Thumper had gotten better, Blaine had decided.

Better at everything. His dancing, his hips, his sultry glances.

Except for, you know, when he caught Blaine's eye.

He almost fell off the stage, his mouth falling open in shock, before he recovered and tried to get back into the rhythm of the music. Blaine's grin was as wide as his face as Thumper tried to finish his routine, his gaze occasionally shooting dirty looks at Blaine.

Finally, the music died and Thumper immediately shimmied over to Blaine, straddling his hips without another word.

"Bambi! What are you doing back here?" Thumper exclaimed, practically giving him a lap dance.

Blaine laughed, supporting Thumper with two firm hands on his hips while he danced.

"I came back to visit you guys."

Thumper pouted. "You're not back for good?"

"Sorry Thumper…" Blaine grinned slightly. "Sadly, I'm doing far too well to come back."

"Traitor." Thumper teased good-naturedly. "Are you going to come backstage?"

"If you get off my lap?"

Thumper looked down to where he was grinding against Blaine, before shrugging. "You love it."

He hopped down, taking Blaine's hand and practically skipping to the stairs, leading Blaine to the backstage area.

"Strippers!" he called. "Look who I found!"

"BAMBI!" the cheer echoed in the small room, and Avalon shushed everyone.

"Guys, we are backstage. Everyone in the club probably heard that!" she scolded, and the room fell quiet again.

Cinnamon and Kandy ran to him, giggling happily. "Bambi!" they whispered.

Blaine grinned, scooping them into giant hugs.

"Bambi! Guess what?" Cinnamon grinned.

"What?"

"I got my glasses!" she giggled excitedly, and Blaine clapped quietly for her.

"I'm proud of you." He hugged her again, before addressing the others. "So, before you ask me how I've been, how about we have coffee at midnight?"

"Like old times?" Thumper asked excitedly, and Blaine nodded, giving a look around.

"Where's Snaps?"

They all went quiet, and Thumper sighed. "He…he hasn't talked to us for a while. He's dancing, at the moment…"

Blaine looked troubled. "Why?"

The three of them shrugged, but Thumper looked like he wanted to say something. He remained quiet though, and Blaine sighed.

"Well…please extend the invitation to him…"

"What are you going to do in the meantime?" Cinnamon asked.

"Watch the show, of course."

^.^

"It's so good to see you!" Cinnamon pulled Blaine into a hug as soon as she was back in her street clothes.

Blaine grinned, shaking his head. "I missed you guys so much."

They started towards the coffee shop, scattered conversation between them. They didn't want to talk about their lives until they were sitting.

"Hey! Hey! Wait up!" a voice called, and the four of them turned, spotting Snaps racing after them.

"Snaps!" Blaine's eyes lit up and they embraced.

"Sorry I wasn't around earlier." He grinned, holding Blaine for just a second too long.

The others shifted awkwardly, and when Snaps released him, he glared at them. The week after Blaine had left, Snaps had fallen into a deep hole of depression. He didn't talk to anyone much, just dancing and going home. He missed Blaine so much – he was more in love with him than everyone thought.

"It's okay…I'm glad you're here." Blaine grinned.

Snaps joined their walk, and Thumper patted him on the back sympathetically. Even though they had all figured it out, Thumper was the only one who really knew the full story.

They reached the coffee shop in silence, ordering and waiting for their drinks.

"So…Bambi…" Cinnamon started, but Blaine shook his head.

"No, no. I'm going last. I want to hear your stories!"

Kandy snorted. "We don't have stories."

"It's been three months! Something has to have happened." Blaine said, looking around the table expectantly.

They all exchanged glances, shrugging.

"Honestly, nothing has happened. Avalon hasn't even hired any new dancers." Thumper shrugged. "What about you and that Kurt guy?"

Blaine's eyes lit up, and he started talking excitedly, not noticing how Straps frowned, and glared down at the table, his whole body slumping in defeat.

"So, is he your Faline?" Thumper asked excitedly when Blaine took a breath.

"My what?" Blaine asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Your Faline." Thumper said, as if he should know what that would mean. When Blaine shrugged, he tried to explain further. "You know. Thumper, and Bambi…Kurt's your Faline!"

"Oh…" Blaine blushed. "No. No he's not my Faline."

Cinnamon grinned at him.

"He is!" she teased, watching as his blush deepened.

"Well, maybe." Blaine gave in with a smile. "But if he is, he doesn't know it yet." Blaine went silent for a moment, before shrugging. "I don't even think he likes me."

"Who wouldn't like you?" Snaps spoke up, and the table went silent.

Blaine stared at him for a second, before smiling. "Thanks, Snaps."

^.^

When Blaine returned home a few hours later, in the early morning of the next day, Derek and Ian were gone, and Kurt was curled up on the couch with all the lights off, watching a movie.

"Hey…" Kurt said softly, his voice floating through the darkness.

Blaine was surprised. It was close to two in the morning.

"What are you still doing up?" Blaine asked gently, sinking onto the couch next to him.

Kurt shrugged. "It's a long weekend. I don't have to do anything tomorrow. Staying up late and watching movies sounded good."

"It sounds depressing." Blaine muttered, and crawled under the blanket with him.

Kurt stiffened – Blaine wasn't even touching him, but the familiar twinge under his skin of actually being with someone – of feeling like he was meant to be pressed up against another person was overwhelming.

He actually inched closer, blushing when Blaine gave him a sideways look.

"How did your time at the club go?" he asked softly, and Blaine's face immediately broke out into a grin.

Kurt listened as he recounted stories – the grin never leaving his face as he explained his co-workers – their personalities and what Blaine loved about them, and the memories that came with them.

Kurt's eyes raked Blaine's features – and Kurt suddenly found himself experiencing that stupid feeling – the light headed, absolute admiration and love for this one person. Wanting to be the person they called when they were upset, and being the arms they cried into when nothing went right.

But he wasn't sure he wanted that feeling. He couldn't go through it again – the betrayal and loss he felt.

It was too much to deal with – too much to focus on.

If something went wrong, and Blaine walked out, he'd be left without a James.

Career before Relationship.

It had to be like that.

It had to.