Finn, Artie and Mike keep calling him dude and bro.

And Puck calls him princess and queen and highness.

Rachel has developed an habit of calling him Judy (and she, of course, is Barbra).

Mercedes, Tina, Brittany and Quinn alternate between his given name in various quaint styles that manage to never sound like his actual name, an acceptable baby, an awful Kurtie and an even worse boo.

Everyone else in school (including Santana) just resorts to Hummel, in an impressive variety of intonations that are not always flattering.

(The only one who actually calls him Kurt is Sam Evans.)

:::...:::

An adorable bundle of endearing antics. Goofy, and too much of a dork to be real.

And just so very hot. Which is disturbing on every possible level, because he is pretty much a child that's grown into a man's body way before his time.

That's Sam Evans for you (in a nutshell).

Kurt doesn't look or notice anymore. Ever since the duets' fiasco he's been avoiding so much as eye contact with the boy.

He doesn't want to push anybody onto doing things they don't want to, or make them uncomfortable.

(Just stay away, and we'll be good.)

:::...:::

"Did I do something to offend you?"

The baffled, sort of hurt expression on the blond's face when he asks is what gets Kurt the most.

That and the fact that this is the third time Sam tries to pry a different answer out of him.

And, as he waits for a sudden revelation, he always looks so darn earnest, so open and honest, and truly regretful to the fact that he didn't sing with Kurt.

"No, you didn't. Really. Stop trying to give yourself an aneurysm over this."

He looks lost and not at all convinced, but still nods.

:::...:::

Sam manages to work his way into doing a song with him for Glee.

(Finn tries to act nonchalant, but frets in all the possible ways.

Quinn is solicitous and insists on that being an awesome idea.

Mercedes looks ready to stage an intervention; over who, or what, Kurt doesn't know.

Puck makes a weird face and goes on with whatever he's trying to do to Santana and Brittany.

Tina, Mike and Artie are completely invested in their own drama.

Rachel glows.)

Kurt would very much like to decline and do something on his own.

He ends up saying yes.

:::...:::

(Sam wants a new beggining. And to earn forgiveness for whatever he's done to Kurt. .

Honestly, Sam wants even more. But he can wait, he's a patient guy.

For now, he can sing. And use Kurt's name reverently as a prayer and a sigh, and an expression of beauty.)