Part One: Chapter 4- Boys

It continued for the next four years- Kurt staying with Blaine on Friday nights, waking up with Blaine's head on his chest and the stuffed rabbit wedged between them. They never spoke of the moments in that bedroom where Kurt would chase away Blaine's demons with hugs and whispered promises of redemption and through it they became even closer than ever before. Like brothers, they knew every little detail of each other and like friends they listened to every little problem the other had and tried to help the other in the best way they could.

By Blaine's tenth birthday, they had mastered the art of breaking into the other's room and Kurt would often wake up with Blaine in his bed and no recollection of how he got there, but it didn't bother him. Burt started to notice.

"How does Blaine get in your room, buddy?"

"The window," Kurt answered simply through a mouth full of cereal.

"Why doesn't he just use the door?"

"He comes in in the middle of the night. Sometimes I don't even remember it."

Burt furrowed his brow. "Any particular reason he keeps sneaking into your room?"

Kurt never spoke about John's abuse, helping Blaine cover up the bruises with lame stories about how they were rough-housing and it got out of hand or how Blaine tried to climb this tree or that rock and fell. At eleven, Kurt had more secrets than he cared to have.

"He just wants to hang out, that's all," Kurt shrugged and stood up to put his bowl in the sink.

"What aren't you telling me, Kurt?"

A honk sounded outside, making Kurt jump over to his chair and grab his satchel.

"School bus. See you later, Dad," he waved and headed out the door, letting out a sigh of relief. Burt had noticed before that something was up with Blaine,
but he had never directly questioned Kurt about it.

Kurt headed toward the bus, eyes wandering the group filing in for Blaine. It had been a few days since Kurt and Blaine last hung out because Blaine's mom took him to Minnesota to visit his grandparents and he felt excited nerves at seeing his friend again. It had been a long few days without him.

"Kurt?" Blaine called to him. He turned and a laugh bubbled out of his chest.

"What got a'hold of your head?" Kurt reached up and ruffled what was left of Blaine's curls on top of his head. Blaine seemed to have gotten a pretty severe haircut. His long black curls were now cropped short on the top and the sides were trimmed to where his ears could be seen.

"Nana and a pair of scissors," Blaine shoved Kurt's hand away. "I hate it. I loved my hair."

"I can see your face now, though," Kurt joked and inspected it. "And you have ears."

"Ah, bite me," Blaine grumbled playfully and they stepped up onto the bus. This would be Kurt's last year in elementary school. In less than a month, he would be in junior high while Blaine finished out his elementary career. Neither one really talked about it much.

Settling into a seat in the back, they started rattling on as if they were never apart. Kurt ignored the bruise around Blaine's wrist as he went on about all the fun things he did with his Grandpa on his trip. A little giggle erupted from the seat in front of them after Blaine demonstrated fighting with a fish he had caught.

"Oh, Blaine...you're so funny," Rachel Berry peaked over the seat. Kurt rolled his eyes. Rachel Berry was one of his least favorite people- apart from Blaine's father- on the planet. She was full of herself, even at age eleven, and was very infatuated with Blaine. There was a rumor that her father Hiram was sleeping with someone else- a man named Leroy from Knoxville. The church had chased them out.

"Don't roll your eyes, Kurt, that's very rude."

"It's rude to interupt people when they're talking, too, Rachel," Kurt said snippily. Blaine sat back and looked between them. He was used to their spats.

"I was just listening and thought it was funny."

Quinn Fabray popped her head over the seat. "Come on, Rachel, leave those boys alone," she gave a small smile to Kurt and pulled her friend back down, but not before Rachel stuck her tongue out him.

"Man, she's annoying," Kurt said quietly enough for only Blaine to hear.

"She's not that bad," Blaine shrugged.

"You only think so because she likes you," Kurt nudged Blaine's shoulder.

"What about Quinn?" Blaine shoved back, grinning wickedly at Kurt.

Kurt laughed and shook his head. "Get outta here."

At school, they were seperated by grade, so Kurt headed toward the sixth grade building and Blaine to the fifth. Kurt took his seat next to Finn Hudson, a tall, gangly boy in his grade.

"Hey, Kurt. You're really good at crafts and stuff, right?" he fumbled desperatly in his bag.

"Um...yeah, I guess," Kurt peaked into the dirty book bag.

"Do you think Rachel will like this?" he pulled out a construction paper card with a glittery heart on it. Kurt couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What? Help me out, man," Finn pouted.

"What is it with everyone loving Rachel Berry?" Kurt shook his head. "Ugh, ok, fine, let me see."

Finn smiled and with Kurt's help, they wrote a little note inside and removed the excess glitter to make it look more even. Finn clapped his shoulder when they were finished.

"Thanks, Kurt. I owe ya one," he climbed back into his seat. Kurt may have stared a little longer than he should have and might have just imagined- though he knew he hadn't- that his skin was tingling where Finn had touched him.

