Breaking News: There are conflicting reports tonight of an incident involving actor Kurt Hummel at tonight's X-men: Shadow World premiere in Hollywood. Details remain sketchy, but eyewitnesses report that a member of a group protesting the inclusion of Hummel's gay character, Northstar, in the movie was somehow able to sneak into the press area, where he proceeded to throw something, striking and injuring someone on the red carpet. According to some sources, the injured party was Hummel, while others maintain it was Hummel's boyfriend, school teacher and former nanny Blaine Anderson. Security responded quickly to the incident, tackling the protestor and taking him into custody, but questions are already swirling about how the man gained access to the secured location in the first place.

More details as they become available... - EntertainmentNewsDaily, May 15th, 2020

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Oh my god I can't stop crying does anyone have more info on this? do we have confirmation that it was Kurt or Blaine that was hurt?

no no no no no no noononononononoon please someone tell me I'm still asleep and this is some horrible nightmare

OK I know this is usually used as a joke but [prayer circle gif]

I don't know how much we can trust this, but an anon just messaged me and said that they work at the theater and yes it was Kurt that was hurt and that he was unconscious when they took him off the carpet. God, I can't even type im crying so hard

Please stop believing anons who drop into your ask with supposed insider information. If it was true they wouldn't need to be anon. Let's all just stop spreading rumors and speculation and wait for official word, huh? This is someone's life we're talking about

Can someone tell me how something like this could happen in front of the entire Hollywood press and we don't have one picture or reliable account?

Follow lizzy3746 on Twitter. She's been live tweeting the whole event. She couldn't see who was hurt from her angle, but says Kurt and Blaine were definitely involved somehow. #Happy thoughts and prayers everyone

=^..^=

"He's going to need stitches. Do you need us to transport you guys in the ambulance or...?"

"No, that won't be necessary. We have a car waiting. Thank you for your help," Kurt told the paramedic as he watched Blaine reposition the gauze pad that he held against the wound that sat just above his hairline. Kurt was trying very hard to look calm and in control, but he could feel that his hand was still shaking, so he made a fist and moved his arm back out of view.

Everything had happened so fast. One minute he'd been finishing up an interview, his mind already thinking about how he was going to tackle the line of people wanting autographs, and the next minute Blaine had been laid out, bleeding, at his feet. He still wasn't sure exactly what had happened. He'd been vaguely aware of some commotion in the press line as security guards had rushed in, but his focus had been entirely on Blaine and making sure that he was alright.

Thankfully, Blaine hadn't lost consciousness, but the amount of bleeding had sent terror pulsing through Kurt's body. It wasn't until after the paramedics had arrived and declared the wound to be minor that he'd been able to breath normally again.

"I don't need to go to the hospital," Blaine protested as the paramedic packed up his kit and went to speak with the head of security. "I'm sure Lynn's got a doctor on speed dial who can stitch me up."

"Yes, but unless he's got a portable CT scan machine in his car, he doesn't have everything you need." Kurt struggled to speak normally despite the adrenalin still coursing through his body.

"I don't need a CT scan, Kurt." Blaine started to shake his head before stopping with a wince. "You heard the guy. It's just a flesh wound."

Kurt dropped his hands onto his hips and stared Blaine down. "From a flying bottle. It hit you hard and I can already feel the lump. You're getting a scan and I don't want to hear another word about it."

Blaine looked past him, a pleading look on his face. "Come on, Cooper, help me out here."

"Sorry, squirt," Cooper said. "I'm on Kurt's side on this one. Better to make sure the old noggin is in one piece. After all, a concussion often makes it hard to be in front of bright lights and you'll be exposed to a bunch of them in the coming days." Kurt twisted his head around to look at Cooper questioningly. "Everyone's going to want to interview the hero who saved Kurt Hummel's life."

Blaine groaned. "I didn't save his life. I just —"

"Stepped forward unthinkingly to put yourself between him and an unknown danger. Yeah, the press is going to eat this up. By the time they're finished it will be like you took on an armed mob all by yourself and dodged bullets for him."

