Prompt: So I was listening to Alone, and this lyric struck me "I always got by on my own" So I'd like a 5 times prompt. Five Times Kurt got by on his own, and once he didn't have too. Include anyone else you want in this one.

5.

"Hey boo!" Mercedes wiggled her fingers at Kurt as he approached her, and the boy grinned and did the same back to her. They almost reached each other, but seconds before that happened, a large red lettermen jacket stepped out in front of Kurt.

"Hey fairy." One sneered. Mercedes bristled, but knew she couldn't do anything. If she went and got a teacher, who knows what they would do, at least with her here, they wouldn't do anything too drastic.

"Hummel, the faggot."

"Princess."

"Queer."

"Freak."

Mercedes shut her eyes and shook her head, refraining from covering her ears. She didn't want to hear this. She only opened her eyes back up when she heard the slam of a body hitting a locker and the jocks laughing and walking away. She made her way over to Kurt just as he got off the ground.

"Kurt, baby, are you okay? We should go to the principal." Mercedes took her boy's face in her hands, feeling awful that she couldn't do anything more.

"No. I'm fine. We should hurry to Glee before we're late." Kurt sniffed slightly, wincing.

"Boo, please, can we go to the principal, or Mr. Schue, they can help you, better than I can." She begged. Kurt pulled his face away from her, lips quirking in a half-smile.

"It's really okay Cedes, I'm fine. I've always got by on my own." He turned, calling over his shoulder, "Glee starts in a few minutes, come on."

Mercedes frowned, following her friend, who, although she knew would never admit it, had tears in his eyes.

4.

"And I should get the song, because I'm the only one who can hit the high F." Rachel finished explaining why she should get the solo, just as the bell rung. It was simple. Mr. Schue shouldn't try and give her solo away, especially since no one else could sing it!

"Okay Rachel, we'll talk about it on Monday." Mr. Schue ducked out of the room, almost like he was running and Rachel followed everyone out.

"Come on. I got us tickets to that new movie." Finn grinned crookedly at her and Rachel giggled, jogging after him.

"Oh! Wait a second! I forgot my sweater, let me go get it." She darted back towards the auditorium, but paused as she heard the noise, the singing, coming from inside.

I'd sooner buy

Defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye

I'm Defying gravity

I think I'll try

Defying gravity

And you won't bring me down,

Bring me down Oh Oh Oh

"Kurt…" she gasped as she walked into the room. Said countertenor spun around at the sound of his name, sticking his nose in the air when he realized it was her.

"Berry." He greeted back coldly, "How long have you been standing there?" he added on nervously, looking down at her from the stage.

"Long enough to hear you hit a high 'F'." Rachel gaped, "Wait a second, Kurt, why did you throw the Defying Gravity solo? You could have gotten it!" she stated in surprise, seeing no reason why the countertenor would blow his chance.

"I don't know what you're talking about Berry. I didn't hit a high 'F', ooh, you're hearing must be off. That's not good for a singer." Kurt offered snottily. Rachel shook her head.

"I know what I heard Kurt!" Rachel stomped her foot, "And why did you blow it? If you had sung that, you would have gotten the solo!" she objected, and then watched as Kurt's mask started to the thaw.

"The day of the diva-off my Dad got a phone call…" Kurt paused, releasing a breath, "The only thing the guy said was 'Your son is a fag' and then hung up. I didn't want to get the solo after that, it would just give more reason for provoking."

"Oh Kurt!" Rachel gasped, "The same thing has happened to my Dads. You should talk to them!" she nodded eagerly.

"No Rachel. My Dad was the one shaken up about it. Me, well, I've always got by on my own." Kurt shrugged, walking passed her and pressing her sweater into her chest as he passed.

Rachel reached up to grab it, frown marring her features.

3.

Kurt hissed, dropping to his feet after climbing over the wall of the dumpster. He was lucky that it didn't have any old food in it like the last few days. He dusted his clothing off, retrieving his jacket and bag. He collected himself, attempting to stop the shaking that always came with the spike of fear from dumpster diving.

"Kurt? Are you okay? What are you doing out here?" Kurt nearly groaned as Mr. Schue started grilling him. He really was clueless, wasn't he?

"I got thrown in to the dumpster." He confessed, and the shock on his teacher's face was truly worth it.

