"Are you sure it's safe to open another bottle?" Kurt asked Blaine curiously. He felt a little dizzy, warm and giggly but everything was okay if he was aware of that. It meant he had some restraint to stop him making a fool of himself. With more alcohol he couldn't guarantee such a thing.

"We ate, we had some fresh air. I think we'll be okay. We've practically sobered up by now." Blaine answered as he was pouring wine into their glasses.

"Well, I don't know about you but I can't say I'm sober."

"Neither are you drunk." Blaine won this one. Kurt could give him that. He took a glass and put it to his mouth reluctantly.

"I don't get to do this often. I don't want this evening to end…You don't have to drink more. You can go to your boyfriend. I won't keep you…"

"You are so strange…" Kurt announced, looking at Blaine intensively as if he was trying to read his mind or see through to his soul. Blaine squirmed under his gaze and broke off the eye contact.

"You can go. You don't have to be here…" Blaine said huffily.

"I know. Do you want me to leave?"

"Do you want to stay?"

"My question first. Then I'll answer yours." Kurt was watching Blaine with amazement. He had no idea what caused Blaine to put up his walls all of a sudden.

"No." Blaine tore his eyes off the carpet and bored them into Kurt's again.

"Yes." Kurt gave his answer without any trace of doubts. He intended to stay as long as Blaine would be willing to have him. He had fun, and the small pieces of Blaine's strange behavior now and then made him want to find out more about the man. Needless to say, Kurt was fascinated by him. There were so many unanswered questions, so many secrets Blaine was holding that Kurt couldn't stay away from him. Yes, he was curious and his first instinct was to solve the mystery but above all of that was the urge to erase occasional sadness from Blaine's beautiful eyes.

"I'm sorry." Blaine spoke softly after a while.

"No need to be sorry…" The silence fell on them once more.

"Can I ask you something?" Kurt gathered the courage and put his hand on Blaine's knee. "You don't have to tell me…I don't mean to pry but…"

"But?"

"Why are you hiding?"

"What?!"

"Nick and Jeff thanked me when I accepted your offer to hang out. They told me you need it and that you keep yourself locked here…Why?"

"So you came out of pity?" Blaine blurted angrily.

"No." The softness of Kurt's voice astonished Blaine. He was being rude and Kurt was letting him be. "I came because I thought it would be fun. And for the record, if I had wanted to be with my boyfriend tonight, I would have left. I have my own mind and I can make my own decision. You don't have to be reserved, Blaine. The whole conversation with Nick and Jeff was after I agreed to come."

"I'm sorry."

"Well, maybe it would be better if I went home…Clearly I upset you and that wasn't my intention." Kurt was about to stand up from the sofa they were sitting on when a pleading voice stopped him.

"Don't go. Please, don't go yet…"

"What do you want to do then? Maybe we could watch a movie like we intended."

"Sure." Blaine nodded with a smile and soon there was a movie that kept them from talking about the apparent tension between them. Bruce was just reciting that Fish are friends, not food on the big screen when Blaine spoke.

"I have a reason, you know…" Kurt turned his head to the left to look at him, giving Blaine his full attention. "There is a lot in my life that makes me hide in here."

"Does hiding make you happy?"

"No…but it keeps me safe." Kurt nodded and fixed his eyes on the TV again. He could feel Blaine observing him but he didn't say a word.

"Don't you have any questions? Don't you want to know details?"

"Yeah, I do." Kurt confirmed. "But it's not my place to ask them. It's up to you to tell me. I won't force you to step out of your comfort zone."

"Have you ever been judged? Have you ever been in the situations where rumors about you were more believable for others than the actual truth?" Blaine wondered and Kurt's snort at his questions immediately alarmed him. Was Kurt judging him, too?

"Blaine, I grew up in Ohio. I didn't hesitate to tell people what I thought of them and I was raised to be proud of who I am so I wasn't hiding in the closet during high school. Being the only openly gay kid amongst a bunch of homophobes with my ability to make a witty remark on the spot in the equation, you can imagine I have been judged and bullied since I remember."

