They spend the rest of the weekend mostly at Blaines apartment, only stepping out to pick up some food or take a walk around the neighborhood so Kurt can get to know it. On the first night Kurt arranges his old and new clothes in a big box they found at the convenience store while Blaine opens up the sofa-bed, sheepishly admitting that he wouldve done it before but Kurt managed to fall asleep too quickly on his first night here. The couch was comfortable, but the bed is even more so, and Kurt can hardly believe that hes sleeping on a bed that can be turned into a couch.

Why on earth do they not have these amazing things in Kingleysia?

Kurt starts asking Blaine questions the next day, about New York, about life in the city and everything else he should know. Its fascinating - hes so used to Kingleysia and its ways that its difficult to believe that a place thats so different but still in some ways so similar can even exist. Apparently hes quite good at asking difficult questions as well, since Blaine has to check some things on something he calls the Internet and that seems to hold the answer to every imaginable question.

Except even the Internet doesnt recognize Kingleysia.

The amount of other information Kurt could find on it if he learned how to use it is overwhelming, though. Everything about this place is overwhelming. Even- even Blaine is overwhelming. He is so kind and patient, explaining everything to Kurt as well as he can and letting him stay at his apartment for as long as he wants, making him food and practically being his guide, asking nothing in return. And whenever Kurt understands something new about New York or remembers the name of something previously unfamiliar to him, Blaines whole face lights up with the brightest smile, his eyes going all squinty and his cheeks pink. It seems absurd that someone like Blaine, someone who obviously cares so much and wants to make people happy, doesnt believe in true love.

Kurt cant help but wonder about it. He finds himself sometimes staring at Blaine in consideration when Blaine is looking away, following the lines of his face to find some clue. He just doesnt have the courage bring up the whole true love discussion again. He doesnt want to upset Blaine. He has no idea what he said wrong in the park the first time, but he knows he doesnt want to make Blaine look like that again - like he was going to crack open and fall apart right then and there and Kurt wouldnt have any idea how to put him back together again.

Blaine is his only friend in this strange place. Blaine is quickly becoming his best friend, with the way he understands Kurt and lets him be open in ways he has never been able to be in Kingleysia. And Kurt doesnt want to hurt someone like that, intentionally or unintentionally.

When Kurt wakes up on Monday morning from a hazy dream that involved a distorted version of Kingleysia he couldnt recognize, Blaine is already awake and dressed although its still relatively early. Hes standing in front of the hall mirror, his back to Kurt, but Kurt can see from his reflection that hes tying a bowtie - another new article of clothing Kurt has learned about - around his neck with deft fingers, brows furrowed in concentration. He looks nice in his checkered shirt and gray cardigan, hair gelled within an inch of its life, somehow looking even more put-together than he did during the weekend.

"Morning," Kurt calls out, kicking off the covers and barely stifling a yawn. The sofa-bed is comfy and he could probably sleep for a few hours more, but he might as well get up when hes already awake. He doesnt particularly want to risk seeing the same dream again.

Blaine glances at him over his shoulder. "Morning!" he chirps with a smile and finishes up his tie. He strokes his hands over it one more time to make sure its done properly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm," Kurt hums in affirmative, running a hand through his hair. Ugh, he needs to wash his hair in that magical shower once hes awake enough. "You?"

"Alright," Blaine replies with a shrug. "I was a bit anxious, so I slept kind of lightly, but at least I didnt have any nightmares or anything."

"Anxious?" Kurt pushes himself up on the bed and shivers when his bare feet hit the cold floor. Blaine wasnt lying when he said it gets cold in the apartment during the night. "Why would you be anxious?" he asks curiously.

Blaine just turns around and looks at him, raising his eyebrows. He does look nice, so nice that Kurt feels something strange and warm at the pit of his stomach, almost as if Blaines-

"Oh, right!" Kurt exclaims when his mind makes the connection. "Youre going out to see your true love," he finishes in sing-song, grinning at Blaine.

"Kurt-" Blaine starts, his eyebrows dropping down into a frown. His brows are shaped a bit funnily, now that Kurts paying attention to them. Theyre almost triangle-like, especially when hes smiling, and theyre so expressive as well. If Kurt gets the chance to spend more time with Blaine, he could probably learn to distinguish his moods from his eyebrows and eyes alone.