Lynn poked her head in the door, interrupting Cooper's probably entirely too accurate description of what was awaiting them. "The car's at the side entrance and security has cleared the area, so now's the time to go."

Kurt helped Blaine to his feet, not noticing when the bloodstained McQueen jacket that he'd initially used to stop the bleeding fell to the ground.

"Kurt," Cooper called out, holding the jacket out for him.

"Just leave it. I never want to see it again," Kurt grimaced.

"I'll take it and dispose of it later," Lynn volunteered, reaching for the jacket. "If we leave it here it'll be on eBay within an hour."

Kurt smiled at her gratefully and promised Cooper that they'd call him when they got back from the hospital before wrapping his arm around Blaine's waist and leading him towards the car.

=^..^=

Kurt was up early the next morning after having not slept well the whole night. Every time Blaine had moved or made the slightest noise he'd been startled awake again, afraid that something was wrong. Eventually, he'd given up trying to sleep at all and had retreated to the chair next to the bed so that he could just watch Blaine.

He knew he was making too big a deal about things, since the doctor had confirmed that the bump on the head wasn't serious before stitching Blaine up with a minimum of fuss. Even Blaine himself had acted as if the injury was nothing (and Kurt supposed it was to someone who'd been shot less than a year before), but Kurt hadn't been able to dismiss it so easily. Every time he closed his eyes, he kept picturing the moment when Blaine had swooped in and taken the blow meant for him. He could still hear the hollow sound of the bottle hitting Blaine's head before it broke into a hundred pieces, the shards raining down onto the carpet, each one glinting in the camera lights.

It had seemed as if the whole world had been moving in slow motion at that moment. Blaine's body falling to the ground at his feet, a scream from someone in the crowd, the initial trickle of blood that ran down Blaine's forehead — he could remember it all vividly. Too vividly.

Desperate to shake off the discomforting memories, Kurt took a shower with the hottest water he could stand and distracted himself by performing the extra-long version of his morning routine. By the time he was finished, it was a semi-decent hour, so he ordered them breakfast from room service and went to wake Blaine up with a soft kiss.

=^..^=

Chaos erupted at the Hollywood premiere of X-men: Shadow World last night, when a protester was somehow able to bypass security and enter the restricted press area next to the red carpet. The man, now identified as Ronald Douglas of Topeka, Kansas, threw an empty wine bottle at actor Kurt Hummel — whose character was being protested by an extremist group known for holding small-scale actions against gays in the media — but instead struck Hummel's boyfriend, Blaine Anderson. According to reports, Anderson evidently saw Douglas preparing his attack and jumped in front of the actor, taking the force of the blow himself. Though Anderson was knocked to the ground during the incident and appeared to be bleeding, sources tell us the wound was superficial and that Anderson was able to leave the event under his own power. Douglas was apprehended by security and turned over to local police.

In a strange turn of events, Anderson's brother, Cooper Anderson — who has a co-starring role in the movie — was overheard after the attack saying that Anderson was a former bodyguard who had once been employed by Hummel. This information has not yet been confirmed, but if true, contradicts the story released by Hummel and Anderson when they were first spotted together in October 2018. At that time, Anderson was described as a former nanny who had known Hummel while growing up in Ohio.... The Los Angeles Herald, May 16, 2020.

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Bodyguard? Is anyone buying that? #soundslikefanfiction

Please the media gets stuff wrong all the time. Why should this time be any different? Im not going to freak the hell out until there is concrete evidence

I'm just glad that Blaine wasn't hurt badly. Can we all please concentrate on the fact that he's the hero in this situation? #reality check

I don't know I always got a vibe that something was going on that we didn't know about. I always thought they were hiding something. #somethingfishythiswaycomes

Please I can smell your bullshit from here. You thought no such thing. Kurt and Blaine are a perfect couple and never seemed like they were hiding anything

I don't know what to believe :(

=^..^=

Breakfast was long over and they were in the middle of watching a Golden Girls marathon on TV when the phone rang. Kurt sat up and reached slowly towards the bedside table with one hand, his eyes still glued to the screen. No matter who it was on the other end of the line, they would just have to wait until Rose finished her story about St. Olaf.

