Kurt drove to the Lima Bean - he’d missed Blaine… these past few days had been murder… not being able to walk over to his boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, hold him… or surprise him at his locker when he was getting books out… He wasn’t sure if he could ever forget what Blaine had done but maybe he could trust him enough to let him back in…

“Hey, Kurt!” said Blaine, as he saw Kurt enter the Lima Bean. Kurt looked different than what Blaine remembered… He was thinner, paler and there was no glimmer in his light blue eyes. It was understandable, he’d (unintentionally) broken Kurt’s heart -shattered it in to a million pieces… thanks to Sebastian.

“Hi, Blaine…erm, I’ll get the first round of coffee” said Kurt, approaching the counter where a bored-looking blonde girl stood. The Lima Bean was really quiet today… Kurt was thankful, it meant less prying eyes, less jeers and taunts coming from the less open-minded people of the population of Lima. Kurt took the coffees back to their favourite booth.

They sat in silence for a moment, taking sips of their coffee, each wishing the other would say something. There wasn’t much to say: Kurt sat and fiddled with the lid on his coffee cup, Blaine twirled a wooden stirrer between his fingers. When Kurt eventually spoke his voice was slightly strangled.

“Blaine,” He began. “You know I can NEVER forget what happened… but I can try to trust you again.”

“I know I did an awful thing and I’d never expect you to forget what happened, it was a stupid mistake, but I will spend forever trying to earn your trust again, Kurt.”

“I know it was, but it shouldn’t have happened… you should have told me that Sebastian was texting you… that stuff. It was obviously bugging you, it killed me not knowing what was making you feel like that.”

“I’m sorry Kurt; I should have said something… I’m sorry for everything” said Blaine with tears forming in his eyes. He really was sorry; he’d really missed Kurt these past few weeks. They didn’t even talk in classes… Kurt had been ignoring him and he had reason to. Blaine hated himself for doing that to the boy who he loved, the boy he imagined spending his whole life with.

“Although, like I said I can never forget, but we can have a fresh start… like a new couple, but that means me learning to trust you again, that could take a while…okay.” said Kurt, glancing up from his hands to look at Blaine, Kurt's eyes shone with unshed tears.

In the low light of the Lima Bean Blaine looked more beautiful than ever. Kurt had missed his dark curly hair; his soft, plump, pink lips; his amber eyes; the perfect fit of his hand in his… he’d missed everything about Blaine.

“Yes, yes anything, I don’t want- I can’t lose you Kurt. You mean the world to me! I’d like a fresh start.” tears rolled down his cheeks, they somehow made his eyes look brighter.

“You mean a lot to me too Blaine, okay so fresh start… Hi! I’m Kurt.” said Kurt extending his arm to Blaine.

“Nice to meet you Kurt. My name’s Blaine.” said Blaine smiling as brightly as he did when he first saw Kurt on that staircase at Dalton he cast his mind back to that day.

***
It was time for the mini Warblers’ performance in the senior commons. Blaine was singing lead on Katy Perry’s teenage dream. He had a weird feeling about today… like something magical was going to happen, as he descended the staircase his stomach gave a funny little jolt, and then he heard a small voice.

“Excuse me erm hi, can I ask you a question, I’m-I’m new here?” said a tall, chestnut brown haired boy.

“My name’s Blaine” said Blaine, temporarily forgetting his own name as he stared in to those amazing blue eyes.

“Kurt!” Kurt? What an unusual name Blaine thought. “Err so what exactly is going on?”

“The Warblers! Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons. It tends to shut the school for a while” said Blaine with a small laugh, still transfixed by those eyes. It was obvious that this boy was a spy, but Blaine found it adorable.

“So wait, the glee club here is kind of cool” said Kurt disbelievingly.

“The Warblers are like rock stars! Come on, I know a short cut…” said Blaine taking Kurt’s hand. It wasn’t an actual shortcut, but for some reason he just wanted to be alone with Kurt just for a little while.

As they entered the senior commons, Blaine heard Kurt take a deep breath in at the sight of all the Dalton students in their blazers.

“Oh, I stick out like a sore thumb!” said Kurt obviously worried that he would get found out.

“Well next time don’t forget your jacket new kid. You’ll fit right in!” said Blaine, winking at Kurt to tell him he already knew. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” he said as the Warblers started singing the introduction to Teenage Dream.

Blaine walked towards the group of Warblers and began to sing. He was glad Kurt was there: he was slightly nervous as this was his first solo, but something about the new boy’s presence calmed his nerves. He didn’t know what it was but this boy had this power over him - he wanted to impress Kurt. Throughout the whole song he only saw Kurt, his heart swelled with joy when he saw Kurt smiling and laughing at his dancing. He was glad he made Kurt smile. He always wanted to make Kurt smile, for Kurt had a beautiful smile.

