Kurt didn't have many friends. He was only little though and there were few people in his grade. It was a small school meaning if he didn't make friends with the people in his class that was basically his entire grade gone. When he moved up a year shortly before his 9th birthday, he moved schools as well, starting at a new school. Here, the classes were bigger, full of more people and yet more people who didn't want to be friends with him.

It was only because he never spoke. It wasn't that he couldn't, he just didn't want to. People asked so many questions and Kurt didn't want to be part of their nosey conversations. On his first day he ran outside at lunch and grabbed a swing in the playground on his own to avoid everyone.

A small cough from beside Kurt almost made him loose his grip on the swing and fall off, but he steadied himself and turned to see a boy with curly dark brown hair beside him.

"I'm sorry," the boy said. His voice sounded odd to Kurt ad the boy moved his hands as he spoke. "Is anyone using this swing?" the boy stopped moving his hands after he asked his question and pointed at the empty swing next to Kurt.

Kurt shook his head and the boy smiled at him slightly before climbing on and kicking his legs slightly.

"My voice is weird isn't it?" the boy asked, noticing Kurt's tilted head and curious expression. Kurt pursed his lips and stared at his shoes, trying not to be rude and stare. The other boy laughed a little, and Kurt couldn't resist the urge to look up.

"It's weird because I can't hear myself." The boy said, moving his hands again with his arms looped around the swing to keep himself upright.

Kurt still said nothing but looked at him more curiously, as if urging him to speak again.

"I can't hear anything," the boy said, though a little sadder this time. "That's why I do this," he waved his hands again, making the actions more obvious. "Because that's how people can talk to me so I can understand them. It's called sign language."

Kurt's look of confusion disappeared but he still looked a little sad for the curly-haired boy.

"Do you understand me? I know my voice is weird,"

Kurt nodded but didn't say anything.

"Do you not talk?" now it was the curly-haired boys turn to tilt is head on confusion.

Kurt shrugged and shook his head, biting his bottom lip.

"Can you tell me your name? I'll tell you mine," the boy smiled.

Kurt pondered for a moment, then slid off his swing and grabbed a small stick from the floor. He wrote his name in the bark chippings below the swings. The other boy smiled and wrote his own name in the chippings.

'Blaine'

'That's a pretty name' Kurt wrote back. The other boy, Blaine, smiled and drew a similar smiley face next to Kurt's words, which made Kurt giggle.

'Did you laugh?' Kurt nodded at Blaine's words.

'I wish I could hear you laugh'

Kurt pulled a sad face at Blaine who pulled a sad face himself.

'Will you be my friend?'

Kurt didn't say anything; he just looked at Blaine with a massive smile on his face and nodded. Blaine broke out into an equally big smile. And from that moment on, Kurt had a friend.

8 years later...

'I can't believe we're going to be 17 in a few weeks!'

'I know! It's crazy! It feels like such a long time since we met,'

'Oh my god, I feel so old all of a sudden,'

'You're telling me,' Kurt laughed silently as he and Blaine spoke rapidly in sign language to each other over their coffees in the Lima Bean. After they'd first met, Kurt had gone to the library after school and found a book on sign language, and kept it as his bible as he tried to learn enough to talk to Blaine. After two years he had learnt as much as Blaine had - because Blaine had finally managed to explain to him that he'd been in an accident when he was 7 that lost him his hearing - and they both then helped each other. It suited Kurt perfectly because he didn't like to talk and sign language felt like his escape. He and Blaine could gossip about other students in school without them knowing what they were saying and they both felt glad to have someone to talk to. Blaine had recovered some of his hearing over they years but not much, and though he'd tried hearing aids, none of them worked very well. He wasn't sad about it though, he had Kurt to talk to.

'Oh man, I'm going to be late!' Kurt signed as he glanced at his watch. Blaine laughed out loud, a low throaty chuckle that Kurt loved. Though Kurt never laughed out loud in front of Blaine, feeling guilty that Blaine couldn't hear him laugh, he still thoroughly enjoyed Blaine's own laugh, one he didn't try and conceal.

'Well go! I won't keep you any longer. And if you are late, tell Rachel it's my fault.' Blaine smiled. Kurt rolled his eyes and shouldered his satchel. They boys stood and hugged - sending Kurt's heart racing - before Kurt had to run, waving to Blaine over his shoulder as he fled for fear of a Rachel Berry tantrum.

