Blaine Anderson was seventeen years old, he was gay, son of a single teenage mother, he lived in a trailer park and his clothes were second hand. He was starting a new school, he wondered how long before he was being beaten up by jocks. Again.

He was stared at as he made his way through the corridors; everyone was sizing up the new kid. In turn Blaine was looking through the crowd hoping to find someone who would be his friend. He stepped into his first class, late because he’d gotten lost, and glanced round the room. There were a couple of empty seats, one next to a large guy in a letterman jacket, no way. There was one next to a cheerleader who was looking at him like a piece of meat, not that one either. There was one last spare seat, right in the back corner next to what was probably the most beautiful boy Blaine had ever seen. Pale skin, bright blue eyes and perfect hair, impeccably dressed. Blaine smiled and made his way to that seat. He passed the cheerleader who looked insulted, he didn’t care.

As he sat down the boy looked up in surprise, before turning back to the book in front of him. He ignored Blaine.

“Hi I’m Blaine,” Blaine held out his hand hopefully, the boy looked at him again, blinking slowly, like he wasn’t sure what to do. The teacher came in.

Blaine was introduced to the class, which was embarrassing. He sat through the boring class, trying not to fall asleep; he kept glancing at the boy next to him, who was diligently making notes. When the bell rang the boy was out the door before Blaine could speak. He sighed, well so much for that.

His day carried on, he had a few conversations with people but by lunch time he had still had no friends to sit with. He glanced around the lunch hall, with his tray in his hands. He saw the quiet boy sitting on his own. Blaine thought for a second before deciding he had nothing to lose. He walked over.

“Hi,” he said stopping by the table. The boy looked up in surprise once again. It was like no one ever spoke to him. “Look, I haven’t made any friends and I have no idea where to sit, I could use someone to take pity on me.” He waited.

The boy nodded slowly and with a relieved sigh he sat down opposite him. The boy was slowing making his way through a salad, he had a notebook out beside him but he closed it once Blaine sat down.

“Are you ever going to speak to me?” Blaine asked. The boy looked up at him, blue eyes serious and a little bit sad. He shook his head.

Well he’s nothing if not honest, Blaine thought. He looked down and his lunch and began to eat. After a while a piece of paper was slid across the table into his view. It was piece of work that had clearly been marked and handed back. Blaine frowned at it, what was he supposed to do with this?

Then he saw the name written in the top corner and he smiled, looking back up at the boy.

“Kurt Hummel, is that you?” he asked. The boy, Kurt, rolled his eyes and nodded. Blaine slid the paper back to him and he careful put it back into a folder. “So you won’t speak to me but you wanted me to know your name?”

Kurt bit his lip and looked around him, as if he was looking for help. He sighed and looked back down at his salad. Blaine frowned. “Kurt?” he asked quietly. Kurt looked back up. “Can you talk?” Blaine asked seriously. Kurt looked sad but nodded his head. Blaine thought some more. “Do you talk?” this time Kurt shook his head. Blaine sighed. He was relieved in a way that it wasn’t just him but curious and sad about whatever had happened to make Kurt stop talking. He wasn’t about to pry though.

Kurt had gone back to his salad, he looked like he was expecting Blaine to walk away now he knew Kurt wouldn’t talk to him. But Blaine wasn’t about to let go of what could possibly be his first friendship at this school.

“So as you’re the only person I know at this school, can I sit with you in any more classes that we share and at lunch tomorrow?” Blaine asked hopefully. Once more the surprised expression was on Kurt’s face as he looked up at Blaine. He nodded his head straight away; it was the first time he hadn’t taken time to think about an answer to a question of Blaine’s. Blaine smiled.

They sat in silence for the rest of lunch but it wasn’t awkward. Just before the bell went Kurt pushed his phone across the table, the screen already set up at the contact list part.  With a smile Blaine quickly added his number to the contact list and passed it back. Kurt nodded at him.

The bell rang and Blaine said a quick goodbye before he left to try to find his next class. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, hoping no one notice how old it was, and opened the text.

That was the first conversation I’ve had in a long time. Kurt.

Blaine smiled happily.

He was seated in the back of the next classroom, the seats either side of him were empty but they didn’t remain that way for long. A blond boy in a letterman jacket sat one side of him, on the other an Asian girl. Blaine shifted uncomfortably, not too happy about the jock sitting beside him, he wasn’t too sure about the girl, she looked pleasant enough but she’d entered with the jock and Blaine felt like they’d purposely sat beside him.

He was proved right when the girl turned to him.

“We saw you talking to Kurt?” she said. Blaine raised an eyebrow, now he was confused, that hadn’t been what he was expecting.

“And?”

