It took him a few minutes to regain control of his breathing. When he did, he leaned back, exhaling heavily. Kurt unlocked his phone - Blaine's text appeared on the screen. It felt like forever since he had received this one word in glee club.

A couple of clicks later he held the phone to his ear, waiting for Blaine to pick up.

"Yes please!" A laughing Blaine appeared at the other side of the line.

"Blaine" Kurt breathed, the tightness in his throat slightly loosening.

"Kurt? Is that you? What's up?" Blaine was still sounding very cheery while Kurt heard laughter in the background.

"Ohm... nothing. I just wanted to... talk..." He closed his eyes, sinking deeper into his seat. There was nothing he wanted more than telling Blaine what had happened but he had no idea how to do so. I mean, how do you bring up the topic of your number one bully kissing you after you confront them to a cute guy you met merely 24 hours before?

"Yeah. Cool. Wait a moment. Wes! Stop it! Let go of me! Important phone call! No, are you bonkers?" Kurt heard more laughter and then a door closing. "So. All yours now." He could simply picture Blaine smiling at that. "What do you want to talk about?"

Kurt's mouth felt dry and as he tried to answer, nothing came out. "Just this and that... What's going on there at Dalton?" He asked just to change the topic and in an attempt to distract both, himself and Blaine.

Blaine chuckled. "Oh, it's nothing. We were just practicing a number, when Trent muttered that it sucked that we can't do like pairing up for dancing. And as soon as he'd said it, everyone was just laughing because we were all imagining us doing that and I mean, come on! It got even worse when we started brainstorming which kinda dance we could do and just as you called, Wes tried to grab me to teach everyone how to tango!" Blaine laughed again. Kurt smiled. This sounded like fun. At Dalton Blaine didn't have to worry about guys harassing and violating him. He could joke around with the Warblers like any other guy.

"Kurt?" Blaine's voice was a lot more serious now. "Did you just whimper?" Kurt hadn't noticed but his lips were trembling.

"No." He tried to laugh but all that came out was a croaked cough.

"Kurt, what's wrong? What happened? Did somebody hurt you?" Blaine sounded worried and Kurt couldn't hold back.

"He kissed me!" he blurted out, his knuckles going white as he clenched his wheel.

"What?" Blaine sounded startled. "Who kissed you?" Kurt grabbed the wheel even tighter.

"Karofsky." Kurt spit it out, like it was poison in his mouth.

"Who is that? Kurt, tell me exactly what happened and why you are so... shaky?" Kurt could tell that Blaine was utterly confused and anxious to understand what was wrong. Kurt took a deep breath trying to compose himself.

"K-Karofsky. That's the Neanderthal I told you about yesterday. Life living hell..." Kurt could hear Blaine hissing. "I-I came out of glee and I... well I was reading your text again when he pushed me and I didn't want to take it anymore so I just... I just stormed after him and I yelled at him and then he threatened me but I didn't back off because I wanted to be strong and then... he kissed me." The last bit was merely a whisper. While talking, Kurt had gestured franticly. Now his hand was just falling into his lap, as he waited for Blaine to say something. He could hear him breathing heavily.

"Oh Kurt! I am so sorry! How do you feel? Where are you?" Blaine's voice was shaking slightly too his concern audible.

And again Kurt thought, thinking about all the other people who always just told him they were sorry like there was nothing to be done about it. "McKinley. Car park. Confused. Shaking. Surprised. I think I haven't been this jazzed since Gaga's legendary meat dress and her glorious eight trophies win at the WMAs this Sep..." Kurt noticed he was rambling and so he took a deep breath, readjusting his thoughts. "And why should this ki... situation be in any way your fault?" He rubbed his head. It was aching.

"I told you to confront him! And now you're shaking and miserable and... I guess... violated and it's totally my fault! I shouldn't have given you this advice without knowing the situation better!" Kurt noticed Blaine's grief and suddenly he felt strangely better. Blaine really cared for him, even to such an extent that he blamed himself for Kurt's misery.

"It is not your fault Blaine." Kurt noted happily that his voice was a lot less trembling. "It was ... him... who kissed me... and besides: standing up really did feel good. I've stood down for far too long. I don't want to be pushed around like that and I thank you for giving me the courage to fight back but... what shall I do know? How do I deal with that? And him? I... I just don't know to handle it all..."

"You don't give yourself enough credit. I'm happy that you can see the good in what happened but I'm just so sorry that it turned out that way..." Blaine seemed to be thinking hard as there was a pause where all Kurt could hear was Blaine's steady breathing. Kurt felt himself relaxing, listening to Blaine's calm breathing. Talking to Blaine, hearing what he had to say and that he cared, had eased the pain and disgust he felt thanks to Karofsky. To share this terrible memory had taken part of the weight off him.

"You know Kurt, this might sound strange but maybe we should talk to him." Kurt was startled.

"Ohm... what?"

"You know... that he forced a kiss on you was wrong and bad but you know... maybe this also explains a lot... I mean if he is gay and just unable or afraid to deal with it... it would like... explain why he's lasering in on you so much... either because he, you know... likes you... and can't admit it... or he is jealous of you being who you are and being proud of it... or he is afraid of getting forced out of the closet as he knows how life can be then... knowing it first hand from doing it to you... or a mixture of all these things..." Kurt had listened thoroughly. It was weird to think of Karofsky that way but... Blaine seemed to have a point. Kurt had never really hidden who he was... but on the other hand he hadn't always been that honest or proud about it either... and that had been hard...

