"Are you mad at me?" Kurt asked softly as he pulled into his driveway.
"Don't be crazy." Noah answered as he shook his head. "I just... I didn't like seeing you hug Sam like that ok. It made me jealous."
"Now who's being crazy?" Kurt replied in amusement as he unstrapped himself and slipped out of the car. "You know you're the only boy for me. There's no reason for you to be insecure. I'm not going anywhere."
"Damn right you're not." Noah nodded in agreement as they stepped over the threshold and into Kurt's house. "I mean, babe, I know I've been... well, I know it's taken me a while to realise and..." He kept faltering over his words and he began to look increasingly more frustrated that he couldn't put into words what he wanted to say.
Sensing that whatever it was Noah wanted to express was important, Kurt guided him to the sofa and straddled his lap. He bent down and gently pressed their lips together as he looped his arms over his neck.
"Take your time." Kurt said. "What do you want to tell me?"
"There's never been anyone who really mattered to me before." Noah explained. "I mean, I love my mum and I even love my psychotic little sister. Then there was always Finn and Santana. My old man, before he ditched I mean. But I never fully opened up and let people in, not until I became friends with you... but even then I was still kinda closed off. I guess... I guess I've always been afraid of getting hurt."
"I will never hurt you." Kurt assured him.
"And I don't want to hurt you." Noah replied. "But I already have, so much for so long."
"None of that matters." Kurt told him as he stroked Noah's head, knowing the action would help the other teen relax.
"Kurt, baby, I'm really sorry." Noah apologized as he pulled Kurt closer to him. "If I hadn't been so scared or so blind or just... just so stupid, I could have, you know... I could have not caused you all that pain. We could have been together ages ago."
"We're together now." Kurt answered. "That's the important thing. I too have been too scared and too blind. There was a time when I truly believed that I loathed your very existence. It took me a long time to realise that it wasn't hatred I felt, but love. Why else would I return to the dumpster every morning? I could have arrived to school earlier or later, I could have walked round the back entrance. There are plenty of ways I could have avoided our morning bullying ritual. But even then there was a part of me that longed to be in your arms. Though just so you know, I much prefer being in your arms this way."
"Noted." Noah grinned. "But still, I'm sorry I was such a jerk for so long. And that night you told me you loved me, I should have told you then that I love you to. I'm sorry I freaked out on you. And I'm sorry I wasn't there when... when they attacked you."
"That wasn't your fault." Kurt told him sternly. "You and my dad really have to stop blaming yourself for that. Things like that happen sometimes."
"Not to my boy they don't." Noah said passionately. "Never again. I won't let anybody so much as fucking look at you the wrong way."
Kurt smiled softly before bringing their mouths together again. Even though he knew it was impossible for Noah to protect him from everything, he appreciated his boyfriends' words all the same.
"I love you." He whispered into Noah's ear before sucking on the lobe.
"I love you more, baby." Noah responded as he rubbed Kurt's back. "Fuck, I'm turning into some love-struck fool. Maybe I am losing my badassness." He panicked.
"Well then," Kurt said huskily as he moved off of his boyfriends lap and walked backwards out of the lounge. "You better prove to me that you're still the badass stud I fell in love with."