“Hey, Wes, David… there’s someone I need to you to meet!” said Blaine as he dragged them over to Kurt. “Guys this is Kurt. Want to go grab a coffee with us?”

“S-sure” said Kurt sounding nervous, but he had no need to be nervous.

“Latte?” said Blaine pushing the coffee cup towards Kurt as he mouthed thank you. “This Wes and David.”

“It’s very civilized of you to invite me for coffee before you beat me up…” said Kurt shakily, as a sad smile sat on his face.

“We are not going to beat you up!” stated Wes

“You were such a terrible spy, we thought sort of endearing.” said David smiling brightly.

“Which made me think that spying on us wasn’t really the reason you came…” Blaine offered, there definitely another reason behind Kurt being here, there had to be something.

“Can I ask you guys a question? Are you guys all gay?” said Kurt, quietly.

The trio laughed.

“No,” answered Blaine. “I mean, I am but these guys have girlfriends.” He pointed to his friends.

“This is not a gay school: we just have a zero tolerance bullying policy” David informed Kurt.

“Everybody gets treated the same no matter what they are” said Wes.

Blaine saw Kurt’s face fall at this and his eyes begin to fill with tears. He’d found the something that had actually brought Kurt into his life.

“Could you guys excuse us?” asked Blaine- this was a discussion best had alone with Kurt. Wes and David nodded and got up to leave.

“Take it easy Kurt.” Wes added, as he and David left the two boys alone to talk.

Kurt took several sharp deep breaths, in attempts to hold back his tears, Blaine thought.

“I take it you’re having trouble at school?” Blaine suggested; he knew that feeling well, too well for his liking.

“I’m the only person out of the closet at my school” said Kurt, visibly trying... willing himself not to cry “and I- I try to stay strong about it but there’s this Neanderthal who’s made it his mission to make my life a living hell and nobody seems to notice.”

“I know how you feel” said Blaine casting his mind back reluctantly to those years back in Indiana, at his old school - the taunts, the harassment. “I got taunted at my old school and it- it really…pissed me off”

Further falling into memories.

“I even complained about it to the faculty, they were sympathetic and all, but you could just tell that nobody really cared. It was like: ‘hey, if you’re gay you life’s just going to be miserable, sorry. Nothing we can do about it’” he paused. “So I left, and came here; simple as that. So you have two options: I mean, I’d love to tell to just come and enrol here” I’d love it if you came here Blaine thought, I love to see your eyes every day “but tuition at Dalton’s a bit steep, and I- I know that’s not for everyone. Or” he added reluctantly “you could refuse to be the victim.”

Kurt pulled a confused face and Blaine continued: “Prejudice is just ignorance, Kurt” Blaine stated feeling the need to say Kurt's name, it sounded so beautiful to his ears. “And you have chance to teach him.”

“How?” Kurt demanded his eyes puffy and red but still pretty and blue.

“Confront him. Call him out.” Blaine urged, leaning closer to Kurt, wanting to reach out and hold his hand again. “I ran, Kurt.” Blaine admitted, saying Kurt’s name again, despite the fact that it was clear that he was only talking to Kurt. “I didn’t stand up. I let bullies chase me away, and it is something that I really, really regret.” He let out the breath that he hadn’t realised he’d been holding in.

“Thank you, Blaine… Hey, could we maybe exchange numbers?” asked Kurt hesitantly.

“Yeah that would be nice, I can’t really talk to Wes and David about how cute Tom Felton is.” giggled Blaine, blushing slightly, but it was nowhere near as how red Kurt had gone.

***
Blaine was glad that it was him that Kurt stopped on that staircase it opened up a beautiful friendship which lead to an amazing relationship.

Until he ruined it.

It almost was their 1 year anniversary, and Blaine had screwed up.

“Nice to meet you Blaine,” said Kurt. “Okay, maybe not that fresh a start… how about this, let me take you for dinner Friday night, Breadstix at 8? Our second first date.”

“Sure, I’ll meet you there,” said Blaine smiling, remembering Valentine’s Day… at Sugar’s party.

“I’m really sorry Blaine, I have to dash, but I’ll see you at school tomorrow yeah?” Kurt asked hopefully, looking at his watch. His dad wanted him home in time for the family dinner, although he knew he’d much rather be with Blaine.

“Yeah okay, I’ll save you as seat in homeroom?” said Blaine sounding hopeful, a childlike glint in his eye.

Kurt nodded in response and left the Lima Bean, climbing into his navigator and driving off.

As he pull out on to the highway, he was lost in thought about what he was going to wear on Friday, and how perfect Blaine’s hair was… and how he was going to tell his dad that they were back together. When Kurt had come home that day, tearstained cheeks, puffy eyed, Burt knew something was wrong, so Kurt told him, about the texts, the kiss… everything, from then on Burt had refrained from using Blaine’s name, he’d even threaten to go after him with his shotgun, but Kurt stopped him, Burt loathed Blaine now for breaking Kurt’s heart.