Kurt sighed heavily, trying not to look outside. It was still unbearably hot, but he was practically shivering.

“Can we please not talk about it? It doesn’t matter. It’s not like he’s my boyfriend or anything; he can kiss who he wants.”

“Oh, please! You’re not just going to let him get away with this?”

“With what? He hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s fine. We kissed. They kissed. He didn’t promise me anything.”

Rachel looked ready to burst into tears.

“But why did he have to do it in front of you?”

“He didn’t know we were watching.”

“I don’t care.” Santana shoved handfuls of food onto a shelf, knocking off half of what was already there. “I’m pissed at him. He led you on. It’s not cool.”

“Whatever. Can one of you take over? I don’t really feel like talking to people today.”

Rachel nodded, kissing him on the cheek and giving his wrist a squeeze as he slunk off into the stockroom. It only made things worse. She wasn’t the one he wanted kissing him. In spite of everything, he still wanted Blaine.

Outside, things were tense.

“I can’t believe you haven’t been inside yet today. Are you scared you’ll never come back out?” Jeff asked with a nudge. He noticed how quiet Blaine was. “Is everything okay? Did you talk over the weekend?”

Blaine shook his head.

“I called a couple times. He didn’t pick up.”

Sebastian snorted.

“If you want my opinion,” they all rolled their eyes; nobody ever wanted his opinion, “he’s probably bored of you already.”

“Drop it, Sebastian. I’m even less in the mood for your crap now than I was on Friday.”

The others glanced between the two of them.

“What happened on Friday?” Nick jabbed Thad in the ribs. “Ow! What? We were all wondering.”

“You could have at least tried to be subtle. So, Blaine… What did happen on Friday?”

They all wanted to roll their eyes, but they were intrigued. Blaine paused. He knew telling them would stop any work from getting done, but they weren’t exactly being productive anyway. He looked at Seb, and that defiant smirk made him want everyone to know what he was like.

“Sebastian kissed me.”

The whole crew, warblers and adults alike, stopped what they were doing and glared at him.

“You did what?” Jeff shouted. “After he’d just got it together with Kurt?”

“Together? He’s not even talking to him. I probably did you a favour, Blaine. You’re better off without him. Everybody knows he’s a slut.”

Blaine dropped the shovel he’d been using to nudge the dirt for half an hour, and lunged at Sebastian, shoving him until he almost lost his balance.

“Don’t you even talk about him-”

“Did you really think anybody would talk to you like that, look at you like that, if it wasn’t for a joke? He’s been whoring around all summer, Blaine, he’s not suddenly going to be your boyfriend!”

“You’ve been whoring around your whole life! That’s not why I pushed you away, Seb; I didn’t want to kiss you because you’re a douchebag and I’d rather never see him again than be with you for another minute.”

Sebastian’s smirk faltered, but only for a second.

“Fine. Be with him, if he’ll have you. I just hope you don’t catch anything.”

Blaine’s eyes darkened and he pushed him again, but Sebastian swung at him, his fist colliding with his lip. Blaine crashed to the ground and Nick and Jeff rushed to help him up, while Andy stormed over to yell at Sebastian.

“What the hell do you think you’re playing at? Get off my site!”

“What? He started it-”

“Oh, really? Well, he’s the one on the floor, and you’re the one who hasn’t done a lick of work since you’ve been here. I’ll call you parents and let them know you won’t be needed tomorrow.” Sebastian scowled and threw his hat on the ground before skulking off. “You okay, Blaine? Are you hurt?”

Blaine smiled, splitting his lip further and wincing.

“No, not really, I’ll be fine. I just… wanna go inside for a second. Is that okay?”

Andy raised an eyebrow for a second and nodded slowly.

“Right. Maybe somebody can put some ice on it.” Blaine glanced at Jeff, who was blushing. Of course he’d told him. “Go get him, champ.”

Blaine tried to ignore the dozen pairs of eyes on him as he wandered inside to see Kurt at the end of the aisle, bending down to put cartons of milk in rows on a shelf. Even though they hadn’t spoken since Friday, he couldn’t help smiling at his ass, in black, snug jeans instead of the work trousers from before. Presumably to show Blaine what he was missing. They were doing their job.

“Well, that’s a sight for a sore lip.”

Kurt stood abruptly, turning to face Blaine to revoke his ass-ogling privileges, seeing him covered in dry dirt with a bloody lip.

“That’s not the expre- oh god, what happened?”

