Just Around The Corner

13

It was beginning to get dark out and Kurt agreed to walk Blaine home. They left Rachel, Betty and George still sitting in the living room, all three of them crammed tightly together on the couch. There was no real reason for them to sit so close other than comfort, which all of them sorely needed.

The streets were empty, which on itself wasn't all that unusual. At this time of day, most everyone in Pleasantville was normally eating dinner. But there had been nothing normal about today, and the eerie stillness made Kurt uneasy. It felt like the calm before the storm.

Blaine was quiet, lost in contemplation. Today had shaken him, probably more than Kurt could imagine. Being confronted by hatred and prejudice in such a stark way after never having experienced anything of the sort in his life had to have taken its toll.

And it seemed today's troubles weren't over yet. Gathered at the corner of Main Street and Elm Street, just a few houses down from Blaine's, were Johnny and his crew. They were climbing into a large, black and white convertible, but as Johnny spotted them, he smirked and casually leaned against the car.

They could cross the street to avoid them, but there was no guarantee that Johnny wouldn't follow. Besides, Kurt was done with running.

"What are you meatheads doing here?" he said.

Johnny scoffed at the name. "We're being fine, upstanding citizens is what we're doing." He pointed at his buddies in the car. "We're driving around, makin' sure that everyone who should be is at the Town Hall."

"What's happening at the Town Hall?" Blaine asked. His voice was wavering just slightly, but he kept his head high.

Johnny and his friends laughed.

"You wouldn't know about it," one of Johnny's friends sneered. "It's a meeting, only it's not for you colored types to attend."

"Yeah," Johnny said. "Only the real citizens of Pleasantville. Like, say, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. Bet they're real disappointed that you won't be there, huh Blaine?"

Blaine had gone pale, his jaw clenching in an obvious attempt not to let his feelings show. He wasn't doing a very good job of it, practically radiating hurt. Kurt turned to Johnny and his friends, who were laughing again, and saw red.

He stalked forward in two, large strides, raised his fist and punched Johnny in the side of his jaw, as hard as he could.

Johnny was knocked against the car, his mouth and eyes wide open in shock and terror. Kurt felt pain exploding in his hand, but he resisted the urge to cradle it against his chest, instead keeping it raised and ready, in case Johnny tried to retaliate.

He didn't need to worry. As soon as he had his wits about him, Johnny was scrambling into the car as his friend turned on the engine and sped away, Johnny's legs still hanging from the side of the car. As soon as they'd turned a corner, Kurt grabbed his hand. It felt like he'd broken every bone in his fingers, but it was completely worth it, just to see that cowardly bully turn his tail and run.

"Kurt?"

Blaine's hand came to rest on Kurt's injured one, gentle and soft. He tugged at it until Kurt released it, turned it over to examine the knuckles. The skin had split on one of them and it was bleeding, the blood thick and dark red against grey skin.

"Does it hurt?"

Kurt nodded numbly. Now that the confrontation was over, the adrenaline in his system was fading fast.

"Come on." Blaine smiled. "Let's go clean this up."

The front door was unlocked when they got to the Anderson residence, but the house was empty.

"Guess they're at that meeting," Blaine muttered.

Kurt wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "It's okay. Come on, we should get me patched up before I bleed all over your couch."

They went upstairs to the bathroom, where the First Aid kit was kept. Blaine seemed relieved to have some task to keep his mind off things. He made Kurt sit down on the edge of the tub and sat next to him. He kept his eyes locked on Kurt's injured hand as he gently and methodically cleaned it and wrapped it in gauze.

"Thanks," Kurt said quietly. "It feels a lot better now."

Blaine nodded, his head still lowered over Kurt's hand, so Kurt couldn't see his expression.

"Blaine?"

"It's- it's nothing." Blaine raised his head, looked Kurt in the eye. "It's just, things are changing so fast. And I thought it would be a good thing. But..."

Kurt smiled sadly. "Not all change is good."

"Yeah. And I'd be okay with that, honest, but you... you're leaving. Maybe soon. And I don't know that I'm going to be okay without you."

It was something Kurt didn't like thinking about. Now it was clear that he wasn't the only one who worried about him leaving. He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse. All he knew was that it made him want to hold onto Blaine, for as long as he could.

