It's already been a couple of weeks since their coffee date and both boys have finished their assignement with days to spare. The awkwardness from before is as good as gone, especially for Blaine who slowly started to open up to Kurt, though not yet really about anything that has to do with what he does or his parents.

But Kurt is already happy that even being in each other's company and not talking, or just chatting about stupid little things, doesn't feel forced in the slightest way.
Slowly but surely Kurt has lost even more of his façade towards Blaine, the snarky comments staying away and being replaced by good natured teasing, and just not acting as bitchy to the boy in general. In return Blaine has proven himself to be a good match to Kurt when it comes to the bantering between them.
During the time spent making the assignement and going out for coffee, Kurt has to admit to himself, his feelings for Blaine have certainly increased, going from hesitant friendship to full out falling hard for the boy. But he's sure Blaine just sees him as a good friend, nothing more, so other than sneaky glances to the other boy in class or when he thinks Blaine is not looking, nothing is said or done. Not that he's happy with the way it is but at least he can't ruin anything like this, his friendship is way too valuable for him at this point.

It's a mondaymorning again and Kurt strolls through the halls of McKinley towards his locker, lost in his thoughts, when he suddenly feels an arm being slung over his shoulder and he looks up startled only to find Puck looking at him with raised eyebrows.
"What?" Kurt questions, more forcefully than he intended.
"Wow dude, what's eating you?" Puck throws his hand in the air in mock appology, "Where have you been? We haven't seen you in ages, I was just wondering what you're holding out on us."

"I'm not holding out on anything, I've just been kind of busy." Kurt shrugs, feeling his cheeks redden a little. He knows very well that is a lie and Puck can see right through him. Most times he just doesn't feel the need to mingle with anyone at the moment and the rest of the time he tries to hang out with Blaine as much as possible.
"Yeah sure," Puck winks at Kurt as they halt in front of his locker, "That Anderson boy got you whipped, I can see it in your eyes."
"Please!" Kurt scoffs, the blush now even more obvious on his face, "No one has me whipped, especially not anyone like Blaine Anderson! Remember ... Standards?!"

At that exact moment he can hear the sharp intake of breath right behind Puck and he peers over the guy's shoulder to find Blaine standing there, his eyes wide and his gaze already shifting from the way Kurt has gotten used to in the last weeks, to a hard stare.
"Blaine ..." Kurt speaks softly, making Puck turn to look over where Kurt is staring just in time to see Blaine almost running away from them.
"Dude, even for me that was harsh." Puck tells Kurt as he claps his shoulder, "But well, when are we hanging out again. I kind of still want to take you to that bar I talked about a few weeks ago, remember? I'm sure you're gonna love it!"
"No!" Kurt almost yells, earning him a confused look from Puck, "I mean, I already know where you wanted to go if you can remember, and that wasn't my kind of fun, okay?" he adds, his voice a bit wavering as his gaze shift from Puck to where Blaine was running off.
"Okay, okay, I guess not then ... Whatever! See you around man." Puck rolls his eyes at Kurt and walks away, leaving Kurt standing there for a moment contemplaiting if he should go after Blaine or just go to his next class. He decides Blaine probably doesn't even want to talk right now, and he has the urge to hit himself over the head. He knows what Blaine must've heard and he just wishes he reacted just that tad different to Puck. Kurt doesn't even know why he didn't just say that it wasn't like that and they were just friends.

So with a sigh he takes his books out of his locker and walks to his first class.

The day goes by slowly, and Kurt hasn't been able to stop thinking about Blaine and his own foolish behaviour. He didn't see the other boy for the rest of the day, but Kurt waited for him behind the gym, just in case he decided to show up at their normal hour even though the assignement was over. When it was clear Blaine wouldn't appear, he tried calling the boy several times without luck, Blaine's phone immediately going to voicemail and leaving Kurt more and more worried throughout the day and most of his night until he finally falls asleep.