As much as he wanted to stand firm and show Blaine that he didn’t care who he kissed, he couldn’t stop himself from sweeping forward to inspect the injury. He took Blaine’s chin in his hands, tilting his head so he could look properly.

“Sebastian happened.”

Kurt dropped him immediately.

“Oh. Sebastian. The one you were making out with on Friday. Well if you guys had a fight, it’s really none of my business-”

He turned back to the milk, picking up a carton and pretending to check the date on it. Blaine had to try not to laugh.

“Ohhh, that’s what it was.”

“What?” Kurt snapped without turning around.

“That’s why you were ignoring me.”

“I don’t care enough to ignore you. I was just busy.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“Yes, I’m mad! You kissed another guy, like, five seconds after you kissed me!” He heard Blaine snort and only resisted the urge to slap him because he’d been beaten to it. “Blaine, you better not be laughing at me!”

“I want to, but it hurts. Could you make me another ice pack? Our first aid guy’s been sent home.”

“You should know better than to bring your domestic disputes to work.”

“It was not a- please, Kurt. Just let me explain. Five minutes.”

Kurt turned around.

“Two minutes. Out the back.”

Blaine raised an eyebrow at the suggestion of another clandestine trip behind the scenes, and Kurt rolled his eyes, groaned and dragged him out. Blaine knew they hadn’t fixed anything yet, but just feeling Kurt’s hand around his again made him smile. It didn’t hurt anymore, but he wouldn’t have minded if it did.

Once they were in the warehouse, Kurt’s hand moved up to Blaine’s shoulder to guide him into a seat. Even when he was angry, the touch was soft and comforting. He sat opposite him, fixing him with what was supposed to be a cool glare. He couldn’t hide the concern in his eyes.

“Go.”

“No ice?”

“Depends how good your explanation is. Go.”

Blaine took a breath, huffing it out through his nose.

“Would it make a difference if I told you that he was the one who kissed me?”

“Not really.”

“What if I told you I pushed him off?”

“Is this a hypothetical scenario to gauge my response, or is that what happened?”

“That’s what happened. I pushed him off and told him to leave me alone, because I don’t like him. And kind of because I like you.”

Kurt took a slow breath. He silenced the voice in his head screaming ‘he likes me!’ and tried to concentrate. His head tilted in apprehension.

“Slightly better. Why’d he hit you?”

“Because I pushed him.”

Kurt’s eyes narrowed and his head tilted forward.

“And why did you push him?”

Blaine paused. He’d have rather wiped that part from his memory.
“Because he was… saying stuff about you.”
“What stuff?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Blaine cracked his knuckles and stared at the table. Kurt rolled his eyes.
“What stuff, Blaine? I can take it, okay, I’m a grownup.”
“He called you a slut.”
Kurt’s smile faded abruptly and he straightened in his seat.
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“Well, I’ve never been called a slut before. I don’t know how I’m supposed to react.”
“I wouldn’t recommend violence. Especially if you’re smaller than your opponent.”
Kurt smiled. Blaine mirrored it, only to hiss when his lip stung again. Kurt reached forward and stroked the swelling with the tip of his thumb. Blaine gazed at the concern in his eyes and felt instantly comforted.
“Hang on.” He disappeared with a cup and emerged seconds later, the cup full of clear cubes. “Hold still.” He plucked one from the top and held it up to Blaine’s lip. He used his other hand to cup Blaine’s cheek, eventually summoning the courage to look into his eyes.
“Thanks.”

Kurt hardened his face again, determined to clear everything up.

“You’re not done yet. Why did that annoy you?”

“What?”

“Say I am a slut. What difference does it make to you?”

Blaine frowned. It hadn’t just been the word; it was the way he said it, so full of venom as if he was better than Kurt. As far as Blaine was concerned right now, nobody was better than Kurt, least of all Sebastian.

“I don’t know.”

Kurt pulled away, taking the ice with him.

“So it bothered you? The idea of me sleeping around, that would… put you off?”

Blaine paused. Honestly, part of him had worried. It hadn’t put him off, but it freaked him out.

“No. If it had stopped me liking you, I wouldn’t have shoved him.”

“But?”

“But… It scared me.”

Kurt frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“Look, Kurt, you can do whatever you want. Whoever you want. It doesn’t change how smart you are, or how good your legs looked on Friday, or how pretty your laugh is,” Kurt blushed, “but I thought… I thought that if you can go from one guy to the next, what’s to stop you from doing that with me? I want- something with you. I don’t mean it has to be forever, but I don’t want it to be just another night. I want it to matter.”

Kurt smiled at the ice cube in his hand and lifted it up to Blaine’s lip again.

