Chapter Twenty-One: First Impressions and Second Chances

Blaine woke up slowly, reluctant to be dragged away from the best night's sleep he'd had in years. He slowly blinked himself awake, not quite registering in his semi-conscious state that his legs were tangled with someone else's, his arm had slipped around his companion's body, he was holding onto a slim waist and exhaling slow, even breaths against the soft, warm skin of his bed partner's neck.

Blaine sighed and began to fully rouse himself from his slumber, stretching languidly as best he could and making a small noise of dissatisfaction when he realized he didn't have as much space as he was accustomed to having. The realization that he had not only somehow lost his mind and brought someone to Devonwood but also let them to spend the night slammed into him and his adrenaline spiked as panic set in.

Blaine had rules for his hook ups and the first one was that he never brought anyone to Devonwood. He would, on rare occasions, take one of his lovers to his own house for a weekend of debauchery but Devonwood was his home and Blaine only allowed those closest to him to step over the threshold. Random hook ups and casual relationships did not make the qualifying cut.

He warily blinked his eyes open and exhaled in relief when he found himself staring at familiar chestnut locks and the events of the previous evening came rushing back to him in vivid detail. He remembered the overwhelming fear and panic he'd felt when rushing to get to Kurt, how painful it had been to witness Kurt's quiet devastation, and most of all his awkward conversation with Burt when the older man had given his permission for Kurt to spend the night.

Blaine swallowed and shook his head a bit to clear it, careful not to jostle Kurt awake. He tried to ignore the bloom of affection that spread across his chest as Kurt snuffled and shifted in his sleep, snuggling closer into Blaine with a contented sigh but it proved impossible. As Blaine listened to Kurt's breathing and watched him sleep he did his best to come to terms with the fact that Kurt was in his home, in his bed and under his skin.

After a few more moments of holding Kurt in his arms Blaine realized something else.

He was hard.

Waking up to with a little morning glory wasn't anything out of the ordinary for Blaine. He was, after all a healthy teen age boy. Waking up hard while someone else was sharing his bed was a little less common but again, nothing unheard of.

Waking up hard next to a bed partner that he'd yet to do more than kiss?

That was a completely new experience for Blaine.

Blaine knew that the gentlemanly thing to do-the right thing to do-was to heed Burt's warning from last night and not push. If he were the person that Kurt believed him to be, the person he sometimes thought he could be for Kurt, because of Kurt, he'd untangle himself from the beguiling boy next to him, go into the bathroom and take matters into his own hands.

In a manner of speaking.

But Blaine wasn't that person-at least not yet. He could accept that Kurt's influence had brought some changes to him-made him a little kinder, a little gentler, a little less likely to take advantage, somehow transformed him into the type of person that a guy like Burt Hummel trusted-however reluctantly-to watch after his son the night before.

But Rome wasn't built in a day and while a better man might be able to resist temptation, Blaine Anderson had every intention of yielding to it. After all, technically he'd held up his end of the bargain. He had kept his word to Burt and hadn't taken advantage of Kurt at any point during their evening together. He had come running when Kurt had needed him, opened up his home to him when Kurt had been too shattered to return to his own, held him in his arms and listened while Kurt unburdened himself of his troubles. He'd been good, so very, very good.

Surely he deserved a little bit of a reward for a job well done. He had to earned a little something, right?

It wasn't like he'd be preying on Kurt while he was defenseless or pushing him into anything he was too emotionally compromised to consent to, Blaine rationalized. He'd had a good night's sleep and well…

Kurt was a teenage boy too and a quick peek under the covers confirmed that Blaine wasn't the only one greeting the morning with an enthusiastic hello.

He wasn't going to pressure Kurt, not exactly; he was just going to let him know he had the option. And if Kurt, soft from sleep and vulnerable from the emotional upheaval of the previous night took him up on it…

Well, Blaine couldn't really be held responsible for that, could he?

A tiny fragment of guilt niggled around at the edges of his conscience but Blaine quickly tamped it down and began gently running one of his hands through Kurt's hair, tangling his fingers in the glossy strands and letting them slip through, luxuriating in the feel silky smooth feel of Kurt's product free tresses.

After a few moments Kurt's eyes began to flutter and he cuddled down further into Blaine's touch before his body went rigid and his eyes snapped open. "Wha-"

"Shh, hey baby its okay," Blaine soothed, smoothing his hand down Kurt's back and over his shoulders. "It's me, it's Blaine. You came home with me last night remember? You're safe, you're fine, I promise."

Blaine could see the moment the confusion cleared for Kurt and the events of the night before were resurrected in the younger boy's memory. "Oh God, my dad-," Kurt began, sitting up in a panic.

"I talked to Burt last night after you passed out. He knows where you are, he's fine with it. He's calling you out absent today and he said you can go home whenever you're ready," Blaine replied smoothly, sitting up himself.

"My father is fine with me spending the night at your house, in your b-bed?" Kurt asked, tripping a little over the word bed.

"He wasn't exactly happy about it," Blaine admitted. "But he understood," Blaine got a flash of inspiration and went with it. "He trusted me to take care of you. I did, didn't I? I took care of you?" He asked Kurt, letting his eyes go wide and hoping for all he worth that he looked earnest.

"You did," Kurt whispered, his hand tentatively crawling across the covers and settling next to Blaine's. "You were…you were amazing, Blaine and…I don't know what I would have done last night if you hadn't been there."

"You would have been fine baby because you are one of the strongest people I've ever known," Blaine replied honestly. "You would have pulled yourself together and gone home, dealt with whatever family drama there was to deal with and walked into that school this morning in a fabulous outfit, not a hair out of place and your head held high because that's who you are."

Kurt shook his head. "That's who I was," he said softly. "Santana says the jocks call me the Ice Queen behind my back," he confessed. "She said that it's because they can't crack me…and because I'm well…a queen," Kurt whispered the last word.

