Blaine rubbed his eyes and glanced at the wall clock. Who would be knocking on the door at 9pm?

Staggering down the hall, Blaine looked through the peephole. Shit. Sam.

Running his hands through his hair to try to tame it, Blaine looked down and saw there was a stain on his shirt. Fuck.

Knowing it was useless to delay things, he reluctantly opened the door.

Sam looked him over thoroughly, from his long unkempt hair, his stained tee, his tired eyes, and he nodded. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He stepped in, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, Sam. Nice of you to stop by. Can I get you a drink?" Blaine tried to see if acting like a normal host to Sam would shake the displeased expression off his face.

Sam scoffed and walked into the kitchen. He started making coffee. "I think you've had enough drinks already. We're going to have some coffee and hopefully sober you up enough to talk. Now go change your shirt."

Just having Sam talking sharply like that to him was making him more alert, pulling him out of his fuzzy haze. Nodding, he went to the washroom and splashed water on his face, brushed his hair and changed his shirt.

Sam was carrying a tray of coffee and heading towards the living room. Blaine's heart sank. He rushed forward, grabbing the empty beer bottles to clear space on the coffee table.

Setting the tray down, Sam just shook his head at Blaine and helped him clear up the mess of bottles and empty glasses. He raised an eyebrow at the empty bottle of tequila. They carried everything to the kitchen and put them in the recycling bin and dishwasher.

"Does Kurt know it's like this?" Sam poured out the coffee and settled back on the sofa.

Blaine followed his actions. Shaking his head, he glanced quickly at Sam. "Not really. I clean up, usually. He's been getting in late, after I'm in bed. I get up before he does in the mornings." He shrugged. "One time I left stuff out, and told him you'd been over."

"So you are drinking alone, hiding it from others, lying to people about it..." Sam pinned him with a direct look. "What's going on, Blaine? I haven't seen you like this for years."

Blaine looked down at his coffee cup, knowing Sam was right to question this. "I don't know."

Sam put an arm around Blaine's shoulders, giving him a squeeze. "Well, your business is going well, so I'm guessing it's about Kurt. You said you hardly see him because he's working late?"

Sighing, Blaine took a sip of coffee. "They’re getting ready for opening night in about a month. Nate gave Kurt the Associate Director position so he's even more committed to making it work."

"But you hardly see him then." Sam nodded.

Blaine shrugged. "I'm happy he's working again and doing so well at it. I can see this being his new career, so I'm not going to stand in his way."

Sam sipped his coffee, looking at his friend. "Why did Kurt ask you to move in here, again?"

"He was still a little weak, and the nurse didn't want him alone in case he needed help or was overdoing things. Maybe just for emotional support too." Blaine looked back at Sam.

"Wouldn't you say those reasons aren’t valid anymore? He's obviously come a long way in three months." Sam crossed his legs on the sofa.

Blaine poured himself another cup of coffee, stalling for time as he searched for the answer. He sighed, "Ok, you're right." Kurt was stronger physically. He had rekindled old relationships and was back working. "But we are kind of involved now..."

Sam looked over Blaine's troubled expression. "Obviously, you aren't totally happy with how things are and you aren't facing up to it. You know you drink when things are like that. What aren't you facing up to?"

Blaine thought back to the last time Sam had had a talk like this with him. It was almost five years ago, when Blaine was crashing on Sam's sofa as he passed through New York. He was on tour with a band, and they were taking a few days off before hitting the road again.

Sam had come home too many nights to find Blaine surrounded by empty beer bottles. They had talked long, way into the night, and Blaine finally had to admit to himself that he needed a career change. The instability around being a musician, working job to job, travelling so much, had been OK when Blaine started out. But after so many years, he was burnt out. It just didn't fit him anymore.

Blaine had finished the tour and moved back to New York, working music jobs in the city when he got them and other jobs as they came up. He had to face up that it was time for a career change.

