High school. Senior year; the year that you're supposed to be on the top of the heap, the king of the castle. Kurt felt on top of something certainly. At least he should. His boyfriend had dashed off somewhere to make sure all was well with his transfer and gather his schedule, He was dressed in the very height of fashion; a white coat with dark wash jeans and a black button-up shirt, and in the afternoon he had glee club to look forward to.

Unfortunately, it was hard to be exactly king of the heap when a goon easily four sizes bigger than him had currently backed him into a corner, flanked by two more someone's of equal girth. Kurt tried to hold his head high, despite this. He put on his most regal expression.

"Mr. Adams." He said coolly.

"Hey Lady Boy." Replied the bigger boy and Kurt tried not to look as scared as he was. Fortunately, Kurt was quite the actor. What un-nerved him was the distinct lack of white plastic cups clenched in meaty hands. Normally this would have been cause for celebration, and his white coat sure as hell rejoiced, but in this case; the bully's hands were simply clenched. Big meaty fists were being held up slightly, fingers curled in a way that Kurt found most unreassuring.

"What do you want then?" He asked, crossing his arms with a sigh.

"I see you decided to come back here this year instead of goin' off to your butt lovers academy."

"It's my senior year! I wasn't about to-" Kurt began, his diva showing through as his voice rose slightly.

"And you brought your faggy boyfriend with you." Azimo sneered. Ah. So that's what this was about.

"Well, the thing is me and the boys; we have a problem with that. We get tired enough of you spreading your fairy dust around, we don't like the idea of you two spreading the gay all over the place, It's gross."

"If you don't like it, why don't you transfer? I'm sure 'Butt Lovers' is always looking for new students." Kurt challenged. Behind him the other two boy's let out a startled laugh. Azimo's face twitched for a second in momentary rage, and he shoved Kurt backwards into the wall with force. Kurt coughed slightly and doubled over. He should have known that was a bad idea, but it had just sort of slipped out.

"The way I figure it," Said Azimo,

"If I mess up your pretty face a little maybe you'll get lost again and just take all the gay with you!" Kurt snorted.

"You have no idea." He muttered.

"I have some." Azimo reeled back, and Kurt ducked. 'Crack!' Azimo smacked his hand with not insignificant force against the wall behind Kurt's head. He howled in pain and grabbed Kurt by the front of his nice white jacket, slamming him back against the wall.

"I'm going to fucking kill you, you fag!" Kurt struggled, gasping slightly as his favorite accessory started to lightly choke him.

A moment later there was an inhuman roar of rage and Kurt felt his feet touch ground as a red blur charged past him, and tackled Azimo to the ground.

Then he was staring in horror as the scene unfolded in front of him while he was still too stunned to react. Dave Karofsky, tackled his former best friend to the ground, yelling.

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF HIM!" Then Azimo had reversed their positions and was shoving Dave into the building with a grunt. Dave responded by shoving back and punching Azimo in the face, a maneuver which he mostly avoided but not entirely. Then Azimo punched Dave, and didn't miss, and Dave had been knocked to the ground; another punch, a kick. The other two football players were hauling a swearing and struggling Azimo away, and Kurt was running over to David, who was yelling right back.

"Yeah that's right fuckers! RUN AWAY! I'm gonna report you bastards, and write the report in your fucking blood you-" Kurt had to force him to sit back down before he pursued them in a fiery rage.

"David! Ohmygosh! Are you ok?"

"Did they hurt you?" Dave yelled back, still raging.

"I'm fine, I ducked! Oh my gosh your eye!" David scowled at him out of his one good eye and snapped.

"Yeah? What of it?" Kurt placed a hand on Dave's arm.

"David stop! It's ok! Come on, get up I'll help you to the nurses office." Kurt tried to slip his arm around Dave and haul him to his feet.

"I don't need-"

"Yes you do! Your face looks like raw steak and you can't see out of your left eye. I also would be surprised if you haven't broken your hand!"

