For the next few days, Blaine tried to absorb the idea that his life might be changing. Sometimes he stood by the window and watched the city, lost in his thoughts, wondering where he'd be if Kurt hadn't stopped to talk to him that night. Sometimes he went even farther back in time and wondered how things would've gone if he hadn't told his father he was gay after his graduation. Often, he would shake his head and force himself to do anything but remember that day. There was no point in what if's.

Most of the time, he enjoyed Kurt's book collection. For so many years, he had only read newspapers and magazines he'd find in the garbage. He'd missed losing himself in a wonderful fictional world where his own problems didn't matter. He devoured book after book avidly and he would tell Kurt all about them while they had dinner together every night. Kurt had, of course, read most of them already, so it was great to discuss their points of view. But, on some occasions, Kurt would listen to Blaine ramble on about a certain chapter or character, delighted at his enthusiasm. Blaine was never as animated as he was when he was talking about what he'd read.

Some mornings, they would sit together and plan what Blaine's next moves would be. They made a list of all the possible jobs he could apply for, and Kurt even convinced Blaine to borrow (I promise, you'll be just borrowing them, Blaine, just for the interviews) one or two outfits so he could look more presentable. Blaine knew he couldn't go to a job interview wearing his old jeans full of holes or the hoodie that he had used for so long that it was in shreds. Reluctantly, he had agreed.

On Sunday night, they got comfortable on the couch with Kurt's laptop and started typing an acceptable resumé. Blaine tried to pretend he didn't see very well as an excuse to lean closer a few times and breathe in Kurt's amazing scent. He had just come out of the shower and his hair smelled like coconut, but his skin smelled like gardenias. Blaine felt like he couldn't get enough of it.

On Monday morning, after a nice breakfast together, Blaine got dressed under Kurt's watch (Blaine had forgotten how much slacks could itch. Kurt tried not to stare at the way those pants made Blaine's ass look) and then Kurt pushed him out the door with a good luck kiss on the cheek that made Blaine blush. His cheeks were still reddened when he walked into the first coffee shop with a 'help wanted' sign he found.

Needless to say, it was a long day. Blaine went to coffee shops, restaurants, post offices, dry cleaners, supermarkets, clothing stores. Everywhere he thought he might have a shot, he made a stop and left a resumé. By the time he walked back to Kurt's apartment, his feet hurt like crazy in the shoes Kurt had chosen for him that morning. He couldn't wait to take them off.

Kurt had already left for the theatre and Blaine knew he wouldn't come back until very late that evening, so he changed back into the clothes he wore around the apartment and sat on the couch to try to read a bit. He was still shaking a bit with left over tension. It had been so long since he had put himself out there, talked to people eye to eye, and tried to do something with his life. He wasn't sure where all of this would get him, but he felt that at least he was taking matters into his own hands again. He hadn't done that since he was still a kid.

He was halfway through a chapter when the phone rang on the table next to him. Kurt had told him to just answer it whenever it rang, especially since now potential employers would be contacting Blaine at that number in case he was offered an interview or a job. Anxious, he reached for it and pressed the button.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Blaine! Hi!" Kurt's excited voice came from the other end. "You're back! I've been calling every thirty minutes!"

"Is everything alright?" Blaine asked, frowning. Had something happened while he was gone?

"Yes, it's all fine, but I was just crazy nervous for you! How did it go?"

Blaine was surprised that Kurt was so interested in how his job hunting had gone. He was still trying to get used to the idea of someone caring about what he did or didn't do. "I don't know," he replied sincerely. "I talked to lots of people and handed out so many resumés that I lost count. But some said they would call if they needed help."

"Ugh, waiting for the phone call is the worst part," Kurt huffed. "But I'm sure somebody will call, at some point."

"I know for sure that at least seven of them won't," Blaine shrugged even though Kurt couldn't see him. "They asked too many questions that I just couldn't answer without telling them that I've been sleeping in the streets for the past four years."

"Didn't the excuse about having to look after a sick family member work?" Kurt sounded a bit disappointed.

