Kurt found himself spending his Saturday at the Wish Factory offices, where they had set up a studio for a photo shoot with all of their celebrity supporters. There were a large number of actors and singers, all decked out in official Wish Factory t-shirts, adorned with phrases like Dreams come true and Hope is forever, in a variety of colours. Kurt found himself wearing black skinny jeans, a purple t-shirt with yellow print reading, Fate is what we are given, destiny is what we do with it, and matching purple converse. All the spokespeople were dressed similarly, in colourful shirts with cheesy slogans in the complimentary colour with matching converse. They were all put in front of the screen and directed into various formations and poses, as groups, pairs and individuals. Later they were told that the campaign was being used for a range of promotions, from billboards to printed ads. After they had taken sufficient amounts of photos in a bunch of different combinations, they sat each supporter down to ask them a few questions, hoping for a nugget of wisdom from each. If they could get one great quote from each about the foundation it would make the ads a lot easier to design.

Kurt ended up being paired with an intern named Sara, who asked if she could record an audio of the interview to transcribe later. Kurt agreed, and their interview began.

"How do you feel about the foundation's work?" Sara asked.

"I think that the work they're doing is fabulous. Not just what they're doing that is seen to the public eye, either. They do a lot of work behind the scenes, giving money to families to help with hospital bills and such, providing counsellors to schools who lose kids to terminal illnesses, and so many other great things that are just kept so quiet, you know?" Sara nodded. "They accept that you can't change the course of an illness once it's terminal, but that you can do so much more to improve the quality of life that one has before passing. It only takes one spark to start a fire, and in the same way it only takes one small gesture to have a huge impact."

"Are you enjoying your time as a supporter?"

"Yeah, definitely. It's such an eye opener to see these teens doing so much with what time they have left. There are some of them who you wouldn't even guess have had these illnesses," he said with Blaine in mind, "but they are so much stronger because of it. When you've been through something like that, nothing could ever be that tough again, and I think that that's enough to get you through."

"What have you learned from your experience?"

"I think I've learned how to be more convincing as an actor with an illness like these teens are going through. I've had a lot of insight to where the money the foundation gets as donations goes to, and I have been so fortunate to see the work in action. I'm one small piece of a huge puzzle, and I couldn't even dream of helping anything like this on my own. There are always people backing me up, and I just get to be on the front lines."

"Do you have anything else you might like to say to someone who is, say, considering donating to the charity?"

"The more donations they receive the more work can be done. Nothing could be possible without your support, and it is hugely beneficial to everyone involved if you give a little. What seems like something small as a donation can be the start of a new big project. Of course, what the foundation is best known for is the wish granting aspect, and I get to be a part of that for some of these teens. The money to get these teens to a place where they can have their wishes come true doesn't come from nowhere. Without support, the foundation can't thrive, and I know I would be devastated if this work couldn't continue. The best way to get involved is to donate, but that isn't the only option. You have the ability to make a change, but you might need to go looking for your ability."

"Do you have anything else to add? Maybe you have a story you would like to tell?"

"I admittedly wasn't too thrilled about the idea of meeting up with so many sick teenagers. I thought this would all just be really depressing. But then the first time I had a meeting," he thought back to his meeting with Blaine, how quickly they had clicked. He thought about walking through Central Park, about coffee at Delia's, about the motorbike ride, about the breakfast they had, about late night hot chocolates in his kitchen, about hugging Blaine and never wanting to let go. The experience he had had was nothing close to depressing. "That first time changed my mind completely. It showed me that I was changing lives and giving hope without even knowing it. I had no idea how big an impact I was having as an actor, but so many of these teens have told me how helpful it was for them to be able to turn to Highlands, to have Elliot there." Blaine had said that, when they had met. He thanked Kurt for being Elliot, and had said 'I don't think I could have gotten through any of this without him.' One fictitious character was making all these lives that little bit easier.

Sara thanked Kurt for the interview, explaining that they would likely trim it down and publish it on the website or in some other form. She let him know that quotes from the interview may well end up on the advertising campaign in some way or another, and Kurt thanked her for her work, and she just sort of blushed and said that being an intern meant she didn't do a whole lot. "It doesn't matter," Kurt said, "Like I said, some people need to go looking for their ability. I think you might have found yours. You might feel like you're only having a small impact, but with enough impacts you get a big one." She turned off her recorder and apologised for having forgotten to turn it off sooner, but Kurt just told her not to worry.

