It was one of the few things he had said during the last hours, after they had finally left Blaine�s workroom. Baine had cooked and Kurt had been agonizing over the list without any results worth mentioning.

Blaine hummed in approval. “I had to – or live off delivery services.”

They finished their meal in silence, but it wasn�t the awkward kind of it. It was the kind they had always been able to share, the kind that was comfortable and soothing.

Even without holding each others hand Kurt felt like they made their own world – again. It was like a cocoon that separated them from the rest of the world and Kurt really didn�t want to leave it behind, but he had no choice.

“I have rehearsals this evening. Any suggestions or instructions what to do and how to act?” Kurt looked at Blaine enquiring.

Blaine stared at him unbelievingly. “Are you serious? You still want to go there? You do realize somebody threatened to kill you?!”

“Well, I�d love to stay here and ignore my job, but I can�t. I have to attend this rehearsal if I want to be part of the play, that�s my job. And besides, if I lock myself what message would that be? That I hide whenever there might be a lunatic out there? That whoever tries to is able to scare me away?”

“No, it would show that you want to live rather than get killed.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Sure. I�d prefer that, but I don�t want to be the horrified victim again. I�ve been there and even then I decided to return, remember? And there�s nothing like Dalton in real life so I�ll just hold my head high and show them that no one messes with Kurt Hummel, not even a wannabe hitman.”

With a smirk Blaine stood up and put the empty dishes into the dishwasher.

“That�s the Kurt Hummel I remember. So I guess we need a background story then.”

Kurt played with his glass absentmindedly and cocked his head.
“Why?”

Blaine turned around, still smirking and shrugged.
“Because I think there will be questions when I appear at your side. Do you think I will pass for your manager or agent?”

Kurt nearly choked on the sip of water he was trying to swallow and finally managed to. Then he asked quite panicky: “Excuse me – what? No, there�s no way you are coming with me! Besides, I already have a manager who�s also my agent. So, there�s no need you�re coming with me. I will be fine. Everything will be fine. You stay here and do... whatever you�re usually doing and I�ll be at the theatre and return after rehearsals. Oh and by the way, when I�m here again we need to figure out where else I can stay during the next time. There�s no need for you to accommodate me.”

Blaine moved over and clutched Kurt�s chair, leaning down and almost whispering.
“To be clear, this wasn�t a question. The only way you�re attending your rehearsal is with me, do you understand that? I won�t let you go on your own and in addition - I want to see where you�re working and if there�s anybody who seems to be able to harm you. If you don�t need a manager, tell me what else I can be. The most obvious and easiest thing would be your boyfriend.”

Blaine straightened again, but then stopped one last time.
“Oh, and you�re staying. Don�t even think about moving anywhere else. That turned out fantastic the last time, didn�t it?!”

Blaine had already left the kitchen when Kurt was able to react and move again. He jumped up and ran after Blaine. Well, their relaxed mood was gone for sure now! Furiously, he gripped Blaine�s shoulder and turned him around.
“Don�t act like it�s my fault that this shit happened! I really, really didn�t need anything of that happening, let alone having you back in my life! Oh – and pretending that you�re my boyfriend? Another thing that turned out fantastic the last time!”

They glared at each other, both breathing heavily. When Blaine moved even closer, Kurt felt like he was running on adrenalin and it was the most addictive feeling ever. It was the same feeling like then, when all Blaine needed to do was to look at him or touch him anywhere. But now Blaine seemed to be even more insurmountable, standing there and watching him, leaning in and speaking under his breath.

“I�ve never thought you�re a liar, Kurt. Perhaps it�s not your fault and of course you don�t want to die, but don�t even pretend it wasn�t fantastic – or that you don�t want me back in your life. Don�t even try to pretend.”

Kurt looked at Blaine with an expression so transparent that it was impossible to ignore the horror – and the want.
With a desperate, almost pain filled moan Blaine leaned in and pressed his lips on Kurt�s. Kurt�s hand gripped even tighter at Blaine�s shoulder as he took the last step towards Blaine. Blaine�s hands flew into Kurt�s hair, his breath caught and Kurt wasn�t able to do anything than feel.

The room was spinning around them and both fell into the kiss, into their too tight embrace.
Hands were touching and pulling closer and mouths were tasting and exploring more and bodies were moving faster and more forceful with want and need and yet it wasn�t enough – but too much at the same time.

Kurt felt like he was drowning. He wanted Blaine so much but oh God, he still hated him for being Blaine. He couldn�t hold back a sob and Blaine seemed to hear it at the very moment, because he broke away and looked at Kurt horror-stricken. His fingers were shaking as he pulled his hands back and didn�t know what to do with them. He ran them over his face and tried to say something – but there were no words to express his feelings.