"I wasn't. I attended private schools where everybody knew me and liked me. I always thought that if you were nice to people, they'd be nice to you. The concept didn't work here. I came here and started at NYADA but I got the first Broadway role too soon. I didn't have a chance to make friends before there was jealousy and rumors. Other students believed that everything I accomplished was because of my parent's money. It hurt. I wasn't used to not being liked. It was really difficult to catch up with school and theatre but it was doable. I just didn't feel good there so I dropped out claiming it was impossible to handle. I tried to fit in with my colleagues and people from theater in general. I ended up hurt over and over again because all they wanted was to use me for their own benefit and I didn't know how to deal with it so I stopped making new friends…When my album came out, things got even more serious. I was doing a lot of press stuff, people started to recognize me and it was hard to walk down the street without being stopped by someone who asked for an autograph. It didn't bother me but it got out of hand as time went on and on a regular basis I went out for lunch or coffee and spent at least one hour of my time signing things. I was cornered a few times. The last one was almost two years ago and if Nick and Jeff hadn't been there, I would have had a panic attack. Since then, I don't go out unless I have to. I eat only in expensive restaurants because I feel safe there. I travel by taxi. My social life has reduced to work related events and private friendly gatherings…"

"Blaine…I'm so sorry."

"You know, money was never a big problem. It was never a reason not to like somebody. I was surrounded by people who had money my whole life but we were all on the same page and we never boasted about it. I might be spoiled but I'm not a bad person. I got a lead on Broadway two months after I started school because I killed it at the audition. I got my record deal because I was a good singer and composer. It had nothing to do with my parents' money! But people were quick to judge. I don't know why. I don't believe people are bad by nature. There is something good in everybody. I just didn't have a chance to find it in them before I was crushed. I needed to step away from everything…"

"So are you planning to hide forever?"

"No. I have a contract for one more album and then I'll only do Broadway. It's less complicated and fans aren't so intense there…I'm still not fond of the idea of making friends in the theater though. I probably would have to go with those I already have for the rest of my life…" Blaine looked so young. It was unbelievable how someone so full of positive energy on the outside could be so drawn down inside. Kurt could grasp the disappointment Blaine was feeling. He'd been there. He had had to learn how to live in the world where people were selfish and full of prejudice but he'd been learning since he'd entered the school grounds for the first time at the age of three. Blaine had been living in a bubble and experienced his first collision with reality four years ago. Kurt had an edge over him thanks to years of tormenting. Kurt's life also got better in New York. Blaine didn't have such luck.

"What I'm about to say will be strange for you, especially when it's coming from me but maybe you should give theatre people a second chance." Blaine raised his eyebrows and Kurt quickly continued before he could object.

"Look, I've been through a lot in my life. I don't think there is something good in everybody. But despite my not very warm attitude towards Broadway society, you and your friends showed me that there are a few people who are nice and friendly. I'm glad you did. Rachel isn't bad. Let her in and she will surprise you. She is a bit of a diva, but she has a good heart. Adam's friends are cool, too. You don't find them on formal occasions but we can go to a club with them if you'd like to. You must be lonely here, Blaine. You're an amazing person and it's a shame you hide your potential on the top floor of a New York building."

"I'm afraid." Blaine admitted.

"I get it. I really do, but don't let your fear reign over your life."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Kurt smiled and poured some more wine into their empty glasses.

Kurt woke up with a headache the next morning. He wasn't brave enough to open his eyes to the sunlight so he pressed himself further into the sheets and inhaled their flowery scent. Satin silk was soft on his bare skin and there was nothing he loved more than quality bedclothes. He stretched himself under the covers lazily and then sat up abruptly. The bed was bigger than his. He looked around and his suspicion was confirmed. He wasn't in his bed. He wasn't in his apartment. He wasn't in Adam's apartment either. Why the hell was he lying in an unfamiliar bed only in his boxers? He saw his clothes on the chair, neatly piled, thank God, so he dressed himself and left the room. He was still at Blaine's penthouse. Should he tell Blaine he was going home? What was the appropriate thing to do in a situation like this? He didn't even know where Blaine was. He slowly reached the stairs that led into the first floor of the apartment where they spent the night talking and drinking in Blaine's living room. Maybe a written note would be enough. He didn't need to talk to Blaine, right? Kurt went straight to the kitchen where he'd seen a notepad on the table yesterday but he was startled on the way there by the opening door of the elevator.

