Sunlight streamed into the room, blinding him the moment he opened his eyes. Blaine turned his head sideways and found a pair of blue eyes staring at him. "Hi," he mumbled.

"Hey," Kurts voice sounded hoarse. His arm was around Blaines torso, and he slowly moved upward, stroking Blaines cheek with his thumb. "Do you realize we slept on the floor all night?"

"Did we?" Blaine asked, not removing his eyes from that gorgeous face.

"You eventually fell asleep, and you looked so peaceful that I couldnt wake you," Kurt smiled shyly.

"And you still woke up before me," Blaine mumbled.

"I was watching you sleep," he admitted. "You just seem so... normal."

"Thanks?

"Well, usually you seem so stressed. You get, like, worry lines in your forehead from being so distressed. Your body feels so tense. Its like you cant shake the feeling," Kurts thumb stopped moving, and he leaned his face in closer. "When you sleep, you were so relaxed. You dont have to worry. You look so sweet and innocent... Its like seeing a side of you I havent seen yet, and its one of my favorites."

"Because Im unconscious and not running my smart mouth all the time," Blaine said.

"Kind of," Kurt chuckled. "But mostly because you were at peace, and I wish you could always be a peace."

"And yet, my life has been so full of drama since I met you," Blaine smiled.

"You said yesterday that I rescued you from hell," Kurt reminded him.

"Youre still dramatic," Blaine wrapped his arm around Kurt and kissed him. 

"Can I drag you into a little more drama," Kurt asked. When Blaine glared at him, he said, "I want you to consider reading something. I think itd be good for you." Kurt pulled himself off of Blaine. He stood up from the floor.

"Kurt," Blaine hesitated.

"Come on," Kurt grabbed his hand and dragged him to his feet. Pulling him to the computer, he pulled up Tumblr and logged in. 

"I try to avoid this website. Its a little crazy," Blaine said.

"Its also where you read the most honest reactions to things... Ive seen  what people say about you, Blaine. I think its time you stepped up to the plate to see whats been happening, while youve been hiding." He went to the search bar and typed Blaine Anderson. A page of posts appeared and Kurt said, "you dont have to, and you can walk away at any time, but please consider it."

Blaine stared at the screen. He had been dreading this. He knew, sooner or later, hed have to see what people were saying, but it had only been a week. He almost got up and walked away but something caught his eye.

A post read the headline, "Thoughts about Blaine." He hesitated, before reading on...

I didnt want to get into the drama circling with Blaine but come on guys. This is crazy! He lied to us, he abandoned us, and its like thats it. I mean, i get that were all angry and confused but maybe we should give him a break. Coming out is a big deal. Stop bombarding his twitter with your hateful comments.

So his twitter was getting hate. That should be expected. It was why he hadnt gone on it since he posted a link to that video.

He scrolled until he found another post.

OMG guys I dont know. Why hasnt he tweeted anything? Im a little worried.

More anger followed in posts. ""Why did he lie to us? Why wont he say anything? I cant believe he couldnt just tell the truth the first time he was asked about that kiss."

It was discouraging, and Blaine removed his hand from the mouse, but Kurt grabbed it  "Wait," he said. He highlighted another post and Blaine couldnt help but read.

LEAVE BLAINE ALONE. You guys are so annoying. I get that you are angry but this was not an easy choice for him. Believe me, I had to come out to my parents and that was scary as hell. I cant imagine Blaine coming out to everyone. Of course he wanted to hide it. You cant pressure anyone to be honest about that. Give the guy a break. Hes obviously going to lay low after saying something like that. Its embarrassing, especially when he knows were going to be mad. Hes only  human. Give the guy a break.

Blaine looked up at Kurt with tears in his eyes, "I dont know what to say."

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaines neck and said, "I know."

He continued to stare at the computer screen for a long time. His throat felt dry, and he wasnt sure how to react to any of this. In time, he found Kurts hand and grabbed it, whispering, "Kurt what am I going to do?"

"I think you need to act on it, Blaine," Kurt said truthfully. He stepped around the chair and looked into Blaines eyes. "Youve been hiding, and they might see that as as sign of weakness... Prove you are stronger than them. Make an appearance."

