My Outlet

Blaine trusted Kurt. It was odd, knowing someone for such a short time but still having this feeling of utter conviction towards them. All his life, he had never had someone he had felt this way for.  

It was hot, but spring was only beginning. Ohio was known for its varying weather conditions (Kurt had called it 'bipolar', making Blaine cringe inwardly). The sun was beating down on the outside of Dalton Academy. The students were out talking, running, reading; anything to get out of the confinement of the old, musty building. Blaine and Kurt sat across from each other on one of the outdoor benches, working on their latest Chemistry lab. Kurt had his uniform sleeves rolled up to his elbows while Blaine was probably the only one in the full ensemble.

"Can we take a break?" Kurt asked, blinking against the sun that hit his face perfect, lighting up his gorgeous eyes. Blaine smiled lightly and nodded, closing his book and setting it beside them.

"Thank you, I think I was mumbling the density of the elements in order in my sleep last night," the brown eyed boy joked. Kurt nodded in agreement, giggling ever so slightly. Blaine couldn't help but adore every little thing about Kurt; from his laugh to his eyes, to his crooked smile. But they were forever stuck in the 'friend zone' after Kurt explained his clear opposition towards the thought of how two gay guys couldn't be just friends. Blaine had said yeah and continued complaining about stereotypes, while mentally sighing.

"Aren't you burning up?" Kurt snapped him out of his inner monologue. Blaine was very, very hot in his full attire, but knew he couldn't take his jacket off. That would lead to him wanting to roll up his sleeves. That would be when the questions would start and so on and so forth.
In the end, it was easier to just leave the jacket on.

"No, I'm fine," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. Kurt shot him a disbelieving look.

"You're lying. It's like 1,000 degrees out here," he said, sounding like he wasn't exaggerating at all. Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Yes, it is exactly 1,000 degrees outside," he said, smirking. Kurt shook his head.

"That's not the point. Just take the jacket off."

Blaine found himself in a predicament. He could either leave the jacket on until Kurt bodily rip it off of him. Or he could just take it off and resist the urge to touch his sleeves. The latter didn't seem overly complicated.

"Fine, I'll take it off," he shrugged the coat off his shoulders, air hitting his sweating arms. It felt amazing to have some breathing room for his arms, but he had to remember that was the most he could get. He couldn't risk revealing anything to Kurt.

"Are you hiding something from me?" the smaller boy asked, looking up at his friend with curiosity.

"What do you mean?" Blaine tried to tame the alarm in his voice.

"What, do you have some hideous tattoo or something?" Kurt laughed. Blaine sighed and laughed awkwardly.

The pair moved onto working on their assignment yet again. Blaine couldn't help but look up at Kurt every few seconds, debating whether he should just show him and get it over with. If he wanted to prove to Kurt that he desired for their friendship to escalate, he had to show him he trusted him. This was something so huge that it might work.

"Kurt," he said softly. The mentioned boy looked up from his book, staring at Blaine with such wonder that the other boy had to inhale deeply to keep his courage, "I need to show you something."

He reached down and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt. At least fifteen long red scars appeared under the thin fabric. More and more showed up until it reached his elbow. The next arm was revealed, looking as much as a battlefield as the last. Kurt stared with intent, outlining each of the scars with his eyes.

Kurt's nimble fingers reached out and ran across one of the scars. It was jagged and felt strange under his finger. He looked up at Blaine who was watching him with so much focus that he had to lunge forward and wrap his arms around his best friend.

The embrace felt so warm to Blaine. He had never been held so gently by another person. He hugged Kurt back, his bare arms rubbing against the other's back. When they pulled away, Kurt looked up at him, expectant.

"Like I said before, I was bullied," he began, "I needed to cope so I cut myself. A couple times I went to deep and ended up in rehab for weeks. When they released me, the counselors suggested that I switch schools. They gave us brochures for Dalton and I was enrolled."

Blaine had never told anyone outside his family that story. He was always ashamed that he couldn't deal with his problems healthily like everyone thought. He wasn't as strong and confident as he came off to be.

"You don't anymore?" Kurt said, holding his friend's arm in his small hands. He traced each one of the scars with his eyes once again.

"Not after you showed up," Blaine confessed. Kurt seemed caught off guard by this answer.

"Really?"
He nodded, "I finally had someone to talk to- and outlet one might say."

"Well I'm honored to be your outlet," Kurt smiled. He wrapped his arms around Blaine another time.
Blaine didn't know what the hug meant, but he didn't care. He had Kurt as a friend and for now that was enough; as long as he was just there.