"Sorry, sorry," Kurt offers, waving his hand in the air. "Im still half-asleep, so Im not really responsible for what Im saying." He watches as Blaine straightens his shirt in nervousness. "But you should tell him that you love him. People deserve to know it," he cant help but add.

Blaines frown deepens, and Kurt can almost see the cracks forming, can see Blaine fighting against something unexplainable, so he drops the subject, standing up instead and padding towards the kitchen. Blaine gave him the permission to use whatever he finds in there, and though it still feels awkward to eat someone elses food, in their kitchen at that - not that there even is room for a dining hall in Blaines apartment, and in a place this small theres no need for servants - he is hungry and those bagels they bought yesterday were delicious.

"Will you be gone all day?" he asks over his shoulder.

"Oh." Blaine startles from his thoughts, smoothing his shirt again. "No, probably just a few hours or so. Nathan has work today, and I should probably catch up on some stuff as well, so..." He follows Kurt into the kitchen. "Will you be alright on your own?"

Kurt pulls out the bagels and opens the door of the white cold cabinet - fridge, thats what Blaine called it when he explained the most common kitchen gadgets to him yesterday - to find some butter. Even the food looks somewhat different in here, but Kurts slowly getting the hang of it. Hes always been a fast learner, and seeing the connection between the magic he knows and the things Blaine calls technology does help as well.

"Ill be fine," he answers as he pushes the fridge door closed. "You gave me those papers about clothes-"

"Fashion magazines," Blaine corrects.

"-so Ill probably just spend some time looking at them," Kurt finishes. "You do have some really extraordinary fashion in here."

Blaine smiles. "Well, Im just glad youre finding something enjoyable in our world."

Kurt grins back at him, and for a moment they just stare at each other, bagels and butter forgotten on the kitchen counter. The moment is broken by a sudden knock at the door, the sound echoing through the apartment and making them both startle.

Blaine gives a sheepish smile and then glances at his watch, squinting his eyes. "Huh, I wonder who it could be at this time of the morning..."

He turns around towards the front door, and Kurt follows him with his eyes, fiddling with the butter knife in his hands. Kurts never really felt like this with any of his other friends, not Rachel or Mercedes or Finn, even though hes known them for years and considers them his closest friends. Hes only known Blaine for a few days, but somehow Blaine still makes him feel... different. As if he could just stare at Blaine for hours and never get tired of it.

Its strange, and Kurt doesnt really understand it.

Blaine pulls the door open, revealing a tall, dark-haired man whos wearing a button-down and neatly pressed pants, his hair cropped short. He has a serious face, but his mouth twitches up in a small, almost nervous smile when he sees Blaine.

"Nathan!" Blaine exclaims in surprise. He leans closer to give a quick kiss on Nathans cheek, the movement looking somewhat awkward from where Kurts standing, but Nathans hand does brush over Blaines waist in a gentle gesture once they break apart. "What are you doing here?" Blaine is asking, urgently gesturing for Nathan to come in. "I thought we were meeting at the coffee shop."

Nathan shrugs. "I was running a little early so I thought we could walk there together." He glances around the apartment, obviously noticing the sofa-bed and then startling when he sees Kurt standing in the kitchen. "Oh. Sorry, I didnt know you had company."

"Nathan, this is my friend Kurt," Blaine introduces them, placing his hand on Nathans arm. "Hes in New York for a few days and I said he could stay at my place," he lies smoothly and then lowers his voice. "Is that alright? I mean, I was going to tell you earlier, but..."

"Why wouldnt it be?" Nathan asks genuinely, glancing at Blaine in curiosity. "Of course you should help out your friends." He turns to look at Kurt, all politeness and perfect manners. Its not difficult to see what he and Blaine have in common. "Its nice to meet you."

"You too," Kurt replies awkwardly.

Theres something between Blaine and Nathan, something he cant quite put his finger on. He has seen his dad and Carole together, has seen Rachel with Finn and countless of other people with their true love, even saw the same glow in Tina and Mike the other day when he met them for the first time - but somehow the air between Blaine and Nathan is different. Cooler.

"Blaine has told me a lot about you," he adds, just to have something to say.