"Kurt-"

"It's hard," Kurt continued. "Being the Ice Queen, it's hard. I'm pretending all the time. Walking into that school, knowing I'm going to be pushed and shoved and taunted and never, ever letting them see me break. Not letting them see how humiliated I am and quietly changing my clothes when they throw me in the dumpster or dump their lunch trays on me or decide to baptize me with a slushie. It's hard acting like I don't hear the whispers or see the dirty looks when I walk down the halls. It's hard trying to make sure I beat my dad to the phone when it rings so he doesn't have to hear the awful, hateful things on the other end of the line. It's hard Blaine, and it gets harder every day."

Blaine put his arm around Kurt's shoulders and drew him to him. "You don't have to pretend with me, Kurt," he said, placing a gentle kiss on the boy's temple. "You can be angry or hurt or bitchy," he said gently bumping their shoulders together, "just don't pretend with me. I get enough of that from almost everyone else in my life," he said a bit startled at his unexpected moment of honesty. "I don't want it from you."

Kurt nodded. "This is a pretend free zone. Fair warning though, I can get my bitch on with the best of them."

Blaine grinned. "Of this I'm aware. I don't think Thad and Flint have quite recovered from your little show of badassery in the Lima Bean."

Kurt smiled a little and settled down into Blaine's embrace. "Those miscreants had it coming," he sniffed. "Those two are walking proof that money can't buy class."

Blaine smothered a laugh and moved in closer, shifting so he could brush his leg against Kurt's. "As entertaining as this conversation has become, I don't really want to spend the morning talking about Thad and Flint. There are much better ways to fill our time, don't you think baby?"

Blaine felt Kurt tense and internally winced. He didn't want to push Kurt into anything but they were moving at a glacial pace and he knew that sooner or later Jeff would come knocking, seeking company and begging to be entertained.

"Blaine, I don't think-"

"Do you know how beautiful you are when you sleep," Blaine interrupted gently, moving so he was propped up on one elbow and facing Kurt. "I watched you last night-"

"How very Edward Cullen of you," Kurt sniped saucily.

"Hush, you're not a teenage girl and I'm not hundreds of years old so the creep factor totally doesn't exist," Blaine defended himself and took advantage of the new position to place one of his legs over Kurt's. "You have the most adorable little pout and your snore-"

"I do not snore, Blaine Anderson. I might, might, on rare occasions release an elegant sniff-"

"Nope, you snore," Blaine repeated playfully tweaking Kurt's nose. "And it's adorable."

"I do not snore, Blaine Anderson. You take that back right now," Kurt demanded.

"Nope, this is a pretend free zone remember? You get the truth and nothing but," or at least as much of the truth as is necessary Blaine internally corrected, "And you, Kurt Hummel, snore."

"Take it back or suffer the consequences," Kurt ordered, a mischievous smile appearing on his face.

"Nuh uh," Blaine replied succinctly. "Not taking it back, Hummel. Now, what are you gonna do about it?"

Kurt's eyes glinted dangerously and he began tracing a small circle on Blaine's hip with his fingertips. "You know," he began conversationally, "Your friends like me."

"Oh yeah?" Blaine asked, wondering what Kurt was up to.

"They tell me things," Kurt continued, adding just a tiny bit of pressure to his touch.

Recognition dawned in Blaine just before Kurt pounced and began tickling him.

"No fair, no fair, this is totally cheating," Blaine wheezed as he twisted, trying to get out from other the brunette. "Who told you? It was Jeff wasn't it? Damn it, this is why we don't tell him anything," Blaine whined.

"Oh I'll never tell," Kurt sing songed as he tickled Blaine mercilessly. "Unlike your friends I can keep a secret."

"No, no, no, no, no," Blaine half laughed, half begged as he attempted to bat away Kurt's hands. "You don't snore. You don't snore, I take it back, I take it-Kurt-back," he gasped, laughing and wriggling under Kurt's ministrations.

Kurt sat up and preened. "Let that be a lesson to you about besmirching my reputation Blaine Anderson-"

Kurt yelped, going sharp on the end of Blaine's name as he was suddenly swept from his position and pinned underneath Blaine. Blaine's smile was downright predatory as he took in the sight of Kurt's flushed, happy face and the feel of his lithe body laid out on the bed beneath him.

"My turn," he growled, dragging a hand down Kurt's side and across the small strip of skin that had become exposed by Kurt's shirt riding up. He looked down at Kurt and grinned, taking his fingertips and lightly dragging them back over Kurt's stomach.

"That, that doesn't tickle," Kurt said breathlessly, staring up at Blaine with wide, blue eyes.

Jesus fucking Christ that look should be illegal, Blaine thought to himself as he smiled back down at Kurt. "No, no I don't suppose it does," Blaine said, repeating the movement and rucking up a tiny bit more of Kurt's shirt as he bent down.

Blaine didn't kiss Kurt, not at first. At first there was just the smallest brush of contact against Kurt's ear, followed almost immediately by a gentle scrape of teeth on his earlobe. Kurt gasped and tipped his head back to give Blaine better access and Blaine smirked against Kurt's skin before pressing small, delicate kisses along Kurt's jawline and up to the corner of Kurt's mouth. He flicked his tongue out, licking lightly over Kurt's full bottom lip before nipping on it gently with his teeth and then using his tongue to soothe away the sting.

"Is this okay?" Blaine asked quietly, surprising himself. Even though it had been his plan to get them into this position, now that they were there it was important to Blaine that Kurt wanted the physicality just as badly as Blaine did.

Kurt nodded and Blaine pulled away slightly, eliciting an unhappy groan from the brunette.

"I need to hear you say it," Blaine admitted, his fingers playing with the edge of Kurt's t-shirt.