He glanced down at the screen and saw that the call was from Lynn, so he excused himself and went out into the sitting room, leaving Blaine to watch the rest of the episode in peace.

"We have a problem," Lynn said as soon as he accepted the call.

Kurt flopped down on a chair and covered his eyes with one hand. "What now?"

"Evidently, Cooper got a little caught up in the moment last night and mentioned that Blaine used to be your bodyguard. I haven't been able to get ahold of him to get the details, but the source seems to be reputable, so I'm guessing he really did say it."

"And...?" Kurt asked.

"The first articles this morning were about the attack, with Cooper's statement getting a small mention at the end, but I'm starting to see a shift, especially in the tabloids." Kurt thought that Lynn sounded almost as tired as he felt. "They might think there's some scandal there that they could use to prolong the news cycle."

"What's the fan reaction been?" Kurt held his breath, afraid of Lynn's response.

"I'd say cautiously supportive. Your fans love you, but this has got them curious."

"Right," Kurt nodded to himself. "So what should we do?"

"Well, thankfully, the Tony voting is already finished, so we don't have to worry about any impact on that. I've been getting calls from the studio all morning, however," Lynn reported. "They want you to make a statement."

Kurt sighed and laid his head on the back of the chair. When he'd decided to leave Hollywood he had also promised himself that he was going to stop making statements about his personal life. Though his love for giving live performances was the biggest reason for his rededication to Broadway, there was also a part of him that had wanted to retreat from the public eye; to stop worrying that every move and every word would be taken wrongly and offend someone. He just wanted to do what he loved and not be a "star" anymore and that couldn't be done as long as his personal life was on display for everyone to see.

"Okay, fine, but just a simple statement that yes, Blaine was originally hired as my bodyguard blah blah blah," he agreed. "Just confirm and that's it. Short and sweet."

"I'll prepare something and send it over for your approval."

=^..^=

Kurt Hummel's publicist has released the following statement:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who responded so quickly to the incident last night and took such good care of Blaine. It is unfortunate that even in these modern times some people allow themselves to be overcome by hate and fear of the unknown. I'm very proud of my role as Northstar in X-men: Shadow World and I hope that these events will not detract from this wonderful film and the enjoyment it will bring to everyone who sees it...

I would also like to take this time to confirm that Blaine Anderson was indeed once employed as my bodyguard. He quickly became a trusted friend and nothing made me happier than when our relationship blossomed into something deeper.

=^..^=

Wow! I can't believe that the story was true. There is so much unsaid here, though. Like, why did Kurt even need a secret bodyguard in the first place? Exactly when did the relationship change? Was it before they announced they were dating? If so, then they never lied, at least about that. More thinky thoughts and feeeeelings under the cut...

Well Im glad he had the balls to admit to it at last, but Im done. I refuse to waste my time and energy being a fan of a liar

Don't let the door hit you on the way out. I LOVE KURT HUMMEL and he can do no wrong in my book. What does it matter if they lied about how/when their relationship began? They don't owe us anything. #Klaine forever

I'm not sure how to feel about this. I mean, I understand that Kurt has the right to a private life and has no obligation to share anything about that life with anyone, but I guess it kind of bothers me that he lied? One of the reasons I admired him initially was how honest he was about everything.*hangs head* I think I may need to take some time off from fandom to think about this more

OK so who's going to write me up a filthy porny bodyguard AU story (no hardcore kinks)? *taps foot impatiently* #PornMakesEverythingBetter

=^..^=

Kurt opened the door to find Cooper on the other side, looking more dejected than he'd ever seen him. His normally immaculate hair was mussed as if he'd been running his hands through it and there was a worried look in his eyes, as if he expected Kurt to slam the door in his face.

"God, Kurt, I'm so sorry," Cooper blurted out as soon as he realized Kurt wasn't going to turn him away. "I don't even remember saying it, I swear. I was so worried about Blaine and the reporters were right there and I must have..."