Kurt�s strained voice finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

“I guess pretending to be my boyfriend would be the worst idea ever. We�ll just tell them you�re some newspaper guy who wants to do an interview or stuff.”

Blaine nodded and still wasn�t able to form a coherent sentence.
He had called Kurt a liar and knew he had been right – there was much more between them than just hate.
But the biggest liar wasn�t Kurt - it was himself.
He didn�t want to feel anything, but he did. There were so many of these undesired feelings and most of them were caused by Kurt�s general presence. Maybe Kurt was the one who still wanted him, but Blaine was the one who still needed him. Kurt made him feel angry and furious and anxious and agitated, but most of all Kurt made him feel alive.

“I�ll go get... get changed. I�ll need a suit or something like that.”

Blaine fled and leaned against the closed bedroom-door. Breath, he told himself. Calm down and breath.

When they arrived at the theatre, Blaine gave Kurt some last instructions.

“Introduce every person I ask you to to me and tell me their names, okay? I know the ones on your list and I need to meet them. While you�re practising, I�ll take a look around and try to get to know the more interesting people.”

Kurt nodded and got out of the car, waiting for Blaine and then they walked into the building side by side. Both remembered Kurt�s senior year, when they had walked into their school like this every single day.

The stage was crowded with people, some were singing, some were decorating or moving furniture, some were shouting and waving.

As Kurt entered the stage, several men and women greeted him and Blaine noticed that everybody seemed to like him. He was one of them, he fitted in.

Some of Kurt�s colleagues noticed him and looked at him curiously, but nobody left the stage. So Blaine looked for a place to sit and decided to watch Kurt performing.

Soon there was kind of a system on stage and most of the people left it to stand next to it and watch Kurt singing. Blaine knew exactly why and he was confirmed when Kurt opened his mouth. Well, some things hadn�t changed at all. Maybe Kurt was even better now, his range was wider and his voice was stronger, but he still looked like he was living for standing there, glowing all over. It wasn�t even a touching song, it was one of the funnier ones, but still Kurt was mesmerizing. Blaine applauded with the others after Kurt had sung the last note.

The director entered the stage. “Brilliant as usual! Okay, let�s do the song again, but with the understudy and we�ll try a different lightening. Gavroche?”

A tall man appeared from the curtains and Blaine furrowed his brow. The name seemed familiar and he was sure Kurt had mentioned him. But he had also seen this man before.
Blaine stood up and walked towards Kurt slowly, who smiled at him slightly.

“Who�s this? I kind of know him.”

“Gavroche, he�s my understudy. He really wanted this part, but the director thought I was the more subtle actor. He�s playing some minor roles too, like a bartender or one of the dancers. Oh, maybe you really know him. Remember the time Rachel and I tried to do >Ding Dong< at the NYADA meeting? He was one of these kids who did that really weird mash-up. And he also was the one I told you about, the one that was even gayer than me. He still is though, too bad he never managed to get to know Robert Pattinson.”

Blaine chuckled and watched the other actor. He wasn�t bad, far from it, but he would never be as good or passionate as Kurt – and he knew it. Well, there had been more unimportant reasons to try to get rid of anyone. Gavroche would be added to the list.

“Introduce me, would you?”

Kurt shot him a curious look and nodded. “If you wish. He�s not in a relationship at the moment, as far as I know.”

Blaine chuckled once more.

“That wasn�t the reason, in fact I think he might be a suspect. But – do I detect a little jealousy?!”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Gavroche is far too concerned about his appearance to even consider murdering someone on his own. And he wouldn�t spend his money on hiring a hitman, to boot he doesn�t earn that much, being the understudy. And I hope you remember that I usually answer this last question very honestly.”

“Oh, never underestimate the dream�s power. Some people would give up everything to have the opportunity to be successful only once. Oh and I do remember – but I hope you also remember where that tends to result in.”

Kurt resisted to answer and clapped as Gavroche finished the song. He then led Blaine up on the stage and introduced the two men.

“Ooh, so this is the hidden boyfriend then? Kurtie, why didn�t you tell us?” Gavroche winked exaggeratedly and nudged Kurt, who stepped aside.

“No, it�s nothing like that. Blaine�s an old friend who's writing an article about... about our production. He just wanted to get to know you.” Kurt smiled at Gavroche widely and noticed how he changed immediately.

“So Blainey, what about a very special personal guided tour through our holy halls? I could show you one or two secret places nobody knows of!”

Mischievous, Kurt watched Blaine being pulled along with Gavroche, who smiled brightly and touched Blaine at every possible occasion.