"I want you to kiss me, Blaine." Kurt whispered. "You can t-touch me, if if you want."

Blaine caught the stutter in Kurt's admission and the corner of his heart that Kurt had claimed expanded just a bit. Even now, in Blaine's home, wearing Blaine's clothes, in Blaine's bed, Kurt was still afraid he'd be rejected.

"The things that I want," Blaine murmured as he left a trail of butterfly kisses along Kurt's neck. "You have no idea, baby. None, what I want to do you. The things I think about…the way that I want you," he whispered as he slipped his hands under Kurt's t-shirt and pushed the fabric up a few more inches.

"I-I think about doing things to you too," Kurt whispered, placing his hands on Blaine's shoulders and letting his fingers dart underneath the material. "I think about what you look like underneath your clothes and what it would feel like to…be with you, you know, like that."

Kurt's innocently worded confession affected Blaine in a way that was more primal than the filthiest dirty talk from any of his more experienced lovers ever had. Arousal flared in Blaine, sudden and vicious, and he had to close his eyes briefly to fight off the urge to simply take.

"You can't just say things like that," Blaine groaned, his finger tips tracing the outline of Kurt's belly button. "I'm trying to be good here."

"Who asked you to?" Kurt demanded.

"I don't want to pressure you into doing something you aren't ready for," Blaine confided, freaking out a bit internally at the fact that the words weren't a carefully crafted line of seduction but were instead the absolute truth. At some point, Blaine's priorities had shifted from taking care of his own physical needs to making sure he met Kurt's emotional ones.

Kurt gave a quiet chuckle and shook his head. "Oh honey, it's cute that you think you could," he said smartly. "But not even teenage billionaire and bow tie enthusiast Blaine Anderson could push me into doing anything I didn't want to do. You aren't taking advantage Blaine." Kurt dropped the playful edge and his voice turned serious. "If you'd done this last night…then you would have been taking advantage. But I'm…better today. And I know what I want and more importantly what I don't and this, right now, is okay. If we get to a point where it's not, I'll let you know."

Blaine smiled. "I just bet you will," he said, shifting his weight and slipping one of his legs in between Kurt's. "I guess I shouldn't underestimate you."

"It's been the downfall of many," Kurt agreed.

Instead of continuing their banter, Blaine opted to move in for a kiss. He brought their lips together gently at first, not demanding anything until he felt Kurt's lips parting underneath his. Once he was sure that Kurt was fully on board he increased the pressure, coaxing Kurt into going further, giving more, taking more. He sucked Kurt's bottom lip in-between his teeth, nipping gently before releasing it, and licking his way into Kurt's mouth, savoring the taste and feel of him.

Neither boy concerned themselves with the worry of morning breath as their tongues met, sliding, swirling, slipping over, under and around one another as they teased and tasted, the need and passion growing between them.

Their kiss was a perfect mingling of the two of them; Blaine was guided by passion and experience while Kurt was driven eagerness and heat. They traded kisses back and forth, feeding the fire between them until their lips were bruised, their cheeks were flushed and they were aching with the need to go just a little further than they ever had before.

Blaine wanted more. He wanted to feel Kurt's skin. He wanted to hear Kurt moan, gasp, and whimper. He wanted to hear Kurt cry out his name, call out for him, because of him. He wanted to have Kurt naked, wanton and wanting, writhing, moaning and coming undone under his touch. He wanted Kurt under him, stretched around him and begging him for more.

Kurt took the lead, shoving his hands underneath Blaine's shirt and pushing the tank up and off. He drank in the sight of Blaine's skin, a little darker than his own and hot under his touch. Blaine's chest wasn't completely hairless but Kurt found himself enjoying the sight and feel of the slight smattering of the smooth dark hair he found there. Kurt let his hands and eyes wander over Blaine's arms and chest, and let his fingers walk along Blaine's happy trail, intrigued by what looked like a swirl of ink peeking out under the waistband of Blaine's pajamas, before dragging them along Blaine's abs and circling around to trace the dips and valleys of his back and shoulders.

"Oh my God," Kurt breathed, closing his eyes.

Blaine smiled and tugged on the bottom of Kurt's t-shirt. "Can I?"

Kurt nodded and Blaine lifted Kurt up slightly so that he could remove his shirt. Blaine felt Kurt tense once his chest was completely bared to Blaine's view so he bent down and pressed a reverent kiss to his collarbone.

"You're beautiful," Blaine whispered, hungry eyes roaming over Kurt, devouring the sight of Kurt's soft, milky skin flushed a delicate pink and pulled taut over the whipcord lean muscle underneath. Blaine granted his hands permission to explore, letting them drift over Kurt's abs and tease his belly button before traveling over his chest and brushing over his nipples.

That move garnered a full body shudder from Kurt as well as a bitten off moan. "Sensitive," Blaine murmured, filing away that bit of knowledge before turning his attention to Kurt's neck, licking, sucking and biting until Kurt dug his fingers into Blaine's shoulders and Blaine was satisfied he'd left a mark and then he took Kurt's mouth again, lacing his kiss with all the things he didn't know how to say and promises he wasn't sure he was ready to make.

"You're so sexy," Blaine sighed, breaking the kiss and breathing into the spot between Kurt's neck and shoulder. "So sexy and all mine."

"Only if you're mine too," Kurt mumbled. Kurt let his hands find their way to the small of Blaine's back and tugged Blaine tighter against him. He rocked up experimentally, bringing their erections into contact and Blaine moaned.

"Christ," Blaine bit out through clenched teeth.

"The name's Kurt," Kurt replied, his voice strained and pitched differently than Blaine's used to hearing it.

"You would be a natural fucking tease," Blaine groaned as Kurt bucked his hips forward again, creating a delicious friction that had Blaine moving back against him seeking more contact.

