When Kurt was back at Dalton and distracting Blaine, Wes and David took the chance to call Mercedes and see how things went with Kurt.

"Hey!" Mercedes answered. "Mind if I put you on speaker? Quinn and Tina had to leave but Rachel, Quinn, Santana and Brittany are still here."

"Not at all!" said David and soon there was a click as Mercedes put her phone on speaker.

"Hey guys!" chorused the girls.

"Hey!" Wes and David echoed back.

"How did it go with Blaine?" Mercedes asked.

"Well, we thought wed broken him for a while. When he realised he likes Kurt he sort of freaked a little. We managed to calm him down, but hes insisting that Kurt doesnt like him that way and hes not going to make a move," David explained.

"Ah! Well, getting Kurt to admit he liked Blaine was pretty easy. But hes also insisting Blaine doesnt like him that way. In fact, I think he was pretty upset about it."

"Well then, it looks like step three came just in time," Wes said.

"Do you have all these steps pre planned or are you making them up as you go along," asked Santana.

"I stopped going to maths because there was too many steps," Brittany added. After a pause she said, "it was on the top floor."

"Right... Well thats for me to know and you to find out. Anyway, step three!"

"And step three would be?" Quinn asked.

"Create confidence!"

"That one kind of explains itself but specify," Rachel said.

"Okay so right now Kurt and Blaine are finding it hard to believe that the other likes them and are refusing the make the first move. So before they can accept that and get their acts together, they need confidence!"

"We can deal with Kurts confidence," Quinn said. "The best way to make Kurt confident is by getting him a hot new outfit. So shopping after school one day."

"Can you guys do Wednesday? Warbler rehearsal is Monday and Kurt and Blaine always go for coffee on Tuesdays," David said.

"We can do that!"Mercedes confirmed.

"Awesome. Well deal with Blaine. Me and David will go plan something now, but keep us updated!"

"Bye boys!" the girls called.

"Bye girls!" David and Wes replied.

"Right," Mercedes said once theyd hung up. "We have a shopping trip to plan!"

"Okay, David. How do we make Blaine confident?" Wes asked.

"When is Blaine the most confident?" David questioned back.

"When hes singing," Wes answered. "I mean, remember Teenage Dream? Blaine was practically fluttering his eyelashes at Kurt and hed only just met him!"

"Yeah, thats great and all, but we need him to be confident all the time. He cant sing all the time," David reminded him.

"True. When else is Blaine confident?"

"Id say when hes drunk, but he cant be drunk all the time either," David said.

"Ive got it!"

"What?"

"Do you remember about 6 months after Blaine got here and we started going to the gym? He used to come back practically glowing and it didnt wear off for weeks at a time!" Wes recalled.

"Yes! How did we forget that?"

"So we just need to take Blaine to the gym and have a work out."

"But," David said looking thoughtful, "how do you suppose we get him to go? We havent been to the gym in ages. Wont he get suspicious if we just tell him were going to the gym out of the blue?"

"Well think of something. Now, cmon, lets look at the opening times!"

At 4pm on Wednesday, Blaine and Wes were just entering the gym.

"Not that I dont appreciate the invite, I mean its been a while since Ive been here and I need it, but why not ask David?" Blaine asked curiously.

"Because David doesnt know the first thing about working out." Wes ducked his head and admitted, "And... erm... Maria thinks youre like... super hot."

Blaine looked at him for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"She really said that?" Blaine said through his laughter. When Wes didnt reply Blaine just laughed harder. "Thats brilliant!"

"Oh, shut up and make me super hot!"

A while later and Blaine had fully engaged himself in his work out, baring his teeth in determination. Wes had pretty much collapsed after 5 minutes on the weights and was now watching Blaines confidence grow. He grinned to himself as he sent a quick text to David before dropping in a seat in front of Blaine.

"How do you do it, man?" he asked.

"What, this?" Blaine said, his voice strained from effort.

"Yeah. We havent worked out in ages and its like youve been doing this every day since!"

"Well, I havent exactly been working out but Ive been keeping healthy and Ive been doing some exercise to, erm, stay in shape," Blaine confessed.

"Really? Whys that?" Wes questioned.

"No reason in particular. Just want to stay healthy," Blaine said, but avoided Wes eyes. Wes just grinned knowingly and hummed in approval.

