Finally he was alone.

No Blaine, no Jesse, no one to make him feel confused or pissed off.

He picked his head up and stood up straight. He opened his eyes, and looked up at the clock on the wall.

“I’ve got ten minutes.”

He walked around to the other side of the desk, pushed the chair out of the way and flopped down on his back, giving another deep sigh as he closed his eyes. At first the only thing he could do was listen to the pounding steps of kids running in the hallway outside the room, but with every breath he took it started to grow quieter.

Body going lax, heartbeat slowing, and breathing becoming shallow, his mind cleared.

That was until he felt it: the ghost of Blaine’s breath on his neck.

Kurt started to shake. His heartbeat went from slow to overdrive, his breathing ragged, and his mind went from dead silent to shouting all the questions he had no answers to.

What are you doing, Hummel?

Do you realize what you’re risking if you continue this?

What do you want?

The voice in his head was so loud he didn’t hear the door open.

You want him.

He didn’t realize he had broken into a cold sweat, or that the shaking had become violent.

“Hello?”

Stop denying it.

“Oh my god, are you okay?”

Go for it.

“HEY!”

Kurt felt something grab his shoulder and his eyes snapped open to see a man hovering above him. Gasping for breath Kurt pushed the man off of himself. Sitting up straight, he brought his hands up to rub his eyes. He sat there willing his body to calm down, closing his eyes again and taking more deep breaths.

In through the nose out through the mouth, he chanted to himself.

Once he felt calm enough, he opened his eyes and looked up. The man that was over him moments ago was now standing a few feet away looking down on him. Kurt grabbed the desk and pulled himself to his feet, brushing off the back of his pants and smoothing out his shirt all the while keeping his eyes glued to the floor. He was embarrassed enough as it was; making eye contact would only make things worse.

The man cleared his throat.

“What do you want?” Kurt asked, keeping his gaze cast down.

“Are you alright?” the man asked.

Kurt’s face was bright read, he could feel it.

“I’m fine,” he whispered as he walked forward trying to push past the extremely tall gentleman.

The guy grabbed his shoulder again, moving Kurt right in front of him.

“Are you sure?” His voice sounded genuinely concerned.

“Yes,” Kurt replied, eyes now taking in the man’s Converse.

“You know, I always tell my kids that if they mean what they say they will look me in the eyes.” The man laughed as he let his hand drop to his side.

Kurt huffed out a sigh and looked up to meet the man’s eyes.

The man smiled as he reached a hand towards Kurt.
“My name is Finn, Finn Hudson. I’m a fourth-grade teacher here, and I believe you are supposed to be teaching my kids something about music right now.” Finn let out a small laugh as he waited for Kurt to shake his hand.

Kurt could feel his face growing hotter. Mr. Hudson, Finn, wasn’t a bad-looking guy. Tall, brown hair kept short but still spiked on top, plaid shirt, jeans that were a little too loose but still worked to show his toned waist -- he was alright, but not Kurt’s type. Kurt smiled as he grabbed Finn’s hand and gave it a quick shake.

“I’m Kurt Hummel. I’m subbing for Ms. Berry, which means that I am indeed supposed to be teaching your class a thing or two about music right now.” Kurt looked behind Mr. Hudson hoping to see the class somewhere, but was relieved that no one was in the room.

“Are you okay, Mr. Hummel?”

“Call me Kurt please, and I am fine, Finn. I appreciate you snapping me out of that little episode.” Kurt smiled.

“No problem,” Finn said as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

Kurt didn’t really know what to do. Looking up at the clock he realized he was supposed to have a classroom full of kids about five minutes ago.

“Uh, Finn,” he looked up to see Finn just kind of zoning out, “where are your kids?”

“Oh!” he shouted as he turned around and walked to the door. “I told them to wait outside while I went to check if you were ready. The door was closed so I didn’t know if you were busy or back from lunch yet.”

Kurt smiled as Finn opened the door. The kids started filing in making their way towards the risers.

Once they were all inside Finn went to the center of the room and cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the talkative bunch.

“Alright guys, this is Mr. Hummel. He’s a really nice guy and I would really like it if you were all really nice to him. Okay?”

There was a chorus of laughter and okays, making Finn smile.

He turned around to Kurt who was still standing by the desk.

“They are all yours, Kurt. I hope they aren’t too much trouble.” Finn gave him a big smile as he headed for the door.

Before he could leave Kurt walked up to him and grabbed his elbow.

“Thanks again, Finn.” Kurt smiled up at him. “Would it be okay if we talked sometime? I don’t know anyone around here and I have a feeling I can trust you.” He let his hand fall back to his side.

Finn gave him a reassuring smile and clapped a hand onto his shoulder.

“Of course we can. I’ll see you at four.” Finn let go of him and walked out of the room.

With a smile Kurt turned back to the kids.

“Okay guys!” he shouted as he walked towards them. “Who’s ready to sing?”

He smiled as they all shouted in excitement.

__________________________________________________________

Not once during his lesson with Mr. Hudson’s class did he think about Blaine. The kids were far too engaged and participant for his mind to stray. He didn’t even realize it was four o’clock until Finn showed up and the kids all stopped singing to say hello. Laughing, he turned around to see Finn with an enormous grin on his face. Kurt got up from his place behind the piano and turned to face the kids.

