Disclaimer: The stuff that doesn’t belong to Fox or P!nk belongs to me. My beta GLee68 doesn’t belong to me either, but she’s agreed to let me borrow her for awhile.

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Chapter 4

“Give me your hand,” Kurt commanded Blaine. “Blaine Warbler, will you go to junior prom with me?”

“Prom?” Blaine asked skeptically.

“It’ll be the social event of the season!” Kurt’s heart sank a little bit. “What’s wrong, you don’t want to go with me?”

“No, no, no, it’s not that at all. But prom? Somehow I got the feeling that you wouldn’t want to go to prom.”

“What makes you think that? It’s the chance to get all dressed up in formal attire, and you’ve gotta admit, lazy old Lima doesn’t exactly give us that many opportunities for fancy outfits. Not to mention, all that dancing gives me the opportunity to hang onto my amazing boyfriend all night long.”

“Kurt, at my old school there was a Sadie Hawkins dance. I had JUST come out so I asked a friend of mine, the only other gay guy in the school, to go with me. While we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, these three guys came up and….beat the living crap out of us.”

Kurt gasped. “Oh no, Blaine, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, Kurt. We both escaped with multiple cuts and bruises, but no permanent damages. Physically, anyway. For me, it was the last straw, and it was what finally sent me to Dalton. I would love nothing more than to go to prom with you and spend a wonderful evening together, but I’m afraid for you. Your track record with this school isn’t great as it is.”

“Well, Blaine, you KNOW that’s through no fault of mine.” Kurt was a little offended by Blaine’s words. He thought Blaine was insinuating something. Blaine was quick to pick up on that and quickly reassured his boyfriend.

“No Kurt, that’s not what I meant. It’s just, I don’t want to see you hurt. You’ve gone through enough already. You are a strong, strong person, but I still can’t help being afraid that one more incident might be the straw that breaks the camel and I might lose you. Emotionally, and/or God forbid, physically.”

Kurt’s eyes grew glassy and tears threatened to fall. It was so new to him to have these kind of feelings directed towards him from someone else. Sure, his dad and Carole loved him as parents, Finn loved him as a brother, and the New Directions kids loved him as a very good friend, but this significant other thing was totally new territory for him. He squeezed the hand that he was still holding and spoke. “It’s going to be okay, Blaine. Everyone in the Glee club is going. We will never be left alone. And Mr. Schue will be a chaperone. He knows how to contact Dad and Carole if anything happens. Even the Lima police will be lurking. Not in the gym, but nearby. They don’t have much to do in this town so they practically salivate at the thought of catching kids having sex behind the school or underage drinking. We. Will. Be. Safe. I promise. But, I have to say, Blaine, that if it makes you uncomfortable at all, we’ll just forget about prom. We’ll go to a movie instead.”

“I am crazy about you.”

“Soooo… I’ll take that as a yes?”

“Yes.”

Kurt squealed. Blaine smiled, “Yes, you and I are going to the prom.”

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Kurt slid his arms around his boyfriend and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’ve already got my outfit all planned out!”

Several days later, Blaine was visiting Kurt’s house and hanging out with Burt and Finn while Kurt was preparing to model his outfit for prom.

“What are you going to go with?” asked Burt.

Blaine replied, “I’m going simple. Black, thin lapel collar, very discreet.”

Kurt, however, was the opposite of discreet. He bounced into the living room, eager to show off his design. He was wearing a short black jacket, white shirt, bow tie, and….. a plaid kilt.

“Dude, that rocks!” exclaimed Finn. “It’s like Gay Braveheart.”

“I don’t like it,” stated Burt.

Kurt scoffed. “Of course you don’t like it.”

“I gotta be honest. I think you’re trying to stir the pot a little bit. I think you’re just trying to get attention.”

“Exactly. What’s the point of dressing up? Blaine, help me out here.”

“I think your dad has a point. I think what he’s trying to say is that we just don’t want to give anyone a reason to cause any trouble.”