"Kurt?"

"Hi guys." Kurt greeted Nick and Jeff shyly.

"What are you doing here?" Nick asked, not sure what to think of it.

"I'm leaving…" There was shuffling in the kitchen and then Blaine's head appeared from round the corner.

"Oh, Kurt. You're up." A million watt smile was shot in his direction and Kurt internally groaned. He wasn't capable of being in Blaine's presence right now. "I just made breakfast. I mean, I put delivered food on a plate. Would you guys join us?" There was awkwardness between Kurt, Nick and Jeff but Blaine didn't seem to notice. He ushered them to the dining room and brought two more plates.

"Did you have fun last night?" Jeff interrupted the silence and sent Kurt and Blaine a glare.

"Yeah, we did." Blaine answered truthfully.

"We can see…" Nick noted.

"Well, sorry we didn't call you but I forgot." Blaine apologized under the impression that Nick and Jeff were mad about that. "We had way too much wine and we nearly passed out on the sofa. I forced Kurt to sleep upstairs in one of the bedrooms because I didn't want him to go home alone at night. I'm sorry, guys. I know I promised but…"

"Wait, you and Kurt didn't sleep in one bed?" Nick stopped him midsentence.

"What?! No! Of course not. Are you crazy?"

"So you two didn't have sex?" Jeff was ascertaining.

"Oh my god, Jeff! He has a BOYFRIEND! What the hell got into you this morning?! Apologize to Kurt for thinking he was cheating on Adam!" Blaine ordered. Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The apology wasn't necessary. Kurt, himself, was the first one who thought he had cheated. He felt nauseous.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Kurt stood up. "Thank you, Blaine. I really enjoyed myself but I need to go now."

"Kurt, please, don't leave just because my friends are insane…"

"Kurt, we're sorry." Jeff said and Nick nodded fervently.

"No. It's okay. I'm not leaving because of that. I have to send the article by ten. I really gotta go." Kurt lied and rushed to the elevator, waving them goodbye.

"Kurt, where have you been?" Rachel scolded him as soon as he entered their apartment.

"At Blaine's." He whined and threw himself onto his favorite armchair.

"You spent the night?!" Rachel shrieked, which didn't help Kurt's headache at all.

"We were wasted. I don't remember how I got to bed. Separate beds if you want to know."

"Hey, I didn't say a word." Rachel defended herself.

"I thought I had slept with him." Kurt whispered.

"What?!"

"When I woke up and found out where I was, I thought we had had sex last night."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because I don't remember anything after the fifth bottle of wine was opened!" Kurt shouted, clearly frustrated with himself. "I woke up and I was still in his apartment and I had to have some really vivid dream about him because I could swear it was him there with me at night."

"You were drunk, Kurt…"

"It's not an excuse to consider cheating on my boyfriend."

"You didn't consider cheating. You didn't cheat. You had a dream. If Adam gave you the attention you deserve, you wouldn't have those dreams about someone else."

"He wanted to come yesterday. He called me on his way from the theater."

"He knew you had other plans."

"Yes, he did. He wasn't mad or anything. When he found out I was still there he told me to have fun and ended the call. How could I do that, Rachel?"

"Stop freaking out. You haven't done anything."

"I'm going crazy…"

"Maybe you should stop hanging out with Blaine, then." Rachel suggested to her troubled friend.

"No way. No way in hell I'm going to cut him out of my life."

"You are awfully attached to someone who you've met three times so far…"

"You don't understand, Rach. He's lonely. He's …He is this selfless soul who got hurt a lot and he needs a friend. I can't abandon him. I'm not like the others. I won't do that to him." Kurt was determinate.

"Okay. I hope you know what you are doing."

"Frankly, I have no idea."