"Yes, it worked in some cases," Blaine sighed. "But I was too nervous in others and the more they asked, the more nervous I got. So I think I may have screwed up a bit…"

"Oh, sweetheart, don't worry," Kurt said soothingly and Blaine felt the same tickles in his stomach he always got when the word slipped off Kurt's lips. "We'll keep trying until something good comes up. Trust me."

A fond smile played on Blaine's lips. "I do trust you, Kurt."

"Good," Blaine had the feeling Kurt was smiling, too. "My break is over now and I have to go back to work. I'll see you later tonight, okay?"

"Of course," Blaine muttered and they both said their goodbyes. Blaine kept the phone pressed against his ear until Kurt hung up and he couldn't hear him anymore.

Blaine ended up going out everyday to hand out resumés everywhere he could. One night, Kurt helped him set up an email account and he started emailing them too, and he signed up for online job hunting websites. He was amazed by the way Kurt seemed so determined to not let him fail anymore. And he couldn't deny he was very touched, too.

Even if the results weren't immediate, Kurt's faith in him made him feel hopeful in a way he hadn't felt in a very, very long time.

There was nothing better than opening your eyes lazily in the morning, knowing it's your day off. Kurt stretched on the bed, nuzzling against his pillows and enjoying the knowledge that he had absolutely nothing on his schedule to do at all…

But then his eyes went wide and he sat up on the bed, startled.

Reaching for his phone, he checked the date and his agenda… and his stomach dropped. How had he forgotten? He had been dreading this night for weeks. With the whole Blaine thing, it had completely slipped from his mind, but now…

He couldn't possibly cancel.

In just a blink, what he had hoped would be a perfect day, turned into the kind of day in which he wanted to hide under the covers and disappear from the world.

Kurt had a certain circle of… acquaintances he frequented. They were all in the business, on Broadway. At first, Kurt had started hanging around with them simply because they seemed to lead the life he had always dreamed of. But when Kurt realized that they were mostly arrogant, egocentric douchebags, he was too involved in the group to just put some distance between them. And it wasn't as if he had lots of other friends to pick from. He had worked so hard the first couple of years he had been in New York, that he had ended up pushing everyone else away. It was also true that those people had given him occasional casting leads when he was starting out. By the time he had found some success in his career, he had no one he cared about to celebrate it with.

Maybe he had turned into one of those arrogant, egocentric douchebags, too.

The thing was… every now and then, one of those acquaintances would organize a dinner party to brag about their success and invite all the others to listen. Kurt had made the mistake of going alone the first year. Everyone else had taken dates. They had given him such a rough time, teasing him constantly and making him feel as if he would never have a relationship again. What if no man ever wanted him? What if no one ever fell in love with him? What if all there was to his love life was a couple of break ups and pieces of a heart no one had known how to take care of?

So he did the next best thing and started dating random, attractive guys to avoid that feeling of loneliness that lurked in every corner of his life. He never kept them for too long and he didn't allow himself to get too attached. And every time one of these dinner parties rolled around, he would pick a cute guy that would look nice with his arm around his and take him as his date.

No one had teased him again.

But this time, he had completely forgotten about lining up some arm-candy.

Where was he going to find a date out of nowhere just hours before the party? He didn't like taking the same guy twice. And he didn't have time to just go out and meet someone who…

His eyes went wide.

Blaine was already sitting at the breakfast bar with a cup of coffee and reading the job listings in the newspaper when Kurt entered the kitchen, bare feet padding quietly over the apartment's wooden floors.

His hair was still messy from sleeping and he was wearing pajama pants and a dark blue short sleeve t-shirt. He looked so damn adorable that Blaine couldn't help but smile. "Good morning. Coffee's…"

But he never got to say what coffee was (Hot? Already cold?) because Kurt looked at him with what seemed to be apprehension in his beautiful blue eyes.

"Blaine," he said and he sounded a bit tense. "I need to ask you a really big favor."

How the hell did I get into this?

Relax, Blaine. It isn't like this is a real date. That's not what he wants. He just doesn't want to go alone.

I haven't been to a party in so long…

But I just couldn't say no. I owe him. He needs me.

I would do anything for him.

For the first time in his life, Kurt was dressed and ready to leave before the person who was going to accompany him. And it wasn't that he had rushed through his usual routine. It was that Blaine was actually taking forever.