Kurt stepped aside and waved Cooper in, gaping with amazement when he saw that Cooper was wearing mismatched shoes. It actually bothered him to see Cooper so upset. He'd always imagined Cooper living in a bubble of self-satisfied confidence that no external force could penetrate, a bubble only available to the supremely good looking or obscenely rich. To see him without the normal gleam in his eye was somehow disheartening.

He wanted to be angry with Cooper, but he knew that the situation had been a unique one. It could have just as easily been him, blurting something out when he'd been so worried about Blaine that he'd barely remembered his own name. He knew that there had been no malice behind the slip-up and that made it easier to forgive.

"How's Blaine?" Cooper asked when he didn't see anyone else in the sitting room. "Does he know?"

"He's fine. Just a slight headache," Kurt replied. "And yes, he knows. I told him after Lynn called this morning."

"He's going to kill me," Cooper groaned. "This was the first time in his whole like that he confided something in me and I blew it. He'll never forgive me."

"Of course he will." Kurt tried to be reassuring, but he couldn't keep the doubt from his voice. "He's not even that upset."

"Really?" Cooper said hopefully.

"Cooper?"

Kurt and Cooper both turned to find Blaine standing in the bedroom doorway, a shower cap perched on his head to protect his wound while he took a shower.

Cooper took an involuntary step towards him. "Blaine! I..."

Blaine glanced at Kurt. "Kurt, can we have a minute?"

Kurt nodded reluctantly, since he wanted to hear what Blaine had to say, whether it was a smack down or a pep talk. He walked towards the bedroom, dragging his feet in the hopes that they would ask him to stay, but he reached the doorway with no interference, so he snagged the cap from Blaine's head and closed the door behind him.

He sat on the edge of the bed and flipped through some TV stations, not wanting to reenact some scene out of a bad sitcom by pressing his ear to the door. From time-to-time he heard raised voices and thought he heard "unreliable", "inexcusable", and "drunk with power" but he wasn't sure.

Not finding anything worth watching on TV (the Golden Girls marathon had unfortunately ended), he decided to start packing, since their flight was scheduled for early the next morning. Most of his luggage was out in the sitting room, but he had one large bag and his carry-on, so he set to work.

About ten minutes later, he heard the doorknob rattle and Blaine strode into the bedroom and flopped down on the mattress, his arms splayed out.

"How'd it go?" Kurt asked sympathetically as he abandoned his packing and sat down next to him.

Blaine stared up at the ceiling. "He's sorry. He didn't mean it. He'll spend the rest of his life making it up to us."

"I hope you weren't too hard on him." Kurt reached out to rub one of Blaine's shoulders comfortingly.

"I wasn't." Blaine rolled over and set the uninjured side of his head in his hand. "It's just that sometimes I wish I had a normal brother. One I could trust and rely on. One who didn't see the world through "me" colored glasses. Like you and Finn."

Kurt snorted and lay down his stomach, feet kicked up in the air, his elbows supporting him. "Please, the only reason Finn hasn't spilled our secret is because he probably forgot it as soon as I told him. Our relationship has taken a lot of work, believe me. Things aren't always perfect, but even when things are bad I know deep down that I love the big lug and he feels the same. And you have that, too, Blaine. Cooper loves you, no matter how self-centered he is. He looked really torn up about blabbing and I think he's learned a big lesson."

"Maybe. We'll see." Blaine fell silent and traced his finger over the pattern on the comforter for a moment. "Tell me truthfully. Do think this is going to be a big story."

"I'm sure it'll all blow over quickly. In a few days no one will even remember that it happened."

=^..^=

...Sources tell us that Anderson was recruited to be a bodyguard shortly after his graduation from college and that he specialized in the protection of children. During those assignments he often used the cover of being the child's nanny to hide the fact that he was there as a bodyguard.

