“That’s creepy,” Blaine mumbled behind him and it took Kurt a second to realize what he was talking about; Kurt hadn’t announced himself, but George had known it was him. It’s his job to know Guardians, after all. Kurt opted to ignore that point and Blaine’s confusion in favor for opening the door.

“Where’s the fire?” George joked when he saw Kurt’s worried expression, but his smile faded when he saw Blaine enter the classroom as well. “Kurt…” he began in question, but Kurt cut him off.

“Something’s wrong,” he said, then quieter so Blaine couldn’t hear he added, “He didn’t get them.” George sighed and leaned back in his recliner, gaze shifting to his desk rather than Kurt. He looked uncomfortable, but not exactly shocked. “Wait, did you know?”

“Look, Kurt-”

“Is that what you were going to tell me after the meeting?” Kurt asked, his voice becoming more audible as his anger set in. How could he elect not to tell Kurt this information? Kurt should’ve been alerted. He should have known so he could help Blaine. “Why would you keep this from me? What happened? Why didn’t it work?”

“I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure. Nobody was. But Kurt,” George looked up at him with warning eyes. “I think this is a conversation we should be having alone.” Kurt blinked at his Keeper who looked behind Kurt in turn. Kurt shook his head.

“No. I’m not leaving Blaine alone,” he said, his voice growing harsher. “This is about him, more than it’s about us. He has every right to know.”

“So you’re just going to wipe his mind afterwards?”

“I shouldn’t have to,” Kurt growled. He wasn’t happy with his Keeper at the moment and he didn’t feel like being tested. Kurt felt a hand on his arm and his shoulders immediately relaxed. Blaine looked between him and the teacher.

“Why do I get the feeling you’re not just talking about magic beans?” Kurt stared at George for moment longer, turning to face Blaine after the barely visible twitch that passed as George’s nodding in defeat. Kurt took Blaine’s hands in his and looked into his honey colored eyes.

“Blaine, what I’m about to tell you is extremely important. It’s going to be confusing, but I need you to hang in there, okay?” Blaine nodded immediately and Kurt stroked the back of his hand with his thumb. “What happened earlier, in the locker room, that was a Sealing.” Blaine glanced up at the ceiling above them with a raised brow and Kurt smiled softly. “A bonding,” Kurt corrected. “You and I are soul mates.” Blaine squeezed Kurt’s hands.

“I kind of already knew that,” he whispered and Kurt felt a fluttering in his stomach like a wave. He bit back his grin and continued.

“But when we got bonded-”

“Roofed,” Blaine interjected.

“Sealed, you should have gotten,” Kurt stopped, trying to figure out how to correctly verbalize everything so Blaine would understand. “You were supposed to have… Blaine,” Kurt said, deciding to start over, “you’re not who you think you are. Well, you are, but you aren’t.” Blaine stared blankly at him. “I mean, you’re you but you’re also so much more than that.” Kurt knit his brows together. “There’s more to you than you know.”

“You’re not making any sense, Dr. Seuss.” Kurt sighed and let his head hang for a minute as he tried to formulate coherent sentences in his head. “Just tell me, I can handle whatever it is,” Blaine said and Kurt peeked up at him. Blaine gave him an encouraging smile.

“Okay, just promise me you’ll listen before you start judging?”

“Scout’s honor,” Blaine said, slipping his right hand out of Kurt’s and holding up his hand in a boy scout like pledge. Kurt smiled before taking a deep breath and speaking.

It took a while, but Kurt finally was able to explain enough to Blaine where he would stop asking questions and be able to follow along with Kurt’s conversation with George. Kurt and Blaine took chairs and pulled them up in front of George’s desk, Blaine regarding him questioningly while Kurt narrowed his eyes into slits.

“So?” Kurt asked, but George seemed to want Kurt to formally ask what his question was. The man quirked a brow at him and Kurt bit back a biting remark. “Why didn’t Blaine get his powers?” he asked through clenched teeth and George let out a slow breath.

“I’m not one hundred percent sure,” he said and raised a hand to silent Kurt when he was about to chew his head off for being so unhelpful. “I’ve told you countless times how important Blaine here is to our world,” he began and Kurt could feel Blaine’s eyes on him. Kurt had left out the part where Blaine was destined to stop the war and save the world. He figured it could be skipped- along with the history of their people. Kurt basically had mentioned that while Blaine is a Paladin, he himself is his Guardian. He told him the basics, how he got premonitions and that’s why he’d always been there to help Blaine. He also told him how they’d been linked in the locker room and that Blaine should’ve acquired certain attributes that would make his job as a Paladin much easier. “It would seem that we are not the only ones who know this,” George left his insinuation hanging in the air and Kurt blinked at him dumbly.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means, Kurt Hummel, that your job is far greater than we had anticipated.” Kurt looked down at his lap, wringing his hands. He stayed silent for a long moment before speaking softly and monotonously.

“What happened?” George sat back in his chair heavily, letting out a deep sigh.

