Swim 'Til You Drown

Kurt, yawning, stood up to retrieve his geometry book from his satchel bag, which laid discarded in the corner of the living room. Kurt gently smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles from his maroon pullover, and took a step towards his bag, but his path was blocked.

He was pushed down by two big hands, and he landed on the blue couch, gasping in shock and indignation. He looked up, and saw Dave's eyes looking at him with such immense lust that Kurt instinctively backed away, deeper into the couch cushions.

Dave pushed his lips against Kurt's, slowly getting on top of the smaller boy. Kurt didn't know what to do…should he push Dave away? Dave Karofsky was his boyfriend, did that mean he could do things like this to Kurt?

Dave Karofsky was Kurt's boyfriend, as he had been for over a few months now. After more and more torments from the once closeted jock, Kurt had left for Dalton. But Dalton wasn't for Kurt, and after a short time there, Kurt had returned to McKinley with his friends. Karofsky was attending the school too, but Finn, Puck, Mike, Sam and occasionally Artie (it was hard enough for the disabled boy to get around the halls), had proven up to their promise, and were always by Kurt's side in the crowded halls.

After a fun after school Glee rehearsal, Kurt was still smiling from some inside joke between him and Mercedes as he made his way to his black Navigator. "Hey Kurt!" someone had called from behind him. Kurt turned around, and his eyes landed on one Dave Karofsky. Kurt narrowed his eyes slowly, and with fear, he nearly ran to his car.

Karofsky ran up behind him, and the question could prove to surprise millions, "Will you go out with me?"

Kurt nearly screamed his answer, a shrill NO!, and he had hopped into his car and drove away. Karofsky was insistent though, and through a course of events that Kurt honestly couldn't remember, Dave Karofsky was given the title of boyfriend to Kurt Hummel.

Karofsky had chosen to keep his sexual identity a secret - from his parents and his friends. Kurt was definitely hurt, though the matter was soon forgotten, because he would never, never force someone out when they were not ready. Kurt simply told his friends that he was dating someone, but he refused to tell them who. All the girls came to the conclusion that it was Blaine Anderson, nearly giving Kurt a heart attack.

Truth was, Kurt hadn't heard from Blaine in a very long time.

Kurt and Blaine had been inseparable from the first day Kurt had stepped into Dalton. Blaine had helped him get accustomed to the ways of private school, and sometimes Kurt depended heavily on the older boy for things like class help, and Warbler help. Though when Kurt had chosen to return to McKinley, he couldn't bring himself to tell Blaine. One day, Kurt was strolling through the halls of Dalton, and the next, he was gone, his boarding room bare.

Blaine had been frantic, but after a long discussion on the phone with each other, they had made a plan to hang out the next weekend, though when Kurt and Blaine were supposed to call each other to arrange details, neither actually did. Soon, the texts died down and it was now it was a simple, 'hey what's up?' every other week.

Kurt was heartbroken, but was too scared to call Blaine, in fear that Blaine had forgotten about him.

Escaping from his thoughts, Kurt opened his eyes wider as Dave's eyes closed. Kurt squirmed uneasily from under his boyfriend. No, this didn't feel right, Kurt didn't want to be nearly attacked when he kissed someone.

Kurt shoved his boyfriend off, with a bit of difficulty. Dave stumbled, his back hitting the arm of the couch. Kurt huffed silently and stood up. He walked away from Dave.

"What the hell?" Dave asked, standing up also. Kurt took deep breaths, his chest heaving in anger and a small amount of apprehension. "Why'd you do that?"

Kurt ignored him, keeping his angry eyes locked on one of the pictures hanging above the mantel. Kurt could tell that Dave was getting frustrated, but Kurt was too caught up in his own fury to care.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Dave shouted, walking closer and closer to Kurt's turned back. Kurt shook his head, and crossed his arms. Dave nearly growled in rage, as he paced closer and closer to his boyfriend's back.

Dave grabbed Kurt's hair, the fine chestnut locks twisting in his broad fingers. Kurt yelped, and Dave pulled him closer to his own face. Kurt's eyes and mouth were wide in fear, and, desperately, he avoided eye contact.

"I was only trying to kiss you!" Dave yelled, and he coiled Kurt's hair in his hand with more force. Pain seared through Kurt's head, and he forced himself not to cry, though tears were already welling up in his eyes.

Suddenly, Dave let go of his hold on Kurt's hair. Kurt stumbled back, and looked up into Dave's dark brown eyes. Dave's face was red with his evident anger, and Kurt took a shaky breath.

Dave pulled his fist back, and brought it forward with as much speed. He hit Kurt with sickening precision in his left eye. Screaming out in pain, he staggered back, covering his eye with his hand. Dave drew his hand back once more, and hit Kurt in the side of the head. This time, Kurt fell down, onto the plush carpet of the Karofsky's living room. Kurt bit back the other scream building up in his throat, and instead he pushed himself back against the wall, trying to get as far away from Dave as possible.

Dave's eyes softened suddenly, as if only just now realizing the error in his actions, and he took in Kurt's strangled position. He immediately kneeled down. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," he said softly, holding his hand out as if to stroke Kurt's cheek. He stuttered, though he did manage to place his hands on the sides of Kurt's face.

"You-you just bring out the worst in me."

A tear tumbled it's way down Kurt's cheek as he stood up quickly. He took one last look at Dave, who was still kneeling. Taking a sharp, and what he hoped was a right, decision, he left towards the doorway, grabbing his bag.

