Kurt was dusting, deciding to spend his afternoon off cleaning his apartment in preparation for his breakfast with Rachel tomorrow. He had neglected house chores for awhile, busily caught up in volunteer work and school and shows. He dropped the duster as he felt his phone ring. He smiled as he saw Blaine’s number. “Baby boy, what’s up?” He said, happy to finally talking to his best friend again.

Blaine felt relief as Kurt answered the phone. He knew he could count on his friend to just listen, he always had. “I’m in trouble.” Blaine began. He hated putting it like that bit what else was there to say? “I’m being evicted.” Blaine gave a short laugh at the irony of the situation. He’d come to New York to be a star, not to starve and wind up homeless. At least he had enough money for a youth hostel at least for a few days.
Kurt hummed, his tone sounding sad, feeling awful for Blaine. “Ok.” he said finally, laying back onto his couch, “Before we strategize, may I please sing Rent?” He teased, trying to lighten up the situation. “Yeah, or not.” he said finally, “Hmmm.” he said again. “Blaine,” he said suddenly, “Come live with me!” He hopped off the couch, pacing in excitement. Why had he not invited him to live with him earlier? He knew Blaine was trying to make in New York on his own. Blaine was his best friend. He should have been rooming with him since day one.

Blaine laughed despite his turmoil at Kurt’s mention of Rent. It was so true; sad and true in so many ways. But when Kurt invited him to come over and live with him, Blaine wasn’t sure what to think. He didn’t like the idea of using his friendship like that plus there was Sam to think about. Well, Kurt could think about Sam, he supposed, still there were lots of considerations. Their schedules, space. Who was Blaine kidding, he needed a place, his best friend had a place. This didn’t have to be so difficult. “Are you sure?” He had to ask.

Kurt could hear the hesitation as Blaine was silent. He tapped his foot on the carpet, inpatient. It was so like Blaine to over think everything, to look ahead to the future, to analyze every little thing before making a decision. Sure, Kurt was pretty analytical and liked to think of the worse case scenarios, but he always ended up following his heart. It got him in a lot of trouble, but his dad once told him if he didn’t, he’d be lying to everyone, including himself. Kurt let out a silent sigh as Blaine finally answered. “Blaine,” he said, frowning at the question. “You’re my best friend. Of course I’m sure.” He said his voice firm and decided. He knew when he took that tone, Blaine couldn’t say no.

Blaine decided to go for it, Kurt was fine, he was fine, they would have an amazing time, if Blaine knew anything it was that. He would worry about the consequences and implications later. “Thank you, Kurt. You’re the best friend a guy could have.” And Blaine meant that from the bottom of his heart. Kurt had remained his friend through all of this mess; Kurt was his one steady place in the storm around him. “How does right away sound?” He asked, grinning. He was homeless now, might as well get on with the move.

Kurt clapped excitedly, happy that his cell phone was balanced between his shoulder and chin so that the clapping didn’t cause him to drop the phone. “You better get over here now, Anderson,” he smirked, trying to sound threatening. His phone beeped from a text from Sam, but he promised to check it later. “We’ll have to talk sleeping arrangements later.” He said, as he paced the small apartment. He had a one room, but he also had a small side room that he had turned into a studio for his fashion designs, sewing machine, and paper work for the LGBT shelter, but he’d have to clean it out, Blaine could sleep there. “I’ll see you soon, okay? I’ll start dinner now,” he added, smiling as he thought about cooking for Blaine. It’d be just like old times.

Blaine worked on stuffing all of his clothes and books into the few bags he had. He followed that with his laptop and cell phone and bath products and then he looked around his little one room flat and sighed heavily. There was a mattress, a chair, a tale and a lamp, and none of them seemed worth salvaging. This was all he had come up with in a year’s time because school was expensive and he had no time to take on more work. Blaine took his two bags and one suitcase and went to hail a cab. Twenty five minutes later he was on the lift up to Kurt's place and he wondered if Kurt had taken time to tell Sam what he’d decided. He knocked once on the door and then went on in to the apartment.

Kurt was in the kitchen blasting Lady Gaga full volume and dancing around as he cooked for Blaine. He had remembered the time they went out to eat at a little Indian place and how much Blaine loved the curry. He wanted to give it a try and make it on his own.