Nathans eyebrows go up in surprise. "Oh, he has?" He looks at Blaine. "I didnt know you talked about me to your friends that much."

Theres no accusation in his voice, nothing to indicate that hes upset. He only sounds curious and a little confused, as if he hasnt considered their relationship something worth talking to your friends about, and Kurt frowns at the realization.

"Of course I have," Blaine says. "Youre my boyfriend."

Nathans mouth twitches, and he touches Blaines waist again. "Right. Of course. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me just grab my things." Blaine pulls on his coat and takes a step closer to the kitchen. "Ill be back in a few hours," he says to Kurt, "and then I can show you around the city for the rest of the day. Okay?"

Kurt waves him off, focusing his attention on the bagels again. "Take all the time you want. Ill be fine."

Blaine looks anxious for a moment, as if hes worried about leaving Kurt alone in an apartment hes not completely familiar with yet, in a city he doesnt know. Eventually he flashes a nervous smile, though, and slowly follows Nathan to the door.

"Alright. If youre sure," he says, something hesitant in his voice. "Ill see you later then?"

"It was nice meeting you," Nathan calls over his shoulder, and Kurt barely has the chance to open his mouth to reply when the door already clicks closed behind them.

Kurt stares at the bagel in his hand. Its quiet in the apartment all of a sudden, in a different way than it is during the night, and he suddenly realizes that hes alone in this city for the first time since he met Blaine. Its an odd feeling. He has never really minded being on his own - he liked playing by himself when he was little, and even when he got older he still sometimes craved his own space, just for him and no one else. His dad is used to finding him in one of the old towers of their castle at least once a week, just sitting there all by himself with a sketchpad or practicing his sword-fighting against invisible targets.

But its different being alone in a familiar place. Blaines apartment isnt familiar to him, not in the same way as Kingleysia and the castle are, and as unfair as it seems, Kurt finds himself hoping Blaine really wont take all the time he wants with Nathan.

Kurt shakes his head to get rid of those thoughts. Hes being stupid. Blaine is with his true love, and he has the right to spend as much time with him as he wants. Just because Kurt felt that there was something different between Blaine and Nathan doesnt give him the right to judge their relationship. He can be by himself for a few hours or longer. Blaine deserves to be with his true love. Everyone does.

So Kurt eats breakfast by himself and clears the dishes away once hes done. He sits on the fire escape in the crisp morning air for a long while, whistling and humming with the birds and laughing out loud when one of the birds wins their singing competition with an elaborate tune. The bird literally preens after its win, taking a few steps on the railing with its chest ridiculously puffed out, before giving Kurt a disdainful look and flying away.

Kurt takes a long shower, reading the labels on the bottles and jars Blaine keeps in his bathroom, and then cautiously tries some of them in his own hair. He walks around the apartment with his brooch in his hand, trying to find out if it will start humming or trembling at any spot, but the metal stays cold and still against his palm. He eats another bagel, manages to close the sofa-bed all by himself, and then settles down on the couch with the papers - magazines - Blaine gave him, slowly flipping through them.

The sheer diversity of the clothes in the magazines is unbelievable, and before hes even done with the first one he roots around the apartment until he finds an empty sheet of paper so he can jot down ideas and thoughts of all the clothes he likes.

He cant believe hes been wearing capes and tunics for as long as he can remember when theres a whole universe of different articles of clothing just waiting to be worn.

Kurt has gone through about one third of the magazines, the paper already filled with notes - he really is taking his time with them - when he hears the sound of a key turning in the lock. He looks up just as the door opens and Blaine steps in, his movements slow. Blaine closes the door behind himself and then leans against it, staring at the floor but looking like hes actually not seeing anything.

"Hey," Kurt calls with a smile, pushing the magazine he was reading away. "How was breakfast with your true love?" he jokes.

Blaine stays still for a long moment, for so long that Kurt is starting to worry, but then he suddenly takes a shuddering breath, his whole body shaking with it. He lifts his hand to his hair, running it through the gel and thoroughly messing it up, and even from where hes sitting Kurt can see that Blaines hand is trembling.

"Blaine?" he asks, straightening his back in alarm.

