One week after that night, Kurt is leaving LIGHT (the name of his teacher's clinic. Yeah I know, subtle) when Blaine calls him.

- Guess what?! – He yells, noticeable excited.

- What?

- Oh silly Kurt, haven't you heard about this game? You're supposed to guess!

- You discovered you are adopted and your biologic mother reached out to you in need of your help: turns out your estranged brother is severely sick and needs your kidney.

- I... What?!

- I didn't get it?! Oh damn it, I was sure I had it!

- Ahah very funny, smart designer pants! No! Broadwaydotcom just confirmed they're doing a revival of, wait for it, West Side Story and they are doing open auditions!

- Wow, that IS fantastic! You're trying outaren'tyou?

- Obviously! And I think you should come too.

- Me? No, no, no, no, I gave up that path a long time ago thankfully!

- Ok, but tell me you're at least coming with me, I'll need moral support.

- Iwouldn'tmiss it for the world. Besides, it's always fun to watch you slay those NYADA peasants with your talent.

- You're forgetting I'm one of those NYADA peasants?

- Oh honey you're a whole other level of peasantry!

Blaine laughed loudly on the other line.

- I need to go, I'm late for the matinee, but we'll talk tomorrow morning, ok?

- Obviously.

OoO

- ... So, I guess I could do an acoustic version of Baby Got Back for my audition!

They were in the line to get coffee the morning after and Blaine justcouldn'tshut up about his upcoming audition.

- Oh Blaney Bear, Iwouldn'tdo that if I were you, I know for a fact that's not a great-

- 'Morning sweetheart! – Blaine interrupted to joyfully greet the barista – I will have a medium drip and aaaaa.... – he thought for a moment – grande nonfat mocha for my friend over here and maybe one of those Portuguese specials to share. A Pastel de Nata will do?

He looked questioningly towards Kurt who sighed deeply, said something about extra time in the elliptal but eventually agreed.

Till this day it still amazed and warmed the fashionista's heart to know Blaine knew all of his coffee orders. All of them. Yeah, it had began with the "plain" grande nonfat mocha, but he also knew Kurt liked the peppermint hot chocolate when he was feeling down, skinny cinnamon dolce latte when irritated and lemon tea with honey and cinnamon before bed.

They found a table in the back right beside the large Victorian styled windows.

- I'm so excited!

- I can see that! I'm not even sure you should be drinking coffee, your brain may actually explode from it!

- Oh come on don't be a party pooper, I'm just happy! It's my favorite musical of all time and they're doing this modern vanguard version of it with less ethnic shenanigans more general awesomeness and they are rethinking all the staging and choreography, although I hope they keep the epic though guy finger snapping AND I have a great feeling about it.

Kurt smiled fondly at his friend's enthusiasm. Those were the times where Blaine looked more like the younger version Kurt had met in a stair case: full of life, excitement and hope in a better and brighter future. It was delightful to watch.

- Happy suits you, it makes your eyes sparkle. It's either the happiness or the obvious dose of whatever drug you secretly put on your coffee every day.

- Damn it, I thought I could keep it a secret!

The two friends shared a laugh that vanished comfortably into silence while they both sipped their drinks and looked to the frenetic hustle on the street.

- Isn'tthis comforting?

- Uh? – Blaine turned to his friend who was still looking at the street with wonder in his eyes.

- The kind of chaotic order that always fills the New York streets... it used to be so overwhelmingly hectic, but I guess it grew on me 'cause now is almost relaxing.

- Yeah, I know what you mean. What I like the most though, is the fact that, because no one really gives a flying fuck about you, you can be whatever you want. It's so liberating.

Kurt nods and they give the busy street another look until Kurt breaks the silence again:

- I'll do it. – He says, finally looking Blaine in the eye. - I'll show my drawings to Isabelle today and see what she thinks about them. We're in the city of all dreams, right? What harm can it do?

Blaine smiles largely all bubbly and beautiful.

- That's even greater news!

OoO

When Kurt got home that night he felt lighter and happier than he felt in a long time.

In his hands was his unfinished portfolio, now heavier with his notes from Isabelle.

After seeing his design she had started with:

- The first things I thought were: he lacks discipline, continuity and most of all: confidence. You draw like you don't believe in it. That obviously needs to change...

Those words cut through Kurt's mind like a knife. That was it, the final word and judgment, if Isabelledidn'tlike his work, then nobody would.

- ... but most of all, I thought I was having the privilege of seeing a young and future genius's work beforehand. You're really talented Kurt, your work shows promise and Iwouldn'tbe surprised if 5 years from now, everybody in this town knew your name and wore your designs. That backless burgundy gown?! Amazing! I want it! You just need to put a little bit more faith in it. Tell you what: create an entire collection, let's say, for next spring, I'll help you along the way and when you finish, I'll introduce you and your work to a couple of important people in the business. How does that sound?