"I didn't break my hand, I'm not stupid." Grumbled Dave,

"He's the stupid one, fucking ducked. I wasn't trying to punch his fucking rock hard skull!" Kurt held up his hands in mock surrender, releasing Dave and raising his eyebrows. Dave got the message. He sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? You just saved my ass like an avenging angel, and got all beat up in the process."

"For yelling." Growled Dave.

"I forgive you, now let's go. Are you done raging?"

"For now. Those shitheads are going to get in so much trouble."

"Up." Ordered Kurt, and helped Dave to his feet, slipping an arm around Dave's back.

"I can walk Kurt, He didn't kick me in the shins." Kurt released him, and Dave took several steps forward, stumbled right then left and started to pitch forward. Kurt darted forward and grabbed his arm before he could face plant into the sidewalk. Dave giggled.

"Whoa there! Depth perception, stop the world I want to get off!" He tottered a little until Kurt hefted him up a little supporting him.

" Come on Dofus. Let's go get you checked for brain damage. More than usual that is." Kurt smirked.

"Ouch." They both laughed.

Sitting in the nurse's office they bantered back and forth. Looking in Kurt's compact, Dave felt his face. The skin around his eye had turned a wild variety of colors; his lip was split and slightly swollen. He tested it gingerly with his tongue and winced.

"So, what do you think? Do I look ruggedly handsome? Devilish? Heroic?" He grinned, striking a pose with fingers under his chin.

"You look like a bruised rainbow threw up on you."Said Kurt.

"Harsh." Dave closed the compact and threw it back over to Kurt who put it back in his bag. He stood, and strolled over. With his thumb he traced over the bruising under Dave's eye, his touch feather light.

"It's ok though," He murmured. "I like it. They aren't pretty but they're battle scars, reminding me that a boy charged out to defend me without any thought for himself. And then the first thing he asked was if I was ok." Kurt gave a small smile, and Dave smiled back, a connection of eyes.

"I told you I would right? I protect you now." Dave said not a word about Bully Whips, and Kurt noticed for the first time he was wearing his letterman again.

"You're not wearing-"

"Santana disbanded it. That doesn't change anything though, I like doing this for you; Getting to know you, and making sure that you get to float along in happy Kurt land without any interruptions."

"I-" Kurt's eyelids were lowered, an un-decipherable expression on his face. He was leaning down.

"Kurt! There you are!" Blaine leaned on the door frame panting, he smiled.

"I've been looking for you everywhere, someone said there was a big fight." He strolled over, pecking Kurt on the cheek and putting an arm around Kurt's waist.

"David."

"Blaine." Kurt breathed a sigh of relief under his breath, partially for the interruption, and partially that David was being civil, not calling Blaine any of the things he did to Kurt; 'Hobbit' 'Bushy Brows.' Or 'What's-his-face'.

"Is it safe to presume you were involved in the aforementioned fight?" Blaine asked casually. David stared him down.

"They were hurting Kurt. Throwing him around, trying to hit him. I didn't even have to think about it."

"Well, I appreciate the effort in my absence certainly. In any case, me and Kurt have to go, class is about to start."

"No, It's ok Blaine, I'm going to stay with him for now. At least until the nurse looks him over."

"Ok sweetheart, see you at lunch." Blaine gave Kurt another small kiss and a light squeeze.

"David." He nodded stiffly.

"Blaine." When Blaine had left, Dave commented,

"He hates me."

"No he doesn't, and you hate him too!"

"Well yeah."

"Why?"

"He's too fucking perfect. It makes me feel like the other guy in an old spice commercial! The before and after shot of some crazy health procedure!" Kurt snorted.

"He's not perfect. He's shorter than me, and a stage hog. And you're not a before shot, you're an after shot for a different kind of commercial."

"A side effect?"

"A 'you too can have arms like this!' advertisement." Kurt teased, putting his hands around Dave's bicep. At that moment the nurse entered and Kurt stepped back. She was sweet looking dark skinned woman with ringlets in her hair and a red lipstick on her lips.

"Hello there, sorry this took so long. I already got your explanation to the principle, and he said he's very proud of your efforts in the Bully Whips." Dave made a guilty face.

"Now, let's have look here. That's a nasty bruise around your eye hun."