“All they’re looking for is a match to light under the fire of their hate. I want you to be yourself, but I also want you to be practical.”

“I have done everything right. Now Blaine, I understand that after what you’ve been through, you’re worried. But prom is about joy, not about fear.� So I’m wearing this suit. I worked hard on it and I think it’s fantastic. And if you don’t want to join me, I completely understand.” Kurt huffed and then left the room.

“Crap.” Blaine put his head in his hands. Burt came up to Blaine, patted him on the shoulder, and left the room. He said to Finn, “I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t. I have a bad feeling about this, but he’s going to do it anyway, so I might as well go so I can keep my own eyes on him.”

Finn got up to leave, but before he did, he said, “Blaine, I know we keep telling you this, but we’ve got your back. Both of you. To tell you the truth, I think Puck is dying to inflict blood loss on Karofsky. If he even breathes funny, he’s ours.”

“Thanks, Finn. I better go assure my boyfriend that he still has a date. If I know him, he’s in his room just about ready to cry.”

--

Prom was two weeks later. As Blaine had predicted, Kurt had been sitting on his window seat, staring out the window with the biggest frowny face that Blaine had ever seen. Luckily for Blaine, all he had needed to do was give him a big hug and tell him that he was still onboard with prom and however Kurt wanted to dress. Like magic, the frown was turned upside down, and Blaine was shooed out the door – Kurt had apparently had more sewing or bedazzling or whatever to do to his kilt. Blaine liked being fashionable, but the mechanics of it all just went over his head.

He had to admit, though. Even though he had his concerns about the kilt, Kurt wore the hell out of it. Blaine actually thought it was kinda hot, and he found himself thinking that if they had already been at “that” point in their relationship, that kilt would have made certain activities rather convenient.

He couldn’t think about that now, though. After Sam, Puck, and Artie did an admirable job trying to make that hideous Friday song slightly better than it was, it was his turn up on stage. The band Figgins had booked canceled, and he had enlisted the New Directions members to provide the live music for the night. He had chosen a very catchy song called “I’m Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You.” Blaine thoroughly enjoyed his time up on stage. Performing with the Warblers, even though he was the lead soloist, did not provide him with any way to just be himself. Up on the prom stage however, he could be all kinds of silly and goofy, and he was really excited that it was cool with them that he performed as well. Kurt had to admit, he loved seeing this side of his boyfriend.

Figgins stepped up to the microphone. “It is now time to announce this year’s prom court. Would all the candidates please step up to the stage?”

Kurt noticed Quinn walk on stage. Alone. He wondered where Finn had gone. Quinn looked equal parts angry and distraught. He hoped she would win prom queen. Not just because she wanted it so bad, but because it would save everyone else from hearing her obsess about winning. She had an extremely unhealthy fixation on the prom queen title, and she was driving everyone else nuts in the process, especially Finn.

“McKinley High’s 2011 Prom King is……. David Karofsky!” The members of last year’s court placed his crown on his head and his scepter in his hand. He then went to sit on his throne.

“And now, after carefully counting the votes three times, our 2011 Prom Queen is… Mr. Kurt Hummel.”

“Oh fuck,” Blaine breathed. This was not going to be pretty.

Kurt’s jaw dropped in disbelief. He was stunned. The murmurs and laughter of the crowd began to echo in his head. He couldn’t hear anything else. He vaguely heard someone calling his name, but he just couldn’t do anything about it. His brain finally broke through and started chanting Run. Run Kurt. Run. Run. Run.

So he did.

--

“KURT! Kurt, no! Please stop! KURT!” Blaine yelled as he chased Kurt out of the gymnasium. He could hear people laughing behind him, and he couldn’t ever remember being this furious in his life. Ever.

“Oh Kurt, honey…” Blaine said as he saw Kurt curled up in a little ball on the floor in a corner, sobbing.� He slowly went to him and sat down next to him, throwing a comforting arm around his shoulders, but Kurt wasn’t having any of that. He simply just couldn’t be consoled at that moment in time.