"I think I'm sick," Kurt mumbled as he and Blaine sat on the bank of the river, tossing rocks at passing fish.

Blaine looked at him. "Sick?"

"I got a weird feeling when Finn Hudson touched me today...now I feel all...weird."

Blaine furrowed his eyebrow and scrunched up his nose. "Like...when you think about him?"

Kurt sighed and fell back on the ground. "I think I need a shot."

Blaine snorted and fell back next to Kurt. "No, you just need to chill out. It can't be that bad."

"I mean...Finn's cool and all...he's my friend...I like his hair..."

Blaine turned his head to the side, gazing at the side of Kurt's face while he talked. "Do you think he's handsome?"

Kurt shot at look at him, one of surprise and shock. "Blaine, come on..."

"It's just a question, Kurt-"

"But boys don't ask questions like that...it's gross."

Blaine closed his mouth and turned his head away from Kurt. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Kurt sighed. "No, I didn't mean to get mad..."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, ears pricking slightly at the sound of the other shuffling or the water trickling down the rocks close by.

Finally, Blaine spoke up.

"You never answered my question, Kurt."

Kurt was fully aware that he hadn't. The answer was yes.

"No...I don't."

Blaine nodded. "Ok. Wanna go see if Ella will make peanut butter and banana sandwiches?"

Kurt swallowed and nodded. "Sure."

Blaine held on to the chair while his mother held the needle to his body.

"Momma, this is embarassing. Couldn't we do this later?"

"You've been outside all day and the pollen is bad this year," she scolded and pulled his pants down a little, exposing a small section of his butt.

"Why there, though? Why not on my arm or something?" he shot a glare at Kurt, who giggled behind his hand.

"They say it goes through your body faster, now hold still," she swatted his thigh. The needle pierced his skin and he let out a small hiss.

"After last month's scare, I don't want to take anymore chances, Blaine. Your doctor said you were very lucky we got you there on time."

The month before, Blaine had a cold. Nothing major- just the sniffles. He and Kurt were swimming in the river and Blaine didn't resurface. Kurt found him and pulled him out before he drowned, but he had passed out. His immune system had always been weak and his mother yelled at his still body as they drove him to the hospital that she had told him over and over to never go outside when he was sick.

"I'm fine, Momma...no sniffles," Blaine hurridly pulled his pants up and got away before she could stick him with anything else.

"I'm just trying to keep you healthy, sweetie. You'll thank me someday."

Blaine sighed and he tugged Kurt by the sleeve up the stairs to his room. Gone were the sail boats and light blue walls and in were plain white walls covered in drawings, records and black and white photos kept on the wall by Scotch tape.

"So now what? Momma will have a cow if we go back outside."

Kurt shrugged. "I've got cards in my bag."

"War!" Blaine pounded the air and plopped down crosslegged on the rug. Kurt laughed and dug his cards out of the satchel and they set up. Between mumbled 'shoots'
and 'gotcha's, they talked about school that day.

"Quinn was staring at you in the lunch room," Blaine pointed out. Kurt shook his head.

"I couldn't tell because Rachel was babbling on about choir class. Mr. Shuester didn't give her a solo for the church concert next weekend-"

"Kurt...you're deflecting."

Kurt scrunched his nose and gave Blaine a weird look. "Where did you hear that word?"

"Momma always says I'm deflecting when she's getting on to me and I start talking about something else...I think Quinn likes you."

"I know she does...I just don't like her," Kurt scooped up the cards he had just won and placed them in his pile.

"Why? She's really pretty."

"I dunno," Kurt shrugged. "Just don't."

Blaine chewed his lower lip and glanced up at Kurt. "Well...do you like Finn?"

Kurt stared up at him, his eyes wide with surprise. "Shut up."

"You said last week you felt funny around him-"

"Blaine, shut up," Kurt started getting mad. "I don't like boys!"

"I wouldn't be mad at you-"

Kurt let out an angry sound and shoved Blaine back onto the rug. "I'm not a faggot!" Kurt jumped up and ran out of the room, down the stairs and out of the door before Jeanette could bid him goodbye. When he finally slammed his kitchen door, he realized he was shaking and crying.

Blaine sat, stunned with his palms planted back on the floor, on the verge of tears himself. Not at Kurt's outburst...but the word he used.

Blaine had heard it several times and knew what it meant. His father threw it around carelessly then spat it towards Hiram Berry...and towards Kurt. The word he knew was full of hate and degredation just came out of his friend's mouth and he shoved him. Blaine stood up and wiped his eyes, stepping over the cards to climb onto his bed.

"Blaine?" Jeanette's voice appeared at the door. "Is everything ok?"

"Fine, Momma," he said, stilling his voice.

"Ok. Your father's on his way home."

The knot in Blaine's stomach tightened. Kurt wouldn't want him to come in his room tonight for sure. It was gonna be a long night.