There is no word on how he went from guarding the children of diplomats and high-profile business men to working with Hummel, but the move seems to have come in September of 2018, only a few weeks before they announced to the world that they were dating. At that time, he used his usual undercover persona, describing himself as a former nanny... – The Hollywood News, May 19th, 2020

Anderson fired from bodyguard gig for drinking on the job – Undercover Scoop, May 22nd, 2020

Blaine's just a cover! Kurt involved with married director – The World Enquirer, May 23rd, 2020

Blaine's not even gay. Their entire relationship is a fake – Undercover Scoop, May 24th, 2020

I'm pregnant with Blaine Anderson's baby – The Daily-ish News, May 25th, 2020

=^..^=

The nanny thing is proof that he was still just Kurt's bodyguard when they first told us they were dating #LiarLiarPantsonFire

No it isn't. He could have been using it for privacy so that he didn't get asked questions about who he had protected and other stuff he couldn't talk about or so that the tabloids didn't make a big deal about the "actor dating the bodyguard" like they are now

Bullshit – they lied. Blaine is horrible for him. Kurt wasn't a liar before he showed up. Kurt should be with Giles. Their chemistry in Defiance was HOT. Matter of fact, maybe they are actually dating. All those articles keep saying that the Klaine relationship is just for PR even now...

Haters to the left...

I read that Blaine isn't even gay. #is it wrong that a part of me was happy because now there's a glimmer of hope that he'd date me?

Things written for tabloids like the World Enquirer aren't "articles" they are decorative type used to liven up the white paper that is destined to line my hamster's cage. I give as much credence to their "facts" as I do the "Call for a good time..." messages on bathroom stall doors. #and by that I mean those tabloids are potentially libelous works of fiction and that their owners sit back and laugh like hyenas at all the stupid people who are gullible enough to buy them

God, I feel like this is just tearing the fandom apart. It just isn't fun anymore. #Sad Panda

We are going to trend "We love and support Kurt and Blaine" at 1:00 pm eastern this Friday. Pass the word! Let's show our boys that nothing will keep us from being on their side!

Here is a timeline of Klaine photos: [photos] See how Blaine starts to look at him differently here? And now, compare these two: [photos] Their body language is like night-and-day. I'm going to call it and say that they started dating for real in December. #Tumblr CSI gets stuff done

Why did we never see this before! It is soooo obvious that something changed in December. #now I'm crying thinking of them having a perfect first christmas together.

=^..^=

The story wasn't dying down. In fact, it was growing and morphing, with headlines more ridiculous than the last appearing every day, as if the tabloid writers were in a contest to one-up each other.

Blaine had a hard time understanding why something so relatively small and unimportant had snowballed into a giant media event. Lynn had described it as a perfect confluence of events: a formerly squeaky clean actor that the press was now enjoying tearing down, a tie-in to the biggest movie of the summer, a popular couple that got people buying magazines, fans and detractors adding to the speculation over social media, no other major entertainment stories coming in to interrupt the cycle, and lack of any further comment from Kurt.

When added up, it was like waving a red flag at a bull, just begging the press to unleash their combined imaginations.

In the week since they'd returned to New York, life had gone back to relative normal for Kurt. He'd returned to the stage in Toy Story and the crowds waiting for him after each performance had only grown. He blithely ignored the press coverage, practically sticking his fingers in his ears whenever Lynn called with an update.

Unfortunately, Blaine had nothing but time on his hands, so he often found himself on the couch after Kurt left for the theater, dog in lap and tablet in hand, browsing through the latest articles that had appeared that day.

That Thursday was no different. Kurt had been called into a special all-day practice, so Blaine sat down on the couch a little earlier than usual and called out to Elphie. She came running and leaped up onto his lap, circling four times before finally settling in with a deep puppy sigh. Blaine turned on his tablet and sucked in a deep bracing breath before browsing to the first site.

He didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry at the brazen way the stories contradicted each other: he wasn't gay and had a secret pregnant girlfriend; he was gay, but he and Kurt actually hated each other, their relationship just a public relations scam; he and Kurt were planning an autumn wedding in Paris. Couldn't people see that it was all garbage?

His phone rang, interrupting his musings on human gullibility. Seeing that the call was from Pamela Foley, the headmaster of the Carlisle Academy, Blaine answered it, anxious to have something to think about other than tabloid stories. Maybe they needed him to come in for another curriculum meeting.