"S-shut up," Kurt grunted, chasing the pleasurable feeling of Blaine hard, heavy and hot against him.

"Make me," Blaine panted, grinding his hips down and causing Kurt to moan loudly. Before Kurt had the chance to say anything Blaine rotated his hips, and the two boys were lost to passion, too caught up with one another and the drag of their bodies against each other to continue with their banter.

Or hear the opening of Blaine's bedroom door.

"I suppose you'll be requiring that revolving door after all," Jasper said disapprovingly from the doorway.

Kurt froze underneath him and Blaine cursed and rolled off of Kurt who promptly pulled the sheet up to his neck and plastered himself to Blaine's back.

"My mother could be a hard woman but that was needlessly crass," Jasper remarked dryly.

"Unchi," Blaine growled. "Manners usually dictate that one knock at a closed door."

Jasper arched an eyebrow and leaned back against the doorway. "Is that so, băiatul meu? Manners would also dictate that you don't entertain your," he swept a dismissive gaze over Kurt, "company here."

Blaine felt Kurt stiffen and he felt his temper rise. He knew that technically Jasper did have the right to object to Blaine having guests over at Devonwood but after everything that Kurt had been through Blaine wasn't about to let his godfather add to Kurt's troubles. "Don't," he warned Jasper lowly. "Don't you dare talk about Kurt that way."

A flicker of surprise flashed across Jasper's face and he took in the two boys on the bed with new eyes.

"This is your young man?"

Blaine defiantly met Jasper's gaze. "Yes, this is Kurt. He had some…trouble last night and I brought him here so that he could be in a safe place while he got himself together." Blaine explained, simultaneously willing godfather to remember their prior conversation about Kurt's struggles and daring him to make another snide remark.

"I see," Jasper replied, his voice taking on a softer tone. "Jeffrey left a little while ago, something about a circle he had to go waste an hour of his life sitting in. I'm never entirely sure what that child is talking about but he took your car."

Blaine groaned. "You let Jeff drive my car?"

Kurt's finger jabbed Blaine in the ribs. "Is there something wrong with Jeff's driving? Because last night you let him behind the wheel of my baby."

Blaine sighed. "It was perfectly safe for Jeff to drive your car," he retorted. "You drive a Navigator. I drive a Jag and Jeff has…impulse control issues."

"Well that sounds encouraging," Kurt drawled.

"Gentlemen," Jasper interrupted before Blaine could reply. "You'll both be joining me for breakfast this morning." It was not an invitation and both boys recognized it for the order that it was. "I'll be waiting in the dining room. Do try to be prompt."

As soon as the door closed Blaine closed his eyes and cursed again. They flew open when he felt Kurt trembling behind him. "Kurt, look please don't be upset. Jasper-"

The reassurance died on his lips as he realized that Kurt's shaking limbs were the result of him holding in his laughter and not because he'd been emotionally traumatized.

"Kurt?" Blaine questioned quietly.

"Hush, I'm in the middle of a nervous breakdown. It's rude to interrupt."

Okay then. Perhaps Kurt had been emotionally traumatized.

"Your godfather…he saw us…he saw me…oh God I'm never going to be able to get make out with you again. Every time I try I'll be reminded that the first time your godfather ever saw me he thought I was some, I don't know, rent boy that you'd dragged back here to defile his estate and oh my God tell me you don't have rent boys that you drag back-"

Blaine cut him off with a kiss. "I can honestly say I've never made use of a rent boy," Blaine said seriously. "Now stop freaking out. There isn't anything wrong with what we were doing and I for one hope to do it again-preferably sometime soon and without the added mortification of being walked in on by a man who used to change my diapers."

"He hates me," Kurt whispered sadly. "You said he was protective. If he didn't think I was a gold digging tramp before, he certainly does now."

"He doesn't hate you," Blaine said taking Kurt into his arms and kissing him on the forehead. "He may be a little cautious right now but that's just parental instinct. He's tough but he's fair and even if, by some miracle, you don't manage to wrap him around your delicate little finger it won't change anything between us."

"Because I have you wrapped around my delicate little finger," Kurt asked softly.

"Yes," Blaine readily agreed, kissing Kurt again. "And because I'm teenage billionaire and bow tie enthusiast Blaine Anderson and I make my own decisions. And I'm rather fond you, Kurt Hummel."

"I'm rather fond of you too," Kurt sighed, relaxing against Blaine and stealing another kiss.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, Jasper's waiting on us to meet him in the dining room and I'm pretty sure after that I'm gonna have to take you home or run the risk of getting up close and personal with your father's shot gun," Blaine explained.

Kurt bit his lip and nodded and Blaine felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him. "Kurt?"

"I know that my dad wants me home and I know that I can't hide out here forever," Kurt began. "I just really don't know that I'm ready to deal with Finn and everything that happened last night."

"Do you want me to be there with you?" Blaine asked gently.

Kurt nodded. "I know it's a lot to ask after everything you've already done for me-"

"I don't mind," Blaine replied honestly. "In fact, I'm glad you invited me along. I would have sat here worrying about you otherwise. Now, come on, my godfather really hates to be kept waiting.

---

The moment Blaine descended the staircase and saw a bouquet of yellow carnations adorning the dining room table he wanted to turn right around and hustle Kurt back up the stairs.

Instead he grasped Kurt's hand firmly in his and led them over to the table and helped Kurt take his chair.

"My apologies for the delay, Unchi," Blaine murmured, as dropped into his seat.

"The delay is the least of my concerns," Jasper returned calmly, before he turned his piercing gaze on Kurt. "So, you are the young man that has so completely bewitched my godson that he is no longer interested in pursuing any of the more appropriate options that Dalton has to offer."

Blaine's jaw dropped and he stared at his uncle in open shock but Kurt lifted his chin and met Jasper's gaze head on.

