True, haha. Did you have a good time tonight? ~K

Blaine sighed. Tonight himself and Kurt went out to Breadstix. Kurt had invited him out earlier in the week and Blaine had been looking forward to it the whole time but then when Kurt arrived outside of his house, Mercedes was also there...

"Um, who is this?" Blaine had asked, trying his best to keep any rudeness out of his tone.

"I'm Mercedes," she introduced herself politely.

"Um, Blaine," he offered, extending a hand to her from the backseat of Kurt's car.

"I hope you don't mind that I invited her along, but I kind of owe her some time together after how much time I've been spending with you and I really want you guys to get to know each other," Kurt explained.

"Oh, that's fine," Blaine lied. He would have been okay with it if Kurt had of made it clear this was not a date, but the way he asked... The way he had offered to pay because "you paid all the other times we went out" and "I want to treat you" as well as "I wanna spend more time together", could anyone really blame him for thinking it may be a date? He should have been okay with this - after all, he promised he wasn't going to pursue a relationship with Kurt – but he'd be kidding himself if he said he was even remotely okay.

"You guys will love each other, I'm sure of it," Kurt grinned at Blaine from the rearview mirror as Mercedes turned to offer up her own kind grin. Her grin turned into a look of suspicion as she watched Blaine's eyes, never leaving Kurt's face.

Soon enough, they arrived at Breadstix. "Table for three," Kurt asked politely and they were quickly led to a booth near the back of the restaurant.

A small, appreciative smile crept up on Blaine's face as Kurt took a seat next to him. Mercedes noticed this as well and protested. "You're left-handed!" he argued. "You bang into me."

"No, I'm -"

"So, Blaine," Kurt cut her off before she could out him. "How's Dalton?"

"I've really gotta go to the bathroom," Kurt revealed, standing up not even halfway through the meal. "I'll be right back."

Blaine watched Kurt leave, turning to Mercedes once he was out of sight. He instantly felt terribly awkward. She was staring at him intently, trying to size him up. Blaine felt quite scrutinized. "You like Kurt," she finally said.

Blaine sighed, letting his elbow rest on the table and his head fall into his hand. "Is it that obvious?" He didn't know why he let her know, but there was something very trustworthy about her. Maybe it was simply knowing Kurt trusted her so much, but either way, it was out.

"Kurt can't see it. He's never really had anyone show interest in him other than me, so he's a little oblivious," Mercedes explained. "Long story," she put simply in response to Blaine's questioning expression at the mention of her interest in Kurt. "What are your intentions though? You better not be planning to get in his pants and then throw him to the curb because boy, I will cut you."

"No! No! That's not what I want at all. He's a great guy. If anything, I want a relationship but I'm happy with this."

"I think you should stick with whatever 'this' is for a while," Mercedes advised.

"Why?"

"Kurt's fragile right now," Mercedes explained. "I don't know how much he's told you about the bullying situation - " Woman, I know more than you do, Blaine thought to himself. "But it's bad and I don't think a relationship is what he needs right now. He needs a friend. Sure, I'm a friend but he needs someone just like him, someone who's been through the same things. I've never been bashed for being gay," she joked.

Blaine smiled fondly. "You're kind of echoing my thoughts right now."

"Kurt told us we'd get along," Mercedes grinned back. "By the way, just so you don't get discouraged, he totally likes you too. I mean, I'm not even left handed!" she winked. "But I think for all our sakes, it's better if you wait."

"I'm back!" Kurt stated, flopping in the seat next to Blaine. "What did I miss?"

"Um, I was asking him about his opinion on gay marriage."

Kurt gave her one of his signature Bitch, please. looks but continued. "It should be legal everywhere. I'm just saying drunk people who get married to someone they met an hour ago by an Elvis impersonator... I mean, that's a bigger insult to marriage than two gay guys getting hitched."

And this was exactly why Blaine liked him so much. "Totally!" he chimed in.

Blaine shook himself out of the flood of memory from a few hours before to text Kurt back.

Yeah, it was a great time. -Blaine

Soon, his phone buzzed against his flat chest.

Good to hear. Mercedes like you. :) ~K

Blaine smiled at this, sending out one more quick response before bed.

I like Mercedes as well. :) She's a sweet girl, as to be expected from any of your friends. But I have to go to bed so I'll ttyl. :) -Blaine.

The last thing Blaine saw that night was the final text message Kurt sent him.

Night-night. Sweet dreams. :) ~K

And that message made it a whole lot easier to do as he was told.