Kurt already knew Blaine well enough to be aware of how nervous the man was about unknown social situations. Blaine wasn't used to going anywhere fancy and he was always afraid of embarrassing Kurt. Kurt wished he hadn't decided to put him through all this stress so unnecessarily. He was a grown up, after all. If he so called friends wanted to mock him, he could always tell them to shove their opinions where the sun didn't shine, right?

Right. It was wrong to force Blaine into doing something he was clearly not comfortable with.

He started walking towards Blaine's bedroom to tell him he would go alone when the sound of hesitant footsteps announced Blaine had finally finished getting dressed.

"Look, Blaine, I'm…" Kurt started saying, but he forgot what he was going to say, why he was going to say it and even how to breathe, once he caught sight of the other man.

It was Blaine, but at the same time, the man in front of him didn't look anything like the Blaine he knew. The beautiful navy blue Armani pants and the white button up shirt were clinging to his body as if the clothes had been made for him. The first two buttons were open and Kurt could see a tiny bit of hair peeking out on Blaine's chest.

But even though all of that was amazing, those weren't the surprising elements. Blaine had shaved. His face looked soft, fresh and younger looking. It was so much easier to fully appreciate his strong jaw and his perfect lips without all the facial hair around them distracting him.

The usual unruly curls on top of his head were tamed, too. He had probably trimmed them a bit, because there was no way he would have managed to tame them in any other way. He had also applied some gel, or maybe some mousse (not being able to recognize a hair product was the perfect way to tell Kurt was absolutely wrecked at the moment), making his hair look manageable and smooth and just so… so… different.

Kurt didn't even realize he was gaping.

Blaine tugged at his cuffs, uncomfortable. "Is there something wrong with how I look?"

"Who?" Kurt asked vacantly, unable to take his eyes off Blaine's throat as the man swallowed.

"Me, Kurt," Blaine muttered, shifting on his feet. "Last time I did something with my hair, it was for my graduation. Does it look bad? Do I have time to fix it and…?"

Kurt blinked, his eyes now trailing along Blaine's thighs and the way the pants made them look so delicious. "You look amazing."

Blaine bit his lip, unsure. "I do?"

Kurt tried to shake himself out of his trance and managed an encouraging smile. "Yes. You definitely do."

Blaine seemed to relax a little bit. "Thank you." Now or never, asshole. Tell him, tell him, tell him. "You look beautiful," he choked out, before he could talk himself out of it, but he decided it was still good enough and gave himself a mental pat on the back, especially when Kurt blushed and looked down at his black, tight pants, pearly grey shirt and black, equally tight vest. He had a nice bronze brooch on his chest and Blaine thought maybe, at some point, he could use the brooch as an excuse to move closer to Kurt, saying he wanted to take a better look at it…

He was completely pathetic, he had to admit.

"Thank you," Kurt smiled brightly. Fuck it, I'm taking him with me. He looks so good. I can't leave him at home after he went to all this trouble…

They didn't talk much in the car and Kurt decided to fill some of the silence by turning on the radio. Blaine kept drumming his fingers on his knees and staring out the window. Kurt had his gaze fixed on the road, deliberately keeping it away from Blaine. The last thing he needed was to cause an accident in a busy New York City street because he had gotten distracted staring at how mouthwatering Blaine looked tonight.

By the time they got there, there were three cars already parked in the driveway. Brandon Nicholson, who was going to be their host this evening, lived in a quiet (as quiet as New York could get), expensive neighborhood. The house was a completely remodeled two story, narrow brownstone building that was at least fifty years old. Kurt and Blaine walked together to the front door and Kurt rang the doorbell before turning to Blaine.

"If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, just let me know, okay?" He said in a rush. "They'll think we're… uhm, together, so… I may touch your arm or grab your hand or something from time to time…"

Blaine didn't have time to answer. The front door opened and tall, muscular, blonde guy smiled at them, immediately engulfing Kurt in his arms for a hug that somehow seemed too tight and too distant, at the same time.

"Kurtsy!" He exclaimed and Blaine thought he saw Kurt cringe a bit. "It's been a while since I saw you. So good that you could make it tonight. Come in, come in… oh, here's your date!"

