”

“I’m just so tired. I feel sick, as if I should wash it off of me, but I can’t.”

He heard him growl and then heard something smash and shatter. Kurt almost let another sob escape as he heard Blaine cry out. And then there was tense silence. Not even their breathing could be heard and it felt as if the air around them had become dry and still. When Blaine spoke again it was so broken, tired and hushed that Kurt almost missed it.

“It should have been me. I should have given you your first kiss. It should have been me, baby. He took that from you, from me, from us. But he’s not going to touch you again. I won’t let him. I can’t.”

And with that the line went dead.

___________________________________________________________________________

Kurt went to school the next day, jumpy with the distraction of the memory of their phone call. Something was going to happen. He could feel it. He went through french in a daze and met up with Mercedes at his locker as usual.

“What’s going on, white boy? Is something wrong?”

Kurt shook his head, his eyes falling to the ground.

“Nothing. I’m just tired, that’s all. Didn’t sleep very well last night, and you know how horrible that is for my skin.”

“Hey guys!”

They looked over to see Rachel rushing toward them. She looked excited and nervous and Kurt tensed. He knew what was coming and he feared it.

“Have you seen Karofsky’s face?”

Mercedes looked at Kurt, who just stood there, frozen, before turning back to look at Rachel.

“No. What’s wrong with it? Other then the usual?”

She once again looked at Kurt to see if that had gotten a rise out of him, but he remained still, watching Rachel who seemed completely oblivious.

“He got into a fight or something. His face is all bruised and he’s got a limp. I can’t believe someone finally stood up to him! Whoever they are, I hope they’re okay. His knuckles are bruised so you know he got some punches in.”

Kurt felt as if going to be sick. Blaine.

“Kurt? Are you alright? I thought you would be happy at this. I mean he tormented you!”

Rachel laid her hand on Kurt’s arm and just like that, he cracked. A sob escaped him as he felt both girls wrap their arms around him. They quickly pulled him into the empty choir room and held him as he cried in frustration and fear, not asking any questions, just trying to be there for their friend. Once his sobs quieted he looked at the girls and smiled slightly.

“His name is Blaine. I’ve never actually met him. I’m not sure what’s going on, but….”

Kurt looked down at the hands in his lap.

“I shouldn’t like him. He follows me around and he calls me and texts me and drives me insane and I’ve only known his name for a week. I shouldn’t like him, but he’s so intense. I just- I can’t-“

Rachel gently pulled his face upward to look them in the eyes.

“We’re here. Even if you are doing something as stupid as this.”

Mercedes pushed her over, rolling her eyes.

“What Rach is trying to say is, we’re not going to judge you. We love you, boo.”

Rachel smiled and then looked at him carefully.

“Do you think he’s the one who beat up Karofsky?”

He closed his eyes and nodded very slightly, almost afraid to move his head.

“Be careful, Kurt. He could be dangerous. Maybe…maybe you should tell someone.”

His eyes snapped to meet Rachel’s.

“NO! You can’t. You have to promise me you won’t tell anyone. Promise me on our friendship, on Celine Dion, on Barbra Streisand, and on your future career that you won’t. tell.”

The two girls looked at each other, both in shock at the desperation in Kurt’s voice.

“We won’t tell, Kurt.”

“I promise.”

They both looked back at Kurt and took a breath.

“But if he tries to hurt you or get’s too crazy we’ll be forced to account for your safety. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

Kurt hung his head in shame.

“I shouldn’t be doing this. What am I doing? How did I let this happen?”

Rachel took his hand and he rested his head on Mercedes shoulder.

“We’re here. We’re here.”

____________________________________________________________

Before they even left the choir room Kurt had texted Blaine, just asking if he was okay. He should have been more angry, but he just needed to know he was okay.

“I’m fine. It really wasn’t that big of a deal, Kurt. I just needed to make sure he wouldn’t touch you again.”

“We’ll talk about this later.”

Kurt didn’t let his mind wonder back to Blaine. He focused on his school work more then usual and sang his duet with Rachel with so much intensity that Rachel had to stop singing she was crying so hard.

He drove home carefully, not speeding no matter how badly he wanted to get home and talk to him. He walked at a normal, steady pace into the house and then raced through his house and down the stairs to his room. The phone call came exactly 2 minutes later.

“I was waiting for you to get home.”

Kurt looked out his window, once again searching for Blaine, knowing he wouldn’t find him.

“How do you do that? You can always see me, but I can’t find you.”

A quiet chuckle came through the phone.

“I have my ways.”

That tiny laugh was all it took for Kurt to remember what he was angry about.

“You can’t do things like this, Blaine.”

“I was protecting you, Kurt.”

“No Blaine! Are you gonna fight everyone that tries to hurt me now? What if he had hurt you? What if he hurt me as pay back? Did you really not think of all the trouble you could have caused?”

“I wouldn’t let him hurt you. I did this for you!”

“SHUT UP, BLAINE!”

Kurt was livid. If Karofsky knew he could hurt him, or his friends in retaliation. What had Blaine done? Was he insane? If they ever had a normal relationship would he try to hit him? Kurt kept hearing Rachel’s voice in his head, “account for your safety.” He had never even had the idea that Blaine could hurt him until now, and he was terrified.

The silence was unbearable.

“I think you should go, Blaine.”

Something changed, they could both feel it. It felt less angry and more charged. A calm power that Kurt knew he had nothing to do with.

“You must not have heard me before, Kurt.”

Blaine’s voice was calm, low and dangerous and the combination sent Kurt to his knees. He almost moaned when Blaine spoke again.

“You can’t leave me. That’s not how this works. You don’t get a choice in this. You are mine and I will not have you talking to me this way. I love you.”

He took a ragged breath and Kurt shivered.

“I’ll make you love me, Kurt. Do you understand?”

Another pause.

“I’ll. Make. You. Love. Me.”

Kurt clicked the end call button and threw the phone away from him as if it burned his hand. He closed the heavy curtains to make sure Blaine couldn’t see him and hid under his covers, clinging to his pillow.

What had he gotten himself into?