Wednesday

"This is a costume, right?" Blaine asked after having spent fifteen minutes greeting his boyfriend. They were standing in the lobby of the Dalton Academy auditorium.

Kurt laughed. "Oh, of course! A red and black checkered jacket in this season? So not appropriate. The style is way outdated by about a month." The conversation sounded funny, but Kurt was completely serious about his fashion statement of the moment.

"I like the pants though." Blaine hooked his index finger into Kurt's pocket and pulled him close so that he could wrap his arm around his waist. "Why can't I see what your shirt says underneath? I know that Brittany and Puck's shirts say "I'm with stupid." And Mr. Sheuster's shirt says "Butt Chin" What negative could you possibly find about yourself?" Blaine gave Kurt a chaste kiss. "You're perfect." He leaned in once more, but Kurt stopped him from deepening the kiss.

Kurt could sense that, today, Blaine was easily excitable in the arousal department. If they ever made it back to his dorm room this evening, Kurt would be ravaged from head to toe. Not that Kurt was against this idea, he was just focused on his performance at the moment. Born This Way was an important number to him that held a particular special place in his heart.

Blaine got the hint to back off a little. He unwrapped his arms from around Kurt, but went back to Kurt's belt loops and hooked his index fingers through them. "You wouldn't show me what it said after you had it made the first time either."

"Because it's a surprise. A secret, so to speak. It requires a proper unveiling."

"That's something I'm good at," Blaine whispered huskily in Kurt's ear.

Kurt's cheeks flushed a light pink. "You'll see what I mean. Gaga makes this shirt worth the wait."

Blaine kissed the slender boy's cheek. "Anything is worth the wait when it comes to you, my love."

Kurt blushed. "Luck for you, I don't make you wait too long for anything." He gave his boyfriend a peck on the lips.

"Kurt," Mr. Sheuster called out. Kurt looked in his direction. "Wes is trying to gather everyone in the auditorium and I'm calling places. That means your council heads want you seated, Blaine." Mr. Sheuster disappeared behind a door and Kurt hugged Blaine.

"Break a leg," Blaine encouraged.

"Enjoy the show," Kurt said with a flirtatious expression. Without another word, he sauntered away towards the back-stage doors. Blaine followed the rest of the dawdling Warblers and Crawford Country Day girls into the auditorium to take their seats.

He sat between Nick and David, and saw James sitting with Bradley a few rows ahead of him, chewing on his lower lip and looking very put out. Blaine assumed it had something to do with Kurt being on stage and James blaming him for Blaine canceling their "date" and turning it into a group bowling date for this coming Friday.

Last week

Blaine approached a dining table during his lunch hour that sat Bradley, James, Trent, and Bradley's room mate John. "James, can I talk to you?" he asked.

James smiled, the same cocky smile that he used to give to Blaine the day they had coffee with Kurt and Zach. Blaine was hoping this was for show and the real pretending was not him trying to be a nice guy. "Sure," he said getting up. He winked at Trent, but Blaine didn't see that. The two walked over to another table, not far from the one James was originally at. The only difference was that it was empty. "So, what's up?" James asked, his tone changing to being light hearted.

"Why are you doing that?" Blaine asked, his curiosity taking precedence over his original need for talking to the Collin Farrell look-a-like. "When you're around other people you act like God's gift, but then the second we're alone, you change your act completely to friendly and someone approachable."

James looked like he was caught off guard. "I don't know. Maybe because those people are friends with me because I act a certain way. I can't change over night. I'm still working on it." He licked his lips while wearing an expression that appeared like he was thinking hard. "Maybe it's just around you that I feel like I can be the person I want to be." He paused. Blaine's face had softened and he was looking at James' eyes like he was searching for something. James read Blaine's expression to mean that Blaine was coming around to the idea of giving James a chance, but what Blaine actually felt was pity. James reached up and covered Blaine's hand on the table with his own. "You make me want to be a better person, Blaine."

James looked like he was sincere, but Blaine slipped his hand out from under James' palm and fingers and was reminded why he was sitting here with him in the first place. "Kurt and I got back together."

James' face suddenly looked very intense. This was not news he wanted to hear. He remained silent and Blaine continued talking. "This only happened last night, but I thought I should tell you."

"So, you came here to tell me you were breaking off our date?" he asked when he finally found words.