"I suppose I am," he said lightly. "Though from what I understand appropriate is the last word I would use to describe the company Blaine's been keeping at Dalton."

"If this morning's behavior was any indication you're hardly in a position to throw stones, Mr. Hummel."

"If your four ex-wives are anything to go by neither are you," Kurt sniped back.

Blaine hid a smile behind his coffee cup and squeezed Kurt's knee beneath the table.

"Someone's done their homework, I see." Jasper remarked.

"Fair is fair," Kurt replied, briefly looking away to give the maid a sunny smile as she placed a perfectly prepared omelette in front of him. "After all, you looked into my background, didn't you Mr. Devereux?"

"Indeed I did," Jasper readily admitted. "You, your father, your dead mother and your soon to be step mother," he listed as he took a bite of his breakfast.

"Which was a waste of your time because neither Kurt nor his family has anything to hide," Blaine cut in.

Kurt took a sip of his juice and spread his napkin across his lap before he replied. "Blaine, it's okay," he said finally. "Your godfather already knows that. Don't you Mr. Devereux?"

"You sound awfully sure of yourself Mr. Hummel."

"I am."

"And why is that?" Jasper asked.

"For one thing, I know I don't have any skeletons rattling around in my closet," Kurt answered. "For another, if you had, by some soap opera like twist of fate discovered some deep, dark secret of my father's or Carole's or even my mother's, you would have approached me by now. The fact that you didn't means that despite your digging, you didn't find any dirt."

Blaine didn't even attempt to hide his smile. He had been worried that Jasper would steamroll over Kurt and that he'd be forced to step in and play peacemaker but Kurt was holding his own and if Blaine knew his godfather as well as he thought he did, he was pretty sure that Kurt was earning Jasper's respect.

He hadn't known until just that moment how important it was to him that Jasper and Kurt got along. The most he had allowed himself to want from any of their interactions was the same polite detachment that he himself had treated Jasper's ex-wives to. The idea that Jasper might do more than tolerate Kurt's presence in his life made Blaine almost inexplicably happy.

He wondered briefly Kurt had felt the same way when he'd brought Blaine home to meet Burt.

Blaine was pulled out of his musings by Kurt's voice. "I know what you're thinking, Mr. Devereux."

"I somehow doubt that, Mr. Hummel."

"You're thinking that I don't fit into Blaine's life," Kurt continued. "That I stand out like a thrift store jacket in a Fifth Avenue store window."

"I assure you, Mr. Hummel I was thinking no such thing."

"I may not have been born with one of these in my mouth," Kurt said, gesturing with the silver spoon in his hand, "But that doesn't mean that I'm not a good person or that I'm not good enough for Blaine. You don't have to worry. Should I ever end up attending a country club function or a Dalton formal, I promise to chew with my mouth closed and use the correct fork. Now someone from my background may not be what the one percent deems appropriate for Blaine, but I care about him. And he cares about me so you can be as condescending or insulting as you like, it's nothing I haven't dealt with before. But I'll tell you this: You can't chase me off. The only person who can make me leave is Blaine."

"And that's the absolute last thing that I want," Blaine put in, reaching out and taking Kurt's hand. "So, now that we all understand each other-"

"Not quite, my boy. The two of you have had your say but I have yet to have mine."

"You don't get a say-" Blaine began.

"Let him talk, Blaine," Kurt said. "There's nothing he can say that will change anything."

"Don't be so sure of that," Jasper said quietly. "I can see now that unlike my godson I underestimated you, Mr. Hummel."

"You wouldn't be the first," Kurt sighed.

"No, I don't imagine that I would be," Jasper murmured. "Blaine seems to have been able to see something in you that I have to admit that I missed at first. Although in my defense my first glimpse of you was hardly conducive to forming a favorable opinion. But Blaine, you see he has this talent for being able to look at something-a company, a stock, real estate-and see it's true value. I suspect that talent extends to people as well."

"I..I'm not sure I follow," Kurt replied.

"I realize that running background checks and deliberately attempting to intimidate a teenage boy might seem a bit over the top to you, but everything I do, I do for Blaine. I only want the best for him."

"So do I," Kurt said quietly.

"Then you'll understand my need to warn you, just this once, what will happen if you hurt him."

"Jasper-" Blaine cried out, his eyes flashing angrily.

"Blaine it's fine," Kurt murmured. "Go on, Mr. Devereux I'm listening." Blaine gripped Kurt's hand tight and held his breath as Jasper began speaking.

"I don't know if you're such a remarkable young man that Blaine is willing to let his guard down and open his heart to you or if you're doing circus in his bed and he's being led astray by his baser instincts. I suppose time will tell the tale on that. What I do know is that I've seen him torn apart before by people who claimed to care for him and I will not sit idly by and let it happen again. So you hear me, and you hear me good: if you hurt him, I will make your life a living hell the likes of which you cannot even begin to imagine."

Kurt nodded once. "That would be a rather effective threat if I had any intention of hurting Blaine. But since I don't…will you please pass the cream?"

Jasper was silent for a beat before he gifted Kurt with a genuine smile. "Of course," he said politely, passing the creamer over to Kurt. As Kurt measured a small amount into his coffee, Jasper motioned Antoine over.

"You can replace the carnations now," Jasper said quietly. Antoine nodded and left the room, returning a few moments later with bouquet of pink lilacs and heather.

As the centerpieces were swapped out Jasper caught Blaine's eye, allowed his gaze to flicker briefly onto Kurt and nodded once.

"So Kurt," Jasper said, breaking the silence. "I understand you're a member of your school's glee club. Do you enjoy performing as much as Blaine does?"