“How could they do this to me, Blaine? Why me? The only thing I’ve ever done is dare to be myself. I’m a good person, I make good grades, I don’t get into trouble, I help people with their French, I’m good to my dad. So what if I wear clothing right off the runway? So what if I prefer show tunes to hard rock? And so what if I prefer to spend my time with a boy instead of a girl? What harm am I doing? I don’t shove it in their faces. I don’t want to convert anyone over to my ways. I just want to be ME. Blaine, why won’t people let me be me?”

“They’re jealous, sweetie. They see someone who has more talent in their little finger than most of them do put together, and they know that he has a chance to make something of himself, and they are not that sure of their own selves. They’re terrified of being stuck in Lima all their lives, and they can’t stand to see someone else get out, so they make his life miserable instead. Some people just aren’t happy until they have company wallowing in their misery with them. Don’t fall for that bullshit, Kurt. You are far more than they will ever be, and I don’t ever want you to believe otherwise.”

“Here I thought things were getting better. I wasn’t getting harassed anymore, and I wasn’t hearing any whispers or names being called behind my back. No one would talk to me, still, but it was better than being called names that I am too horrified to repeat. But I guess the reason everyone was so quiet is that they just didn’t want to leak the details of Operation Humiliate the Gay Boy. So much for me thinking things were getting better.”

“Kurt…”

“No Blaine. Please know that I mean no offense to you when I say this, but I think I’m going to break down even more than I already have if I hear one more soothing word. I want to be MAD, Blaine. Get mad with me. I am SEETHING. My humiliation is feeding the absolute RAGE I have flowing through my body. Please don’t try to calm me. I just want to be angry.”

“Fuck yeah, I’m mad, Kurt. Oops, pardon my French.”

“That wasn’t French, Blaine, you forget who you’re talking to.”

Blaine was glad to hear just a little of Kurt’s sense of humor breaking through. He knew that if Kurt would joke, he would be okay. Not right away, but it would be better.

“Okay Kurt, you got me. What do you want to do, Kurt? Did you want to leave? I am at your disposal. Whatever you want to do is what we’ll do.”

Kurt took a deep breath. “You know what, Blaine? I’m going to go back in there and get coronated. The Neanderthals at this school probably figured they have finally broken me down for good this time. They’re probably thinking that they’ll be rid of me for good. Well, that’s not how Hummels do it. We Hummels are strong and don’t take any crap from anyone. Nope, I’m going to march my fabulous ass right back in the gym, I’m going to get my crown, and I am NOT going to let those ASSHOLES get me down!”

“YES!” Blaine did a fist pump. “THAT’S my boy!” He jumped up and threw his arms around Kurt. “You go get ‘em, tiger. Chew ‘em up, spit ‘em out, and let ‘em know they can all go to hell.”

“I’m gonna show them that it doesn’t matter if they are yelling at me or whispering behind my back.� That they can’t. Touch. Me. That they can’t touch us. Or what we have,” Kurt said as he flung open the door to the gym and marched in.

The gym got eerily silent as the entire student body faced the stage to see what Kurt would do. He stepped up to Figgins and said, “I am ready for my crown.”

Figgins did a double take, but then directed last year’s court to go ahead and crown him with the queen’s crown and scepter.

“And now, to follow tradition, the King and Queen are supposed to dance together.”

“No. Uh uh. You are NOT going to make me dance with Lady Lips over there. I am a man, and I do not dance with boys.” Karofsky threw his crown and scepter to the floor and stomped offstage. Kurt was left standing at the edge of the stage alone, head down and eyes closed, feeling the humiliation seep in once again. All his previous confidence was gone.

“Pardon me, may I have this dance?” Kurt opened his eyes and saw a hand reaching out to him. Blaine was standing there with a hopeful look in his eyes.