"No. Well, yes, sort of. Instead of going out on Saturday, just you and me, I thought, maybe, you would want to go out with a group of people the night before the benefit concert. You know, as friends. I am thankful for what you did and I'm not one to go back on my word. I thought this would suit both of us."

"This doesn't suit anyone, but you, Blaine." James spat the words out in disdain. "You don't get it. I'm trying to change. I'm trying to be someone you would want to be with. I'm not interested in being your friend." He adjusted his chair, turning it toward Blaine and looking at him directly. James leaned close. He steadied his breathing and tried to push his disgust for the situation away. "I want to be your boyfriend. I've never been the monogamous type. I've never been in love. I've never had someone that I could stay up late with, being all stupid in love with, and share my deepest secrets and wishes with, but more than anything I want that with you. I want to have and be all that with and for you."

Blaine thought carefully about his next words. He felt sorry for the boy in front of him. Not because James never had any of those things, but because Blaine didn't feel anything in response to him. This was an easy decision, if there was even a decision to make at all. "If what you're saying to me now, is true…" he paused and took a breath. How do you break someone's heart without trying to be cruel? he thought. "…then I'm sorry- you're not going to like what I'm about to say. I love Kurt. What you're searching for now, I've already found. I know how you feel, and I'm sorry, but it's not me you're looking for. You just want what I represent. When Kurt and I got together, I told him in a round about way that I didn't see him clearly. It wasn't until I saw him in the right light that I got this feeling of 'Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you forever.' He'd been there the whole time. You can't choose the person who will complete you, James. You stumble upon them."

"I stumbled upon you."

"No, we were forced together by Wes and David. You saw me and decided on me, you said it yourself. You told me that you saw how I was with Kurt and wanted that. I can't give you that."

"But you already have. I'm trying to be better. I see you and want to be better."

"You should want to be better for yourself."

"So, what happened in your room last month, you and me," James gestured with his fingers back in forth in the empty space between them, "it means nothing?"

"No. Not nothing…" Blaine fought to find the right words. He fluttered his eye lids and looked down at his hands in his lap. There is no easy way to do this. "It didn't mean nothing. It just was nothing. It was an accident that neither one of us remembers."

James reached up and scratched behind his ear. He felt a sinking feeling all over his body. "Why him? Why does it have to be him that you bust my heart open for?"

"What do you have against him? He's done nothing to you."

"He took you away from me."

"No. YOU took me away from HIM! You used our drugged out night together to make me leave him. Then your psycho friend used THAT to further separate the one good thing I had in my life at the time." Blaine was feeling exasperated. "You never had me. I was always his. Always, James." He breathed deep and steadied his emotions back out, trying to be nice and not accusatory. "Even this 'date' that you wanted… it wasn't real. It was only something you wanted. Not me. It was a business transaction of sorts. You wanted something, I wanted something… we traded what we had; one for the other."

James bit down on his tongue. He could feel the rims of his eyes stinging. This was something he wasn't familiar with. He knew it was the feeling of tears being held back, but he'd never felt this before. Had I really been that cold for that long that I don't know what this feels like? James thought. He sighed and said the first thing in his head. "Do you even like me? Even a little?"

"As a friend? A person? Like you in regards to what?"

"Any way." James' heart sank lower the longer Blaine took to answer his question. When Blaine didn't answer fast enough James continued. "That day that Kurt found out about us, before he punched you, he said that you said I repulsed you. Is that true?"

"Yes. I did say that. If it matters at all, I like you more now than I used to. The James I knew was the one that was just at that table over there." Blaine jutted his chin at the table where James was sitting at with his friends. "The James I like a bit more is this one. You, in front of me now."

"I act that way," he pointed his thumb behind him, in the direction of the boys he was sitting with prior to Blaine, "to avoid this feeling. If you act like you're better than everyone else, no one can tare you down."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry. You feel bad for me." James was beginning to get flustered again. His hands and upper body were fidgety.

"This isn't easy, you know? I don't want to break your heart."

"Then don't," James reached forward and made to grab Blaine's hands, but Blaine jerked them away again. "Give me a chance. Let me love you."

"I can't. Do you know how many chances Kurt has given me? He's the reason I wake up in the morning."