"I-" Blaine starts. He takes another breath, lowers his hand and finally lifts his head, slowly and cautiously. His eyes are red-rimmed, and its not just his hand thats shaking - his whole body, his whole face is shuddering, shoulders shivering, his eyes blinking rapidly and his mouth trembling like he doesnt know whether or not he wants to speak. Its not like at the park, its not Blaine suddenly exploding and yelling at Kurt; its Blaine actually falling apart, piece by piece, and Kurt has no idea what to do.

"Blaine? Whats going on?" he asks worriedly, pushing himself up from the couch and quickly moving closer.

Blaine shakes his head, and then his face just- crumples. Before Kurt gets the chance to react Blaine has pushed himself off the door and disappeared into his bedroom, forgetting to close the door behind himself in his rush.

Kurt follows him, even though he doesnt know if he should. When he steps into the room Blaine is pulling off his coat and cardigan in quick, angry movements and throwing them on his bed, apparently not caring that his lovely cardigan gets wrinkled in the process.

"We- we broke up," Blaine spits out all of a sudden, his voice breaking on the second word. "So thats it for true love and all that other crap."

Kurt stops in the doorway, blinking. "I... I dont know what ‘breaking up means," he admits quietly.

"It means that Nathan and I are no longer together." Blaine turns to look at Kurt. His eyes are shining with unshed tears, the wetness sticking to his eyelashes. "It means that we went to the coffee shop, we sat down, and then Nathan told me very kindly that this isnt working and he wants to break up."

Kurt stumbles back as if hes been hit. Not together? Thats... It cant be. People just dont stop being together like that. That would be awful, and heartbreaking. Devastating. He cant even imagine something like that, something where people would be pulled apart because they chose so, not because something stronger than them, something like death, came between them.

"B-but... You cant not be together," he tries weakly, following Blaine with his eyes as he starts to pace the room, staring at the ceiling as if hes trying his hardest not to let the tears fall. "Hes your true love. There must be some kind of a mistake. Blaine, there must be-"

"There is no mistake!" Blaine exclaims suddenly, throwing his hands up in the air and making Kurt startle back again. "There isnt, Kurt, theres just me, with my- my messed up love life and all my failures. Okay?" His voice has turned bitter, and the tears in his eyes are so close to spilling over that it looks like one more word could shatter him for good.

"Blaine..." Kurt starts, taking a step closer.

Blaine shakes his head, stepping away and blinking his eyes even more quickly. "See? This is exactly what I meant," he says in a low voice, the sound an odd contradiction to his previous shouting. His voice keeps breaking, though, like it has to go through something rough before getting out of his mouth. "There is no such thing as true love," Blaine goes on, pointing at Kurt. "Not in this place, and definitely not... D-definitely not for me."

His breath hitches, shoulders starting to shake again, and before Kurt realizes what hes doing hes moving closer and pulling Blaine into his arms. Blaine resists at first, shifts away and keeps shaking his head, but Kurt holds him more tightly, tucking his own chin over Blaines shoulder and splaying his hands against Blaines back.

Hes never really held anyone like this - he has hugged his dad and his friends, but this is different, more desperate and protective, like hes hoping to keep Blaine together if he just holds him tightly enough. He has no idea what to say, still too confused by the whole concept of breaking up and too scared of saying the wrong thing, but he can do this. He can hold Blaine together physically.

Blaine starts crying in earnest after a while, his whole body trembling with it. He stops fighting against Kurts embrace almost at the same moment and just fists his hands in Kurts shirt, the tears soaking into its fabric.

"H-he said hes never really loved me," he gasps out through his sobs, "that hes just liked me and last week he realized that its- its not enough, that there needs to be something more." He buries his face deeper into Kurts chest. "Y-you know what the funny thing is? I dont think I ever really loved him either," he confesses brokenly.

"Blaine," Kurt whispers urgently, pulling him closer. There are tears in his own eyes as well because he just doesnt understand this, he doesnt understand how two people can be together and not be in love, how they can break up like this and leave each other hurting, and he doesnt understand why holding Blaine like this and doing his best to shield him from harm can feel so... right.

"I didnt," Blaine argues weakly, sniffling. "I just desperately tried to love him, because I thought that... I thought that if I did it differently this time, it might actually work. I thought that if I just pretended hard enough and wouldnt be so- so intense, it would finally work out." He shakes his head against Kurts chest. "God, how stupid am I?"