He ran down the stairs to the main entryway. Dave followed, his large feet padding down the stairs just as Kurt pulled on his boots and his long, black jacket. "Where are you going?" Dave asked, and Kurt noticed with horror that he was getting angry again.

Kurt pulled the door open, and nearly flung himself out into the cold. It was snowing slightly, and Kurt walked quickly away from the house. He felt himself getting dizzy, the pain in his head and eye becoming more and more prominent.

Dave was shouting behind him, but Kurt kept walking until he couldn't hear Dave's yells. The bitter wind bit at his cheeks, yet the cold was soothing against his now black eye.

Kurt didn't know where he was going - it was dark and snowing. He followed the sidewalk until he came to a bus stop bench, where he wiped off the snow with his bare hand, after forgetting to put on his Italian leather gloves. He shivered and took out his phone.

He quickly called his dad, knowing that he would be there in a flash. It rang a few times, but no one picked up. Kurt sighed agitatedly, and he looked around him in uneasiness. He hoped Dave wouldn't come looking for him, because right now Kurt was too scared to even be near his 'boyfriend'.

Kurt called Finn next, who like his dad, did not pick up. His options were becoming limited. It was almost 9 o'clock at night, and he knew that his New Directions friends would not appreciate driving out to who knows where just to pick him up. Nonetheless, he called Mercedes, whose updated voicemail said that she was currently 'being bored to death at her Grandmother's'.

Kurt set the phone on his lap, and gingerly placed a finger on his eye. Kurt almost groaned as the slight touch of his fingertip sent jolts throughout his face. He put his hand down, and let the cold wind comfort the black eye.

Kurt's phone buzzed from his lap, and Kurt's heart soared, but fell once he saw that it was only a text. Kurt opened it up, expecting it to be from Dave.

From: WesTime: 9:07 P.M.

Poor Blaine is moping around, I think he misses you ;)

Kurt smiled in spite of his current mood. Ah, there was Wes for you. Then it hit him. He currently pulled up his contacts, scrolling down until his fingertips found Blaine. Kurt hurriedly called him, nervousness racking through him. Maybe he should've called Wes or David, but knowing them, they would probably just send Blaine anyway.

"Kurt! Hi!" Blaine exclaimed after a single ring. It took Kurt a moment to remind himself of the situation at hand, and to not get to enthralled with Blaine's voice - it had been, in defense, a few months of only texting as communication. Kurt smiled - involuntary, really - and took a deep breath, his teeth chattering from the bitter chill. "Hey- woah. Are you outside?"

"Yeah. Actually, I have no clue where I am…" Kurt said, looking around for a street sign, the only one being hopelessly covered in large lumps of snow.

"…What?"

"Long story, I suppose. But I really need someone to pick me up, because I am completely lost and my fingers have turned into little icicles," Kurt said, tenderly placing a finger on his eye. The snow was definitely helping, but not by much.

"Lucky for you, I have just finished a cookie raid at that bakery in Bellefontaine. Just tell me where you are and I'll be there in a half hour or so," Blaine said cheerfully, and briefly, Kurt wondered why he was not cheerful as well. Only briefly, as the pain in his eye was not something to merely dissipate.

"Oh, let me get back to you on that. Give me a second…" Kurt muttered, as he stood up and walked closer to the street sign. He jumped up slightly, and scraped some of the snow off.

He spoke into the phone again as he walked back to the bench. "Jefferson Street North," he said uncertainly.

"That's by that park. I'll be there as soon as I can, Kurt," Blaine said, and then the line went dead. Kurt sighed in relief, and he settled down into the bench, well, as settled as he could be on a cold hard bench in a dark, chilly night.

Kurt's phone buzzed again, and Kurt picked it up, expecting Blaine or possibly Wes. It was another text message, but this one did not bear good news. He opened it.

From: Dave

Time: 9:19 P.M.

Where r u? I'll come get u, just tell me where u r.

Kurt bit his lip, and closed the message. He wasn't up for talking to Dave at this point - let the black eye and pounding head speak for itself. Kurt leaned his head back, his eyes staring blankly at the dark sky.

He wondered why Dave did this. Kurt had done nothing wrong, he simply didn't want to be assaulted during a kiss. Dave didn't have to get so worked up about it; Kurt only wanted to study. He knew that Dave was certainly violent, as he was a football player, but he never would have expected that he would resort to…abuse? Kurt shuddered.

Headlights flared in front of him, and Kurt sat up straighter in alarm. Was that Dave? The car pulled up against the curb, and slowly made its way up the road. Kurt jumped up, instantly recognizing the car as Blaine's. Kurt waved his frozen fingers above his head, and the car stopped. Blaine looked across the passenger seat, and motioned for Kurt to get in.

Kurt jumped into the car, the hot air refreshing against Kurt's skin, though the solid warmth instantly concentrated on his throbbing eye. Blaine stopped the car immediately, and pulled Kurt into a hug. Kurt wound his arms around Blaine's back. "I really missed you, Kurt." he said, and Kurt smiled, temporarily forgetting about his black eye, which fortunately, Blaine could not see in the dark.

"I missed you too. I'm really sorry about not calling, I was just scared that you forgot about me and didn't care anymore," Kurt said, sinking lower in his seat. Blaine looked at him like he had grown an extra head, his hazel eyes squinting in the dark.

"That's so silly, Kurt. I'm not going to forget about the one guy who finally told me I don't know how to dress," Blaine smiled, and he flicked a switch on the dashboard. The lights flashed on, and Blaine's smile disappeared almost instantly.

"God."