“I’m not one hundred percent sure about that either. Blaine’s case is a very unusual one. When he was young, there was a period of time when he went missing. The Superiors had reason to believe it was the Chasers who were behind it. It seemed simple enough of an answer, and in a few days he was found.”

“Where?”

“Back in his bedroom.” Kurt could feel Blaine’s confusion and dis comfort. He turned in his chair and took Blaine’s hand in his, holding securely and Blaine seemed to be searching Kurt’s face for an answer.

“What did they do to him?”

“Indeed.” Blaine looked away from Kurt and over to George who was now regarding him like a scientist examining cells under a microscope, making Blaine shrink into his chair. Kurt scooted closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing his fingers up and down Blaine’s arm in an attempt to calm him.

“Can you see anything?” Kurt asked softly, and from the corner of his eye he saw Blaine’s head whip to look at him. “Can you check him?”

“I could,” George said, and Kurt could feel Blaine growing more anxious by the moment. “But I think you’d be better at it.” Kurt rolled his eyes at his Keeper.

“I would if I could, but we both know I don’t have that power.” George let out a soft laugh, and Kurt tilted his head at the man.

“Kurt, you two are Sealed now. As a Guardian, you must be able to keep him safe. Being able to detect… irregularities in your Paladin comes with the job.” Kurt could feel his eyes widen and jaw drop slightly.

“Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?” Blaine asked, his voice slightly higher than usual. Kurt watched his Keeper a moment longer, trying to spot any sign of falsity, but when he couldn’t find any he turned to face Blaine.

“Blaine,” Kurt began, turning his chair so he could be facing Blaine completely. He took both of the boy’s hands in his and held them tightly. “Blaine, I am so sorry. I know it’s a lot to take in and it doesn’t make much sense. But I need you to trust me. I need you to know that I would never do anything to hurt you. It’s my job to keep you safe, and I’m not sure that you are.” Blaine looked at Kurt, staring deep into his eyes and seemingly trying to communicate telepathically. “What are you thinking right now?” Kurt asked, wanting Blaine to feel comfortable even though he must’ve been completely unnerved.

“That I’m scared, Kurt,” Blaine said barely above a whisper and it made Kurt’s heart hurt. He sounded like a lost child and all he wanted to do was cradle this boy to his chest and shelter him from the world and all of its complexities. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing is wrong with you, Blaine. You’re perfect.”

“Then why don’t I know everything? You said I’m supposed to know who I am and my purpose but I don’t. There’s obviously something wrong.” Kurt moved one of his hands to stroke Blaine’s cheek and Blaine closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. “For seventeen years I thought I was just an extremely accident prone person, then I find out that I’m a part of some race that’s supposed to what, fight crime? And now I can’t even do that? Kurt, why can’t I just be whatever I’m supposed to be? Why is this so complicated?”

“I know it’s hard, sweetie, but we’ll figure this out. Together.” Blaine looked at Kurt, his eyes shining and he looked so helpless but so hopeful and Kurt really wanted to make Blaine’s life make sense.

“What was he talking about?” Blaine asked a moment later and Kurt waited for Blaine to elaborate. “The whole… checking me thing. Can you really find out what’s going on?” Kurt ran his thumbs over the backs of Blaine’s hands.

“I can try, if that’s what you want.” Blaine nodded his head softly, but Kurt could tell he was still a little wary. He brought Blaine’s hands to his lips, pressing delicate kisses to the boy’s knuckles and he heard Blaine let out a long breath. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Blaine,” Kurt said, wanting to make sure this was something Blaine was comfortable with. Blaine looked over at George for a moment, to his and Kurt’s hands, then to Kurt’s eyes.

“I trust you,” he said firmly and Kurt nodded. Kurt had seen Healers perform mind searches before, even had them done on him. Before you can be a Guardian, you must be checked by a Healer to make sure you are healthy and fit to not only take care of yourself, but your Paladin.

Kurt slid to the edge of his chair and rubbed his hands together, making them warmer and bringing the friction to his fingertips. He then reached forward and tentatively placed a hand on either side of Blaine’s head by his temples. “Close your eyes,” Kurt ordered softly and Blaine gave him one last fleeting look before slipping them shut. Without over thinking it, Kurt leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss to Blaine’s lips, and he felt Blaine relax a fraction. He smiled softly, if not anxiously. Kurt then closed his own eyes and began to extend his mental reach into Blaine.

Kurt could feel his energy run from his mind, down his neck, through his arms, out of his fingertips and come to a halt at Blaine’s skull. Kurt tried to enter, but it seemed that Blaine was still adamant. “B, you have to let me in,” Kurt said softly. Blaine made an apologetic sound and a second later his walls were down.

Kurt made his way through Blaine’s brain, trying to access his memories as quickly as possible. Once he found them, he began to work his way backward, trying to find the time when he was taken, but he almost instantly got distracted by an overpowering set of memories in his Paladin’s mind. Kurt stopped for a moment and watched these memories of Blaine’s pass by like a flickering home movie, a smile playing at his lips.