"He's the reason this is so hard for you. If he didn't break up our rehearsal last night, you and I would still be going on our date and you'd see a whole different me. A me that you would like."

Blaine was having a hard time. What he really wanted to say was that he didn't want James, plain and simple. I want Kurt, not you. I love Kurt and I could never love you. End of discussion. Let it go and move on. But he couldn't say those things. He was too nice of a person to break someone's heart in that way. He knew that James wasn't getting the hint. James was still in the mind set that if Kurt wasn't in the picture then James would have a shot. That wasn't even close to being accurate.

"But that's not the way it is. Kurt did show up last night and Kurt and I did get back together. He's what I want. He's what I've always wanted. I love Kurt and nothing's going to change that. I'm sorry."

"Just stop saying that. You're sorry. You're sorry for this. You're sorry for that. Stop trying to make me feel better."

Blaine immediately wanted to say 'I'm sorry' again, but held it back. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do? He licked his lips. "I don't want to go back on my word to spend time with you. I just don't think it's appropriate for us to be alone."

"I get it. No date." James' demeanor seemed to have changed. He wasn't sad, he wasn't angry; he was annoyed.

"Do you want to come out with a group of us next Friday?"

"No," he snapped, looking at Blaine like he should have already known the answer. "No, I don't want to go out with a group of people and spend my time watching you and Kurt fawn all over each other instead of having a quiet evening alone with you, and flirting with you, and making you feel special."

"James. I-"

"Don't. Just-" James stood up, "-save it."

Blaine watched James storm off out of the dining hall. Maybe I'm fooling myself, he thought. What was I expecting? He was just rejected and I asked him to go on a group outing where Kurt would be there? God, I'm stupid.

Outside of the dining hall, James was walking down the hallways with no goal as to where he was going. He felt like he had to keep moving forward. He walked and walked until he heard the warning bell for his next class to start. He has to feel something, right? Something? Anything? He couldn't have meant that our night together was nothing. It wasn't nothing. It was something. I've watched that video enough to see that he must have wanted me on some level somewhere. Granted I had to watch it on mute, but how could he look at me the way he did? He needed me. How could he ever look at someone else the way he looked at me? How could it be possible? His diatribe in his head went on and on until he forced himself to pay attention in class.

Wednesday

The lights came up on stage and Blaine's attention was brought back to present day and to the stage in front of him. Kurt stood front and center as the music started, with a knowing grin on his face. He looked from one end of the room to the other as if he had a piece of knowledge that everyone in the room needed to know. It made Blaine smile. Something about the look on Kurt's face was different than any other expression he had ever seen Kurt wear.

Kurt's eyes found Blaine.

It doesn't matter if you love him

Or capitol H-I-M

Just put your paws up

Mercedes and Tina joined Kurt on stage and with Kurt's hands above his head, each girl grabbed a lapel on Kurt's jacket.

Cause you were born this way baby

The beat of the music picked up and the girls ripped Kurt's jacket open to reveal his shirt to say "Likes Boys." Blaine was overtaken by Kurt's bravery at putting that particular phrase on his shirt for everyone to see. Owning his sexuality; owning what people tried to use against him. Blaine smiled widely and sat forward in his chair. The rest of the world was blocked out.

My mama told me when I was young

We're all born superstars

She rolled my hair

Put my lipstick on in the glass of her boudoir

There's nothing wrong with loving who you are

Cause He made you perfect, babe

So hold your head up, girl, and you'll go far

Mercedes held Kurt's face and Kurt smiled like he not only knew and believed what Mercedes was singing, he was living proof of it. His expression was beyond apropo: he was gleeful.

Listen to me when I say

I'm beautiful in my way

Cause God makes no mistakes

I'm on the right track baby I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you're set

I'm on the right track baby I was born this way

Kurt flicked off his jacket and threw it into the audience, which some Crawford Country Day girls caught and giggled as they bopped along with the song. Blaine blushed when he caught one of the girls bring the jacket up to her nose. He does smell wonderful, doesn't he? He thought. He looked back to the stage and saw Kurt making his way back to the center stage. Something about his expression changed. Now he was fierce. No. Dominant. He was confident and brave and was singing truth, saying "This is how it really is. Like it or not, believe it because it's true and you can't take it away from me."