"With you?" Blaine asked.

Kurt shook his head, "you just need to make it known that youre not a coward. Step out into the world, and show them that you are proud of who you are. The less proud you are, the more room it gives them to talk."

"You think so?"

"i know so. When I was bullied, I never backed down, because I was proud of who I am," Kurt kissed Blaines hand. "i was tired. I felt so weak for so long, and I became more of a target, because it was so easy. When I stood up to my bullies, and my glee club defended me, it was that much harder for them to tear me down. The hate was still there, but I knew i couldnt let it ruin who I was. You shouldnt either, Blaine. Your dad did enough damage there already. Its weighed you down for so long, but you cant let it anymore."

Tears formed in Blaines eyes. He knew Kurt was right. This had destroyed him long before the public even knew about it. He had felt so weak, so forced to hide himself. That was only to his family and the people closest to him. To continue hiding from hundreds of people seemed like an even bigger burden.

"Hey," Kurt gently brushed his tears away. "Its okay."

"Im scared, Kurt," Blaine whispered.

"I know," Kurt cupped his hands around his face. "But I told you that I am going to be here through this. I will be right by your side, I promise. This wont be easy, but Ill get you through it."

More tears continued to fall, and Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurts waist, burying his face in his shirt.

"Whats wrong?" Kurt asked.

The tears wouldnt stop. If anything, Blaine began to cry harder. His body began to tremble, and Kurt wrapped his arms around him tightly. He began rubbing his back and soothingly mumbling, "its okay. Youre gonna be okay."

it was all so over-whelming. Coming out, dealing with the media, the guilt of his fathers death, the fact that his brother had been so kind despite how terrible Blaine had been to him, and Kurt being there through everything. Sweet Kurt, the one person Blaine needed i his life, the one person Blaine didnt deserve. He was there. Comforting Blaine, telling Blaine it was okay... He didnt deserve it.

When his tears subsided and Blaines body began to feel tired, he wiped his eyes and looked at Kurt, who knelt down in front of him. "Im just so sorry for everything, Kurt. Im sorry for hitting you. Im sorry for lying about you. Im sorry for putting you through everything."

"Blaine," Kurt whispered. He placed his hand under Blaines chin and tilted his face up to look at him. "I care about you. I could have walked away and never looked back, but I didnt. I chose this. You dont need to apologize."

"I dont deserve your forgiveness. You shouldnt even be here," Blaine hiccuped.

"Get used to me, babe, Im not going anywhere," Kurt gave him a warm smile.

Blaine took a deep breath, pulling himself together. He grabbed Kurts hand and said, "I never thought we would work. I was such an ass to you. All I ever did was push you away. I cant tell you how much it means to me that youre still around. You shouldnt be. Ive hurt you so much, but youre such a decent person to look through all that... Why?"

"Because I love you," Kurt leaned in and gently kissed Blaine. His warm lips were so comforting and Blaine deepened the kiss. When Kurt broke from him, he rested his forehead against Blaines and said, "I dont know what it is about you, Blaine Anderson, but my heart cant seem to let you go."

"It doesnt make sense," Blaine said

"This guy that bullied me in high school kissed me, and for a long time, I was the only one who  knew he was gay. Eventually, he admitted that he liked me, and I wasnt sure I could date someone that had harassed me and threatened to kill me." Kurt sat back and bit his lip. "We met sometime later down the road, and he was doing so well, and he seemed like such a decent guy, and I realized how much he had changed. I regretted not taking the chance to get to know him on a personal level. Who knows? We could have been great together."

"Why are you telling me this?" Blaine asked.

"I hated you when I first met you. You were rude, self-absorbed, and I wanted nothing to do with you," Kurt shook his head. "And then I realized that, maybe, you just needed a friend. And for whatever reason, I began to fall in love with you. The part of you that was hidden behind that asshole turned out to be someone I couldnt see myself without. I looked beyond the walls you built around yourself, and now I cant imagine walking away from you... Its like my situation with David. He had a different person hidden behind a wall. I just never gave him a chance, but I am so grateful that I gave you a chance."