They were barely a few steps into the house. Blaine delicately rubbed his hand on his thigh to make sure his palms weren't sweaty.

"Hi, I'm Blaine," he said in as friendly a tone as he could being as nervous as he was.

"Blaine," the guy directed his radiant smile towards him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Brandon." He then turned to nudge Kurt with his elbow. "What happened to that Italian model you brought last time?"

Kurt cleared his throat awkwardly as they took their coats and scarves off. "Oh. Uhm. It didn't work out. And he was French."

"It never works out according to you," Brandon laughed. He threw his arm around Blaine's shoulders and Blaine flinched a bit. "You better have fun tonight, Blaine, because this is the first and last time we'll be seeing you, if the pattern of Kurt's previous boyfriends applies to you, too!"

Blaine didn't like the way his stomach dropped at those words.

They moved to the living room area, where seven more people were seated. Blaine was quickly introduced to Mark and Bruce and their girlfriends, Hayley and Dana, Brandon's girlfriend, Pamela, and another gay couple, Derek and Ashton. No one seemed particularly warm when they greeted Kurt. it didn't seem as if they were saying hello to a friend they hadn't seen in a while. It was more as if they were just saying hello because they had to be polite.

Blaine picked up on that immediately.

They sat together on an empty leather loveseat close to the window. The house was really nice, clealy the luxurious home of a single man with lots of money. The enormous television filled most of one wall and there were a few musical instruments that looked completely untouched. Blaine's fingers ached to play them. He hadn't play in so long…

"So this is the new one," Hayley observed with a sly smile, nodding towards Blaine. "Where did you meet him, Kurt?"

Kurt placed a hand on Blaine's knee and squeezed. "Oh, it was just one of those lucky coincidences in life, really…" He answered vaguely.

"That means he doesn't remember because it was a drunk fuck," Bruce snorted and everyone else laughed. "Like that blonde twink you brought here once!"

Blaine shifted a bit until Kurt's hand released its tight hold a little.

Kurt rolled his eyes, nonchalantly. "Think whatever you want. At least I make sure I have some fun."

Blaine turned to look at Kurt. Something seemed so different about him all of a sudden… the way he was acting…

Kurt's comment started a discussion about what the different couples considered fun. They kept mocking each other and making really terrible jokes. Inevitably, that ended up as a conversation about sex. Blaine had managed to stay uninvolved until then, glad he had been ignored most of the evening. He had no idea how to talk to these people.

"So, Blaine," Ashton said, grinning, leaning with his elbows on his knees to look at him closer. "Tell us everything about Kurt. We've tried to get his boyfriends to confess if he has any weird kinks, but we've been stonewalled… until now…"

Blaine panicked. What the hell gave them the right to ask something as personal as that? And what was Blaine supposed to answer? He looked at Kurt, who was drinking a sip of red wine as if he didn't care at all what they were talking about.

"I've always had the feeling he's into slut shaming or something like that…" Derek commented, thoughtfully.

"Oh, honey, wouldn't you like to know," Kurt retorted with a mysterious smile.

Blaine wanted to get out of there. What was this? Why had Kurt wanted to come here?

"I'm still waiting for Blaine to answer the question," Dana sing-sang.

Kurt wrapped his arm around Blaine's neck and pulled him closer, talking in his ear just loud enough so everyone would hear. "You won't answer if you want some loving later, right?" And then he kissed his cheek, slowly, taking his time to peel his lips off Blaine's skin.

Blaine didn't know why he suddenly felt the need to cry.

"Could you guys excuse me for a moment? I need to use the restroom," he said in a voice that didn't sound anything like his.

"Sure," Pamela nodded, looking bored, and pointed to the hallway. "Second door on the left."

Blaine rushed in that direction and even through the closed door, he could hear the sharp laughter coming from the living room. How could Kurt want to belong to this group of people? Kurt was nothing like them, but… but he acted just like them, an asshole, when he was there. He was so different from the guy Blaine had been living with these past couple of weeks…

He splashed some cold water on his face and took a deep breath. It didn't matter if he liked them or not, if the real Kurt was the one sitting in that loveseat. Or was he the one who called him sweetheart and squeezed his hand to reassure him as he talked about the miseries he had gone through? Blaine was only there because of Kurt. He owed him.

