Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, nor would I want to with the current writing.

AN: I wasn't going to write Valentine's fic. I really wasn't. But then, suddenly plotbunnies. I blame tumblr.

Livin' It Up When I'm Going Down

He blames Blaine. Truly. If not for Blaine's "I'm going to serenade a homeless-looking GAP employee" bout of insanity Kurt never would have been at the mall right now. And if Blaine hadn't hurt his feelings with said serenading Kurt would never have wandered off and stepped into the elevator. And if he hadn't done that, then he wouldn't be stuck in that very same (damn) elevator now.

As for whom to blame for the rest of the disastrous situation... Kurt refuses to think about that, because then he'd have to think about that.

But. He's been in here for almost an hour now, and the silence is getting claustrophobic. (He takes a second to be grateful for the fact that he's not actually claustrophobic, not even after all the dumpster tossing, because in that case he'd be even worse off. As impossible as it seems.)

"I'm sorry."

Kurt keeps staring straight forward, refusing to acknowledge the other occupant of the elevator.

"I'm really sorry."

Okay. Ignoring the situation is clearly not helping. He sighs. "What for?"

"What for?" his fellow victim (and the word seems so wrong, but) sputters. "What not for? For you being stuck here. For running to catch the elevator, so you ended up being stuck in here with me. For bullying you, threatening you, going after your boyfriend–"

"He's not my boyfriend." And way to focus on what mattered. Oh, Kurt's bitterness and hurt is really shining through.

"Oooookay... Anyway. For being a gigantic asshole, and making you feel unsafe, and causing you to have to leave all your friends." Karofsky pauses, breathes heavily, and whispers:

"For being such a coward."

The last is said in such a low voice Kurt almost misses it, and makes him turn his head so fast he can hear it. Dave Karofsky isn't meeting his eyes, is in fact staring at the floor, and he looks wrecked.

"Oh. Okay. I'm not saying I forgive you – because I don't – but I'm happy to hear you say that. Even if it's just to me. So? What now? Are you going to continue acting that way?"

Karofsky shrugs. "Mr Schue suggested I stay with Glee. Finn thought so too, but..." It looks like Karofsky is going silent, but just as Kurt gets ready to push, just a little more, the jock speaks up again.

"What do you remember best from 4th grade? What's the biggest lesson you learned?"

That parents aren't invincible. That doctors lie. That music helps soothe the hurt, but nothing heals it. "French," he says, not ready to open up – not to someone who's glared at him since then, and outright bullied him for the last year.

"Yeah? Me, I learned that either I was a bully or I was a victim. I didn't want to be a victim. Stupid maybe, but that's how it was. Being good at sports didn't exactly change that outlook."

And Kurt can see how that would be, but–

"It can change though. You can change. Because you know who that sounds like? Finn. Puck. And they changed. Not on their own, and god knows they're not perfect, but they've changed for the better. Glee helped. It could help you too. Not the singing and dancing, I'm not that naïve, but having a group that'll support you if you want to stop being a bully."

And that, of course, is when the elevator starts again.

"Just... Think about it, okay? Because I think it'd be good for you." Kurt does, enough so that it erases the fury he felt about hearing Mr Schue inviting even more bullies into the safe space he still sees as his. "I'm not saying you have to come out, but. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to let go of some of that anger?"

He doesn't get an answer, because the door opens and he hurries out. Karofsky, he sees in the corner of his eye, is still sitting in his corner, apparently not in any hurry to exit the elevator and leave. He's not coming out anytime soon, Kurt's brain echoes, and oh, how he hopes he's wrong.

Being fussed over by Finn feels good. It feels like something a brother should do. And speaking of what brothers should...

"Finn? Did you tell Dave Karofsky to join Glee?"

Finn startles, flushes and starts fidgeting. Kurt just waits. It takes a minute or two, but then it comes.

"Yeah... I thought it'd be good. Not just for him! I mean, he seemed to really like it, and he was good, but, I thought it'd help you too. If he joined up, then he'd have to stop hassling you, and then maybe it'd be safe for you to come home again. Should I not have?"

And he looks so earnest, so concerned, and it's so very Finn at his best.

"I love you, brother. You know that, right? But yeah, you did good. I know he turned you down, but Finn? Don't give up. Maybe he'll come around, and if he does, please, will you help him? In fact, get Puck and Quinn in on it too. Because if anyone can show him that it's possible to change, it's the three of you."

Finn flushes again, a mixture of pride and shame, and nods. Kurt smiles and, having lost his taste for words for now, turns on the radio.

Soon the cab of Finn's truck is filled with the best sound in the world: his voice harmonizing with a loved one's.

Later that night Kurt will see Dave Karofsky slink in through the door at Breadstix, trying to be invisible and clearly debating whether or not to leave immediately. He'll see Finn get up and drag the boy to his table, and pull him into conversation.

He'll see the jock relax, more and more, and sneak looks in Kurt's direction. He'll even see him get up and dance with the others, in a free for all, crazy, true New Directions style – and he'll see Dave's face light up with joy.

The next day there'll be a tiny box of butterscotch candies waiting for him in Dalton's office. It won't have a card, or a sender, just a scrawled "Thank you" on a torn-off notebook corner.

He'll still know who it's from, and why. And the candies will taste like possibilities.

~The End ~