Thankfully, he had all the ingredients and was just about ready to go when Blaine walked in. “Hey you!” He yelled over Lady Gaga’s Poker Face, “Just throw the bags in my room, you can sleep there until I clean out the studio,” he said, before turning off the music and going to properly greet Blaine. “Hey,” he said softer this time as he hugged him. “You doing ok?”

Blaine dropped his bags in Kurt’s room and then came back just as Kurt was turning the music off. He hugged Kurt and put on his best smile. Kurt wouldn’t buy it but that was just the way they were together. Blaine never admitted to anything these days. It would be too terrible. “I’m great.” He said with a shrug, but he held on to Kurt just a little longer than normal, needing to feel his friend’s strength. He was feeling a lot better now that he wasn’t alone, now that he was with Kurt. “Something smells amazing.” he added looking around Kurt and into the little kitchen.

Kurt let out a sigh as Blaine held him. He didn’t want the other to let go, and that thought confused him. You have a boyfriend, he reminded himself. He crossed his arms when Blaine pulled away, keeping an eye on him. Something was wrong and Kurt knew it. He smiled a thanked as Blaine complimented his food. “Come here,” he instructed, offering Blaine some curry, looking at the other worriedly.

Blaine bent forward to take a bite of the curry and grinned as he chewed. It was fantastic; the perfect balance of sweet coconut and spicy curry. “That’s great.” Blaine raised his eyebrows and mumbled around his bite, and then he swallowed. “Thanks for this Kurt, seriously. I can help with rent, it won’t be much but I’ll help out, and cook and stuff.” Blaine’s offer to cook was maybe not the best idea, but he hoped Kurt would appreciate the meaning behind it.

Kurt shook his head quickly as he turned back to the counter. He dug around for two plates and plated up some curry and vegetables for him and Blaine and placed them on the small table in the kitchen. “What do you want to drink, B?” He asked, still ignoring Blaine’s statement . Once Blaine answered with his drink choice, he brought it over and took a seat. After taking a few bites in silence, he looked up. Why was his heart fluttering? “You don’t need to help with rent,” he said finally, his voice stubborn. “I..I’m more than happy to have you here.” He said, before leaning forward near Blaine, about to say more, but his cell phone rang and he sighed, “Hold on, it’s Sam.

Blaine just watched all of Kurt’s movements quietly noting that he didn’t say anything in response. Secretly lane had always liked to watch Kurt move because he was so graceful; his hands were always doing something beautiful even during mundane tasks like serving dinner. “Wine?” Blaine asked and Kurt came and sat with him at the little table. Then Kurt started explaining to him why he didn’t need to help out when his phone rang and he answered it o talk to Sam. Blaine sat and ate in silence while Kurt chatted on the phone. Maybe they could go out later, he mused; somewhere where the phone wouldn’t be heard. No, he told himself that was never going to work, he had to be gracious and shit. No competing for Kurt’s time with Sam.

Kurt felt his temper rise at Sam. He loved the boy without a doubt, but he was terrible at planning, terrible at following through, and terrible at not procrastinating. He sighed, finally hanging up. “I’m sorry about that B.” he said, feeling awful. In fact, something inside him much rather he spend the night with Blaine. Stop it, Kurt! He took a seat, returning to his curry. “So, Blainey,” he said, giving a whiny voice, “tell me, tell me all. How are you?” He said, looking over at the boy sympathetically. What he really wanted to do was hug him again, maybe more…Stop! He bit the inside of his check to keep his thoughts in check.

Blaine shrugged when Kurt apologized. It was no big, really, except they had just sat down. Blaine smiled his most gracious smile at Kurt as he sat back down. “I’m alright K. really, just can’t seem to keep enough money to stay ahead. If it were just a matter of working I could do that, but I have to have to time for school too…” Blaine looked away and took a sip of his wine. He didn’t like being poor. He hated that Kurt had to take him in on the one hand and on the other he was glad it was Kurt, Kurt who understood the situation and knew what Blaine had gone through to get to New York. “I have enough money for school, enough for food, enough for cabs, I just never have enough for rent.” He shrugged nonchalantly again as though he wasn’t overly bothered.