He's been trying to get a hold of Blaine the next two days, without luck. Kurt knows he's at school, he's seen Blaine in the hallways in more than one occasion, but Blaine just keeps ignoring his calls and does his best to avoid the boy at all costs.
Until on wednesday, Kurt is fed up with the whole thing and skips Glee just to make sure he gets to see Blaine right after school. He knows Blaine probably won't consider him skipping so when the bell rings and the rest of the students steadily leave the school, he waits next to the big doors until he spots Blaine walking outside, his head hung low and his shoulders a bit hunched, grasping his bag over his shoulder tightly.

"Blaine!" he calls out, immediately pushing himself off the wall and runs after the boy, who by hearing him shout just fastens his pace.
"Blaine, just stop please?!" he exclaims again, reaching out and touching Blaine's upperarm.
"Why? Just so you can remind I'm not up to your standards?" Blaine scowls as he pulls his arm out of Kurt's grasp. "I just can't understand, what the hell have we been doing the last weeks, I thought we were friends?"

"We are!" Kurt hurries to assure Blaine "We are ... I just, I'm sorry you heard that. No, I'm sorry I said that to Puck, I just should've been honest, but ..."

"But what? You're afraid it'll actually make you less popular again right?" Blaine shakes his head and walks off the parking lot, Kurt just standing there for a few moments and watching the boy go.
Right at that moment Kurt hears Sam behind him calling,
"Kurt, where were you? And what are you doing here, you're missing the rehearsal. We're in there waiting for you."
Kurt turns momentarely, his gaze flickering between Sam and Blaine still walking away,
"Look, I'm not coming today, just cover for me will you? Please?" he asks as he starts to walk backwards and away from Sam, "It's just ... I need to talk to him." he hesitantly adds as he nods slightly in Blaine's direction, "I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"
Kurt doesn't wait for the answer as he turns and runs into the direction Blaine went.

He's already two blocks further when Kurt finally catches up with Blaine.

"Blaine, come on ... At least let me explain!" he exclaims exasperatedly as he takes a few more steps, stopping right in front of Blaine so the boy has no other choice to stop or bump into him.
Blaine's gaze is still fixed on the ground in between them as he sighs,
"What is there to explain? Just let it rest, I won't bother you anymore okay."

"What? No!" Kurt replies fiercely, "You don't bother me, at all. Just ..." he swallows and sighs as he finishes, "just look at me please?"
Hesitantly Blaine looks up, his gaze colder than Kurt hoped for but he can clearly see something else underneath it. The boy crosses his arms in front of his chest and looks around for a moment, before turning his stare back at Kurt,
"So ... explain."

"I'm really sorry, I didn't even mean what I said to Puck. It's no excuse, I know that, but it's ..." he contemplates his words momentarely "I guess it's still a mechanism when I'm around them. I mean, it's like, I still feel the need to act the way I did with them, otherwise I'll just go back to being the scared little boy I was in the passed years, being bullied and shoved into lockers and all."

Blaine gaze softens a bit, hearing the other boy's words but before he can say anything, Kurt continues,
"Blaine, you have to believe me, I like hanging out with you. And hell, you know already more about me in the short time we actually been talking than the rest of them. So again, I'm really sorry."
Kurt hesitantly looks down at Blaine's hands, now one of them hanging by his side, the other grasping the strap of his bag, and without really thinking any further about it, he reaches out and tentatively takes Blaine's hand. He can feel the slight tremble in the other boy's hand, but is surprised Blaine doesn't pull back immediately.
"Look Kurt, I know you probably didn't mean it like that, but still ... it stung. You're the only one who knows this much about me. I just don't mingle well in school so ... I like hanging out with you too, so I guess, it's okay. Okay?" Blaine replies softly before he pulls his hand back, nervously starting to fidget with the hem of his sweater.
"Okay," Kurt answers underneath his breath, immediately regretting the loss of the other boy's hand in his. 'Shit, I'm so fucked ...' he thinks.
"Okay, I really have to go now. I have to work tonight, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Blaine hesitantly looks into Kurt's eyes for a second before turning his gaze back to somewhere over the boy's shoulder.
Kurt manages a small smile and a nod as Blaine starts to walk away, looking over his shoulder at Kurt once more before speeding up his pace and dissapearing behind the next corner.
"Damn ..." Kurt scowls at himself, "Why can't you just admit it ... ?"