Kurt was speechless, looking at his boss with his mouth opened and tears of joy forming in his eyes.

- Soooo?

- Good! That sounds goods! Better than good actually. Perfect. Splendid. Marvelous. Thank you, thank you so much – he almost made them both fall into the grown with the strength of his hug.

- Thank god you're not wearing your hippopotamusbroochthis time! – She said when he finally let go of her.

- Sorry, I got carried away! Thank you again!

- No need to thank me, it's your accomplishment, it's your talent that's getting you there. Now, just get your hands to work on this.

- I will, I promise!

So that happened.

Kurtwhirled aroundin his sitting room remembering it.

- What's gone into you, lady lips?

He turns and sees Santana on the couch watching a movie with a pretty blonde in her arms.

- Life is beautiful Satan and we need to celebrate it more often.

He went to his room and jumped in his bed, falling onto it and sighing deeply.

That actually happened.

The last seal of approval and appreciation from the world had come. And the damn seal feels fucking good against his skin, it swells his chest with pride and excitement for what's to come. He could do this, he had to.

But first, there was one person he needed to call.

- Get your ass down here, today we're going out.

OoO

They end up in a loud and crowed club, getting tequila shots at the bar. They had dragged Rachel, Rachel's current boyfriend Nicka (yeah, what kind of name was that), Santana, Amy (the pretty blond) and Blaine's roommate Nick with them and they were all having a great time, toasting to Kurt, dancing and drinking.

- Tomorrow is going to hurt! – Kurt said as he slapped the empty shot drink in the counter.

- Yay, let's drink to that! – screamed Santana.

- Let's not. – answered Rachel.

- Yeah, why intoxicate our bodies with practically ethyl alcohol when we can be dancing?! – Blaine said grabbing Kurt's hand and pulling him towards the dance floor.

They were all beyond drunk, but they manage to get into the heated mass of dancing bodies without much difficulty.

Blaine found a relatively open space in the crowd and pulled Kurt towards him. Their hips moved with the rhythm, their dancing sloppy and uncoordinated, but neither of them caring.

Blaine swirled Kurt around and pushed himself against his back, pressing his head against the side of Kurt's neck, inhaling his scent. The older boy followed his lead, letting his head fall back on Blaine's shoulder and winding his left arm in the back of his best friend's neck.

The air grew a little thicker as both boys lost themselves more and more in the music and in the heat of each other's bodies.

This was a dangerous field, they both know it, and if theyweren'tso hammered they would probably do something to stop it, but the alcohol made forgetting about it so much easier.

Blaine put his hands on Kurt's hips and lead the dance, not resisting from bring his hands up to the little exposed skin of his lower stomach, from where the older man's shirt had risen up, noticing how his muscles flexed under his touch, how he could feel every inch of their bodies touching, how the exposed extension of his neck begged to be kissed and nibbled.

- You look so hot tonight – Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear.

Kurtwasn'tdrunk enough to not feel his heartbeat speed up.

However, he was drunk enough to spin around, enlace his arms behind Blaine's head and say:

- Why don't we go back to your apartment and I let you take advantage of that? I miss your touch.

Blaine froze and looked deep in Kurt's eyes:

- What? – was Kurt really thinking they could damage their friendship like that, that Blaine could ever casually have sex with the man he lov... used to love.

Kurt's brain got a little less drunk with the confusion and hurt in Blaine's words. He quickly pulled his hands away from the younger's shoulders and took a step back.

- I... that was a mistake. I better go home.

And he ran away from Blaine's arms and in to the cold air of the outside street. He ran away from it too, until his breathing was frenetic and his legs hurt. He fell in the ground from exhaustion just a few feet from his apartment and stayed there for a moment.

What was he thinking?! He could just have ruined everything!

- Dumbass – he said out loud.

- KURT! – He heard a familiar voice calling from behind him and turned to see Blaine running in his direction – Kurt?! Are you ok?

- I... I just need a moment alone Blaine, you don't need to do this- Kurt said a little harshly while getting up.

- Do what?

- The nice guy act! I'm fine by myself, I don't need you.

But his body (and his blood's alcohol percentage)didn'tagree with him, 'cause he wobbled dangerously when he was finally standing.

Blaine jogged towards him and caught the unstable body in his arms.

- I can see that. Now be an asshole all you want, I know you're only doing that because you're uncomfortable, but you're stuck with me either way.

- I'm not uncomfortable. And you should be drunker!

- I have work tomorrow morning, I've been skipping out most of the shots without nobody noticing.

- You're not drunk at all?

- I'm in the "everything is funny and fuzzy" stage.

- So you meant what you...

Kurt held himself from finishing what he was about to say and there was an awkward silence doubled by the fact that Blaine was still holding him firmly in his arms.