Kurt straightened in his seat and gave Jasper a luminous smile. "I love it," he said enthusiastically. "Of course, I'd have to pry a solo from Rachel Berry's cold, dead hands but lack of the spotlight aside, I'm never happier than when I'm singing. Even though Mr. Schue-that's our director-can be woefully unimaginative when it comes to song selection and seems to be almost unhealthily fixated on reliving the glory days of yesteryear he's a vast improvement over Sandy Reyerson and against all odds seems to be holding his own against Coach Sylvester which is impressive. To be frank, we're all a little shocked she hasn't actually tried to kill him yet."

"That's Coach Sue Sylvester, correct?"

Kurt blinked. "You know her?"

"Only by reputation, thank goodness," Jasper said with a small shudder. "She's rather..." Jasper trailed off helplessly.

Kurt arched an eyebrow. "I think the word you're searching for is insane," Kurt stage whispered.

As Jasper and Kurt shared a laugh, Blaine fingered one of the lilacs on the table and let himself enjoy the moment.

---

"Kurt? Baby, we've been sitting in the driveway for twenty minutes," Blaine said, leaning over the console and rubbing a soothing circle into Kurt's shoulder. It seemed as if Kurt had used up every bit of his confidence when he'd faced down Jasper at breakfast and he was regressing to the broken shell of a boy he'd been when Blaine had found him the night before. "They know we're here. Your stepmother keeps looking out the window and I'm pretty sure your father is ready to come out here and climb into the SUV with us if you don't get in there."

"I just need a little more time," Kurt said, his voice breaking as if he were on the edge of full blown panic.

"Baby you got this," Blaine said encouragingly. "Look, worse comes to worse, I'll get you out of there and take you back to mine but you gotta go in there."

Kurt nodded jerkily, trying to get his breathing under control. "Right, right. This is so wrong," he said leaning his head against the steering wheel. "I have never in my life been afraid to walk through my own front door and now? I can't imagine anything more terrifying than what's waiting for me on the other side."

"What's waiting for you on the other side is a father that loves you and a woman who wants to help him care for you and-"

"And Finn," Kurt cut Blaine off bitterly. "Finn and all the things he hates about me are waiting for me on the other side of that door."

"That's your home," Blaine told him. "That's your family. Don't let Finn chase you out of it."

"I'm not," Kurt denied quickly. "I'm just…enjoying the interior of my baby."

Blaine sighed. "Okay, that's it. Remove your ass from the heated leather seats and go talk to your father."

Kurt raised his head and glared at Blaine. "Interesting approach but I'll take hell no for 300, Alex."

"Kurt."

"Blaine."

"Kurt."

"Blaine."

"Kurt."

"Blaine. I can do this all day," Kurt warned before dropping his head back onto the steering wheel and closing his eyes.

"No you can't," Blaine drawled.

"You wanna bet?"

"I'm pretty sure I'd win that one."

"Oh yeah? And why is that?"

"Because your dad's almost to the car," Blaine said smugly.

Kurt's head snapped up at the same time Burt knocked on the driver's side door.

"Dad," Kurt said letting the window down.

"Listen buddy, I'm not gonna pretend that I know how you feel right now," Burt said cutting Kurt off. "But this thing isn't gonna get any better with us in there and you out here. It's time for you to come inside so we can talk about this like a family. Blaine-"

"I want Blaine with me," Kurt interrupted his father, gripping tightly onto Blaine's hand.

"I kinda figured that when I saw him in the car son," Burt sighed. "Blaine, thank you for taking care of him last night."

"It was my pleasure, sir." Blaine replied and then winced as he realized that Burt's eye had been drawn to the hickey Blaine had left on Kurt that morning.

"I'll just bet it was," Burt replied darkly. "I thought I told you not to take advantage of him."

"Dad, he didn't" Kurt said immediately. "You have no right or reason to be angry at Blaine. Nothing happened last night and this," Kurt gestured to the hickey, "happened with my full consent and participation."

Burt exhaled harshly and closed his eyes briefly before opening them and nodding. "Alright kid, one thing at a time. We'll talk about that," he said pointing to the side of Kurt's neck, "later. And I do mean we, Blaine. Right now let's get in there and sit down with Finn and Carole and work this thing out, huh?"

Kurt nodded and he and Blaine both opened their doors and slipped from the car. Kurt waited for Blaine to come around the car and grab his hand before he followed his father up the walk and into the house.

"Hi honey," Carole said, coming over to embrace Kurt as soon as he walked through the door. "I'm glad you're home," she said kissing the top of his head and giving him a squeeze.

"Hey Carole," Kurt greeted her, unable to tear his eyes away from the sofa where Finn sat.

"Hey Kurt," Finn said awkwardly, getting up from his seat and crossing the room. "I'm really sorry and I'm glad you're alright and I'm glad you're home, dude." He said, stepping towards Kurt and opening his arms.

"Nuh uh," Kurt said immediately taking a step back and holding up a finger. "Don't touch me," he said, leaning back against Blaine who immediately drew Kurt into his side and glared at Finn.

"Y-yeah, okay. I won't, I just…sorry," Finn mumbled, regret and misery etched into his face as he shuffled back across the room and sat back down.

"Okay, ah," Burt said clearing his throat. "How about we all take a seat and start talking this thing out."

Kurt dropped onto the loveseat, pulling Blaine down beside him and Burt went and took the seat on the sofa, as close as he could possibly get to Kurt, placing Finn in between the two adults.

"Kurt-" Burt began.

"I'm so sorry," Finn burst out. "I know what I did was wrong, like really wrong and it hurt you, I hurt you and I hate that. I hate that I hurt you. I hate that I put that look on your face. I hate that you didn't come home last night and I hate that-"

"You hate that I'm gay!" Kurt shouted, cutting Finn off. "Why don't you just say what you really mean, Finn? You sure didn't have a problem last night letting everyone know how you felt about me. What'd you call me again, Finn? Oh yeah, a queer, cocksucking, fa-"

"Hey now!" Burt thundered. "That's enough of that. Kurt, you have every right to be upset-"

"Oh well now that I have your permission dad," Kurt snarked.