Don't be a drag, just be a queen

Whether you're broke or evergreen

You're black, white, beige, chola descent

You're lebanese, you're orient

Whether life's disabilities

Left you outcast, bullied, or teased

Rejoice and love yourself today

'Cause baby you were born this way

There was something very sexy about the way Kurt moved. Blaine knew Kurt wasn't one for dancing and wasn't much of a dancer to begin with, but made do with show choir choreography as best he could. This was different. This confident Kurt was able to move and sway like he'd been doing the moves forever and had no qualms with showing off his hips and muscles.

No matter black, white or beige

Chola or orient made

I'm on the right track baby

I was born to be brave

I'm beautiful in my way

'Cause God makes no mistakes

I'm on the right track baby

I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you're set

I'm on the right track baby I was born this way

Blaine's fingernails were digging into the vinyl arm wrests. He wished he were up on stage with them, with Kurt. He wanted to wear his weakness on his chest and be as brave as his beautiful lover to show him his weakness was his strength. He loved Kurt. He loved him one thousand times over and was conflicted in his wish for the song to both never end because of how proud he was of Kurt while watching him on stage, and also wanting the song to end so that he could attack Kurt with kisses and praise.

Ooo there ain't no other way

Baby I was born this way

Baby I was born this way

Ooo there ain't no other way

Baby I was born this way

I'm on the right track baby

I was born this way

I was born this way hey!

I was born this way hey!

I'm on the right track baby

I was born this way hey!

The song was over and the crowd erupted into cheers and clapping, but Blaine went running. He leapt over chairs and hopped up the stairs to get to the back of the auditorium and busted out of the entrance doors. By the time he made it backstage, the New Directions were off stage.

Kurt barely had time enough to see Blaine's face before being swept up in his arms and spun around in a circle. "You liked it?" Kurt asked when he was put back on his feet.

Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's. "I loved it! You-" Another kiss. "-you're amazing." Kiss. "You're shirt-" Kiss. "The look on your face-" Kiss.

Kurt took a step back, laughing, giddy with the attention he was getting, and not understanding the impact his shirt and performance had on Blaine. "You'll have to slow down, Cowboy, cause I can't keep up," Kurt giggled.

Blaine took a breath. "The look on your face when Tina and Mercedes revealed your shirt was undeniably the most incredible thing I have ever seen in my life."

"Really?" Kurt smiled. "Why?"

"When I first met you. From the very first minute on, you were scared and uncomfortable. You cried within the first hour of knowing me. Now, wearing the words of the very same thing that made you cry to me all those months ago, you're confident, daring, bold, and-and…just-" Blaine couldn't find the words.

"Happy," Kurt said finishing the sentence for his boyfriend. "I'm proud, Blaine. I feel a little awkward saying I'm gay and proud because that's something that belongs on a picket line sign, but I am. I am gay and I'm proud to be gay. I like being different. It's the best thing about me. You taught me that. I could be me and be happy. I could like boys and not feel wrong about it because it's as natural at the color of my eyes."

"I love you so much." Blaine placed a less forced kiss on Kurt's cheek and held him lovingly. "I swear you're my angel sent from heaven. You're amazing."

"Only because of you," Kurt smiled.

Blaine cupped Kurt's cheek and held his gaze for a few seconds. "How did the shirts come into the performance?"

"When the assignment was issued, we had to take something that was a truth about ourselves that other people try to use against us and own it. Almost like taking it back to show everyone else that they can't use it against us anymore."

"What made you choose 'likes boys'?" he asked.

"Because I like boys," Kurt laughed. He said it as if it were obvious. What else would I choose? Fashionista? Cherub face?

"No, I meant: why 'likes boys' instead of a different phrase? Not that I don't love it, 'cause I do. It's just an uncommon way to say 'gay.'"

"You mean, why didn't I use a word or phrase that people actually call me, like femme boy or faggot, homo, lady, fairy, or lady face?" Kurt was smiling, but Blaine was cringing at all the names Kurt had come up with off the top of his head that people had called him.

Blaine swallowed hard. "Or gay."

Kurt gave Blaine a reassuring squeeze to let him know that while those things are hurtful, they didn't bother him as much anymore. "I was going to used 'Gay' as my word, but the sound of it, seems too hard to me. When I say it, I immediately start looking around for people who might hurt me. But when I turn it around and say what it really means, that I like boys, it makes me smile. When you like something, it makes you smile and it's a positive thing. So, I chose that phrase instead."