After exchanging the usual pleasantries, Pamela got right to the point. "Blaine, we've had a few calls from some of the parents on our advisory committee who've expressed concern with the recent publicity you've been receiving. As you know, we have some students from high-profile families and there's a worry that any spotlight shown on you will bring unwanted publicity to the school."

Blaine felt his heart drop in his chest. "I completely understand Pamela and I really apologize for everything that's going on. I'm sure this is just a temporary situation, though. The media will move onto other stories soon and by the time the school year starts I'll just be another anonymous teacher, I promise."

"We knew you were involved with an actor when we hired you, but you assured us that your move to New York would actually reduce the publicity surrounding your relationship," Pamela replied, unable to hide the dismay in her voice.

"And it was supposed to. It will," Blaine reassured her.

Pamela sighed, "I really hope so, Blaine. I think you're a great fit for our school and will make a wonderful addition to our faculty. You're exactly the kind of teacher we need to really make our school modern and help prepare our kids for the world. I'd hate to lose you over something like this, but our advisory committee has a lot of power. We need to do everything we can to make them okay with this situation."

"Please let me know if there's anything I can do. I can meet with the committee in person, if you think it would help," Blaine suggested. "I'm really committed to Carlisle and I don't want to be the cause of any concern. We can make this work, I promise."

They spoke a little while longer and then agreed to touch base in a couple of days to see how things were going. Blaine just hoped that he would be able to keep the promise he'd just made.

=^..^=

Blaine was in the kitchen that night making tea when Kurt returned home. It was part of their nightly ritual: Blaine would have two steaming mugs of tea ready when Kurt arrived and they'd sit around the table sipping their drinks and eating cookies, while Kurt told him any funny stories from that night's performance or stage door.

That evening, however, Kurt was evidently too keyed up to sit and talk. Instead, he grabbed Blaine's hand and led him in an energetic boogie around the kitchen. "Blaine, we had the most amazing practice today. We're putting together our Tony Awards performance and there are soooo many ideas. They want us to do a medley of at least a couple of different songs, so..."

Blaine listened while Kurt chattered on about the practice and his excitement over being asked to sing part of one of his solos at the Tonys. Finally, Kurt finished his minute-by-minute recounting of his day and grabbed the teapot to freshen up their cups.

The lull in conversation gave Blaine a chance to mention what he'd been thinking about since Pamela's phone call. "Kurt, I think you need to make another statement to the press." He could see Kurt starting to shake his head, so he pressed forward. "The story isn't dying down and by not saying anything you're just letting them fill the silence with whatever crap flows from their fingers."

Kurt swirled his tea bag around in his cup absently. "Blaine, we've talked about this. They're going to write what they want no matter what I say, so it's best just to let it play out. I know I'm being stubborn, but our private lives are no longer something I'm willing to discuss. Don't worry, it won't last much longer. Someone far more interesting is bound to do something scandalous at any moment and the press will be off chasing a new story."

Blaine knew where Kurt was coming from, but he was determined to make him see reason. "I got a call from Pamela at Carlisle today. Some of the parents are concerned about all the publicity I'm getting. I'm worried that they'll—" The sound of Kurt's phone ringing interrupted him.

"Oh, that's probably Rachel. I told her I'd give her all the scoop on today's practice." Kurt grabbed Blaine's head gently and leaned forward to press his lips to his forehead. "Don't worry so much. It'll all be okay."

He scampered off to talk to Rachel, leaving Blaine alone in the kitchen, frustrated and hurt that Kurt could dismiss him so easily.

=^..^=

Blaine watched in horror as, in what must have been some kind of karmic retribution for a forgotten horrible deed in his past, the tabloid stories just got more outlandish. The woman who claimed to be having his baby was interviewed on two different daytime talk shows and a former college classmate who he didn't even remember came forward with claims that Blaine had paid for school by working as a gigolo. It was as if the universe had heard his reassurances to Pamela that things would get better and had responded by giving him the finger and yelling "screw you."