"I'm not leaving right away," he said. "Maybe not for years. I don't know. We said we'd make the best of it until then, right?"

"Right." Blaine's eyes turned hopeful. "Or I could come with you?"

Kurt's heart stuttered in his chest. "What?"

"I could come with you," Blaine repeated. "I - I probably shouldn't be saying this, but if you leave, there's not much for me here. My parents they don't feel... real to me, not the way you do."

"You don't know what you're asking, Blaine. If you think it's scary here, it's nothing compared to the outside world."

"I realize that," Blaine said, looking a little insulted to be talked down to. "I know it's different out there. Dangerous, even. But that's the way it's supposed to be, right?"

"You'd get bullied," Kurt said. "I'm not just talking mean names, I mean, you'd get pushed around and ostracized, maybe even beaten up. And that's not even mentioning how much more you'd have to study, and then you'd have money troubles and student loans and-"

Blaine put one finger on Kurt's lips, effectively shutting him up. "I don't care. I would be with you, and it would be real."

Kurt was just about running out of steam. He didn't even want to talk Blaine out of this; more than anything, he wanted Blaine to come back to the real world with him. But he knew that the alternative, much as it would hurt, would be better for Blaine in the long run. "I don't even know if you could come back with us."

"It wouldn't hurt to try, would it?"

"It would if you succeeded," Kurt said. "Blaine, please. You belong here. You can't abandon your whole life to follow me to some strange new place."

Blaine's face fell. He looked imploringly at Kurt. "I..." He deflated. "I guess you're right."

"You've got me for now." Kurt was aware that it was cold comfort, but it was all he could offer. He couldn't allow Blaine to throw his life away over him.

Suddenly, Blaine's lips were on his. Kurt instinctively grabbed Blaine's arm, realizing too late that it was with his injured hand. But the pain the sudden motion caused was overwhelmed by the intensity and desperation of Blaine's kiss. Blaine kissed like a drowning man searching for air. Kurt was swept up in it and he kissed back, almost feeling like he had no other choice.

The kiss ended as suddenly as it had begun and Kurt was left gasping for air, clinging onto Blaine's arm like a lifeline.

"Um." Kurt licked his lips. "What was that?"

"Sorry," Blaine said, not sounding very sorry at all. "It's just... that is, if we don't know how long we have to do this, then I want to do it as much as possible."

Kurt swallowed. Something about those words, and the way Blaine sounded, left him weak in the knees. "You want to...?"

Blaine's eyes widened in realization. "I didn't mean," he said, "I - we did say we weren't ready."

Kurt remembered. But being in Blaine's arms, knowing that soon he never could be again, it was hard to remember why. "We did."

He kissed Blaine. Blaine responded immediately, so fervently that the two of them tipped over, almost falling into the tub. They laughed breathlessly, mouths never more than inches apart as they stood up and began to slowly but surely make their way to Blaine's bedroom.

Kurt was starting to feel overdressed. His whole body felt hot and fevered, and that heat was pooling low in his gut. Blaine was clumsily unbuttoning his shirt, tearing two buttons off in the process. Every time his fingers brushed against Kurt's skin, it sent shivers down his spine.

They made it to Blaine's bedroom with much difficulty. As soon as they were inside, Blaine slammed the door shut and pushed Kurt up against it.

"Is this happening?" he asked. "Are we really going to do this?"

"I want it," Kurt said. "I want you."

Blaine bit his lower lip. "Yeah, so do I. But that doesn't mean we're ready."

How could Kurt not be ready, when he'd never wanted anything so badly before in his life? Every touch from Blaine set his body on fire. If they stopped touching, Kurt was almost half-way certain that he would die.

But the thought of what came after... after they'd taken their clothes off, were actually naked together, made Kurt as much nauseous as it made him excited. At the back of his mind, he knew that he shouldn't be making this decision in the heat of the moment.

He took a deep breath, but thinking was difficult with Blaine in such close proximity. "You're right. I - I should go."

"No," Blaine protested. "We don't need to do anything, but please, stay here tonight."

Kurt cast a dubious glance towards Blaine's bed. It wasn't very wide, definitely not wide enough for two almost grown men to sleep in comfortably. Blaine, seeing his expression, went and pulled the comforter onto the thick carpet on the floor by his bed. It still wouldn't make for a pleasant night's sleep but then, Kurt didn't really care about pleasant right now. It would do.