"Watch it, now," Burt warned him, putting a hand up. "We're gonna talk this out. But nobody's gonna yell, and nobody's gonna scream and nobody," he stressed, looking at both Kurt and Finn, "is gonna use those words in this house. Are we clear?"

Kurt nodded and Burt continued. "Now, seems like the first thing we gotta do is make some apologies-"

"Fine. I'll go first. I apologize for liking cock," Kurt spat out.

"Kurt!"

"Baby, that's not helping."

"Dude, come on."

"That's enough, Kurt," Burt said tiredly. "Son, I know that you're hurt and you're angry and I don't blame you but being like this isn't gonna help us get this thing solved."

"Maybe I don't want to get this thing solved," Kurt yelled. "Maybe I don't want to have to make Finn feel better about being a homophobic dick. And maybe I don't want to make you feel less guilty for not moving us away to someplace where I could grow up without being tortured for just existing every day of my life. Maybe I'm tired of always trying to make it easy on everyone else when no one ever tries to make it any easier for me!"

The look of pain on his father's face had Kurt instantly regretting his outburst. "Dad-"

"Don't," Burt said, running a shaking hand over his head. "Don't apologize. You uh, you been holding that in for awhile, huh kid?"

"I know you did your best-"

"Doesn't seem like my best has been quite up to snuff though," Burt noted.

"No, dad it is. You, you're amazing. You're the best dad I could have ever hoped for, I didn't mean it-"

"Yeah you did, buddy and it's okay," Burt cut his son off. "I've made mistakes. I didn't know just how many until this whole thing blew up but that's no excuse. I need to apologize to you for my part in this and I need for you to be honest with me about what you need and how you feel and what you've been going through because son, all I want to do is make this better for you."

Kurt felt a tear slip down his cheek but before he could bring his hand up, Blaine was wiping it away with the pad of his thumb. Kurt gave him a watery smile and then met his father's gaze.

"I just need some peace," Kurt said brokenly. "I need to be able to go to school without being thrown into dumpsters or shoved into lockers or unable to use the bathroom because the boys restroom isn't safe and unless I'm with one of my girls I get dirty looks when I go into the ladies room. I need to go a week without getting bruises on top of my bruises. I need to not panic every time the phone rings or be afraid every time I'm out by myself and a group of people notice me. I need one place where it's okay for me to be me and I used to have that and now it's gone and I don't know what to do."

"Oh Kurt honey, you still have that," Carole said gently. "Your home will always be a safe place for you."

"Is Finn moving out?" Kurt asked bitterly.

"No," Burt said quietly.

"Then this isn't such a safe place for me now is it?"

"Yes it is, Kurt," Finn interrupted. "Last night was awful man. And it wasn't just because I hurt you and made you feel so bad you didn't come home. I don't like the person I was last night. I don't like that side of myself," Finn confessed. "I got some stuff I gotta work on and some of it's about you and some of it's not. Like, I know my temper is kind of a joke to people. 'Ooh Hudson's angry, hide the chairs' but I don't like that person. I don't like the guy that was throwing punches in Breadstix last night and I don't like the guy that goes along with the crowd even when it makes him feel like crap and I really don't like the guy who makes you feel like it's not okay for you to be who you are. That guy sucks."

"He really does," Kurt agreed.

"I don't wanna be that guy," Finn said, sliding forward so Kurt could see him better. "I don't wanna be the guy that thinks taking a stand means holding your jacket while my teammates throw you in the dumpster. I don't want to be the guy that gets so angry that his fists start flying and his mouth starts moving before his brain can tell him to stop. I don't want to be the guy who has a problem with you being gay," Finn finished.

"Then don't be," Kurt said.

"I need help," Finn admitted. "Like, I know there are all these things that I don't like about who I've been and I want to change them but I don't know how."

"You don't have to do it alone honey," Carole said, covering Finn's hand with hers. "That's what family is for. We're here to help you, both of you," she said looking at Kurt, "but you two have got to let us in."

"So what are we going to do?" Kurt asked. "I mean, all these good intentions are great but…"

"Well for one thing we're all going to start going to PFLAG meetings," Carole answered. "It'll be good for Finn, your father and I to learn how to be better allies to you and it'll give you a chance to get some support and maybe not feel so alienated."

"That sounds…like a really good idea," Kurt said.

"They have meetings on the fourth Sunday of every month so first one we'll be able to go to is next Sunday," Burt said. He looked at Blaine. "You're welcome to join us, Blaine if you want."

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand. "Thank you Mr. Hummel. I appreciate being included."

"You're important to Kurt," Burt admitted. "You took care of him last night and you're sitting here with him now. That counts for a lot, kiddo. Plus, I figure there's no such thing as having too much support."

Blaine nodded and Kurt turned to Finn. "You're actually okay with this? Going to PFLAG? You know it won't just be allies? LGBTQ means lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning," Kurt said. "Are you really going to be comfortable and able to keep from freaking out if there people there who are different from what you're used to?"

"I know I don't have the right to ask but have a little faith in me, dude. I was on the computer earlier and I looked up some stuff…I know that's not much but I really am trying. The site I was on said the first step to combating ignorance is education…so I'm getting educated. I know I have a lot to work on and make up for," Finn said. "And I know it won't be easy and I know that you don't trust me right now and you might even hate me a little bit but I promise Kurt, I'm gonna make this up to you."

Kurt gave Finn a tiny smile. "I'm glad that you're educating yourself-and it means a lot to me that you're willing to try, Finn. But I won't lie to you. I don't know how long it's going to take us to be okay again," Kurt said slowly. "I don't know if you'll ever be able to get me to trust you again but I'm willing to give you the opportunity to try," Kurt said.