"Yes M'am"

"I'll give you something to put on it before you leave, now turn around?" She felt over his head and frowned.

"Oopseys, looks like you got a little bump back here hun."

"Yes M'am, smacked my head a little when I got knocked down."

"Hmm, well I think you might have a minor concussion. We'll keep an eye on it, but it's nothing big. Turn back around." Dave turned back around dutifully.

"All right, shirt off please." With a brief flickering look at Kurt, Dave striped out of his letterman, and pulled his shirt over his head. Kurt's eyes flickered up to the ceiling a few seconds to late, a blush dusting his cheeks. He had always had a thing for chest hair. Dave was surprisingly also un-chubby; where Azimo was definitely chunky, underneath Dave was merely 'Big boned'. Kurt took a deep breath through his nose as the nurse prodded at Dave's sides.

"Tell me if anything hurts."

A spot just over the middle of Dave's chest was the only place he winced, it was the place that Azimo had managed to land a kick on him.

"Well hun, It looks like you just fractured one rib there, we'll wrap you up and you'll stay with me tell lunch, then you can promise me that you'll see a doctor after school and make sure everything's all right, ok?" Dave nodded.

"Yes M'am."

"Ok, I'll be right back, you just relax now ok?" When she was gone Dave turned to Kurt.

"Do me a favor?" Kurt got up again hastily.

"Sure."

"Get my glasses and my book from my locker? I'm gonna die if I have to spend the whole time here just thinking about the good book in my locker."

"All right, give me the run down." Dave sat back.

"locker 325, combination 12/12/15, the book is Clockwork Angel, and my glasses are in a brown case in the little cup thing at the back. Good?"

"Good. Why those numbers?"

"Frank Sinatra's birthday." Replied Dave "I told Z it was some random baseball date." Kurt smiled, his heart swelling a little.

"Ok, be right back. Don't drop into a coma or anything while I'm gone ok?" He joked.

"I'll be sure to wait until you get back before dropping into any coma's I promise." Dave grinned and Kurt left the nurses office, a slip of paper with the information on it clutched in his hand.

"323…324…325!"Kurt stopped in front of the locker and looked at the piece of paper, turning the combination on the lock. The door clicked open and Kurt looked inside. The locker was surprisingly neat; under the small shelf were notebooks, and a pencil bag. On the shelf were David's textbooks, a packed lunch in the back, and a red container with a brown case in it.

On top of the textbooks was a hefty paperback, 500 pages at least. It looked like a good book. Kurt opened it to where Dave had placed his bookmark. The bookmark was a piece of red ribbon that Dave had carefully stitched to the back of the book. Kurt remembered Dave telling him on one of their long hallway walks that he did this because other bookmarks always fell out, and that nothing kills ones soul quite as much as when you lose your place in a big book.

Kurt smiled and closed it, grabbing the glasses and the lunch, just in case. Then he looked at the locker door. Dave had taped up the picture of him and Santana at prom, and a picture of everyone from the football team and glee clubs smiling for a picture of them zombiefied. Kurt grinned, running a finger over the pictures. As he passed over the prom picture his finger caught on something else, the corner of another picture…tucked behind this one. He frowned.

Kurt pulled the picture carefully out and stared at what he held in his hand. Mr. Shue had taken pictures of each of them for their Born This Way performance. So there was Kurt, in his shirt, arms spread wide and a huge grin on his face. 'Likes Boys'. Across the bottom Dave had scrawled something in sharpie. 'Born this way' and then in smaller letters, 'Remember.' Kurt's eyes welled up and he put a hand to his mouth. He bit his lip, and took a deep shaky breath, putting the picture back where he had found it and hefting the things in his arms.

He closed the locker, and walked slowly back to the nurses office. The moment he was back he set the things down on the end of the bed without a word.

"Kurt? Is something wrong?" Dave reached for his glasses and put them on, picking up his book. Kurt said nothing, just darted forward and wrapped his arms around Dave's neck, hugging him tight.

"It's going to be ok." He whispered.

"Kurt…?" Dave questioned.

"You are perfect, just the way you are." 'Cause baby, you were born this way.'