The final straw came when he left the apartment to go get groceries and found a pack of paparazzi waiting for him. They followed him as he headed towards the store, yelling insults the whole way to try and get a reaction from him. He ignored them with much effort and entertained himself by imagining their faces if he was to break out his martial arts skills on them. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, but he let it go to voice mail, not wanting to have any kind of conversations in front of the vultures.

Then, with one block still to go until he could slip alone into the store, one photographer stood directly in front of him on the sidewalk and asked if Kurt was paying him for sex. Suddenly, getting that box of Corn Flakes and some asparagus just didn't seem that important. He turned abruptly on his heel, and retraced his steps back to the apartment, the paparazzi sticking with him like a line of unruly ducklings following the mother duck. He wrenched the door to his building open and then slammed it shut behind him, smiling in grim satisfaction when one of the photographers had to jump back at the last minute to avoid having his camera smashed.

He pulled out his phone as he headed up the stairs and saw that Cooper had left him a message. He unlocked his door and was just about to call Cooper back when his phone buzzed again. He looked down to see the number of the Carlisle school on the screen. Great.

=^..^=

Kurt sprinted from the car to the door of his apartment building, dodging a few dedicated paparazzi that had felt the need to stay until almost midnight to catch him coming home. When were they going to get tired of watching him go back-and-forth to the theater?

He unwound his summer weight scarf from his neck as he entered the apartment and coiled it up on the entryway table where he dropped his keys. One of his cast mates had had a hissy fit backstage after someone in the audience had answered a phone call from their seat and he couldn't wait to tell Blaine about it. He walked towards the kitchen, but his footsteps slowed when he realized that there was no smell of tea wafting through the air as there usually was when he got home.

He stepped into the kitchen and found Blaine sitting at the table, his face an impenetrable mask. "What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly afraid of the answer.

"Kurt, please sit down. We need to talk," Blaine replied solemnly.

Kurt warily took a seat and waited for Blaine to begin.

"I'm going to ask you one more time to make another statement to the press. I need you to clear all of this up once-and-for-all."

"No, Blaine —"

"You say you don't want to discuss your private life, but you've done it before," Blaine interrupted. "God, you even announced that we were dating at a premier! Your reluctance now just makes it seem like we have something to hide. I know you left Hollywood partially because you wanted a private life, but this whole business is making it impossible for me to have any kind of life at all. Did you know that a pack of paparazzi followed me today?" The anger in his voice was clear. "I'm not a celebrity, Kurt. This shouldn't be happening."

Kurt felt his stomach clench. It had always been one of his biggest fears that dealing with his celebrity would be too much to ask of any relationship. His heart began to beat faster as he imagined Blaine breaking up with him and moving out, leaving him all alone once again. "If I make a statement it will just fuel the fires. It'll make it worse."

Blaine slapped a hand down on the table, making Kurt jump in surprise. "I don't know how much worse it can get, Kurt. I got a call from Carlisle today. The advisory committee has called a special meeting next week to discuss my situation. Not only are they worried about the publicity, but the recent stories have made some of the parents doubt my integrity. I'm on the verge of being fired, Kurt."

Kurt gasped, his heart breaking for Blaine. "I'll go with you to the meeting. I'll talk to them. I'll—"

"I spoke to Cooper today, too," Blaine continued. "Your agent dropped him this morning. I guess he felt that having two clients embroiled in this mess was too much, so he reluctantly," Blaine made quotation marks with his fingers, "let Cooper go. He's devastated, Kurt. This could mean the end of his career. How likely is it that he's going to be able to get another big time agent?" Blaine paused and closed his eyes for a second. "Listen, I've given up a lot to be with you: my anonymity, my privacy. I've moved across the country for you. So now, I need you to make a sacrifice for once. I need you to make the statement, whether you want to or not."

Kurt had always been self-aware enough to realize that he had selfish tendencies. It was hard to think of others when you were worried about dodging the bullies who were looking to throw you into the nearest dumpster. He'd had to look out for himself because no one else was going to do it. Finally finding a group of friends he could count on had helped, but the very nature of their relationships had meant that he still needed to look out for number one. He'd had to battle for solos, fight against lingering prejudices, and struggle to be noticed in a group of equally ambitious, talented people.

