The latest buzz around Hollywood is that Kurt Hummel, the hottest new actor to hit the silver screen in quite a while, will need to dust off some mantle space come awards season. Of course, this should really be of no surprise, given the critical acclaim that he garnered from his debut role this past May in 'Defiance'. If the parade of fashion Hummel has treated us to over the past several months is anything to go on, we might be in for a treat on the red carpet, but what we really can't wait to see is who the openly gay actor will bring as his date. If he doesn't have someone in mind, we know about a hundred guys who will volunteer. — Alicia Jennings, thebeatandthebuzz, September 3rd, 2018.

=^..^=

"No freaking way!"

"Kurt, please be reasonable about this—"

"Reasonable? You tell me you want to hire a bodyguard to follow me around 24/7 and you think I'm the one being unreasonable? I don't need a babysitter!" Kurt Hummel, overnight Hollywood sensation and potential Best Supporting Actor nominee threw up his hands in disgust and flashed a scorching glare at his manager.

Beverly March sighed and reached up to rub her slightly graying temples in an effort to stave off yet another tension headache. "Of course you don't need a babysitter, but these letters you've been getting lately really have us worried and we don't want to take any chances."

"I keep telling you they're no big deal. Plus, I've already got Steve. The man's built like a mountain. A really pissed off mountain."

"But Steve's only there for big public events and we really need someone to be with you all the time. Not just premiers and such, but off-time and at home too. You know we've always been extra careful about your safety given who you are and how honest you've been, but these letters… We're just concerned and feel it's time to step things up."

"How am I supposed to live my life with some hulk as my constant shadow? And what about the fans?" Kurt bit out, pacing the room like a bored polar bear at the zoo, his Doc Martin boots tapping out a rhythm on the bamboo floors. "What're they going to think when they see poor, helpless Kurt Hummel, who can't go anywhere without his security blanket?"

"That won't be an issue. We don't want it to get out that you might have a stalker." Beverly looked down at her desk, suddenly fascinated by a dust bunny that was poking out from beneath her keyboard. "That's a distraction we don't need going into awards season, so we hired someone who's your age and doesn't look like a bodyguard."

There was no response from Kurt, so Beverly snuck a look over at him, only to find him staring at her incredulously.

"You've hired him already? Without talking to me first?"

"Kurt, we needed to move fast on this and the perfect candidate came to our attention. He wasn't going to be free for long, so we had to snap him up."

"Why does it matter that he doesn't look like a bodyguard? If he's with me all the time the press will pick up on it fast enough no matter what he looks like."

Beverly took a deep breath and braced herself before dropping the final bomb. "Not if we tell them he's your boyfriend."

=^..^=

Blaine Anderson sat patiently in the perfectly decorated reception area of March Artist Management, waiting to be called in to meet his new client. He knew who Kurt Hummel was, of course. Anyone who paid attention to the entertainment industry did. He'd been all over the magazines and internet since his film debut back in May. It was a rags-to-riches story the media couldn't get enough of: Gay kid who was bullied in school becomes Tony winning Broadway sensation, and then goes onto even greater fame and critical acclaim when he co-stars in the film adaption of the musical. Open about his sexuality from the beginning, he had instantly become a hero to thousands of youths. His was the face that launched a thousand Tumblrs and had women all over the world wishing they were gay men (and gay men thankful to be, well, gay).

Blaine had been surprised to be offered the assignment. Ever since he'd been recruited to his private protection firm by a former teacher at his military high school Blaine had specialized in the protection of the children of the super-rich and powerful. His small stature, non-threatening demeanor, and charming personality made him an instant hit with children and helped him blend in; Perfect for families that didn't want to call attention to the fact that they'd hired a bodyguard.

He'd actually gone to college with the plan of becoming a teacher, so he was happy to work with kids. In fact, Kurt's manager had suggested that they use his background as part of his cover while working with Kurt. He would be pretending to be Kurt's boyfriend, a former childhood friend from Ohio that had recently become reacquainted with the actor. The story would be that he was a former nanny who was in the process of relocating to California. Not being in the entertainment industry would hopefully keep the media from paying too much attention to him and the cover would also explain how he was able to spend so much time with Kurt and not at a job of his own.

Blaine reached up to straighten his tie, making sure it was lying flat against his plain light blue button-down. He took a quick glance at his gold pocket watch (the only personal indulgence he allowed himself while on the job) and wondered how much longer it would be before he was brought in to meet his client. A yelp suddenly rang out from inside of one of the offices, followed by a high-pitched screech of "Boyfriend?" Blaine took that as his cue and stood up, shaking the wrinkles from his navy blue slacks. The door to the office opened and Beverly March sheepishly beckoned Blaine inside. He gave her an easy smile, hoping to relieve her of any guilt she might have about the situation.