“Kurt’s gone through a lot, he doesn’t need anyone else hurting him,” the jock said.

“I was just talking,” Blaine defended and then narrowed his eyes, “besides if you guys like him enough to defend him why is he always on his own.” Ok so Blaine had only seen him twice but he had a theory he was always alone.

The girl looked down and bit her lip and the boy looked away from Blaine, they both looked guilty.

“It’s complicated,” the girl whispered, Blaine was surprised to hear the tears in her voice.

The teacher came in.

*

Blaine cycled home. He was tired from his first day and he had a lot of catch up work to do. He was seated at the tiny kitchen table when Harriet came home. She dropped a kiss on his head, pleased to see that there were no new bruises on his face.

“How was school?”

“Better,” Blaine answered.

“Make any friends?” Harriet asked hopefully. Blaine finally looked up at her.

“Sort of,” he said, Harriet raised an eyebrow, “his name is Kurt, that’s all I know, well that and the fact that he doesn’t speak.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I don’t get it but I think something happened to him. There were these kids that were making sure I wasn’t harassing him or whatever, but he’s always alone.”

“Maybe you two could be good for each other.”

“We’ll see,” Blaine replied with a hug.

“Join any clubs?” Harriet asked as she began to bustle around the kitchen. Blaine snorted in reply.

“I can’t play chess, my maths is not that good, I can’t play an instrument and I’d rather stay as far away from jocks as possible. Exactly what club should I be joining?”

“You can sing. I did some research about that school, their glee club made it to Nationals last year.”

“Mom, joining glee club is like painting a target on me, like there isn’t enough for me to be bullied for as it is.”

Harriet stopped what she was doing. She knelt down beside Blaine’s chair and reached up to cup his cheek, making him look at her.

“You’re perfect Blaine, you know that right. Every little thing about you is wonderful. I screwed up a lot of things in my life but not you. You have a wonderful voice, use it. Don’t let the bigoted people of this town stop you doing what you want or being who you are. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks Mom,” Blaine replied, he blinked back the tears that had come to his eyes.

*

The next day Blaine knocked on the door to choir room. Everyone looked at him. To his surprise there were cheer leaders and jocks mingled in with the others. He also noticed the boy and girl who’d spoken to him about Kurt were in the room.

“Can I help?” The club director asked.

“Erm, yes, I know the competition season has started but I’m new and I was hoping I could join.”

“Of course. What’s your name? Have you got a song you can audition with?” the director asked.

“Blaine Anderson, I didn’t prepare anything but I’ve got a song I could use.”

The director, Blaine needed to learn his name, stepped aside and gestured that he had the floor. Blaine dropped his tattered back pack and stepped into the center of the room.  He took in a shaky breath before closing his eyes and singing.

Edelweiss, edelweiss
Ev'ry morning you greet me
Small and white
Clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow
May you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

Small and white
Clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow
May you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

Blaine opened his eyes and took in the faces in front of him; they were all varying degrees of impressed and shocked. He smiled slightly, if he’d thought to prepare a piece he would have sung something a lot cooler but years of watching the Sound of Music with his mother had burned the lyrics of that song, and every other, into his head.

A short brunet suddenly jumped up and clapped running forwards she grabbed Blaine’s hands.

“That was amazing, we should do a duet, our voices would be awesome together,” she said quickly.

“Erm sure. Does that mean I’m in?” Blaine asked hopefully.

“Of course, Blaine, welcome to the New Directions,” the director said. “I’m Mr Schue,” he introduced himself. Blaine nodded, happy to finally have a name.

The brunet pulled him over to the seats, making him take a seat beside her. The boy sitting on the other side of her put his arm around her possessively. She just rolled her eyes and smiled up at him while he shot Blaine a death glare.

The meeting went smoothly, a few songs were sung, Blaine was impressed with the talent in the room. Afterwards everyone clamoured to introduce themselves. Blaine was surrounded and overwhelmed but he smiled and tried to remember everyone’s names because maybe, for once in his life, he could be part of a group like this, he could have friends that truly cared.

*

Blaine didn’t see Kurt until the next day. He dumped his lunch tray down a little too hard and caused Kurt to jump.

“Sorry,” Blaine said as he sat down. “Hey guess what?” he continued. Kurt looked up at him a raised one perfect eyebrow. Blaine blinked dumbly at him for a second, he really was good looking. Kurt tilted his head slightly and tapped his finger impatiently on the table.

“I joined Glee club,” Blaine said, smiling widely. Then he noticed Kurt’s normally serious face now looked downright unhappy. Kurt looked down from Blaine and his shoulders slumped in a defeated manner. Kurt slowly flicked a hand towards table where the Glee members were sitting. Blaine looked at them and noticed some of them look away, trying to pretend that they hadn’t been watching them.