Finn nodded. "I kinda feel like that's more than I deserve so, thanks."

"Finn, you aren't entirely terrible okay," Kurt sighed. "Yeah what you did hurt. And I'm not over it and I probably won't be for a long time, if ever, but the guy that was screaming those things in Breadstix isn't the sum total of who you are. You're also the guy that rode over with me in the Navigator singing that ridiculous song and had dinner with me and helped me plan our parents wedding. You're more than just your mistakes, Finn."

"Thanks for saying that, dude."

"It's the truth," Kurt shrugged. "I've made my fair share of mistakes-some of them with you. I'd hate for someone to judge me by the worst thing I ever did so…you're trying. I'm trying. We're all trying. It's all we can do."

"Yeah, I guess so. I really wanna get past the trying and get to the doing though," Finn said.

"You and me both," Kurt agreed. "But I don't think there's a short cut here. It's not Glee. We can't sing a song and make this all better. It's just gonna take time and work and probably a lot of more talking and possibly more yelling and I might even set all of your puffy vests on fire before it's all over."

Finn paled and unconsciously pulled on his vest. "Dude."

Kurt shrugged. "They are an abomination and I'd be doing you a favor."

"How about we put giving Finn an extreme makeover on the backburner for now? There's something else Carole and I want to talk about with you," Burt said.

"What's left?" Kurt asked, leaning his head onto Blaine's shoulder.

"Finn told us about some of what you go through at school," Carole said. "Honey, I know that you probably thought you were doing what was best but you can't keep those kinds of things to yourself."

"Carole's right," Burt said. "I know that my heart attack spooked you real bad and you're trying real hard to make things as easy as possible for me but Kurt, I'm the parent here. It's my job to take care of you not the other way around. I told you before that your job is to be yourself and my job is to love you, no matter what. That hasn't changed. That will never change. But the other part of my job is to keep you safe and I haven't been doing that."

"I haven't exactly made that easy for you to do," Kurt admitted. "And I didn't keep it to myself. There are people who know. I told Blaine and he's been great."

"Well, I'm glad that Blaine's been there for you but I would have liked the chance to be there for you too." Burt said evenly. "I get that you were trying to handle things on your own, trying to protect me, trying to be strong but son, you're being abused and I can't let that go on. Now, I know you aren't a baby anymore but you're still a kid and sometimes you gotta let the adults in your life handle things. I got a little more sway than you do so tomorrow we're gonna go to that school and I'm gonna give 'em hell and make sure that nobody lays another finger on you while you're inside of that building."

"Dad, Mr. Schue and I already tried complaining. Principal Figgins said his hands are tied. There's nothing anybody can do. Even the guys in New Directions tried sticking up for me and all that accomplished was Sam getting a black eye and Artie getting knocked out of his chair."

"Did you know about this?" Carole asked Finn

Finn nodded.

"Finn," Carole began.

"It's not Finn's fault," Kurt said, stopping her. "He gets his fair share too."

"Finn does?" Carole asked, her eyes widening in shock. "You didn't say you were being bullied too."

Finn bit his lip and nodded. "Everybody in Glee kinda gets the suck end of the stick. Except Quinn, Santana and Brittany and that's because no one but Coach Sylvester messes with her Cheerios. For the rest of us though going to school is like…it's like going to war, mom."

"And war is hell," Kurt deadpanned.

"Where are the teachers when all this is going on?"

"Hiding most likely," Kurt said.

"Well I'm going with Burt up to that school," Carole declared. "This is ridiculous. I will not have my boys being subjected to harassment and assault while they're supposed be safe at school. You said that all the kids in Glee are bullied?"

Finn and Kurt nodded. "It's not just us Glee kids who get bullied, but yeah. We're kind of wearing permanent Kick Me signs," Finn explained.

"Well, then Burt and I won't be going alone," Carole announced. "I'm going to get the phone and call of your friends parents and let them know what's been happening to their children and I'm sure that once they realize that school has turned a blind eye to their children being relentlessly bullied they'll be more than happy to join Burt and I in giving Figgins a piece of our minds."

"I wish you luck," Kurt said. "It would be nice for the school day not to consist of slushies and locker slams but I won't expect any miracles."

"You just wait and see," Carole replied.

Kurt smiled and snuggled into Blaine. Burt narrowed his eyes. "Well, now that we got that done. Finn, you're excused. I need to talk to Kurt and Blaine here about a couple of things."

Finn nodded and got up from the sofa. On his way past Kurt he paused for a moment and reached out tentatively and gave Kurt's shoulder a soft squeeze. Before Finn could remove his hand Kurt reached up and squeezed it back.

"So what did you want to talk to us about dad?"

"Oh a lot of things son," Burt said sitting back and crossing his arms. "But I think that hickey on your neck would be a good place to start."

"Dad there's nothing to talk about. What Blaine and I do in our private time is our business."

"You're too young to be having private time."

"I think I'll go get started on those phone calls," Carole said, fighting back a smile.

"No Carole, please don't leave us with him."

"Hey honey before you get started on those calls could you bring me those pamphlets in my desk drawer?"

"Oh my God, dad no come on, not the pamphlets!"

"Pamphlets?" Blaine mouthed to Kurt.

Kurt groaned and buried his head in his hands.

---

A/N 2: So what did we think of the Kurt/Jasper meeting and the Hudmel family meeting. I know you're probably thinking Blaine was super quiet during that. That's because our Blainers was doing what he does best-plotting. The next chapter is a big one-it's my take on Never Been Kissed.

And in case you're wondering yellow carnations symbolize "disappointment" and pink lilacs mean "acceptance" and the heather symbolizes "good luck."

Just as an FYI: Even if takes me until I'm old and gray I will finish this story. It will not be abandoned. To keep informed on updates or delays you can always follow me on my Tumblr here or on my post limit Tumblr here