Kurt quickly untangled himself and shook off thenonexistentdirt in his clothes.

- You can go.

- Kurt, you're not in-

- GO!

Blaine was surprised and a little hurt by the outburst but stayed where he was.

- GO! Get away from me!

- Kurt, please... you don't mean it.

- How do you know what I mean? You have no idea what I want, you're pretty bad at guessing what I want.

- What, what are you talking about?

- I... nothing! Just please go!

- I'm not letting you alone.

- Why are you always so nice? You think you can go around charming every one, being always so dapper and beautiful, being this perfect best friend, dancing with me and telling me I'm great and talented and hot... it's exhausting! Stop it, it's exhausting for me to keep myself from...

Once again Kurt shut his mouth before finishing and turned around, beginning to walk towards his apartment.

- From what? What are you talking about? – Blaine caught up with him, grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around. When he wasfinallyable to look at Kurt's face, he saw tears in the older man's eyes – please, talk to me.

Kurt looked so lost and hurt, for a seconded he seemed to ponder spilling his feeling to his friend.

Feelings? What feelings? No! There are no feelings, I'm over that. Hedoesn'twant me anymore, we are best friends and that's perfectly fine. No feelings. Pull yourself together.

He shook his arm out of Blaine's grip and took a step away from him.

- Nothing. I really need sometime alone Blaine, I'll be fine. We'll talk in the morning.

OoO

The next morning Kurt woke up wishing he hadn't.

His head was pounding so hard, it almost sounded like some shitty drum 'n' bass song.

And then his phone was ringing.

WHY?

- What?

- 'morning – Blaine's voice greeted him, sounding kind of constrained.He must be hungover too.

- Stop yelling!

- I'm not yelling.

- Then shut up all together.

- It's good to seeyou'vewoken up on your good side.

- How are you even able to properly talk after yesterday?

- Uh... I...didn'tdrink that much...but I already told you that(he thought).

- Whatever. What do you want, I was planning on staying in bed and dying today.

- I... I was wondering if youwouldn'twant to come over later.

Blaine was sounding really weird, like he was afraid of saying what he wanted.

- Yeah, ok, if I manage to get out of bed, I'll pass by your house.

- Great, I think we need to talk.

- O...kay.

- Bye.

- But talk about what?

But Blaine had already hung up.

Kurt somehow managed to get out of bed and inside the shower. He pulled some hangover clothes (sweatpants, hoodie, huggs and the biggest pair of sunglasses he could find) and strolled over Blaine's house.

- Don't let me drink that much ever again! – He said right as Blaine opened the door.

He walked inside and laid on the couch, follow by Blaine who seated in a close by chair.

- I mean, I don't even remember most of it, but I'm sure it was awful.

- You... you don't remember?

- I remember drinking and dancing and drinking some more and then dancing some more...

He also vaguely remembered Blaine's hands on his hips and lower stomach, but I decided not to mention that because he was sure it was just an exaggeration of his drunken brain.

- You don't remember how you got home?

- No. Oh my god! What did I do? It was embarrassing,wasn'tit? Did I toke off my clothes?!

No, but you wanted to.

- No, you just...

He paused... was this really worth telling? Why was he making a big deal out of it in the first place? Kurt had been probably talking nonsense because of how drunk he got. Blaine was once again making up a whole fuzz in is head when in reality was nothing.

But Kurt implied he wanted to have sex with him.

Well, I was practically grinding on him, there were just too much hormones and sexual frustration in the air.

But he said he missed your touch.

That... that must have been the heat of the moment. Kurthasn'thad sex since last year, when he was dating Paul, so he just said the first thing that came to his mind to the ex-boyfriend who was practically dry humping him.

Yeah, that was it.

There was no need to create a scene or even risk a fight because of a little drunk heated dance.

Hedidn'teven thought about the fact that he himself hadn'tbeen drunk.

- Nothing, you were just really stubborn on the idea of getting home by yourself, I just wanted to make sure you were ok.

Kurt sighed out of relieve.

- Thank god Ididn'tdo anything stupid. Do you want to watch a movie? I don't feel like moving from here.

- Sure! I'll get the Moulin Rouge from my room.

They got themselves comfortable and ended up watching not only Moulin Rouge, but also Singing In The Rain, The Notebook and Les Miserables.

But even though Kurt seemed perfectly entertained by the movie session, Blaine was barely paying attention to the LDC screen. There was a nagging feeling distracting his mind and heart: an immense doubt.

Were they really fine? Was this all they truly wanted? Had Kurt been really just drunk and nonsensical?

Hecouldn'tkeep himself from looking at Kurt every other minute. He looked very engrossed by whatever drama was in the screen, laughing and crying in the right moments, looking so beautiful...

NO. DON'T. Don't go there. Don't let yourself hope, you know how that ends. I'm fine. We're fine!