He walked out of the office with one t-shirt more to wear proudly.

Leah and Kurt were in a car back to the apartment when Leah decided to break the silence. Both had been avoiding conversation, knowing that at one point or another in any topic the attention would shift to Blaine again.

"How did your interview go? The pictures looked good." She said, looking out the window. It took Kurt a moment to realise she was even talking to him.

"Fine," he said, "do you know when we might get a chance to read over it? Will we have to wait for publication?"

"I doubt it. I'll email them when we get back home; you might get some kind of advanced copy, at least a transcript or something."

"Thanks, Leah." They were silent for the rest of the car ride back.

Blaine's friends were all still blissfully unaware of his friendship with Kurt. Marie let Wes in one day after school and he in turn let himself into Blaine's bedroom. Blaine was just confirming a post on his blog as he entered, him smiling at his computer at the picture of Kurt. His followers expected Kurt Hummel, and that was what they got, whether or not Kurt Hummel himself was monitoring the blog. He closed the browser and turned to face his company. "So The Wes has come to visit then?"

Wes rolled his eyes. "The Wes has. You should be honoured by The Wes's presence. Are we going to play BR or not? We have a town that needs to be liberated. Dibs on Leiyna!"

"Can The Wes stop referring to himself in the third person?" Blaine moved over to the door, assuming they were going to go downstairs to play.

"The Wes cannot." Blaine whacked him playfully as he passed him and headed out of the bedroom.

They set up the game and began to play before Blaine got a text from Olivia, his phone buzzing on the sofa next to him. "Is it the girl assumed to be your girlfriend by your dad or the girl assumed to be your girlfriend by her friends?" Wes asked as he paused the game to let Blaine respond to the text.

"The former," he replied, opening the text and reading over it. Any nudity from Hummel today?

"What does she want? Let her know how nicely I paused for you and also that she's cutting into our gaming time." Wes's phone buzzed as if on cue. Hey Wes, stuck with Heidi today :( wanna come hang out?

"Is that your actual and not assumed girlfriend?" Blaine asked, smirking at Wes's reaction. He always seemed to be scared of Kaitlynn, although he didn't have any reason to be. Wes nodded. "What does she want? Let her know that she's cutting into our gaming time." Blaine teased, although he replied to Olivia's text all the same, saying, Prince Julio is shirtless, but from actual Kurt there is nothing new since yesterday when you asked.

"Oh, believe me, I would. But you haven't met Kaitlynn, Blainers. I'll just go call her. That will be faster..." he got up and left, dialling Kaitlynn as he went.

Prince Julio? Is that the video game character he voiced or whatever? Olivia replied, and Blaine rolled his eyes, although he knew that couldn't be conveyed via text message.

I am upset that you don't know for sure.

I haven't played any of the games! For an anime character, is he hot? That earned her another eye roll.

Yeah, I guess so. But still... anime character.

Don't let that stop you from finding Hummel attractive.

Prince Julio is awesome, but he's no Kurt Hummel.

Wes came back in. "That was an uncharacteristically short conversation," Blaine noted, and Wes went back over to the sofa and slumped down.

"I think she's mad at me for not going to hang out with her because I want to liberate the town, damn it." He said, clearly upset about how clingy Kaitlynn could be- but he truly did like her, and he wasn't going to break up with her for having a few trust issues.

"Wes, why don't we take our gaming on the road?" Blaine said, glancing at the TV screen. It was still paused.

"We already travel the memory card between my house and yours; it's always been on tour."

"So we could pack up the console and game and stuff and take it to your girlfriend's house? Keep everyone happy?" Blaine suggested.

"Would you really do that for me, Blainers?"

"That's why I suggested it." Blaine said, "Try and persuade her into it?"

"Okay, I'll go call her. Again." Wes left the room again to call Kaitlynn. Blaine got another text from Olivia.

If I coincidentally happened to be in Westerville, would you want to do something together?

Can you come and make going to my best friend's girlfriend's house more enjoyable?

I already said I'd do anything for you, B. I mean it.

Is that a yes?

Absolutely.