Kurt chewed the inside of his check nervously, what were these things he was feeling an why? He should be worrying over Sam who was yet again not done with a paper he had due in less than seven hours. He should be rushing over there and offering him help, but all he wanted to do was cuddle, and bug Blaine until he was honest. He picked at his food, mindlessly, but not taking any bites of the now cold curry. “Blaine…” he said softly, reaching across the table to take his hand. “I love you,” he said, pausing after those words to let them have their own effect, “but you’re a terrible liar.” He smirked, massaging the back of Blaine’s hand. “Now, I demand you tell me what really is wrong. You can either do it sober, or we’ll have to finish this damn bottle of red wine until you tell me.”

Blaine could tell he wasn’t impressing Kurt with his bravado, but he didn’t care. It was all he had really. He was brought so low in the past few months that he had surprised himself on more than one occasion. He felt more than a little warm though when Kurt reached across the table and took hi hand. It was a casual thing between them. They touched, and kissed, and hugged without it ever going any further, but that didn’t mean that Blaine never felt anything. He always had, but the time was just never right for either of them. They were comfortable in their relationship and it meant everything to Blaine. It also meant the world to Blaine that Kurt never took crap from him. Kurt was the only one who could call BS on Blaine. “It sucks.” Blaine said simply. “So pour the wine."

Kurt smiled warmly down at their joined hands; he tried to ignore the small heart flutter that he always endured when he and Blaine made contact. But he intertwined it to just what their relationship was. He knew deep down that that was a lie, but he refused to let that thought surface, feeling his phone vibrate with a text from Sam. He sighed, and pulled the phone out, checking it, than rolling his eyes, and turning off the phone, putting it out of reach. “Wine it is then,” he said, gently squeezing Blaine’s hand, before pulling away. He cleared their now finished plates and returned with a half empty bottle and another full one. He popped the cork and poured, handing a glass to Blaine. He took a long swig, washing away his recent stress. “Ok baby boy,” he said, looking intently at Blaine. “Tell me what’s really going on.”

Blaine got up and moved to the couch and waited for Kurt to join him. This being his second glass of wine he was just mildly relaxed. He may as well get this out there or Kurt was going to bug him for the story day after day, eventually he would have to give in. He always gave in to Kurt. “I’m breaking under all this pressure. It’s not all going according to the grand plan I had when I got here.” He took another sip of his wine and leaned toward Kurt just a little. “You’re the only decent thing left in my life, Kurt. Everything else is trash. The men I see, the jobs I have, that apartment I just lost. Everything. I hate it.” Blaine down his drink in one final gulp and looked away.

Kurt frowned and put down his glass of wine. “Oh Blaine….” he whispered, leaning forward, climbing closer to Blaine. He pulled on the other, bringing him into a hug. “It’s ok…” he said, rubbing his back. “Let me help you out with the jobs, okay? And don’t even worry about the apartment. This is your home now.” He offered, strategizing how to fix the saddened Blaine in front of him. He hated seeing Blaine upset. It was the one thing that would always end up breaking his heart. He nervously leaned forward, gently kissing his check. He stayed a second longer than he should have, before pulling away, blushing. “I um…I promise, it’ll be okay.” He whispered.

In that moment, like so many other little moments before, Blaine wanted nothing more than to pull Kurt tight and just keep him there. Make him see what Blaine had always felt and had always known. There were always several things that prevented him. The first was simply that his friendship with Kurt was the only serious relationship he had ever been able to maintain; he wasn’t about to risk doing to Kurt what he did to others. Kurt would leave him for good. The other was that the timing was never right. Kurt had been with Sam for years. You couldn’t just walk in and try and take that away. It was no good. So they had this sort of understating between them. If one needed the comfort they could take it and it never went too far. A thousand kisses had never changed things and tonight was no different. Blaine reached forward to take the back of Kurt’s neck as he was pulling away and pulled him back in for a real kiss.

Kurt blinked a bit in surprise as Blaine took his neck and kissed him again. He slowly softened into the kiss; it shouldn’t have shocked him. They did this often, no matter if they were single or not, it was just something they did. They had a mutual relationship, with unspoken rules, unspoken boundaries. Yes, they could kiss, yes they could go get coffee, or have sleepovers, or such, but no, no they were not together. Kurt pulled away slowly, his eyes fluttering open groggily. His head was racing, his hands clammy. He took Blaine’s hands to try and steady his nerves. What was happening? So many things cycled though Kurt’s head. Sam. Sam. Blaine. What was he doing? Blaine…Blaine. “Blaine,” the last thought was spoken out loud. “I…I…” he stammered.

