Kurt arrived home from school and immediately descended the stairs to his bedroom in the basement.

Hey swiftly moved into the bathroom and flicked the lights on and eyed himself up in the mirror.

He looked rough. Dried blood streaked down his face. His once perfect hair a ruffled mess. His clothes tattered and torn. Heck he even had a black eye.

“Perfect.” He mumbled as he shrugged out of his clothes to hop in the shower.

He felt better as his body wash took away the awful smell of dumpster, but not much better.

He flinched at the pain his face was in when he attempted to scrub off the dried blood.

He stepped out of the shower a few minutes later and ventured into his room to put on clothes that would cover the purple bruises that plagued his fair skin. Like always he applied countless globs of foundation to cover up the cuts and bruises, but you could still see the swelling.

“Oh well” he thought as he settled down on his bed to start his homework.

An hour or so later the front door opened as he heard Finn talking to someone.

“Great he must’ve brought Rachel over for dinner, now I have to put up with her too” He thought as he closed his text books and stood up off the bed to walk over to the stairs. But the voice responding stopped him.

“Yeah, I know you say his safe Finn. It’s just I love him and wanna make sure he’s safe.” The voice said.

Great Blaine was here.

“Yeah I know, but he’s fine. I promise. Nothing’s happening he’s fine. I’ll protect him.” Finn said back matter-of-factly.

 “Okay. If you say so. It’s just he bailed on our date out of nowhere and I wanted to come over to see him.” Blaine said with a concerned tone.

“Oh. I didn’t even know he was home?” Finn said confused.

“HEY KURT!” Finn hollered down the stairs before entering with Blaine following close behind.

“Yeah? What’s up Finn?” Kurt asked before turning to Blaine. “Hey Sweetie, I didn’t know you were here.” Kurt lied, pretending he wasn’t eavesdropping not two minutes ago.

“Hahaha what’s up with your face dude? You look like you had an allergic reaction.” Finn asked while stupidly poking at the swollenness of the black eye.

“Oww!” Kurt winced, not meaning to, as Finn poked harder.

“Dude sorry, did I poke your eye?” Finn questioned as he stepped back baffled.

“No Finn you didn’t do anything. Kurt is there something you want to tell us?” Blaine asked as he pulled a tissue out of the box on the dresser beginning to get closer to wipe off the concealer.

Kurt sighed as Blaine wiped and unveiled the black and blue mess that was the entire right side of his face.

“Kurt? What the hell is that? Did someone hit you?” Finn asked sounding angry.

“I’m fine.” Kurt choked out. For what felt like the millionth time today.

“Who hit you?” Finn stammered sounding even angier.

“It’s nothing Finn. I’m fine. “Blaine, honey, why are you here?” Kurt asked changing the subject hopefully.

“I came by to see if you were okay. Which clearly you’re not. What happened?” Blaine began.

“Nothing. I’m fine.” Kurt insisted. “We can still go get coffee. I just needed to shower.”

“Kurt did the jocks throw you in the dumpster?” Finn asked almost tiredly as if it was a question asked frequently. Which it was.

“Not all of them. Just one in particular.” Kurt answered.

“What? You got thrown in dumpster? Who does that?” Blaine asked confused.

“Blaine, I told you.” Kurt replied.

“No you said you smelt like a dumpster, I thought you had like gym or something and got all sweaty. I didn’t know you meant you were literally in a dumpster.” Blaine explained.

“Yeah. Well. It happens.” Kurt replied sadly.

“Yeah. Well. It shouldn’t” Blaine said almost mocking Kurt in his tone.

“Kurt, was it Karofsky??” Finn asked.

“Karofsky?!” Blaine explained. “The one who tormented you? The one who kissed you? The one who threatened to kill you? He’s still bullying you?” Blaine asked almost in disbelief.

“Well people don’t just go away if that’s what you thought would happen.” Kurt retorted. He wasn’t mad at Blaine. HE just didn’t want to be interrogated right now. The pounding in his head and the ache of his body made him just want to lay down and fall asleep for days. And cry. Mostly cry.

“WWWWHHHHHHAAAAAATTTTTTTT???????!!!!!??? KAROFSKY KISSED YOU??????????? WHEN?!? WHAT?!? EWWW!!!!????!!  WHHYYYYYY?????” Finn stammered more confused and flustered than ever.

“A few months ago. Come on Finn this is old news keep up.” Blaine answered.

But then he caught on. “Wait. Kurt? You didn’t tell him? Was I the only one you told?” Blaine asked chocking mid sentence as Kurt began to nod sadly.

“Blaine. HE said he’d KILL me. Of course I didn’t tell anyone else.” Kurt said as if it was common sense.