"Yeah maybe you're right... I mean... I don't know if that could change things but I know what you're trying to tell me... but I just can't... I just can't talk to him. Especially not when it's just the two of us!" Kurt's whole body trembled just thinking about that.

"No! No! I wouldn't let you, let alone suggest that! Not after today! I was thinking about the two of us? You know, I could come over to Lima tomorrow at lunch time... It's quite a trip but I really have no problem with ditching a couple of classes. This is more important." Blaine sounded so sincere and he offered his help so genuinely, it made Kurt's heart swell. Also, Blaine's idea sounded good. The junior couldn't just forget about what had happened and he didn't want to talk to the bully alone.

Plus, the thought of seeing Blaine again was exciting.

"Yeah, that sounds reasonable." Kurt said, finally with an honest smile on his face.

"Awesome. So I'll be at McKinley at lunch time." There was a small pause. "Are you feeling any better now?"

"Yeah. I am." Kurt was glad that he honestly was. "I still can't believe that he... but you know, it really helped talking to you. Thanks for listening." Kurt smiled and as Blaine answered he could hear him smiling too.

"I am happy you called me. I know how hard life can be... being just the way we are. I want you to know that you're not alone and I hope I could help you. Do you want to go home now or do you want to talk some more? I always noticed that chatting takes my mind of bad stuff..."

"Yes. Just for a moment. I just need to calm down a little more..." He sighed, thinking about what to say next but thankfully Blaine beat him to it.

"Because of you I had to watch like five musicals over the weekend."

Kurt didn't know what to say to that. A second ago he had been breaking down and now they were talking show tunes? He hummed instead of giving a real answer but Blaine just continued.

"Yeah, we texted so much about musicals we liked and shows we'd love to see that I just got into the spirit and spent Sunday watching Hairspray, Grease, The Sound of Music and Moulin Rouge."

"Really?" Was all that Kurt could muster.

"Aha, it might surprise you but I have a very deep connection with Zuko."

"How come?" Kurt laughed. It was amazing how Blaine could take his mind off of everything with his adorableness.

"We share a love for good hair styling." Kurt felt tears of laughter streaking down his face.

"Yes." He gasped. "I see that though I am not sure if they even had proper gel back then. Didn't they use coke or butter or something?" He joked.

"Yes. Can you believe that? Those were the dark days, Kurt." Kurt couldn't stop laughing. The piece of his mind that had read Wikipedia articles about psychology was sure that his erratic laughter was a reaction on the experienced stress but it felt good so he just enjoyed it.

"It is also the thing I have most in common with Link. Though I have to say that I do the twist better than him."

"That you have to prove to me! What's your favourite song?"

Blaine made a thoughtful mhh sound before he answered: "I think Without Love though I also really like I can hear the bells."

Kurt hiccupped but he blamed his tears and laughter for that. Still the memories of flailing over Blaine to this very song were just too fresh.

"Wh-Why is that?" Kurt managed.

"Mhh the first I think I just like the idea that love knows no limits? Like it can happen to everyone with anyone. Love knows no prejudices or boundaries... it just happens." He laughed. "God that sounded cheesy, didn't it?"

Kurt exhaled the breath he hadn't noticed he was holding in. "No. That... I mean... yeah sort of cheesy but I guess you're right." He knew he sounded breathless. He cleared his throat and was glad that his voice sounded sort of normal again when he continued.

"And the other? Why I can hear the bells?" Blaine laughed again.

"Okay first I think that it is a really funny scene. Especially in the movie but also... I mean I don't consider myself a romantic. God! No really, I am not but I just like that she really believes in love... as in the love of your life kind of love."

Blaine laughed again. A little nervous this time and Kurt found it beyond cute.

"Yeah I get that. I think you could consider me a romantic. I get her. And I get what you're saying. It's not cheesy, it's... cute." He bit his tongue. Had he really just said that? He face-palmed for good measure because really, couldn't he just be friends with a guy for once even when he was gorgeous and nice and gay (well that was a first at least)?

"Why... thank you Kurt." Blaine chuckled again. Did he ever stop? Kurt heard more noise in the background and then a distracted Blaine saying Can't you handle that? Really? But this is important.

The Blaine that talked to him a second later sounded pretty sorry.

"See Kurt, would be okay to hang up now? Wes just commanded me back to practice. Are you... will you be fine?"

Kurt considered his words for a moment and was surprised when his next words were true.

"Yes. I will. Thank you for listening Blaine. I don't think that is something I will ever like to remember but... at least I am not freaked out anymore."

"Oh good. That's good." Blaine really did sound relieved. "You'll mange till tomorrow and then we will tackle this together, okay?"

Kurt smiled. "Yes, Blaine. And thank you again."

"As I said Kurt. Anytime." Kurt's heart fluttered as he hung up, but with Blaine's voice gone some of the agony Karofsky had created, came back. Still, it wasn't as bad as before.

He sighed before turning on the radio and putting his car into drive.

He knew he'd need a hot shower, several hours of brushing his teeth and some good Bravo reality TV but he'd see Blaine tomorrow and thinking about that was nearly worth confronting Karofsky again.