Blaine was selfish in a lot of ways, and he accepted that about himself. This was probably a little unfair though, even for him. He kissed Kurt deeply, taking the warmth that he needed and the feeling of closeness only Kurt could provide. He wrapped his arms around him just as he had wanted to and then the kiss was ending. Kurt was pulling slowly away and Blaine was letting him go. They had reached that line, the one they couldn’t cross, and Blaine sighed softly as they parted. Clearly Blaine was intoxicated or just buzzed even. He could admit to himself that he liked to push that line but doing so tonight was just wrong. “Shh.” He patted Kurt’s leg and tried to soothe him. “I just needed that.” He lifted one corner of his mouth in a half smile. “I guess I wanted to feel close to you.”

Kurt stood up, and backed away from the couch. “Blaine….” he said, as his back finally hit the far wall. His eyes stayed locked on Blaine’s and he could heart beating in his throat. He saw his phone in the far corner and immediately felt guilty, thinking of Sam. He should be over at his dorm; he should be helping him with his paper. He shouldn’t have kissed Blaine, more so, he shouldn’t have liked it. All of this, on top of the way Blaine was acting, sent his heart racing, on and edge of being seduced by the situation and being terrified. His hands by his side, he dug his nails into the side of his legs nerves racing. “I…is…is that all you wanted from me?” He asked, trying not to sound hurt.

Blaine was confused when Kurt stood and backed away. He found himself standing as well before Kurt even reached the far wall. Kurt’s eyes were wide and deeply blue. “Kurt..?” It was a question as much as anything else because he suddenly felt off kilter. Kurt was never afraid of him, never afraid of what they shared. Why would it be any different now? Of course it was different, Blaine knew it was because he wasn’t about to go home, and Kurt wasn’t about to either, they were here together. More than that though, and this was the part that Blaine felt the most guilt over, Blaine was incredibly needy. He always was, there was never any kindness or tenderness in any of his relationships, except with Kurt. Kurt was his home and his strength and he was the only man Blaine would love. Tonight more than ever Blaine needed that. He knew he shouldn’t do this, but he felt he had to make it right, make Kurt see they were alright, so he followed Kurt most of the way across the room, but he was shocked when Kurt spoke again. “It isn’t like that. He said softly. It’s you I need. The kiss is just all I can have of you, so I took it and it was unfair.” He wasn’t sure if those were the right words, he wanted to say he needed Kurt and always had, it wasn’t a physical thing, it wasn’t bodily contact he craved it was Kurt and his spirit that he needed now.

Kurt bit his lip, avoiding Blaine’s glance, the rushing in his body was not helping him try to focus on what Blaine was saying. If he had looked up, he would have seen the softness in Blaine’s eyes, and that softness alone would have made him melt; made him end up telling Blaine how much he needed him, how he was head over heels in love with him and only him. He inhaled sharply, and looked up, trying to force the budding tears behind his eyes not to fall. The thoughts going through his head were thumping loudly through his brain. He knew the kiss shouldn’t have meant anything, but it had, and that terrified Kurt. Not only could he not ruin his relationship with Sam, but he couldn’t ruin his friendship with Blaine. He was the most important person to him ever. He tried to rebuild his wall, brick by brick, letting out a sigh, and forcing a soft smile to sooth Blaine. But the moment Blaine said that Kurt was who he needed, the brick crumbled. “I…I want to be needed by you..” he whispered, looking away and nervously fiddling with the fabric of his t-shirt.

There was something in Kurt’s manner that was so appealing, which Blaine chalked up to the wine. The way he fiddled with his shirt, the way he looked everywhere but right at Blaine, the way his lip trembled, my god, the words coming out of that mouth. Too easy, it would be so easy to walk over and just take it, take everything he needed. Kurt was offering wasn’t he. Blaine was another step closer. Then he was closing the distance between them. He was cupping Kurt’s cheek and forcing him to look into Blaine’s eyes. “You are needed by me, every day.” He whispered. Then, just as quickly he dropped back, all the way back to the couch and sat down. His eyes sought Kurt’s and he realized something very crucial. If he was going to stay there had to be boundaries and that was not something h was prepared for. “I think we should go out, K. What do you think?” He whispered this a little gruffly. They needed a change in scenery and fast before one of them pressed this all too far.