"Youre not stupid," Kurt interrupts fiercely. "Thats not stupid. Trying to find love and find the right person for you is never stupid. Maybe..." He hesitates, breathing in the scent of Blaines hair gel - raspberries - and then continuing, "Maybe Nathan wasnt the right person for you, maybe you two werent meant to be, but... I may not understand how love works in this world, not yet, but I know its never stupid to hope for the best and try your best. Never."

Blaine sniffs, and Kurt feels his body shiver again. "Y-you know, I shouldve known that something was off the moment he saw you in my kitchen," he says quietly. It sounds like hes too far gone already, like Kurts words dont even register anymore. "He was so nice about it, even though I had never mentioned you before and he knows about all of my other friends. He was so calm and I- I thought that wow, I have such a mature boyfriend who doesnt mind me having strange men in my apartment, he must trust me so much." Blaines voice takes on a mocking tone. "But it wasnt because he trusts me. It was because he just... didnt care enough."

Blaine starts shaking again, his grip on Kurts shirt tightening. Blaine is practically clinging to him, holding on to him like hes the only thing keeping him standing right now, the tears coming steadily. Kurt hesitates for a moment and then shuffles them a few steps to the side until he can sit down on Blaines bed and pull Blaine down with him, never letting go of him.

"Shhh, its alright," he hushes, awkwardly stroking his hand down Blaines shivering back when Blaines breathing hitches, the sound echoing in Kurts ears. "Its going to be alright," he promises, even though he cant know that, even though hes completely in over his head in this situation.

"I just thought that maybe I could make it work this time," Blaine says miserably, curling up against Kurt. "I wanted to make it work, you know. I w-wanted- I wanted to find my true love."

Kurt freezes, his hand halting in mid-movement.

"I guess I should just stop trying," Blaine whispers, sniffling against Kurts chest.

Kurt opens his mouth to protest, to say that Blaine should never stop trying - but something stops him. Blaine is hurt, so incredibly hurt, and whatever Kurt says right now wont probably help him at all. Besides, Blaine is obviously saying some things he didnt mean to say, and Kurt has no idea how to react to them.

He had a certain image of Blaine in his mind, and now with just a few sentences that image has been shaken and rearranged, thrown out and replaced by something even more complicated. Kurt doesnt know enough about love in this world to help Blaine. He didnt even know people could break up, just like that, but the proof of that is currently clinging to him and looking so broken that Kurt would do anything to make him feel better again.

But he doesnt know what he can do or say. So he just holds Blaine, keeps him still and lets him cry until he slowly quiets down, until his grip on Kurts shirt loosens and his breathing evens out. It takes a long while, but eventually Blaine calms down, and when Kurt carefully leans back and looks at Blaines face he sees that he has fallen asleep, hands still curled into fists on Kurts chest and tear tracks blotting his cheeks.

After a moment Kurt gently disentangles himself from Blaine and lays him down on the bed. Blaine doesnt wake up; he only lets out a small questioning sound, brows furrowing in confusion until Kurt shushes him and strokes his hand down Blaines arm. Blaine relaxes again, melting against the mattress, and Kurt slowly pulls the covers over him before creeping out of the room as quietly as he can.

He closes the bedroom door behind himself and then leans against it, blinking his eyes in the apartments brightness. The magazines he was reading are still spread out on the couch, his brooch resting on the table next to his notes. Blaines messenger bag is lying on the floor where he dropped it when he came in. Its quiet again, only the building humming around him, but if Kurt strains his ears he can almost hear Blaine snuffling on the other side of the door.

Kurt slides down until he can sit on the floor, bumping the back of his head against the door. Images flash through his mind - Blaine telling him he doesnt believe in true love, Blaine leaning in to kiss Nathans cheek, Blaine looking at Kurt with a small smile, Blaine crying and shaking and breaking, and how it was like an instinct for Kurt to move closer and hold him, even though hes never really been that physical with anyone before.

Kurt covers his eyes with his hands and takes a deep breath, trying to clear his head. He thought New York and this world in general would be the biggest mystery he would have to solve during his time in here. But now... Now, in some strange way, its starting to feel like Blaine and the way Blaine makes him feel will turn out to be an even bigger mystery.