They had moved to the dining room by the time Blaine returned. Kurt had saved him a seat beside him and he sat down, offering him a weak smile.

"Everything alright?" Kurt whispered so only Blaine could hear him.

Blaine only nodded, desperately wishing the night was over and they could go back to Kurt's apartment.

The voices of all the others kept mixing in multiple conversations. Blaine tried paying attention, but it was hard to follow it all.

Until one word managed to make its way into his ears.

"… and then this homeless guy stopped by our table to ask if he could have our leftovers," Dana was saying, her tone absolutely disgusted. "We got the restaurant manager to kick him out immediately, but it ruined the meal. I was so afraid he'd steal something from us. I checked nothing was missing from my purse twice before we left, just to make sure…"

"I just don't understand why the city has so many useless people," Derek shook his head in disappointment. "New York is supposed to be the greatest city in the world. What does it say about it if it's full of those people sleeping in our beautiful parks or our building entrances?"

Kurt remained still, but Blaine could perceive how uneasy he felt right then. Blaine himself was having trouble breathing. Why was he still here?

"Isn't there a shelter for homeless people near your apartment, Kurt?" Brandon asked, pointing at him with his fork as he chewed some weird fish Blaine had never heard of in his life.

"Y-yes, there is," Kurt answered. No one seemed to notice the wavering of his voice.

"You should move somewhere else," Dana said. "What if you're coming home late one night and one sneaks into the building with you? I don't want to imagine what could happen…"

The sound of a chair being pushed back filled the dining room for a moment. All eyes centered on Blaine, who had stood up abruptly, his breath harsh. He couldn't hide the anger in his eyes.

"You are all simply disgusting," Blaine said before he could stop himself. "How dare you talk about people you don't even know and make assumptions about their lives as if you had the right to judge? Do you know how hard living in the streets is? Do you know how terrible it is to have to deal with the fucking cold and not know how you'll make it through the night because you can't find a decent place to sleep? Do you think they like living that way simply because they're lazy and decided it was better than getting a job? Who the fuck gave you people the right to talk like that?"

"Whoa, man," Brandon looked at him with wide eyes. He seemed amused. "Are you one of those damn human rights activists or something?" He turned to Kurt before he even had time to respond. "Where did you find this one, Kurt?"

"Do you want to know where Kurt found me? Fine, I'll tell you," Blaine wanted to throw things, make some noise, vent his rage. "He found me huddled in front of his building, trying not to freeze to death. He offered me a place to stay and probably saved my life. You'd all better get decontamination showers now! How horrible! You've been sitting at the table with a homeless dude!"

Everyone stared at him with wide shocked eyes.

Gosh, Blaine had never felt this humiliated in his whole life. Never. And he had plenty of humiliating experiences to pick from.

"So now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave now. I don't care for your company. It was definitely not a pleasure to meet you all."

Blaine turned around and stormed through the hallway and out of the house without even pausing to grab his… well actually, Kurt's coat. He was used to the cold and he was so mad he didn't feel it at first. He just had to get away from those people.

He started walking, feeling an ache deep inside of him because Kurt wasn't following him. For a moment, he had hoped he would. He had hoped he would say something to support him, but he had kept his eyes on his untouched food, completely frozen.

Wasn't he an idiot, for falling in love with someone who clearly didn't give a shit?

He hadn't made it very far from the house when a car rolled to a stop next to him.

"Blaine!" It was Kurt in the driver's seat. "Blaine, please get in the car."

Blaine kept walking. "I'm sorry I ruined your dinner with your friends. Pretend you didn't see me just now and we'll go our separate ways…"

"Blaine, no," Kurt's voice was shivering. "It's freezing. You'll get sick. Please get in the car…"

Since Blaine didn't seem like he was going to oblige, Kurt huffed and climbed out of the car, grabbing Blaine's coat from the passenger seat.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Kurt said, looking at him pleadingly. "I've always known they were jerks, but tonight I've seen them as if I was looking at them through your eyes and I hated what I saw…"

"You're such a wonderful man. Why would you waste your time with them?" Blaine asked, unable to understand.