"Me too," Blaine whispered.

"I dont know if I believe in destiny or soulmates or whatever," Kurt shrugged. "But I do believe that I met you for a reason. You needed that friend that I knew I had to be for you. Somehow, we ended up here. Walking away would only damage you worse than you already are, and I cant do that to you. I also cant damage my own heart by doing that either."

"I love you," Blaine kissed him, pulling him closer to his body. He slowly made his way down to Kurts neck and gently kissed it, as Kurt moaned softly at his touch.

"You know what I think you should do," Kurt pulled away from him a moment later. 

"Hmm," Blaine hummed into his neck.

"You should go out with brother," Kurt sat back on his legs and stared at Blaine. "I know you dont want to be caught with me right now, but being with your brother might distract people for a little while... You guys havent been seen in public since Better Brothers. itd give them something different to talk about."

"Yeah, maybe," Blaine shrugged. "Do I really need to find another reason for people to talk about me though?"

"Talk to him. See how he feels about it," Kurt gave him one final kiss. "Im gonna head back to my hotel and shower."

"Wait," Blaine grabbed his hand and pulled him back. Kurt sat down on his lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Dont go. You shouldnt have to stay in a hotel while youre here."

"Well, usually I stay with Rachel but were on the rocks at the moment," he said awkwardly.

"Stay with me," Blaine insisted. "If I cant have you in public, I want to be with you as much as I can privately. Please, stay." He gave Kurt his best puppy eyes and Kurts expression immediately softened.

"Thats not fair," Kurt laughed.

"Please," Blaine begged.

"Fine," he gave in. "But I need to retrieve my belongings from my room, and I need to shower. Youre too small. I cant borrow your clothes... Give me an hour and Im all yours."

"Itll be a long hour," Blaine sighed heavily.

"Get over it," Kurt gave him a peck on the cheek and said, "Ill be back in an hour."

"Ill be here."

Kurts plan for Blaine to get out with Cooper proved to be more than Blaine had hoped for. Cooper took Blaine to the mall the following afternoon, and for a while, Blaine thought things were going well.

More than once, they had been approached by fans. "Holy crap! I cant believe Im meeting both of you at the same time!" A girl screamed, as she ran toward them. "Here, Steph, take a picture." She pushed her way in between Cooper and Blaine and placed her arms around them. When they took the picture, she gave them both a quick hug and said, "I love you!" Before she took off in excitement.

Another fan, who was more interested in Cooper, shot Blaine an awkward glance that Blaine wasnt sure how to take. He gave her half a smile, and she took a picture with him, but she seemed distant with him.

"Youre imaging things," Cooper told him at lunch. They stopped in the food court. "People dont hate you, Blaine. You just think they do, because you assume they are going to judge you for being gay."

"Well..." Blaine threw his hands up in the air. "Ive seen what people have said online, Coop."

"That was stupid. You should have stayed off," Cooper picked up his piece of pizza and took a bite.

"Kurt thought it would be good for me," Blaine shrugged.

"So hes back in the picture now," Cooper raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah," a smile spread across Blaines face. "I think were okay this time. I know theres been a lot of drama, but he has been good for me, Cooper. He really has."

"I know," Cooper kicked his foot under the table. "You only started talking to me again because of him. If that doesnt say something, then I dont know what does."

"Im sorry I pushed you away," Blaine glanced down at his own pizza, suddenly losing his appetite. The guilt that losing Cooper had been his fault had rested heavily on his shoulders for so long, even after they started talking again.

"Hey," Cooper reached over and grasped his wrist. "Look at me," he waited until Blaine did before he continued, "We went through a tough time. I never would have guessed that things would have gotten that bad... I should have been there for you, Blaine, and Im so sorry I wasnt. You were suffering, and I should have been the responsible brother and taken better care of you. Instead, I ditched you, because i was immature and didnt know how to deal with a twisted teenager. Im sorry I didnt try harder."

