Fostered [Discontinued]

VIII

Kurt was up early the next morning. For the others, it was the first day of school since Thanksgiving break. For him, it was the first day of school since he had moved. His first day of school at a boarding school.

Needless to say, he was excited.

He headed down to breakfast, much earlier than anyone else. The hall was practically empty, but he noticed that Thad was sitting at his table when he sat down.

"Hi," Kurt greeted him.

Thad looked up. "Hi! What happened to your face?"

Kurt frowned slightly, unconsciously raising a hand to his bruises. "A lot of things," he said vaguely.

"You're internally bleeding." Kurt looked at him, mildly alarmed. Thad continued, not even quite looking at him. "It's the strangest thing, isn't it? In a bruise, the blood vessels rupture. So it's internal bleeding but we only see it as a minor inconvenience. Usually it's a cause for surgery or hospitalization, but bruises are only mildly annoying."

Kurt blinked slowly. "That is extremely strange to think about. You're right, but..."

Thad grinned. "I know, right? It's such a strange thing."

Kurt laughed, hardly able to comprehend the idea. "That's crazy. Hey, if you don't mind me asking, why weren't you at dinner?"

Thad bit his lip. "Um... it's just a bit loud for me," he said embarrassedly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Kurt cursed himself again. Why didn't he have a filter?

Thad shrugged, and they both ate in silence. Kurt felt awful, he had clearly made him uncomfortable.

"Are you going to audition for the Warblers? It's like the first thing everyone does, I'm surprised you haven't yet. I mean, unless you can't sing. That usually doesn't stop anyone, though."

Kurt looked over at Thad, completely bewildered. He was talking as if nothing had happened. "Um, I might. I'm not sure."

"Well, if you sing, then you have to." Thad glanced up at him. "Blaine would be really happy if they won."

With that, he picked up his bag and left.

Kurt was lost. He could say, without a doubt, that was the most awkward conversation he had ever had. He was still trying to figure out what had happened.

He didn't know what Thad meant. Well, Blaine was his friend. He did want him to be happy.