“I’m not going to sit with them, I want to sit with you,” Blaine told. Kurt looked up so quickly Blaine thought he might have hurt his neck. Blaine could easily read the question written all over Kurt’s face. Why? What the hell had happened to this boy to make him assume everyone would leave?

“I like you Kurt,” I don’t want to leave you on your own. “Besides the view’s better over here.” Blaine had no idea why he said it. No one at his school knew he was gay and he just practically hit on this boy. Kurt’s eyes widened and filled with tears and grabbed his bag and all but ran out of the lunch hall, his lunch still sitting half eaten on the tray.

Blaine stared at the spot where Kurt had been sitting. He shoved his tray aside and rested his forehead on the table while he mentally kicked himself. Great the first friend he’d made and he’d alienated him, stupid back-water hick town. Why couldn’t he have been born in San Francisco or New York or somewhere far more excepting?

The rest of the day crawled by. Blaine slowly walked towards the exit on after the final bell. He caught sight of Kurt standing at his locker. As usual the general student body didn’t seem to notice his existence. Blaine would never understand this fact; Kurt was impeccably dressed, with perfectly styled hair. He had a natural beauty about him that took Blaine’s breath away every time he saw the other boy.

Blaine walked right up to Kurt; he hadn’t anything to lose now.

“Look I’m sorry if what I said made you uncomfortable. So yes, I’m gay and yes I think you’re attractive but you can’t catch it and I’m not going to force myself on you,” Blaine said. “I get it if you don’t want to be my friend anymore, I just thought you were different,” he finished softly before turning to walk away.

He hadn’t gone far when a hand grabbed his sleeve. He flinched automatically before turning to realise it was Kurt who’d touched him. Kurt stood in front of him, biting his bottom lip and looking sad. He glanced around the corridor, taking in the few other people still around. He seemed to take a fortifying breath before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Blaine. Blaine stayed frozen for a second before relaxing and holding on to Kurt in return. Instinctively, Blaine knew the hug meant Kurt wasn’t uncomfortable with him, he knew it meant they were still friends.

“Thank you,” he said as they parted. Kurt nodded and they walked out of school together, Kurt tapping something into his phone. Blaine didn’t mind, somehow even with Kurt’s attention directed else where it still felt nice just to walk with him. Of course when his cheap little phone buzzed in his pocket a second later with a huge text from Kurt he felt even better.

He opened the message and began to read.

For a gay guy your gaydar is terrible. I’m gay too. Yes what you said made me uncomfortable but not for the reason you think. I don’t want our friendship to be ruined, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but no one else really cares about me. I want one friendship, is that too much to ask? Too not be alone anymore. I’m not the easiest person to deal with I know but you’ve never once tried to get me to actually talk. I’ve pushed everyone away in the past and maybe I should push you away too but I’m going to be selfish and keep you. If that’s ok?

Blaine stopped and re read it then looked up at Kurt who had taken a few more steps forward before he noticed that Blaine had stopped.

“You really think that?” Blaine asked quietly. Kurt cocked his head to the side in question. “You are not selfish for having a friend Kurt. Why would you think that?” Kurt looked at his feet for a few seconds before he looked up at Blaine, tears filling his eyes. He shook his head sadly. Blaine walked up to Kurt and pulled him into his arms. It was Kurt’s turn to stiffen before he relaxed and hugged Blaine back, burying his head in his shoulder.

“I will be your friend for as long as you want me. You’re not alone now and you never have to be again,” Blaine said as he rubbed Kurt’s back. When they pulled apart Kurt dabbed his tear stained face with his sleeve.

At the same time the boys both remembered they were still on school property and stepped apart. Blaine gestured towards the parking lot and began to walk Kurt to his car. “You’re wrong you know, people do care,” Blaine spoke again, referring to the other disturbing part of Kurt’s text. “The first day I got here, after I sat with you at lunch, I got corner in class my Sam and Tina. They told me to not hurt you. I assured them I wouldn’t of course. So you see they care. I think you have more friends than you think you do.”

It was Kurt’s turn to stop. Blaine turned to him to find him staring at him. Slowly Kurt began to shake his head. Blaine wanted to re-iterate his comment but he figured it wouldn’t help. “There’s so much I don’t know,” he said quietly. Kurt frowned at him. “I’m not going to ask but you can tell me, if you want.” Kurt seemed to ponder this for a while then shook his head again. “Fair enough.”

Blaine walked Kurt to his car, whistling lowly when he saw it. “Nice,” he commented. Kurt nodded to the passenger side. “No thanks, I’ve got my bike. See you tomorrow, yeah?” Kurt nodded and they parted ways closer than ever.