He scanned the room as he entered, making note of the layout, the position of the windows and door, and the locations of the two people within. Threat assessment had become second nature to him now and he found himself searching out the nearest exits even when he wasn't on duty.

Kurt Hummel was standing against the huge double-paned windows (worst possible location in the event of an incident), his back to the room, arms held rigidly at his side. The tension in his spine was obvious even through fall–weight sweater he was wearing.

Beverly shut the door and nervously looked between the two men, her head bouncing back and forth like she was watching a tennis match. "Kurt Hummel, I'd like you to meet Blaine Anderson."

Kurt turned and looked Blaine up and down with an insulting thoroughness before raising an eyebrow and giving a dismissive sneer. "Him? He doesn't look like a bodyguard. He's too small."

Blaine flashed a practiced grin, not bothered by Kurt's reaction. "That's kind of the idea, isn't it? To not look like a bodyguard, I mean." He strode forward and held his hand out in greeting, daring Kurt to refuse to shake it.

Kurt stared at the hand for a moment, before reluctantly grasping it in his own and giving it a quick shake. The contact was brief, but Blaine felt a spark travel up his arm and down his spine, like the feeling he used to get when his brother Cooper would scuff his feet on the carpet and then touch Blaine to give him an electrical shock. A wave of attraction broke over him and he struggled to push it away. He couldn't afford to feel that away about a client. The risks were too great, especially when he had to build trust between them.

Kurt looked him over carefully from head to toe. "Beverly, can you leave us alone for a minute?"

Beverly seemed like she was about to argue, but instead turned on her nude-toned kitten heel and left the room, closing the door behind her. Kurt leaned his hips back against the desk as he crossed his arms, wariness evident in every inch of his body. "I don't need a personal bodyguard."

"Your manager seems to think differently."

Kurt threw Blaine a disgruntled look and moved to the cherry wood table at the far side of the room to pour a glass of water.

"Are you worried I'll cramp your style?" Blaine asked. "Get in the way of you cutting a path through young, hot, and available Hollywood?"

Kurt's hand slipped and he missed the glass, pouring water out onto the table top. "N-no, I-I just don't see the need. Everyone is just over-reacting. The letters are nothing. Just a fan who doesn't know how to correctly express their admiration." He sopped up the spilled water with a napkin, which he threw into a nearby trashcan before trying again to fill the glass. "Plus I don't like the idea of you posing as my boyfriend. It doesn't feel right, being dishonest with my fans like that."

"Beverly said it was necessary in order to keep news of a potential stalker quiet."

Kurt snorted in cynical amusement. "Are you really that na�ve? Yes, talk of a stalker right now might be a little distracting, but probably much less so than that of a boyfriend. Bev's just taking advantage of the situation and using the boyfriend angle as free publicity."

Blaine chuckled, shaking his head as he took a seat on the leather sofa.

"What you are smiling about?"

"Just loving the irony that you having a boyfriend is considered a positive thing. Times, they are a-changing, right?"

Kurt stared at him for a second before breaking out into a slight smile, his beautiful blue-green eyes looking off into the distance for a second. "Yeah, that is kind of great, actually." The two men exchanged looks, sharing a moment. "So, what are your qualifications? I wasn't kidding earlier when I said you look too small to be a bodyguard."

"I've been a bodyguard for two years, working almost exclusively with kids. Bev has a file on me if you'd like to see information on all of my training. I'm good at my job, Kurt. I promise."

"You'll be in the magazines, on the entertainment sites. Will this ruin your cover for other jobs?"

Blaine shook his head, having already anticipated the question. "My cover is usually that I'm a nanny or tutor for the kids I'm protecting. We'll use the nanny background here too and when I return to those jobs this publicity will actually reinforce my cover."

"Are you going to be okay with the press saying we're dating? I mean, are you…"

"Gay? Yes, I am actually. Don't worry. I understand what it is I'm signing up for. It won't be a problem."

Kurt considered him for a moment, his body language showing that he was still wary of Blaine, still uncomfortable with the whole situation, but he finally gave a deep sigh and seemed to come to a decision. He opened the door and called Beverly (who was hovering so near the door she had to have been eavesdropping) back into the office.

"Against my better judgment I'm going to agree to hire Blaine, but," he held up a finger to halt Bev's forthcoming celebration. "I need him to be less of a bodyguard and more of an… extra pair of eyes. I don't need someone in reflective glasses standing behind me protectively all the time and I won't have someone dictating where I can go and what I can do. This will be the most casual bodyguard assignment ever or it won't happen. Got it? Also, I want to put a hold on making a boyfriend announcement. Let's have Blaine just start being around and see if the press makes anything of it. If they do, we'll deal with it then."

Beverly didn't look happy at this turn of events, but nodded her agreement, smart enough to quit while she was ahead.