It’s late evening one day in Washington when Burt gets an unexpected phone call. He mutes the TV and grabs his cell, smiling when he sees the caller ID.

     “Hey, buddy?” He says, “How’s it going?”

     His question isn’t met with an answer, but rather a sob, followed by another.

     “Blaine? What’s going on? Are you okay?” Burt asks, starting to feel panicked.

     “Kurt’s fine.” Blaine mumbles.

     “I’m glad to hear that, but it’s not what I asked, bud. Are you somewhere safe? Are you okay?” Burt prompts, not pacified in the slightest.

     “I’m at home, but I – uh – I’ve been better.” Blaine finally answers, his voice barely a whisper.

     “Do you want to tell me about it?” Burt asks. It must be something to do with Kurt, if Blaine is choosing Burt over his boyfriend.

     A sob comes over the phone again.

     “Will you – Would you still have left me come over in September, even once K-Kurt’s not around?”

     “Of course I will!” Burt replies, shocked. “You’re part of this family, Blaine, simple as that.”

     Blaine says something else, but his voice is too quiet for Burt to make out the words.

     “Can you say that again, Blaine?” Burt asks, “I couldn’t quite hear you.”

     “Even if Kurt and I aren’t together?” Blaine mumbles.

     Burt is getting really worried.

     “Even if you and Kurt aren’t together.” Burt assures the boy.

     There’s the sound of Blaine blowing his nose, but he doesn’t say anything.

     “Do you want to tell me what all this is about?” Burt doesn’t mean to sound impatient but nothing about this conversation is making him feel any better.

     “I, uhm, something happened. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m just thinking that K-Kurt w-w-won’t want t-to…” Blaine doesn’t finish his explanation, as words are replaced with another loud sob.

     “Blaine. I need you to calm down for me, okay?” Burt pleads. “Whatever is going on, it will be okay. Remember that time in November you called me at 3AM so upset? That worked out alright, and this will, too.”

     This doesn’t seem to calm Blaine at all.

     “Blaine.” Burt says, practically begging. “Does Kurt still have your razors? Are you safe right now?”

     Blaine doesn’t answer, but continues to cry, perhaps harder than before.

     “Buddy, I know that you’re really upset right now, but cutting isn’t going to help. Remember what you told me in February? That cutting doesn’t feel good? It’s not going to make whatever problem you’re having go away. It won’t help you. It will just add to your pain, and make you guilty later.”

     Blaine sniffs a little.

     “I, uhm, I have one in my hand.” Blaine finally says, his voice raspy. “That’s why I called. I wanted you to stop me. I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want you to leave me, too.”

     “It’s alright, Blaine.” Burt says softly, trying to sooth the boy. “I’m not disappointed and I’m not going to leave you. Can you please put the razor away?”

     There’s a long moment of silence except for Blaine’s sniffles, and Burt’s just starting to wonder if Blaine will disagree, when a shuffling noise is heard.

     “Are you putting it away now, bud?” Burt asks.

     “Mhm.” Blaine replies.

     “Thank you, Blaine.” Burt says, trying to encourage him. “I’m proud that you could do that. I’m glad that you called me for help.”

     “Uh huh.” Blaine says. Burt can hear him blow his nose again.

     “What were you going to say about you and Kurt? Why are you so worried about the fall?”

     “He’s going to leave me. I’m totally sure. He’ll have New York, he’ll have thousands of new people to meet, tonnes of guys will want to go out with him. He’s going to realize that he’s only with me because I’m the best option in this stupid town. He’ll get to New York, and he’ll meet someone better and leave me. I just know it.”

     “Don’t you dare talk about Kurt and yourself that way!” Burt can’t help but raise his voice, and doesn’t even regret it when he hears Blaine whimper.

     “First of all, any guy would be lucky to be with you. You’re talented, you’re smart, you’re fun and you are really kind. Second, Kurt loves you. Kurt LOVES you. Kurt loves YOU. That’s simple. Third, do you really think that Kurt is so cruel that he would leave you so quickly? You two have been together for more than a year now! Do you not think he values that?”

     Blaine doesn’t say anything for a long time, just sniffling. Burt starts to wonder why the hell he’d ever thought splitting his time between Lima and Washington could have been a good thing.

     “He said some things.” Blaine finally whispers. “He doesn’t want to be with me. He’s already found someone better.”

     Burt is horrified at how easily Blaine can say such a horrible thing, before he realizes that Blaine is simply repeating what he’d thought he’d heard Kurt say. It doesn’t mean Kurt had said those things, but even if Blaine had massively misunderstood Kurt, there was extremely wrong with their communication.

     “I’ll be home tomorrow night, bud. I’ll talk to Kurt then. Since you’re not telling me much, I don’t know what happened, but it definitely sounds like he hurt you pretty bad. We’ll sort it out, okay?”

     “Sure.” Blaine says, but Burt thinks that he doesn’t sound all that hopeful.

     “Are you going to be okay tonight?” Burt asks, not forgetting Blaine’s near-relapse earlier.

     “Mhm.” Blaine answers.

     “And you’ll call me again if you’re not?” Burt prompts.

     “Yeah, sure.” Blaine says, his voice still bleak.

     “Okay, then. Get some rest and have a good day at school tomorrow. Love you, bud.”

     Burt’s glad that he said those last few words when he hears Blaine reply, his voice barely a whisper.

     “Love you, too, Burt.”

     When Burt gets home the next day, he realizes that talking to Kurt is a little more complicated than he’d thought. Kurt gets really defensive during confrontations, so barging into his room and asking what the hell he’d done to Blaine would not be an effective approach. He decides to open up a conversation about Kurt’s NYADA dreams and how he doesn’t want Kurt to leave.

     Kurt seems to understand what he’s talking about, and even seems to make the connection to apply it to his relationship with Blaine. Burt’s not entirely sure that he’s done enough, but if it gets the boys talking again, well, they’ll probably be okay.

     It takes another day to pass before this does happen. Burt’s sitting in the kitchen, three nights after his phone conversation with Blaine, when the two boys rush into the house. They are holding hands as they run past Burt, up the stairs, and then Burt hears the slam of Kurt’s bedroom door. Burt cringes, glad that they’re on good terms again, but entirely sure that he doesn’t want to be around to witness them making up.