“I’d be honored.”

The New Directions had originally planned on singing Dancing Queen as the prom king and queen’s first dance number, but they didn’t feel right using that one considering what had just happened. They quickly conferred and then Santana stepped up to the stage.

Made a wrong turn, once or twice
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that's alright
Welcome to my silly life.

Kurt and Blaine smiled. They both recognized the song the club had chosen, and they had chosen well.

Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood.
Miss 'No way, it's all good', it didn't slow me down.
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated.
Look, I'm still around.

Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect.
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing,
You are perfect to me

You're so mean when you talk about yourself; you were wrong.
Change the voices in your head; make them like you instead.
So complicated, look happy, you'll make it
Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game.
It's enough; I've done all I can think of.
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same.

Woah ohh, pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel
Like you're less than less than perfect.
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing,
You are perfect to me.

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear.
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer.
So cool in line, and we try try try, but we try too hard and it's a waste of my time.
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere.
They don’t like my jeans; they don't get my hair.
Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time.
Why do we do that? Why do I do that?

Why do I do that?

Blaine reached his hand up to touch Kurt’s cheek and began to sing along with the song.

Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect.
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing, you are perfect to me, yeahhh.
You're perfect, you're perfect
Ohh pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothin' you are perfect to me.

Kurt looked at his boyfriend adoringly. Even though he was pretty sure the song wasn’t Blaine’s idea, him singing along with it did wonders to restore his confidence.

Blaine whispered in Kurt’s ear, “I know you said that you would always want to kiss me and that I never needed to ask you, but I figure this is kind of a special circumstance. I REALLY want to kiss you right now, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks. You can tell me no and I will be totally okay with it.”

“Blaine, shut up and kiss me. Just don’t go overboard – there’s some things that even the ones who are okay with us together don’t need to see.”

Blaine’s smile grew a mile wide and and he dove in for the kiss before Kurt could change his mind. Amazingly, there were no catcalls or exclamations of disgust when the two boys kissed. Blaine thought perhaps they finally gained some respect for Kurt when he was brave enough to come back to accept his crown. Blaine didn’t personally know anyone who had that kind of courage besides Kurt. He knew that Kurt’s personal motto was Courage, and he had it in spades. He was so proud to be with Kurt.

Perhaps there was hope for the students of McKinley High yet.

Or perhaps not.

--

After the prom had come to a close, Kurt and Blaine headed off towards Kurt’s Navigator to head home, only to find Karofsky leaning up against it.

“Haven’t I gotten rid of you yet, Homo? I bully you, I threaten to kill you, and finally you transfer to another school. But then you come BACK and darken my doorstep once again. I get everyone off your back in exchange for their silence and their vote for you for prom queen, and what the hell? You accept the fucking crown? You’re like a turd that won’t flush! You just won’t go away!”

“YOU were responsible for me being prom queen? You ASSHOLE! What the hell were you thinking? Why the hell are you so afraid to have me around?”

“Please, I’m not afraid of you. I’m just trying to rid the school of the freaks, and I’m starting with YOU and your fairy boyfriend over there!”

“Don’t you DARE insult my boyfriend. And you ARE afraid, Karofksy! Afraid I’m going to tell the school that I catch you checking out the other guys’ butts in the hallway!”

“I do not!”

“You’re afraid that I’m going to tell everyone that you KISSED me in the locker room!”

“I did not! I tripped and fell into you.”

“Face first, Karofsky? And with TONGUE?”

“That did not happen!”

“Afraid that my gayness is going to rub off on you? I hate to tell you Karofsky, but my gayness did NOT rub off on you – it was there all along. When are you going to admit it? When are you going to admit that YOU are GAY?”

At that moment, the boys heard a gasp from a few yards away. The New Directions members were there to find Kurt and Blaine, and apparently at least Rachel had heard what had been said.

Karofsky looked around in panic and started drawing his fist back. Puck shouted “NO!” and arrived just in time to catch Karofsky’s fist from landing on Kurt’s face.