He got down on the floor, stretching out next to Blaine. Blaine wrapped one arm around his waist and Kurt rested his hand on Blaine's chest. Their legs were tangled together, but they kept their hips at a respectful distance. Kurt suspected that this was due to Blaine having the same problem as him, and the thought made him blush.

Kurt closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted from the night's events. Next to him, he felt Blaine shifting around restlessly.

"Stay still," Kurt muttered.

"I'm trying," Blaine said. "There's something..."

He trailed off and Kurt opened his eyes, curious. Blaine had reached underneath the comforter and pulled out The Catcher in the Rye.

Blaine turned the book over in his hands, his expression awed. "I still had it on loan. It didn't get thrown on the fire."

The cover was a faded red and almost half the pages were bent from being kept in Blaine's bed, but it was still the most beautiful book Kurt had ever seen.

"You should bring it over tomorrow," he said. "Show it to Rachel."

Blaine nodded and tucked the book under his pillow. He turned on his side, facing Kurt, and gave him a soft kiss goodnight. Kurt soon drifted off to sleep, soothed by the sounds of Blaine's soft, rhythmic breathing.

---

Rachel woke that morning feeling more tired than she had when she went to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw fire. It startled her awake all throughout the night, until she finally crawled out of bed just before dawn.

Betty and George were still asleep and Kurt was, she hoped, still at Blaine's house. Rachel tip-toed down the stairs, intending to find herself something to eat. Staying vegan in Pleasantville was easier said than done, and she was hungry pretty much all of the time.

Before she could reach the kitchen, her attention was caught by a muted tapping sound coming from just outside the window. She peered into the near darkness outside and saw a man nailing something onto the telephone pole by their fence.

She waited until he was finished and had walked away, and then crept outside.

It was a notice and Rachel felt a chill go down her spine as she read the title.

PLEASANTVILLE CODE OF CONDUCT

She glanced around, making sure that she was alone, and tore it down.

---

Waking up next to Blaine, Kurt decided, was the only right way to start your day. Something about Blaine's arms wrapped around him, and feeling Blaine's chest rise and fall against his own, made Kurt so indescribably happy.

Although he could do without Blaine's hair gel having rubbed onto his cheek.

"Are you awake?" Kurt whispered.

Blaine groaned into Kurt's neck. "No."

"I need to get going," Kurt said regretfully. "Before your parents catch me in here."

There was a brief moment of utter stillness and then Blaine was stretching out and yawning.

"You're right," he muttered. "I wish you weren't right."

Kurt kissed Blaine's forehead. He sat up, his back aching from lying on the floor all night. It was so completely worth it, though.

"Should I walk you home?" Blaine asked. His eyes were still closed and he was nuzzling the warm spot on the comforter where Kurt's head had been, moments before.

"I'll be fine," Kurt assured him. "Just go back to sleep."

Blaine managed to crack one eye open. "Are you sure?"

"It's just a few blocks, Blaine."

"M'kay."

Kurt grinned fondly and stood up. In addition to his back aching, his legs were uncomfortably cramped. He would walk back to the Parker house and then go back to sleep in a proper bed, he decided. The sun wasn't even out yet, he probably had another hour before he had to be at school.

The streets were as empty as they had been the previous evening, but the stillness comforted Kurt rather than making him nervous. Everyone else in town had to still be asleep and for now, at least, they were at peace. There was no telling what was ahead and Kurt was grateful for this brief respite.

But it turned out to be even briefer than he'd thought. As soon as he entered the house, he was accosted by Rachel, who was looking frantic with worry.

"Where have you been?" she demanded.

"I was at Blaine's house," Kurt said. "Don't tell me you were up all night worrying about me."

"No, but for all you knew, I could have been," Rachel huffed. "You should have let me know you were staying with Blaine. I would have understood, you know."

Kurt grimaced. "I'm sorry, I didn't plan on staying."

Rachel opened her mouth and closed it again. "I'm not going to pry, but only because there's something bigger going on right now. But don't think you're off the hook, mister."

"What is it?"

"Come on, I'll show you." Rachel went to grab Kurt's right hand, and her eyes widened when she felt the gauze. "You're hurt! What happened?"