Kurt totally knew how much Blaine hated pet names and Gavroche tended to use terms like >cutie< or >sweetie< far too often. Blaine had always been very cautious with PDA and Gavroche liked to touch everyone everywhere until it was awkward. The >secret places< he was referring to were most certainly the dark corners between the studios or the wardrobes and Kurt couldn�t suppress a beaming grin as he figured out how Blaine would have to avoid those situations.

Maybe it was childish, but Blaine really deserved this in his opinion. He was causing so much trouble – and yes, he would liberally overlook that Blaine wasn�t literally the one who created the trouble – and he surely was able to handle a little bit of Gavroche.

Kurt got himself a bottle of water and waited for Blaine to come back. The dancers were practising at the moment and there wasn�t much for him to do.

He was surprised that he wasn�t jealous at all. Maybe the reason was that Blaine had never been one to look for others when he was with him.

You�re not with him anymore, his inner voice reminded him. But yes, perhaps this was the point. He wasn�t with him, so there was no reason to be jealous.
Sure, tell yourself something like this. You know exactly that you would be jealous if it wasn�t Gavroche. You just hope that Blaine still doesn�t like guys like him. Just imagine it would be someone like... like Sebastian Warbler joining him. Or another cute but dapper gay guy. Wouldn�t be that amusing, would it?

Kurt cut off his inner voice once more and put the bottle down with more power than necessary. He decided to visit his wardrobe. Maybe there was a letter or something, anything would be fine to distract him. Even a new flame – one more reason to... No. Stop it, Kurt.

There was nothing new except a box of candy. Everybody here knew Kurt didn�t eat sweets because of his flawless skin and his weight. But there was no note or sign attached so Kurt normally would have ignored it and left it alone – but then his warning bell rang. Sweets or liquids were often used to poison someone, right? And since they had no clue at the moment, it was better to be cautious. So he decided to tell Blaine to come here at once and handle this.

Only seconds after Kurt called, Blaine stormed into his room. He was slightly breathless and looked relieved.

“Woah, thank you Kurt, I�ve never thought I�d take an excuse like a fake candy box to escape someone.”

Kurt looked at Blaine, his eyebrows raised and waved towards his desk.

“I�m really sorry you didn�t enjoy your tour-a-tet�, but in fact there�s really a candy box. What do you think I should do with it?”

Blaine froze and took a deep breath. “Did you touch it?”

Kurt shook his head. “I�ve seen some of these crime series, you know. Don�t move, don�t touch, don�t eat.”

Blaine observed the little box and got something out of his pocket.

“Gloves, huh?”

Blaine didn�t answer, just put on the gloves and opened the box. There really was candy in it, but he closed it slowly and looked at Kurt again.

“I�m sending this to a friend, he�ll examine it and tell us if they�re poisoned, okay? In the meantime you could tell me who�s able to enter the theatre and your room. That would cut down our list.”

“In fact, it wouldn�t. There are some security guards, but remember the time Rachel and I sneaked into that theatre some years ago? It happens every day. And there are so many employees here, also the occasional ones and their friends and the fans who just ignore closed doors, so I guess there's no possibility to exclude people this way.”

Blaine sighed and rubbed his eyes.

“Okay. Okay, we�ll have to hope that there is something in the candy, as weird as that sounds. That would be the only clue we�d have.”

After several hours of watching Kurt practising and trying to avoid Gavroche, Blaine left the theatre together with Kurt. As they were climbing into Blaine�s car, Gavroche suddenly appeared next to it.

“Kurtie! We�re having dinner at Louis 649, Greg has invited us over. Join us, come on! And of course Blainey would be more than welcome!” Blaine frowned at Gavroche�s suggestive wink and Kurt grinned amusedly. “Well, thank you, but we have other plans. Blaine wants to.. to finish this interview. Maybe next time, okay?”

Gavroche�s smile was strained as he nodded and waved and Blaine seemed more than happy to drive away.

Kurt didn�t even try to hide his wide grin as he teased Blaine.

“Maybe you should consider observing Gavroche; I guess he would be more than willing to help you in every way possible. Probably he�d let you even do a full body check if you ask nicely.”

Blaine shot him an angry look.

“That�s not funny. Not the slightest bit. He was... he was disturbing. If we were looking for an erratic and a trifle insane guy, he would be on top of my list. In fact, I think he is on top of my list and maybe it�s just because I�d be happy to never see him again.”

Kurt burst out laughing and Blaine�s annoyed expression made it impossible to stop.

Only when Blaine stopped the car and waited for his friend to arrive, Kurt calmed down and tried to conceal his face as another man stalled next to the car.
Blaine exchanged a few words with his friend and handed him the candy box. After the other man left, they drove back to Blaine�s apartment, using some loop ways. Neither commented on this, but both knew why Blaine did it.