"It's perfect."

"Well, I really only like one boy."

"Please say it's me," the curly headed boy said now smiling.

"Is your name Blaine Anderson?"

"Yes."

"Then it's you that I love and you alone," Kurt said coyly.

Both boys were now beginning to create a lot of attention with their affections. They purposely calmed their excitement and took a step back. "So, you like this new found confidence of mine?" Kurt asked.

Blaine held his lover's hand gently. "Very much. It's inspiring." He leaned in close to Kurt's ear. "It's also very sexy," he whispered.

"I can give you a private, encore performance later, if you wish?" Kurt implied coquettishly.

Blaine fluttered his eye lids. "No," he replied, pretending to be aloof.

"No?" Kurt asked shocked and confused.

"I'm afraid, if I get a private performance then I will accidentally rip that beautiful shirt off you and I know how you need it. I'd much rather a romantic evening with no animalistic predatory needs. I feel that I need to show my boyfriend how proud I am of him and how much I love him for HIM and not for his body."

"But what if your boyfriend likes that you love his body?"

Blaine blushed and cheshired. "Then I guess we can fit that in the evening schedule too if he wishes."

"You are so eager to please."

"Well, I have a pleasurable lover that I intend to keep that way. I enjoy taking care of my man."

"And this is yet another reason why I wear a shirt that says this," he gestured to the bold faced words on his white t-shirt. "because if I didn't like boys, I wouldn't have someone half as wonderful and caring and giving as you."

"And if you didn't like boys then I wouldn't have someone as amazing, inspiring, and lovable as you."

"We need to stop this and join the others." Kurt and Blaine looked around and noticed that the crowd has dissipated and it was just them backstage now. "I think our ball of love has either killed off the others or sent them running."

Both boys laughed and embraced once more before making their way back to the auditorium. Kurt's phone rang just as they stepped into the room. Kurt backed up when he heard the ringtone and bumped into Blaine, who was walking behind him. He didn't want to be an interruption. He grabbed Blaine on his way back out the door to steady him.

"Hello? Dad?" Kurt said a little rushed.

"Hey kiddo. I know you're in the middle of rehearsal and all, but I wanted you to ask Blaine if he wanted to join us for dinner after the concert on Saturday."

"Really?" Kurt was more surpirsed than anything.

"Yeah. I feel bad that I haven't made it to many of your concerts or shows, so, I want to show my two sons, well, two and a half I guess, how much I love them and support them."

Kurt smiled, appreciating the gesture. "Carol told you to say that, didn't she?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it isn't true."

Kurt laughed. "Yeah, I'll ask him."

"Ok," Burt concluded. "I'll see you before curfew."

"Yep. Love you, Dad."

"Love you too."

Kurt ended the phone call and looked up to a shiny eyed Blaine. "I still love listening to you and your dad converse with each other," Blaine said dreamily.

"Have you talked to your dad lately?" Kurt asked.

"Yes I have actually!" Blaine sounded really excited. "We talk almost everyday. It took sometime, but we can now have a conversation that has nothing to do with homosexuality or me being gay. It's nice really. We're more pleasant with each other than we ever have been in my life. They're coming to the benefit concert."

"That's great, Blaine!" Kurt stifled the want to leap up and down like an excited twelve year old girl. Instead he put his hand on Blaine's shoulder and squeezed encouragingly. "I'm so happy for you both."

"What did your dad want? You sounded happy to hear whatever it was he had to say."

"Oh! He wanted to take me and Finn out to dinner after the benefit and he wanted me to ask if you wanted to come along too."

"I'll see what my parents have planned, but yes, of course I'd love to go."

Kurt couldn't contain it anymore. He squealed. "Oh, I'm so excited. I don't know what to do with my energy. I'm can't wait for the concert and I'm happy for you and your dad's relationship and I'm happy we're together and… I'm just…"

Blaine gently grabbed Kurt's face between his hands and stopped Kurt from talking. He pressed his lips to Kurt's parting his lips only slightly and feeling the warmth of Kurt's moist lips. "Happy," he said finishing Kurt's sentence.

"Yeah," he said dreamily. "Happy."