"Are you serious?" Mr. Schue shook his head at his own stupid question, "Why didn't you ever tell me? Anyone? I could help! Anyone could help!"

"Mr. Schue, please." He slipped his coat on, throwing his bag onto his shoulder, and shaking his head softly, "I don't need anyone's help. I've always got by on my own."

Mr. Schue couldn't even stop him as he walked into the school, too stunned by those words to do anything.

2.

Finn loved the brotherly bonding he and Kurt shared, except when something like this happened. When Kurt was being stubborn about something important Finn needed to know.

"Just tell me who did it!" Finn yelled, normally not this angry, but this was important.

"Finn, it's fine!" Kurt screamed back, annoyed that his step-brother wasn't letting the subject drop like he wanted.

"No, it's not! That's a big bruise!" Finn gestured to the mark on Kurt's left arm, taking up nearly his entire upper arm, probably from someone slamming him into a locker.

"Well, it's not the only one!" Kurt blurted.

"WHAT?"

Kurt sighed, realizing that was the wrong thing to say. He covered his bruised arm with his sweater, which he never should have started taking off in the first place, before continuing.

"Finn, I understand why you are worried, but you really don't have to do anything." Kurt sighed, "This is no exception. I've always got by on my own." Finn stared at Kurt's back as he left the room.

He didn't know whether to cry or scream at all the homophobes in the world for making his brother go through this.

1.

This was not the first time it had happened, obviously, but Burt wasn't even thinking. He and Kurt were simply working in the shop, a normal Sunday morning when the phone rang. Burt, not wanting to get the entire thing dirty with oil, simply pressed the speakerphone button. It was not a good idea.

"Burt Hummel, Hummel's Tire and Lube." He cheerfully stated.

"You're son is a faggot." Burt and Kurt both froze, Kurt pulling out from underneath the hood of the car he was working on. "He's going to burn in hell for the sins against nature he's committing." Burt picked the phone up then slammed it back down to turn it off.

"Ignore that jackass." Burt snarled, "You're better than he ever will be." Burt swore. He glanced to his son, who didn't seem the slightest bit shaken. He seemed resigned or indifferent really.

"It's okay Dad. I've always got by on my own." Kurt gave him a bittersweet smile that just about broke his heart, before he wiped his hands on a rag, grabbing and sealing his sweater tight around his body as if it could protect him, and slipping down into his room.

Burt dropped his head into his hands.

0.

"And then, I would take you to the theatre, and we would watch Wicked, from the front row." Blaine finished his extravagent plans for what he and Kurt would do if they went to New York together. Kurt giggled lightly, slipping his hand across the Breadstix table and threading their fingers together.

"Well, that sounds lovely." Kurt used his other hand to swirl the soup in the bowl, grinning at his new boyfriend.

"Excuse me." A loud voice came from their right. They both jumped and turned to it. A man was glaring at them from the table over.

"Yes?" Blaine asked polietly, while Kurt pushed down the feeling of dread in his stomach. He pulled his hand from Blaine's palm, causing the other boy to give him a confused look, but he was already looking at his soup with renewed interest.

"I'm going to have to ask you to stop. It's disgusting. I don't care what you two boys do behind closed doors, but don't flaunt it in public." He snarled. Blaine glanced at his boyfriend, heart dropping to his feet. Now he understood why Kurt looked like he did. He stood. Kurt looked up to him.

"Blaine! Sit, just let it go." Kurt hissed quietly. Blaine shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I feel like this man's bark is bigger than his bite." He turned to the homophobe in question, "I'm sorry for your discomfort sir, but there is nothing wrong with me holding my boyfriend's hand in public. If you have a problem with it, then that's just it, it's your problem." Blaine nodded to the man, who was now gaping at him.

"Come on Kurt. Let's go back to my house. I can make us dinner." Blaine briskly dropped a fifty on the table, pulling his boyfriend away and out the door. They sat side by side in Blaine's car. Kurt stared silently out the window. He glanced to Blaine, who was humming the Katy Perry song playing on the radio, completely at ease.

"I don't have to get by on my own anymore." Kurt said aloud. Blaine smiled, eyes soft as he turned to stare at him.

"You'll never have to with me around." He promised.