"Kurt! You are-"

"On time!" Kurt finished for her, right as the bell rang. She scowled at him but turned away to continue her conversation with Mercedes. Kurt rolled his eyes and sat on the other side of Mercedes. After less than a minute Rachel stood and started going on about how they needed to all move out to the auditorium to practice their choreography for sectionals and everyone else grumbled or rolled their eyes but continued their conversations as they stood and gathered their things.

Their set-list contained a Rumour Has It and Someone Like You mash up, a I Feel Pretty and Unpretty mash up and Kurt's first ever solo; Defying Gravity. He was nervous as hell and even more so because, though Blaine was supposed to be there supporting their rivals The Warblers from Blaine's own school, he was going to be there to support Kurt. He was super nervous to be finally able to sing Defying Gravity, but was scared that he wouldn't hit the notes perfectly or would get a terrible reaction from the crowd for him to be the one singing it. He'd slowly begun to start talking at school to other students once he started at McKinley High because he knew they'd find him weird for not talking and not having anyone to sign to made him lonely. He made friends slowly with Mercedes and began to get really into singing. After joining Glee club two years ago, they'd become even closer friends and Kurt considered her his second best friend, his first being obviously Blaine.

'Kurt! That was amazing!' Blaine signed quickly as Kurt and the rest of the New Directions ran from the stage excitedly after their performance.

'You're just saying that,' Kurt signed back but pulled the boy into a hug as they got out of the way for the next set of performers.

'Am not,' Blaine signed after Kurt pulled back.

Blaine lifted a hand to his ear and grabbed a small blob of plastic, which Kurt quickly recognised to be -

'Hearing aids?'

Blaine smiled.

"I got them last week. I've been trying to relearn how to hear again. It's crazy. But you truly sounded amazing Kurt." Blaine spoke, his voice nothing like the slightly off voice he had when he was 9. Now it was smooth and soft, as if he had spent the entire last week trying to perfect his voice and it had always been this way. Blaine replaced the hearing aid back in his ear and could not stop smiling at Kurt's expression.

"I can't believe it! Why didn't you tell me?" Kurt said out loud, his fingers beginning to sign but then his head taking control and reminding him he didn't need to now.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"You sure surprised me alright," Kurt laughed. They hugged again and moved into the corridors to make sure they weren't going to disrupt the Hipsters - a group that consisted of solely retired pensioners that were pretty terrible - who were just starting up their performance.

"You don't think I totally mucked up then?" Kurt asked when they were in the safety of the corridor.

"I think you were perfect! The one thing I've missed all these years was music and I finally get to hear it again and I'm so glad. And just your voice Kurt, you have no idea how weird and perfect it feels to hear you speak."

"Blaine, I'm not perfect," sighed Kurt, rolling his eyes slightly.

"But you are," Blaine protested. "You are to me,"

Kurt stopped in his tracks and practically stared at Blaine, mouth falling open slightly.

"Kurt. I'd hate to ruin a friendship but I can't deny I'm in love with you,"

Kurt turned a colour close to scarlet and bit his lip.

"I... I can't deny it either," Kurt spoke quietly. He almost thought he'd said it too quietly for Blaine to hear but then Blaine leaned forward and locked their lips in a kiss. Kurt was shocked but responded happily, wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck as Blaine's wound around Kurt's waist, pulling him closer.

"Kurt! There you are! We've - oh sorry," Rachel said, running down the corridor and spotting Kurt, and then how Kurt was lip-locked with Blaine. Kurt and Blaine broke apart slowly, both laughing quietly.

"Yes Rachel?"

"Oh, um. They're about to announce the winners."

"Go, I'll be in the wings," Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand. Kurt nodded and let Rachel tug him off.

"I can't believe you never told us you liked him,"

"Uh, Rachel, I never told him I liked him until just now. Cut me some slack,"

"Oh shut up and get on stage," she laughed.

"And first place goes to..."

A drum rolled and Kurt's heart felt like it was pounding along with it, a hundred beats per minute. He felt Mercedes squeeze his hand and he took a deep breath as the drum stopped.

"The New Directions! You're going to Nationals in New York!"

The entire crowd erupted, as did all of the New Directions. They jumped and screamed and lifted their trophy aloft before exciting the stage, all with similar expressions of pure joy.

New. York.

New. Freaking. York. Baby.

Blaine held a proud and joyous expression on his face as Kurt found him backstage and ran to his arms.

"I can't believe it! New York! We actually made it to New York!" Kurt managed as he wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck.

"I told you, you were prefect!" Blaine said into Kurt's ear.

"Shut up you," he laughed, pressing their lips together in a victorious kiss.