Wes drove with Blaine over to Kaitlynn's house. Kaitlynn greeted them at the door by throwing her arms around Wes and proceeding to attack his mouth with her own. Blaine cleared his throat and Kaitlynn broke her grip on Wes.

"Oh, hi," she said, "I'm Kaitlynn, Wes's girlfriend. And you are?"

"Blaine," he introduced, offering his hand for her to shake, which she did. She eyed him up and down.

"You aren't a girl." Kaitlynn said. Wes had been telling her for as long as they had been going out that his friend Blaine was a boy, not a girl, and that he wasn't dating 'her' behind her back. It had taken until that moment for her to believe him.

"Keen observation," Blaine said, smirking at her slightly.

"Blaine is a girl's name."

"Not really."

"Whatever. Let's go." Kaitlynn took Wes's hand and dragged him into the house, and Blaine followed behind like a helpless puppy until they got to her bedroom, when she promptly closed the door in his face.

Get here faster, Blaine texted Olivia, they're making out and I have no one to talk to.

I'm nearly there! Come meet me at the door otherwise this will get awkward.

Blaine headed back downstairs, taking a convoluted route back to the front door via the kitchen, where he found a small girl reaching up for a cookie jar on one of the higher shelves in the cupboard. He assumed she was Kaitlynn's younger sister, Heidi, whom she was meant to be babysitting. She clearly wasn't going a very good job at that. Heidi stood on a chair, determined to get the cookie jar.

"Need a hand?" Blaine asked, and Heidi looked up at him. She had never seen him in her life, but she had seen plenty of boys like him. Kaitlynn always invited boys over when she was babysitting. None of them ever talked to her.

"Yes please," she replied. Blaine put his hands under her arms and lifted her up so she could reach the jar. When he saw she was holding it firmly in both hands, he put her back down. She took a couple of cookies and offered the jar to Blaine, who thanked her and took a cookie before putting the jar back on the shelf. Heidi smiled up at Blaine. "Thanks for your help," she said, "are you Kaity's boyfriend?"

Blaine laughed slightly, "No," he replied, "but he's here too. I'm his friend, Blaine."

"I'm Heidi. Do you want to watch My Little Pony with me?"

"Sure, Heidi. Who is your favourite pony?"

"I like all the ponies," she said, taking Blaine's hand and leading him through to the living room, where she sat down on the sofa and handed Blaine a DVD, which he put in the machine for her.

"Fluttershy is my favourite," Blaine said, "but I really like Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, too. The others are cool as well, but those three are my absolute favourites." Heidi looked at him in a sort of awe that one of her sister's friends could know about her favourite TV show.

There was a knock at the door and Blaine went to answer it, knowing that it would be Olivia. By the time he got there he had been beaten to the door by Gracie, and- although he hadn't expected her to be there, he wasn't surprised- Sky. Olivia was standing on the front step, the door open and all three girls looked rather confused. "Liv," Blaine said, "hey."

"Oh good, you're here," Olivia said, stepping inside, pushing past Gracie to hug Blaine, "I thought I had the wrong place, freaked out for a second there..."

Sky looked at Gracie and then at Blaine. "Want to introduce us?"

"Oh, right. This is my friend, Olivia. Liv, this is Sky, and Gracie. Gracie is Kaitlynn's sister and coincidentally Sky's friend." Blaine said. Gracie was sort of looking from Blaine to Sky expectantly. Olivia, having remembered one of the conversations they had had, where Blaine had told her the whole story about Sky and the not-girlfriend and how she was pretending to date him, decided to subtly prompt Blaine to act like it.

"Oh, you're Sky! Blaine's girlfriend!" Olivia said. Blaine went to say she's not my girlfriend, before realising himself that was probably not the best idea when Gracie was one of Sky's friends who were busy thinking they were dating.

Sky seemed to have forgotten herself, because she jumped quickly to Blaine's side and wormed her arm around him. "Right," Sky said, kissing Blaine on the cheek, "but you aren't here to see me, so you should go and hang out with Kaitlynn and Wes..."

"They're making out upstairs, I don't think Liv and I want to go up there in a hurry..." Blaine said.

Olivia shrugged. "Don't look at me, B. I said I would come over to talk to you, we aren't going to make out just because they are."

Gracie grabbed Sky's arm. "Come on," she hissed, "I can't believe you just let other girls talk to your boyfriend like that..." she said as quietly as she could manage, which wasn't very quiet.