"Kurt is amazing, but I don't know how he feels about me. Mostly I'm just a convenience, I think. A friend and company when he's home. And lately, a bit of a fling." Blaine shrugged, feeling sad.

Sam wrapped his arms around Blaine. "Kurt is a great guy, and I know you really care about him. But you know this whole situation isn't healthy for you. You wouldn't be sitting around an empty apartment drinking if it was. You deserve better than being Kurt's boyfriend, or whatever you call it, out of some sort of default. Time to come home, Blaine."

Blaine burrowed into Sam's arms, glad that he had such a good friend that really understood him and cared enough to make him talk it out.

"What am I going to tell Kurt?" Blaine mumbled against Sam's shoulder.

Pulling back, Sam got off the sofa. "You are going to have to figure that out. I'd recommend the truth. Now, come on. Let's pack up your stuff. I'll take it home and you can stay to talk to Kurt. It will save you coming back later, when it's more awkward, to get your shit."

Blaine nodded, thoughts whirling in his head, as he followed Sam to his bedroom.

---

He was idly watching TV when Kurt got home. The booze had worn off, leaving him feeling tired, but the coffee was keeping him awake. Not a good combination.

Kurt looked tired, but there was an energy around him still. Blaine had come to label it 'theatre'. Working in that environment energized Kurt, with so many highly trained singers, dancers and crew. It was obviously where he belonged.

Sinking onto the sofa, Kurt draped his arms around Blaine and gave him a hug. "You are still up. Good."

Blaine swallowed nervously. "Kurt, we need to talk." He got it out fast, needing to start this conversation before he lost his nerve or got distracted by Kurt.

Kurt stilled, pulling back and looking closely at Blaine.

Taking a deep breath, Blaine let it out slowly, trying to calm down. "Um... The three months are up and I think it's time that I move home."

Kurt's eyebrows rose, and Blaine saw a flash of hurt in his eyes before they dropped to his phone to type. "Blaine, no. I want you to stay." He reached over, taking Blaine's hand in his.

Shaking his head, Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand lightly before pulling back. "You wanted me to help you out, until you were strong enough. And now you are hardly even here. I think it's a sure sign you're ready to be on your own, Kurt."

Getting up from the sofa, Blaine tried to keep his emotions under control. "I hope we can stay in touch, stay friends, Kurt." There were a thousand more things he wanted to say, but he was seconds away from losing it. Kurt was just blinking up at him, frozen in place, his big eyes troubled.

Turning quickly, Blaine walked down the hall, thankful that Sam had already taken his duffle bag of clothes. This was hard enough already, and he just wanted to go. Get back and crash in his own bed.

But then Kurt was just there, right in his face, pushing Blaine against the wall. His body was pushed fully against Blaine's, pinning him as his lips found Blaine's. The kisses were hot, deep and hard, and Blaine couldn't help but react, powerless against such heat. His arms went around Kurt, holding him close, his heart thumping hard in his chest. He should stop this, should go, but he just couldn't.

Kurt pulled back, looking down at Blaine's face, seeing his kiss-swollen lips and the heat in his eyes. Smiling, he took Blaine's hand and led him back to his bedroom. Moonlight washed over Blaine as Kurt slowly stripped him, his eyes admiring as his hands explored his bared skin.

Kurt pushed Blaine down on the bed and slowly undressed, his motions as graceful as a dance. Blaine soaked it all in, how beautiful Kurt looked in that cool light, before joining him on the bed. His skin was warm and delicious.

---

Waking up early, Blaine rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. Last night had been incredible, but it was still time to go. Time to go back to his life.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Blaine dressed and looked over Kurt's sleeping form under the covers. He had first seen him in this apartment, in the coma. And now he was seeing him for possibly the last time in this apartment, asleep after their night together.

Brushing a tear away from his eye, Blaine leaned over lightly kissed Kurt's cheek. "Goodbye, Kurt."

And as Blaine left Kurt's apartment, Kurt's life, ready to get back to his own, Blaine let out a sigh of relief. It was hard. It was sad. But it was right.