“Get in the car, Kurt. Take Blaine with you.”

“Puck, don’t do this. You can’t afford to go back to juvie!”

“I’m not going to do anything that’s going to get me sent back. Just get in the car.”

Kurt and Blaine obeyed and got into the Navigator.

“You might not do anything, but I’m going to,” seethed Finn. While Karofsky was distracted, Finn clocked him right in the jaw. It may have been a sucker punch, but Karofsky had some pounds on him – it wouldn’t have been a fair fight, even with Puck holding him back.

By then the Lima police officers patrolling the neighborhood had shown up to investigate the disturbance. Upon finding out that Karofsky had had a well documented record of harassing Kurt in the past, they cuffed him and took him to the station for his parents to pick him up.

“Oh Kurt, I am so glad you’re okay,” said Blaine. The boys had been wrapped in each other’s arms since they had gotten inside the car. They had gotten into the back so they could hold each other without being separated by the center console.

“Kurt! Blaine! You guys can come out now, he’s gone!” shouted Rachel, pounding on the locked doors.

Blaine opened the side door, got out, and then held out a hand to help Kurt out. “Guys, I think we’re a bit shaken up. We’re going to take a raincheck on the post prom food binge and I’m just going to get Kurt home. I hope you understand.”

“No problem,” said Mercedes. “You just take care of my boy.”

“I will, I promise. I know not to cross you,” Blaine joked.

“Damn straight,” she smiled back.

The boys said their quick goodbyes to their friends and Kurt handed over the keys to Blaine. Normally he didn’t let anyone drive his baby, but he had had too much drama for one night and just didn’t feel up to driving the four miles home.

Kurt was exhausted – he fell asleep just one mile away from the school. Even though the drive had been short and most likely Kurt wasn’t deeply asleep yet, Blaine still felt bad about waking him up. Kurt woke up just enough to unsteadily propel himself into the house, up the stairs, and fall onto his bed. Blaine peeled his shoes, jacket, and bow tie off him. He contemplated the kilt, but decided to leave that – Blaine wasn’t quite sure how Kurt would feel at this point in their relationship about having major garments removed from his body without him knowing. He didn’t want Kurt to freak out. He tucked Kurt in and smoothed his hair. With a kiss on the forehead, Blaine turned out the light and left the room.

Burt was waiting for the boys in the living room. He found it strange that Blaine and Kurt went right to Kurt’s room without stopping to greet him, but he went with it, knowing he’d get an explanation eventually.

Blaine noticed him waiting and went in to speak with him. “I’m going to let Kurt go into all the details with you tomorrow as it is a very long story and I’d like to get home myself, but suffice it to say, it didn’t go well. A few things happened, but your son has heroic amounts of courage and he simply amazes me. I am so proud of him. And I am thankful he has such good friends in the Glee club as they came to our rescue a couple of times tonight as well. Kurt is so special. We all need to keep reminding him of that.”

“Thanks Blaine,” replied Burt. “I know you don’t want to get into it right now, but I do need to know, is my boy physically harmed or in trouble due to anything that may have happened tonight?”

“No, thankfully all is well on those fronts.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll talk with him after he wakes up. You look wiped out yourself. The couch is free if you want to just stay here tonight.”

“No, thanks for the offer, but I need to have a little time to deal with the things that happened tonight, myself. I just want to be at home in my own bed and sleep for a couple of years at this point.”

“Be careful, kid. Send me a text when you get home so I know you arrived safely. Kurt will have my ass in a sling if I let anything happen to you.”

“I’ll do that, Mr. Hummel. And I’ll have my cell phone on and next to me during the night. If for some reason he needs me, please let me know.”

“Call me Burt, kiddo. I think you’ve earned the right to be on a first name basis with me by now.”

Blaine smiled. “Sounds great, Burt. Good night.”

“Good night, Blaine.”