Becoming part of the entertainment industry hadn't helped either. No one on Broadway or in Hollywood got anywhere thinking about the other guy first. You thought about how your actions benefitted you, not how they affected others. And if you were successful, you got used to others being accommodating and doing what they could to get you what you wanted.

That being said, on a self-centeredness scale of Mother Teresa to Cooper he hoped that he netted out somewhere around the middle.

But now, sitting across from Blaine in their cozy kitchen, he realized that he couldn't continue on that way. He had too many people in his life now that he cared about and who cared about him. He couldn't go through life pretending that his actions only affected him, that his wishes were the only ones that mattered. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if his stupid stubbornness on something that didn't even matter cost Blaine his job or anything else.

He nodded slowly and reached across the table to grab Blaine's hand tightly. "I will do anything for you. You know that, right? I'll call Lynn first thing in the morning and we'll figure out the best way to handle this. I'll do whatever it takes." He felt Blaine squeeze his hand in return and it gave him the courage to stand up and walk over to Blaine's side. He sat on Blaine's lap, straddling him, but there was nothing sexy about the moment. It was all about comfort and regrouping. He put his arms around Blaine's shoulders and hugged him tightly, feeling his heartbeat slow a bit as Blaine's chin nestled into its familiar place on his shoulder. "Whatever it takes."

=^..^=

The next few days flew by. Lynn had sprung into action after Kurt's call and she'd had a plan in place so quickly that he was sure that she'd just been waiting for him to come to his senses. She'd announced that a simple statement wouldn't be enough at that point and that Kurt and Blaine would have to sit down to a joint interview in order to tell their side of the story.

Katie Couric agreed to postpone one of her already taped talk show episodes in order to get an interview with them up that week, before the Carlisle meeting and the Tony Awards. Her only stipulation was that she not be limited in the questions she could ask. Kurt and Blaine had to be willing to open up about anything and everything. They agreed and the interview was set up for the next day.

In the meantime, Kurt called his agent in Hollywood and demanded that he take Cooper back on as a client. While some people might be reluctant to go back to an agent who had so unceremoniously dropped them, Cooper had no such reservations. He gave a cry of delight when Kurt called him with the news, his faith in his inevitable success immediately restored.

The day of the interview arrived and Kurt and Blaine drove to the studio with Lynn and her counterpart from the New York office. They had a pre-interview meeting with Katie to get to know each other a little and then retired to their dressing room to get ready.

Kurt slipped on one of his favorite vests that always made him feel extra confident and topped it off with his hippo head brooch. He felt ready to take on the world. He made a sound of approval as Blaine finished putting on his outfit, which consisted of a short-sleeved polo shirt and a black bow tie. "Ready?" Kurt asked with a smile as he gave the tie a straightening that it really didn't need.

Blaine smiled back and kissed him lightly before reaching down and taking his hand. "Ready."

=^..^=

I think that may be most romantic story I've ever heard literally crying because nothing so romantic will ever happen to me

My heart stopped when Blaine mentioned what happened in Zurich. I remember that story from the news. I can't believe that was Blaine and we didn't know it. He saved that little girl's life *u* #oh my god he could have died #kurt must had been so upset #im cry

God, they are both heroes. Kurt saved my life by being who he is and Blaine saved other people's lives by being who he is. #forever RL OTP

Ads;lkfj DON'T LOOK AT MEEEEEE ILOVE THEM SO MUUUUUUCH

They are so cute together I cnt stand it does it make me a bad person that im kind of glad this whole thing happened just so that we could get that interview? #sorry im not sorry

Does anyone have a livestream for the Tony awards?

Thank god you all finally got your head's out of your asses. Welcome back, bitches. Still waiting for my filthy porny bodyguard AU story *taps foot even more dramatically*. I'd like to add something to my request, though: Blaine is hurt in the line of duty and Kurt nurses him back to health. I'll just wait here while someone writes it. #no really, I'm waiting right here so someone had better write this or I'll waste away of starvation or get fired for not showing up at work