"We're going to play BR later, if you wanted to join us. You're pretty good, Sky, we could use your help liberating the town." Blaine said, pretending he hadn't heard what Gracie had said.

"Oh, well, we'll think about it, right, Gracie?" Sky replied.

"Yeah." Gracie said, pulling Sky from the room.

"I'll catch up with you later!" she called over her shoulder. Blaine took Olivia through to the living room, where Heidi was still watching My Little Pony.

"I love this episode!" Olivia said, sitting down on the couch next to Heidi. "I'm Olivia, by the way," she said to Heidi, who was completely wrapped up in the show and barely listening to anything else.

"How do you know about the episode to begin with?" Blaine said, sitting on the couch too.

"James is a total brony. He thinks it's lame to watch it by himself though, so he made me watch it with him, and man, it's completely addictive."

"So who do you like best, then?"

"Derpy Hooves, all the way. If you make me choose a main one, then I'd have to go with Twilight. Her nerdiness goes a long way." Olivia said, weighing up her options for a moment.

"So do you think Rainbow Dash is a lesbian?" Blaine asked. He was pleased to have someone else his age to discuss the show with, as a closet fan himself.

"Yeah, because every girl who has short hair and likes sports also is into chicks," Olivia said, her voice full of sarcasm.

Kaitlynn and Wes came into the living room as Olivia was part way through her sentence, which meant they looked at the other two rather oddly. Wes was the first to say anything. "So, Born Rivals, then? Where should we set up, if your sister's in here?"

Kaitlynn shrugged. "The basement, I guess." The group followed as she led them downstairs, which had been decorated and turned into a playroom of sorts. There was a lot of pink, which suggested that Heidi spent a lot of time down there. Blaine set up the console, and passed out the controllers. Olivia refused to take one.

"I'd be a bit useless. You're better off to just have me not play," She said, "I don't know the storyline or anything. I'll just look at the hot anime characters, like we discussed."

"Fine. Kaitlynn?" Blaine offered her a controller, and she rejected it too.

"Hot anime characters? I'll just watch with Olivia. It's Olivia, right?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, right. Olivia, Kaitlynn. Kaitlynn, Olivia." Wes introduced quickly, "and I'm Wes. I've heard about you and you've heard about me but we never actually met."

"Shall I offer players three and four to Sky and Gracie?" Blaine said, and the others agreed. He ran upstairs and offered, and they both came down to the basement. Sky took a controller, although Gracie decided that she would just watch for a bit and maybe play later.

Blaine as player one was Prince Julio, Wes was Leiyna-Dailey, and Sky had the choice between Xandria and Kiaran, the twin warrior trainees that Julio and Leiyna were currently travelling with. Xandria was a healer as an added bonus, but Kiaran was able to level in elemancy if you chose for him to do so. The rest of their stats were the same, so there were no other factors to account for. Sky took Xandria at Wes and Blaine's advice, deciding that at the certain point of the game they were at healing would be more useful than magic.

It was a lot easier for them to liberate the town with the third player, especially since Sky slotted in easily as though she had been playing with them the whole time, as though she were an experienced player and hadn't only played a few times.

Olivia gave her commentary on her appreciation of Prince Julio's shirtlessness, and Kaitlynn agreed. The two seemed to be getting along just fine. Sometime later Heidi came down and sat at the back of the room, drawing some pictures at a small art table.

After completing their chapter goal there was a video that they watched to let them know where the story was heading next. "Hey Blaine, you're only in it for the shirtless prince, right? That's why you're so keen on being player one all the time?" Wes teased, and Blaine tried his hardest not to go bright red.

"I'm player one because you like being Leiyna, Wes. I'm never given the choice." He reasoned, wording it like that for Sky's sake. He hadn't come out to her yet, and in front of one of the few people who thought that they were dating was not the best time.

"True that," Wes said.

"It's not like it's the only time Blaine gets to see Kurt Hummel shirtless though, when he's playing an animated character," Olivia teased. Blaine was positive he was starting to blush now.

"What's that supposed to even mean?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, nothing," Olivia said, "but I've seen your blog. Nice manips."

"Wait, why are you posting pictures of man nipples, Blaine? I get that you're..." Wes trailed off, looking over at Gracie.