“Kurt? Is that why he threatened you? Is that why you left McKinley? Does Burt know?” Finn questioned.

“No. You’re the only ones who know. And I’d like to keep it that way.” Kurt said almost pleading.

“Kurt. This is awful. You can’t let him keep treating you this way. It’s wrong.” Blaine replied.

“Is is is Karofsky? Is he g-gayy?” Finn questioned.

“Yeah. But sshhh! Don’t tell anyone! IF ANYONE FINDS OUT HE’LL KILL ME!” Kurt answered practically screaming the past part.

“Kurt. You’re not safe at McKinley.” Was Finn’s only answer.

“No shit Sherlock. Why do you think I went to Dalton in the first place? To meet cute boys?” Kurt teased.

“Then why did you come back?” Finn asked confused.

“Because we can’t afford it anymore.” Kurt said coldly.

“Oh right.” Finn said stupidly.

“Finn, I thought you said you had this under control. That you’d ‘protect him’ keep shit like this from happening?” Blaine questioned.

“I-I thought I was. He doesn’t talk to me. I thought he was fine.”

“Well clearly he’s not” Blaine said gesturing to Kurt’s broken state.

“I know that now. He always just said he was ‘fine’ and I let it go.” Finn said air quoting the fine part.

“Well you should have seen past that.”

“What about you? huh? You are his boyfriend after all. Shouldn’t you be seeing things like this. That he’s like this.

“You live with him.”

“You should see his bruises you sleep with him.”

“He is right here.” Kurt chimed in sourly. “Let it go. I’ll be fine.”

“Kurt. What can we do to help?” Blaine asked sweetly.

“I’m fine.” Kurt said.

“Don’t start that again.” Finn demanded. “You are not fine. We’re here for you from here on out. We got your back.” Finn said more so out of remorse for not being there before.

“Okay.” Kurt said dryly.

“Just you know don’t let this get you down you know.” Blaine said quietly.

“Yeah like depressed and shit.” Finn added in.

Well it was a little late for that. Kurt had never been so down and filled with gloom in all his life. He dreaded each and every day and searched desperately for a way out.

“Okay?” Blaine asked making sure Kurt understood.

Kurt could only nod in response.

“I’ve just been thinking about you lately. You know. I’m really worried. You just seem so sad a cut off from the world. I miss seeing your beautiful smile, Kurt. I want you to be happy again. Just know that I would do anything for you to make sure you’re safe and happy.” Blaine said nervously.

“Thanks” was all Kurt could say.

“So just keep that in mind.” Blaine said playfully tapping Kurt on the tip of his nose with his finger.

“I don’t know what I would do without you. You know. You’re my everything, I don’t want you to do something stupid and leave me and everything behind you. I’d miss you.” Blaine said sweetly.

“Dude you sound like he’s gonna kill himself or something.” Finn said stupidly.

“I know. I’m sorry it’s just I love you and I don’t want anything to happen.” Blaine explained with a sigh.

“Haha woah someone’s a downer.” Finn said patting Blaine on the back. “Kurt would never do that. Right Kurt?” He said surely.

“You don’t know that.” Kurt said under his breath as Blaine reached forward to pull him into a hug.

“Oww” Kurt squealed moving his arms to wrap around his own waist clutching his ribs.

“Kurt. Shirt off.” Was all Blaine said. All he needed to say.

“Ew that looks nasty bro” Finn said as Kurt raised his shirt above his head revealing the fresh bloody bruises and the old battle scars.  

“Thanks that’s comforting.” Kurt sighed as he began to cover himself up with his hands.

“No. Let me see.” Blaine said coldly as he began poking and examining the mess that was his boyfriends torso.

“Yeah Kurt don’t be shy, you should be comfortable with your body you’re like the skinniest guy I know!” Finn said cheerfully trying to be helpful.

“Yeah Finn because I’m self conscious about my weight not the gashing cuts and bruises that cover half my body.” Kurt replied snarkily.

“Kurt, I think you have some bruised ribs.” Blaine interrupted their dumb banter. “You should get that looked at” He said.

“Why does it even matter? I’m fine.” Kurt retorted.

“You most certainly are not fine if I can’t even hug you without you cringing and screaming.” Blaine teased.

“I didn’t scream.” Kurt mumbled.

“I’m fine. It doesn’t matter.” Kurt spat out. “Do you wanna stay for dinner or do you have to get back to Dalton?” Kurt asked changing the subject.

“I can stay.”

“Okay cool. Do you wanna watch a movie or something until Carole and Burt get home and start dinner?”

“Sure. But Kurt?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re not done talking about this.”

“I didn’t think we were.”