"It's nothing," Kurt said. "Seriously, I'll tell you later. What was this 'something bigger' you were going to show me?"

Rachel gave him a suspicious look, but didn't try to interrogate him further. She led him into the kitchen and pointed at a sheet of paper that lay on the counter.

"Pleasantville Code of Conducts," Kurt read out loud. "What is this?"

"Just read it."

Kurt did and with every word, felt a growing sense of horror. "They're closing Lover's Lane? And the Public Library?"

"Not that it matters much now," Rachel muttered bitterly. "Read on, it gets worse."

"'In no event shall any music be tolerated that is not of a temperate or pleasant nature'," Kurt scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me. 'The only permissible paint colors shall be black, white, or gray'. Poor Mr. Johnson.

"'All elementary and high school curriculum shall teach the "non-changist" view of history, emphasizing continuity over alteration'." Kurt was beginning to feel sick. "Attending Sunday mass is to become mandatory. There shall be no practice of a religion other than Protestant Christianity."

Kurt's voice died in his throat. He didn't want to read that last rule out loud, but it was there on the paper nonetheless, black on white, clear as day:

All public displays of lewd and licentious behavior shall cease immediately. There shall be no discussions of reproductive matters or same-sex coupling. Such topics are both unpleasant and unnatural, and have no place in a decent society.

"Well," Kurt finally croaked. "This is just stupid. Reproductive matters, unnatural? Were they even paying attention to what they were writing?"

"Kurt..."

Kurt jumped to his feet. "I can't do this. Living in a prejudiced society is one thing, but having my sexual orientation be against the law? I - I can't."

"We'll figure something out."

"What?" Kurt snapped. "What is there to figure out? We pushed them too hard, Rachel, we introduced too many changes at once. This is them pushing back."

"There has to be something," Rachel said.

Kurt laughed hysterically. "And I actually thought this would be easy. I send one bully running, next thing I know I have the entire town turned against me."

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked. "Who did you send running?"

Kurt raised his injured hand. "I punched that neanderthal Johnny in the face. He bolted pretty much immediately."

"You punched someone?"

"Like I haven't had worse done to me."

"That was in Lima," Rachel said. She looked genuinely angry. "But here? The concept of physical violence doesn't exist. Or it didn't. Congratulations, you just introduced another change to Pleasantville!"

Kurt felt almost dizzy with panic. This was all too much, and the smug, righteous anger on Rachel's face was only making it worse. "So I'm not allowed to defend myself? The one time I actually stand a chance of it, and you want me to just back down?"

Rachel's lips thinned. "We've all been bullied, Kurt, but violence is never the answer."

"All been bullied?" Kurt repeated incredulously. "So we've all been ridiculed on a daily basis? We've all been shoved into lockers? Thrown into dumpsters?" He didn't want to tell Rachel all this, but the words were coming out too fast. "We've all been harassed and stalked?"

"What..." Rachel's expression had turned stunned. "What are you-"

But Kurt wasn't done talking. "We may all have been bullied, but what Karofsky's been doing to me isn't bullying. He threatened to kill me. Do you have any idea what it's like? I see him in the hallway, and I'm shaking the rest of the day. I don't even feel like part of the school, I feel like some victim in a horror movie. And none of you noticed.

"Well, I'm sick of being scared. I'm sick of being the victim, and I'm not going to stay quiet anymore just so I won't inconvenience anyone."

The words finally stopped flowing and Kurt closed his mouth, afraid of what else he might say.

Rachel was staring at him with wide, teary eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kurt," she whispered. "I should have noticed." Kurt nodded curtly. He wasn't feeling very charitable right now. "But, um," she smiled nervously, "I think maybe instead of listening to me apologize right now, you should go find a mirror."

It took Kurt a couple of moments to realize what she was saying. "You mean..."

Rachel nodded.

He ran out into the hallway. There was a small mirror hanging on the wall by the front door. Kurt barely recognized his own face when he saw it, pink and flushing from his emotional outburst. It felt like a lifetime ago that he'd last seen himself in color.

For one wonderful moment, the rest of the world faded away. There was no Karofsky, no Johnny, no stupid Pleasantville Code of Conduct.

There was just Kurt, with his mother's blue eyes and a newly kindled fire in his heart.