Blaine and Olivia just laughed. "Manips," Blaine said, "manipulations. Not man nipples..." Wes started laughing too.

Sky and Gracie started whispering hurriedly to each other, while both Olivia and Wes grilled Blaine with their stares. He just shook his head, knowing that Sky had to sort out the dating mess before she could tell everyone that he was gay.

Wes agreed to drop everyone home, including Sky, since he had his car. Olivia explained that she had been with her parents, visiting her aunt and uncle who had just had a baby. They had dropped her off at Kaitlynn's, understanding that a newborn baby wasn't exciting enough to entertain Olivia for the whole afternoon. Wes dropped her off back at their place and she said goodbye to everybody, promising to text Blaine later on.

Sky was the next to be dropped off, mostly to avoid any awkwardness based on who would be left in the car with Wes after the other two got out. "Oh, I still have your leather jacket!" Sky said, "If you wait out here, I'll run in and grab it for you..."

"You know what; I'll come in with you, just to pick it up."

Wes stayed in the car while Blaine and Sky went inside. "Sorry about Gracie," she said, "she's a bit full on. What were Wes and Olivia on about, anyway? About seeing Kurt Hummel shirtless..."

"She was just teasing and Wes jumped on the bandwagon."

"Why would they say that, though?" she asked, unsure why they would tease him about that, of all things. If it had been about a girl it might make more sense, but...

"Look, it doesn't matter right now. You're my friend, Sky. I want for this to work out for you, this whole pretending to date me thing- but it's getting kind of hard to be friends when all your other friends expect us to be touching each other at every possible moment."

"I know. I'll pretend break up with you soon, okay? I think Gracie will tell me that I should. She thinks physical affection is the only way to have a relationship, and you weren't really giving me that."

"Was I supposed to?" Blaine asked, raising his eyebrows at her. He hadn't been informed very well about what this fake boyfriend thing involved.

"No," she said, "this is my problem. You don't need to make it better for me."

"Good night, Sky," he said, as he took the jacket from her and headed back out of the house.

"Night, Blaine," she replied, "and thanks again."

Back in the car Wes turned to Blaine. "Did you come out to her then?" he asked, and Blaine shook his head.

"It doesn't feel quite right, yet."

"I really want to give you a pep talk about being yourself, but I don't feel like I'm in the position to do so and have it mean anything, so yeah."

"I appreciate the thought, Wes."

"Good. I put a lot of effort into those thoughts."

"Oh, I know." Blaine said. A moment of silence followed.

"So these manips then- what are they, exactly?" Wes asked, still curious from their discussion earlier.

"Um, mostly manips of Kurt's head on shirtless bodies that look about the right build." Blaine explained, feeling a little guilty about that fact.

"So there are man nipples involved, then?" Wes clarified.

"Yeah, I guess so." There was another moment of silence.

"I don't think I'm comfortable having this conversation with you, Blaine."

"Likewise."

"Good thing you're nearly home."

"Yup."

"I'll see you at school, on Monday, then?"

"Yeah. See you then." Blaine got out of the car and headed inside, where he found his mom to say hello quickly before going into his bedroom and shutting the door firmly. Then, he called Sky. The conversation couldn't wait any longer.

She answered the phone right away. "Blaine? Is everything okay?"

"I know how you can pretend break up with me." He said.

"Do tell."

"Tell them I'm gay." Sky didn't respond for a couple of seconds.

"But won't that cause problems for you?" she was genuinely concerned that by telling her friends that Blaine was gay he would end up being picked on or something , what with rumours like that floating around.

"Not if it's true." Blaine said.

"Oh."

"Yup."

"So that's what they meant about Kurt?" she said, putting the two together in her head. Olivia had meant it in a much more personal way than Wes did, but she was the only one other than Blaine to know that was the case.

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Great. Well I'm going to hang up now." Blaine said, not really sure how you were supposed to end a phone conversation like the one they had just had.

"Okay."

"Are you really okay, Sky?" He hadn't meant to traumatise her by coming out, as he seemed to have done.

"Yeah, of course. That's great."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"Well, bye."

"Bye." It was a short conversation, but it was exactly what Blaine needed to say. Whether or not Sky did end up breaking up with him in that way was up to her, but she did deserve to know. That was part of their friendship. His shoulders felt a little bit lighter.