“That was a pretty good answer.”

“Well, that’s why I pushed Sebastian, even though it sounds stupid now. And that’s why my lip hurts, but it’s also why I’m here with you again, so it can’t be all bad.”

“I was starting to think you were injuring yourself on purpose.”

Blaine grinned, his lip numb with cold.

“It’s just a bonus.”

Kurt’s voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper.

“You didn’t have to do that for me.”

Blaine raised his hand to hold the one on his jaw.

“I did it for me. But I would have for you. I think I’d do anything for you.”

Kurt squeezed his hand gently and leaned forward until their noses brushed together. The atmosphere was anything but sexy. The lighting was harsh and there was no music, just the loud whirring of the air con and the gentle buzz of the freezer. The white walls were hidden by shelves full of cans, bottles and jars, and neither of them had any alcohol in their system to lower their inhibitions or friends cheering them on, but it didn’t make it any less magical for Blaine when Kurt kissed him again.

Their hands lowered to the table, linked together, while Blaine’s free hand found its way into Kurt’s hair, running through it slowly, letting his fingers be stroked by it and stroking it back. Kurt squeezed Blaine’s thigh, not caring that the dirt from his jeans was getting on his fingers. He felt his heart beating faster and warmth spreading through his chest and down into his fingertips, and neither of them flinched when he dropped the ice cube and it shattered on the floor. His skin prickled and he felt goose bumps pop up along his forearms, and as he raised his hand to hold onto Blaine’s arm, he realised his hairs were standing on end too. He smiled into Blaine’s mouth as a shiver ran down his spine.

Blaine hummed quietly, pulling back just enough for their lips to part without their noses separating. Their foreheads pressed together, and he gave Kurt another gentle kiss, unable to stop himself. He let out a gentle hiss as his lip thawed back into sensation. Kurt half-frowned, half-smiled, his brow furrowed.

“Is it okay?”

“It’s worth it.”

Kurt let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Good. If I had to stop until it healed-”

“Don’t even joke about it. Let’s go somewhere.”

Kurt shook his head, shaking Blaine’s with it. Blaine finally pulled away properly, his eyes widening at the idea of the impending loss.

“Don’t look at me like that; look at where we are. I’m working.”

“Can’t you leave early?”

“Nobody’s assaulted me. I’m here ‘til midnight.” Noticing Blaine’s eyebrow quirk, he added, “and no, I’m not getting beaten up just so I can leave, although I’m sure Santana would be glad to help. I don’t think I could pull off an injury quite like you.”

“I don’t know; I think you’d look rugged.”

“I’m just going to warn you now. I don’t really do rugged.”

Blaine shrugged and gave Kurt another peck.

“We’ll see. So, midnight. I’ll come and pick you up. Then we can go somewhere.”

“Perfect. I’ve always wanted to be swept off my feet in the middle of the night after a twelve hour shift for an evening out in my uniform.”

Blaine smirked, sure that those jeans weren’t regulation.

“We could just go back to my place. I can cook you something. Or, you know,” he kissed him again, “we could find something else to do.”

Kurt put his thumb on Blaine’s chin, holding him back so he couldn’t hurt his lip any more. And maybe to tease him. A tiny bit.

“Well, why don’t you go home and get some rest, and we’ll talk again at midnight.”

“How very Cinderella of us.”

“Except your car’s already a pumpkin.”

“Maybe the magic kicks in at midnight and it turns into something cooler.”

“I think we’re getting Cinderella wrong.”

“I only really watched that movie for the mice.”

“It was no Little Mermaid. Or Aladdin.”

Kurt sighed again and blushed slightly, and Blaine’s mouth fell open.

“You didn’t!”

“What?”

“You had a crush on Aladdin!”

“Did not-”

“Did so-”

“Clearly I have a thing for guys who show off their chests for no reason.”

“And I guess a tan doesn’t hurt.”

“Not everyone can pull off my complexion. But if you show up in a fez you can forget about kissing me again. Anyway, I have work to do. Go provoke somebody else into punching you.”

Kurt stood up and tried to haul Blaine out of his seat, only to slip on the puddle created by the forgotten ice cube. Blaine jumped up in time to catch him, putting both hands firmly on his waist. Kurt covered them with his own and kissed him before reaching up to drape his arms over Blaine’s shoulders, fitting them together like they had on Friday night.

“You did that on purpose.”

“You dropped the ice. Anyway, I think it was my turn to save you. Midnight?”

Kurt smiled.

“Midnight.”