“Alright guys! Our time is up for the day, but I will be seeing you all tomorrow at the same time!”

“Line-lead up front!” Finn shouted over the chatter that filled the room.

Kurt smiled as the smallest of all the kids in the class took her place by the door, and then with the okay from Mr. Hudson the rest of the kids lined up behind her.

Turning, Kurt gave Finn the biggest smile he could muster.

“Thanks again for today Finn and your kids were so well behaved.”

Finn gave a small laugh as the kids started walking out the door.

“No problem Kurt. See you tomorrow!” He gave a small wave as he walked out the door behind his last student.

Kurt gave a sigh of relief. The day was over. He was entirely glad of Mr. Hudson’s class for making his first day end on a very upbeat note. As he walked behind the desk to gather his things, he realized that Blaine hadn’t come back. He sighed again, realizing that his day was not in fact over because he still had to deal with the no doubt awkward drive to drop Blaine off at home. Hurriedly, he gathered his things and locked up the classroom, hoping the boy was up front with Silvia, or out waiting by the car; he really didn’t need to go hunting for him.

As he was making his way down the hall towards the front of the school, the bell rang signaling the end of the day. Hurrying to the end of the hall before it flooded with kids, Kurt reached the doors to the front office just before the hall filled with the screams of ecstatic children.

When he walked inside his eyes went directly to the front desk, but the only person he saw was Silvia, nose deep in a Jane Austen classic; she hadn’t even looked up when he entered the room. As he approached Kurt cleared his throat. She looked up from her book and gave him a small smile.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Hummel?” she asked as she closed the book around her fingers, making sure not to lose her page.

“I-I was hoping Blaine was up here.” Silvia looked at him quizzically before getting up from her desk with a piece of paper in hand.

“Do you know where he is?”

Now standing in front of him, Silvia smiled as she handed him the piece of paper with a salute before heading back to her desk.

“Oookay then.” He glanced at her to see a smirk on her face before opening the folded paper.

It was a map.

He studied it carefully. The start was in the front office leading out of the font doors to what looked to be the back of the school. Kurt followed the imaginary trail left for him. Out the door and to the right, around the outside of the school, past a bush that looked oddly like a bear, and around a group of trees until he came to a hidden little meadow in the middle of the woods surrounding the school.

Unsure of what could be waiting for him, Kurt approached slowly. As he walked further in he saw him.

Blaine was sitting on a rusted out swing set stood that to the back of the meadow next to a paint-chipped merry-go-round that was spinning slowly with the help of the breeze coming in through the trees.

Boots scraping the grass lightly as he kicked to get as high as the old frame could get him without collapsing, Blaine smiled as he got higher and higher, Kurt smiling at the sight.

Kurt stayed a few feet from the swing set, staying clear so Blaine couldn’t kick him.

“I think you’re actually taller than me now,” he commented, laughing when Blaine’s eyes flew open, his expression resembling that of utter shock.

As Kurt watched, Blaine’s facial expression turned to concentration and the boy picked up speed, his tongue peeking through his lips as he moved his arms in front of the chains and jumped.

When the boy landed on his knees in front of him all Kurt could do was kneel to meet him eye-to-eye.

“Why would you do that?” he yelled as his hands went up to cup the boy’s face.

“How did you find me?” Blaine whispered as he hooked his hands round Kurt’s elbows.

“Silvia gave me a map. Why are you out here?” Kurt asked, unable to break eye contact.

“I was on my way back to the room when I ran into my dad. Needless to say he wasn’t exactly thrilled to see me.” Blaine huffed out a laugh as he looked down. “Few words were exchanged but they were enough to make me walk away knowing that if I didn’t I would have regretted it.”

“What did he say to you, Blaine?”

“Nothing, it’s not important.”

They retracted their arms then, in favor of sitting side-by-side on the grass.

“Are you okay?”

“Kurt, I’m fine. Can we please just change the subject?”

With a small nod they moved forward.

“So I take it you came here often?”

“Still do. This was the playground the school had when I was here. Right after I left the parents decided it was time to upgrade and bring the kids closer to the school where they could stay in sight and out of the woods.”

“Why do you come here?” Kurt asked as he picked a nearby flower, plucking the petals one by one.

“I come to clear my head. Usually when I find myself having any type of interaction with my father I leave with clouded judgment, and it’s not always the best for someone who has a ‘tendency to act on his anger more than the average teenage boy’ -- or so says my file in the counselor’s office.”

“Well, it’s really pretty,” Kurt said as he looked around at the patches of white flowers growing throughout the grassy area.

When he finally turned to meet Blaine’s eyes, they were focused on him. They shared soft smiles before Kurt averted his gaze to look up at the sky.

He had always loved the gorgeous deep purples and blues that would color the sky as the sun began to set.

“Shit!” It hit him then. “I have to get you home.” Standing and brushing off his jeans, Kurt reached a hand out to the boy.

With a shy smile, Blaine accepted the hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. As they started back towards the school, they realized that neither of them had let go of the other’s hand. They didn’t care. Today had been emotional enough, how’s a little content gesture going to hurt? They walked all the way back to the car, only breaking contact to climb into their respective sides. Once they were in their hands found each other again. Kurt gave a small sigh as they pulled away.

I can only imagine what tomorrow will be like…

He didn’t notice the now-familiar smile on Blaine’s face as the boy fell asleep with their hands still intertwined.