Kurt sighed, tiredly. "I've made mistakes, Blaine. I pushed the good people away. By the time I looked around, they were all I had left, and I thought they were better than having no one at all."

"That's stupid," Blaine muttered, bluntly, causing Kurt to chuckle.

"You're right. It is," Kurt hesitantly threw the coat over Blaine's shoulders, covering him and rubbing his arms to try and keep him warm. "I don't need them now, though. I have something so much better…"

Blaine looked at him, quizzically. "What?"

"You," he answered, shrugging, but smiling so widely his lips hurt. "You're the best friend I've had in a long while, Blaine. The most amazing guy I've ever met, actually. You're much more precious than all of them put together. And I wish I'd had the courage to stand up and speak my mind like you did."

Blaine couldn't help but smile softly at him.

Kurt reached out for his hand. "Can we please get in the car, now? We'll talk some more once we get home. Please? It's freezing out here!"

Blaine nodded and accepted his hand. He didn't know what else to do at this point.

As soon as they entered the apartment, Kurt hung their coats and then went off to his bedroom, saying he would get comfortable and be back in a minute. Blaine felt anxious, worried about what theywere going to talk about now. He truly didn't want to know what Kurt's friends had said once he'd stormed out.

He kicked off the beautiful shoes he'd borrowed from Kurt and dropped down onto the couch, looking up at the ceiling. Kurt had really said some nice things, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Especially since, in a moment of perception, he had admitted to himself that he was in love with Kurt.

Well, way to complicate things, Blaine.

Kurt padded back into the living room, wearing loose pajama pants and a white t-shirt. It was weird to see him like that. Kurt would very rarely leave his bedroom in the morning without getting dressed and styling his hair first. Blaine couldn't help but thinking he liked him better this way. It was more… natural.

Without saying a word, or even giving him time to make room for him on the couch, Kurt lay down next to him, snuggling against his side almost half on top of Blaine. His head rested on his chest and his arm snaked around Blaine's stomach as their legs tangled.

Blaine nearly stopped breathing.

"I feel like even if I apologize nonstop for the rest of the night, it won't be enough," Kurt said in a soft voice that vibrated through Blaine's chest. "I shouldn't have taken you there, especially since I didn't want to go myself in the first place."

"You seemed so different around them," Blaine commented, still trying to think straight as the warmth of Kurt's body spread through him. "For a moment, I wasn't sure which was the real Kurt, the one I've been seeing everyday, or that one."

Kurt frowned, thoughtfully. "I've never been able to be myself around them. I don't think anyone knows the real me, except for my family, a handful of friends that I haven't seen in a long time and… and you."

Blaine tried to ignore the rush of love that ran through his veins. "Why?" He asked before he could stop himself. Kurt raised his head enough to look Blaine in the eyes. "Why did you push the people you cared about away?"

Kurt settled back against him, sighing. Not even thinking about what he was doing, Blaine put his hand on Kurt's back and started rubbing it, slowly, soothingly. "I was blinded by my own dream. I was too busy trying to become this huge Broadway star, and by the time I finally achieved something big, I realized I was alone. I know it was entirely my fault." Kurt paused, but Blaine could feel there was more he wanted to say, so he waited. "Can I tell you a secret? I've never told anyone. Not even my dad, and I tell him everything."

Blaine loved the way his hand fit on the small of Kurt's back, so he let it there, tracing circles with his thumb over the thin, soft t-shirt. "You can tell me anything you want."

"I love being on stage," Kurt started, "but the life I imagined when I was a kid still in Lima doesn't look anything like this one."

It was Blaine's turn to frown. "What do you mean?"

"The shallow people trying to get close to me because I'm famous, having my picture taken even while I'm standing in line at the supermarket, not being able to trust anyone, going to boring parties that all look the same and feeling so numb…" Kurt enumerated tiredly. "I'm guessing it's probably not as bad as if I were in Hollywood, but… it all feels so empty. When I come home after a party, an event or even after someone stops me randomly in the street to tell me they like my work, I… I wonder why I don't feel gratified. It's like there's always something missing…" Kurt took a deep breath and shifted even closer to Blaine, even though it didn't seem possible. "I shouldn't be whining. I'm sorry. I don't want to sound ungrateful…"

"Hey, no," Blaine said, using his other hand to grab Kurt's hand and squeeze it. "You're allowed to not settle for a life that doesn't give you what you need …"

"I just…" Kurt sighed. "I wish I could have a lower profile. I don't want the kind of friends that makes you look cool if you hang out with them, but that are complete losers once you really get to know them. Those idiots you met today… gosh, Blaine. They're so egocentric and selfish."