The first memory was the most recent- himself and Blaine in the locker room. He watched the scene through Blaine’s eyes and saw himself standing close, warmth and happiness eminent on his face. He couldn’t hear what Blaine had been thinking, but it was like he could feel Blaine’s emotions. He could feel his warmth and happiness and adoration and it was almost overwhelming.

The next memory was the day Kurt had joined Glee Club. Again, he could feel Blaine’s emotions and how ecstatic he’d been the moment Kurt walked into the choir room.

After there it was flashes of moments they’d shared together. Stolen looks. Holding hands. Smiles. Winks. Touches. Words exchanged. Then they changed again.

Kurt saw all the times he’d saved Blaine’s life. It was weird, since Kurt himself knew them as moments when he’d seen Blaine die and in turn done anything necessary to save his Companion. From Blaine’s view, it seemed sort of glorified. Blaine was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but every time this hero comes just in time to save him.

Kurt took a deep breath and continued on.

The next moment was one Kurt couldn’t place. It was a day at school, seemingly ordinary enough, and Blaine was in the cafeteria. Kurt wondered why Blaine would think of this memory as being significant when Blaine turns in his chair and looks to a table across the room. Kurt can see himself sitting with his fellow Guardians and he’s laughing at something Thomas just said, his head thrown back and laughing loudly. Kurt himself found the moment rather embarrassing and annoying, but Blaine seemed to feel a sort of yearning. Once Kurt’s laughing had died down, he seemed to feel Blaine’s eyes on him and turned, looking over at him as he continued to smile. He felt Blaine’s insides flip and excitement flare in his chest before Blaine quickly looked away. A moment later he chanced a glance back and he saw himself still watching Blaine, a fond smile on his lips. Blaine’s excitement only grew and he continued to stare openly until someone at Blaine’s table called his attention.

Kurt felt his own adoration for Blaine pulsate in his chest as he skipped over other memories, continuing to venture further into Blaine’s past. Finally, he got to Blaine’s elementary years and saw a young Blaine on a set of monkey bars and he made himself hurry past it, remembering all too well how Blaine had almost fell and broken his arm, needing a young Kurt Hummel to talk him down and over to the swing set instead.

Kurt made his way back to when Blaine was about two years old and found the moment when he was snuck back into his bedroom. Kurt quickly rewound a day and had a hard time making out what was happening besides bright white lights and black figures. He strained his ears to hear past the crying of a young Blaine and listened to the voices of the figures. “Will someone shut the kid up? I can barely hear myself think,” a man spoke and suddenly something extended out to Blaine- a hand that touched his forehead, effectively stopping his crying and seemingly erasing any emotions he had besides blank contentment.

“Where’s Peter?” another voice called and someone across the room sighed heavily.

“He was supposed to be here an hour ago.”

“Lawrence,” someone barked, “see where he is.” There were murmurs from a few men who seemed to be talking quietly.

“He’s just arrived,” someone, Lawrence, said. A moment later footsteps echoed through the room and Kurt wondered if they were in a sort of marble or metal area.

“You called for me, Louis?” the new man, Peter, said.

“It’s about damn time,” Louis said. “We need to get this kid back home as soon as possible. What the hell took you so long?”

“Relax; I’m here, aren’t I?” A new figure came into view then and Kurt guessed it was Peter. “What shall I do?”

“Block him,” Louis said. A pair of hands extended toward Blaine, resting on his head similar to the way Kurt was touching him now, and the man began to mutter under his breath. Kurt could feel walls constructing in Blaine’s head and he inhaled sharply as he realized what was happening.

“Done,” Peter said a moment later. “This little brat will never know what hit ‘im.”

“You’re sure?” Louis asked and Peter sighed, removing his hands from Blaine.

“Your confidence in me is staggering, Lou. But alas, yes. I put up multiple barriers just in case.” Louis let out a sigh of relief.

“Good. Now let’s get him home.” Someone came forward and took Blaine’s hand in their hand, waving it gently. “Mommy and Daddy must be worried sick,” they cooed.

Kurt pulled back then, slipping back through Blaine’s mind until he was back in his own body. With a gasp he returned to his brain and his eyes flew open. Kurt hadn’t realized he’s been gasping for air until Blaine’s arms were on his shoulders, trying to steady him. “Kurt. Kurt, relax.” Kurt focused on Blaine and felt heat prick behind his eyes.

“I’m okay,” he choked out, letting Blaine wrap an arm around him as he began steadying his breath. After a moment he pulled back and looked at Blaine. Poor, sweet, innocent Blaine. Kurt vowed at that moment to do everything in his power to make sure to erase everything those men did to him. No matter what the cost. “Everything’s going to be okay,” he said, but his brain was already on a tangent, trying to think of ways to jog Blaine’s memory and break down the barriers placed there so long ago. “I’m going to fix this.”