"Youre here now," Blaine gave him a smile. "I resented you for quite some time, but if theres one thing Kurt has taught me, its that people can change. Youre here for me now and thats all I can ask of you."

"So were more mature now... It means you shouldnt be mad at the person I invited to meet us for lunch," Cooper bit his lip nervously. He glanced over Blaines shoulder.

"What?" Blaine went to turn around to see who he was talking about.

"Wait," Cooper grabbed his arm. "Tell me that youre more mature and youll understand that this has nothing to do with you coming out or anything."

"What did you - " Blaine whipped around and saw Rachel walking toward them. She beamed, waving. "What is she doing here?"

Rachel sat down next to Cooper and leaned over, kissing him on the lips, "hi there."

"What?" Blaine asked.

"After she left your place the other day, I followed. She was cute, and ive been so lonely, Blaine. We started talking and next thing we knew... we were kissing, and it felt good. I wanted to invite her here to ask you if this was okay," Cooper glanced nervously at his younger brother.

"Rachel, I thought you were still upset about Kurts brother?" Blaine asked, staring at her.

"I am," Rachel said, her hand reached for Coopers. "But Blaine, I cant  mourn Finn forever. He would want me to move on, and Ive been so alone. I need to get out there again, before I drive myself insane."

"So you started dating my brother, of all the people you could date in LA?" Blaine said hotly.

"Were not dating. We wanted your approval first," Rachel shot back.

"Not approval. I just wanted to give you a heads up," Cooper sat forward in his char. "Im not trying to make you look like the bad guy, Blaine. I get that shes your co-star, but I am allowed to see who I want."

"Maybe you havent changed as much as I thought," Blaine rose from his char. "You picked up my broken pieces like it was nothing. I told the world that Im not interested in her, so you might as well have her? Are you trying to rub it in my face that you can date whoever the hell you want without anyone giving a damn?"

"Blaine, be reasonable," Cooper said calmly.

"No, screw that. I thought we were becoming friends again Coop, but maybe thats not a good idea. You were only trying to be nice today so I would be okay with you dating Rachel, Its always been about you, and thats never going to change," Blaine left his trash on the table, too angry to hang around another second. 

He dialed Kurts phone but didnt receive an answer. "Damn it," he tossed his phone in the passenger seat of his car and drove off angrily.

It wasnt fair. Cooper always had it so much easier than he did. Blaine had to give up his dreams to make Cooper happy. Cooper had been their fathers favorite, while Blaine sat in the background, hoping things might change someday, until it was too late. Then Blaine was the one full of regret. Blaine had to give up Rachel, just so Cooper could pick up his pieces. Meanwhile, Blaine had to work for his relationship with Kurt, while the world would accept Rachel and Cooper with no problem. It was so frustrating. Why couldnt anything come easy for him?

He arrived back at his place and stormed out of the car, forgetting his phone in the passenger seat. He entered the living room and found Kurt lying on the couch. He was sleeping. He looked so beautiful, so at peace. Blaine now understood why Kurt had watched him the previous morning.

Taking a seep breath, Blaine sat down next to him on the edge of the couch. Leaning over Kurts calm face, Blaine kissed his forehead, and Kurt jumped, his eyes fluttering open. "Hi," Blaine said quietly.

"Hey," Kurt said groggily. "How was lunch with your brother?"

"Terrible," Blaine ran a hand through Kurts messy hair. "I dont care. I just want to be with you."

"Aww," Kurt sat up, nuzzling Blaines cheek with his nose.

"I want to be with you completely. I dont care what people say anymore. I want to be able to take you out in public, and not care what people think. I want you. All of you. Youre not a problem. I should be allowed to be witho you without judgement."

"Honey, you realize theres always going to be judgement, right?" Kurt asked hesitantly.

"I guess I dont care," Blaine took his hand. 

"Youre just upset, Blaine. You dont mean it," Kurt shook his head. "You said you were scared."

"Then im going to have to deal with that in the future. Youll be by my side, Ill have to let that be enough," Blaine squeezed his hand.  "I dont know how, but I promise you, Kurt Hummel, Im going to find a way to let everyone know that youre mine, and I dont care what they say."