"Yeah, I saw that," Blaine murmured darkly.

Kurt moved to get up on his elbow and be able to look down to Blaine. His eyes were full of regret. "I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to stand up and talk to them like that. I wish I hadn't put you through it, I'm…"

"What happened after I left?" Blaine asked, without being able to stop himself.

Kurt stared at Blaine for a moment, as if he were evaluating whether to tell him about it or not, but he ended up deciding Blaine deserved the truth. "Well… they laughed, at first," he said bitterly. "They were scandalized, but they don't take anything that doesn't involve them seriously, so I'm not surprised they started laughing."

"I see," Blaine whispered, averting his gaze.

"So I took my glass of red wine and I emptied it on Hayley's beautiful white dress," Kurt added with a smirk…

Hayley gasped and the laughter died immediately as theyall stared at Kurt in shock.

"Now that I have your full attention," Kurt said, clearing his throat and trying to sound nonchalant even though he was fuming inside. "I'd like to say a couple of things. First of all, you're all nothing but huge bitches and assholes…"

"What gives you the right to…?" Hayley started, but Kurt grabbed Blaine's untouched glass and emptied it on her, too.

"I'm talking here, sweetheart, so wait for your turn," he glared at her. "From now on, don't bother inviting me to your little parties. I'm done wasting my time with you…" He walked away from the table, getting ready to leave. He couldn't wait long if he wanted to find Blaine. "Blaine's one of the kindest people I've ever met and if you can't see that because you're busy being too judgmental, then fine, do whatever you want. But I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I like you for another minute. I don't know why I stuck around for so long."

"Hold on," Brandon smirked. "So, it's true? You're sleeping with a homeless guy?"

"He's not homeless anymore," Kurt said, over his shoulder, as he walked to the front door. "He lives with me."

"Wait, what?" Blaine looked at him with wide eyes. "You… you told them I live with you? Aren't they going to get the wrong idea about…?"

"Blaine," Kurt traced the outline of Blaine's jaw with his finger, smiling down at him. "Don't you see? I don't care what they think or if they tell anyone, not anymore. I'm done with them. We've been friends," Kurt rolled his eyes at the word, "for years and not once have they understood me. I've never been comfortable with them the way I… the way I'm comfortable with you."

Blaine's heart jumped in his chest in a way that was almost painful, but he smiled.

"You always say you're grateful for what I did for you," Kurt murmured, softly. "But I'm just as grateful for having you."

They could kiss now. It would be so easy. They were already so close and the moment seemed perfect. Kurt's hand was cupping his face and Blaine's was still on his back and they were staring at each other as if they hadn't ever seen something as beautiful in their lives as the other man in front of them.

But Kurt couldn't do this now. He rested his head on Blaine's chest again, getting comfortable and forcing himself to wait. It had been a painful night for both of them. He didn't want any remnant of humiliation, bitterness or sadness between them if they ever kissed…

When they kissed.

And it was all so damn complicated anyway…

They didn't say anything for a while. Blaine's hand began to move up and down his back again, slowly, causing shivers down his spine. It felt so nice being this close…

"Blaine?" Kurt muttered.

"Mm?" Blaine simply hummed, probably already half asleep.

"Can we…" Kurt hesitated nervously. "Can we sleep here, tonight? If you're not uncomfortable?"

Blaine felt his stomach clenching and unclenching. He had been thinking for the last few minutes how much he liked having Kurt in his arms and how unenthusiastic he felt about the idea of letting go of him to go to bed.

Feeling braver now that he was so sleepy and comfortable, he kissed the top of Kurt's head. "Of course we can sleep here."

He felt Kurt smiling against his chest. Blaine's arms tightened around him, keeping him in place, and it wasn't too long after that they both drifted off to sleep.