"Okay, if youll excuse me, Im going to get a bottle of water. You want one?"

"Yes, please!" And with that, Blaine went back to concentrating on his work out, his confidence growing with every movement of the weights.

"So are you ready to shop till you drop, Mr Hummel?" Mercedes asked as she walked into the mall with her arm looped in Kurts.

"I am very much looking forward to finding some gorgeous outfits for you and the girls!" Kurt confirmed.

"What? No, no, no, were shopping for you here!" Quinn reminded him.

"Girls, I dont mean to burst your bubble, but I have no money! I can barely afford a new scarf!" Kurt told them.

"Non of that poor stuff, Porcelain. Everythings on Auntie Tana tonight," Santana insisted.

"Santana, I cant just spend your money..."

"Listen, Twinkle Toes. My family doesnt exactly lack money. Im basically a typical spoilt bitch from a large rich family, meaning I have thousands of dollars worth of birthday and Christmas money just waiting to be used in my bank account. So you better take it and be grateful."

Kurt sighed and when he realised he wasnt going to change her mind smiled. "Thank you, Santana. Id question your kindness, but I saw an amazing Marc Jacobs jacket and I cant find it cheap anywhere online!"

"Dont forget, guys," Tina piped up, "I need to find something for Mike."

"And I need to find something for Finn," Rachel added.

"And I need to find something for Lord Tubbington!"

No one even bothered to give Brittany a strange glance and instead just continued walking.

3 department stores, 4 accessory shops and a pet shop later and the girls and Kurt sat in the food court, bags discarded at their feet. Kurt was practically glowing from the shop and already had one of his new scarves draped around his neck.

"How do you feel?" asked Rachel, placing a salad in front of Kurt. Kurt took it with a grin.

"Fantastic! Like I could conquer the world! I havent shopped in ages! I forgot how good it made me feel!" Kurt gushed.

"Perfect," said Mercedes with a grin.

Kurt cursed when he got out of his car at Dalton and realised he had way more bags than he could handle in one trip. Hed just started gathering his first lot of bags when he heard a voice.

"Hey, Kurt!"

He turned to see Blaine jogging up to him. He was wearing sweats, he had a gym bag slung over his shoulder and his hair was looser than usual. Kurt smiled at the sight.

"Hi, Blaine! You look... sweaty," he commented.

"Oh, yeah. Wes and I have been to the gym," Blaine explained.

"Ah, that explains."

"And you have a lot of bags! Shopping with the girls?"

"Guilty! Santana was in an odd, kind mood and treated me, so I decided to take full advantage of the opportunity!" Kurt said with a grin.

"I can see that. Need some help with those bags?" Blaine asked.

"If you could. I only have a few that I cant manage."

"Thank god. My back is killing me. I dont think I stretched properly," he admitted, taking the bags that Kurt couldnt manage.

"I can sort that out for you when we get inside!"

When they got back to Kurts room, finding his roommate Thad to have not returned from hanging out with some of the Warblers, Kurt sat on the edge of his bed and motioned for Blaine to sit in front of him on the floor. Blaine obeyed, removing his jacket first, and Kurt immediately got stuck in running his fingers along Blaines back and pushing in to massage out the pain. Kurt couldnt help but smile when his fingers came into contact with the smooth, bare muscles of Blaines back, and he had to resist running them over his shoulders and arms.

"Youre so good at this!" Blaine groaned.

"Yeah, my dad seems to think that he can lift heavy objects all day and not come out with at least a little back pain. Ive had a lot of practise," Kurt explained.

He continued, a silence setting over them which was only broken by a few approving hums from Blaine. Finally, Kurt managed to pull his hands away, causing Blaine to whimper slightly at the loss of contact, but he didnt read too far into it.

"Thank you, Kurt. You really are awesome," Blaine said with a grin.

"Really, its no problem."

Blaine wasnt sure what it was, the confidence hed gained from his work out, the loss of the feeling of Kurts nimble fingers on his bare skin, or just that grin that was on Kurts face, but he found himself speaking without thinking.

"Kurt, I really need to tell you that I-"

Blaine was cut off by the door opening and Thad entering.

"Hey!" he greeted. "Oh, hi Blaine. I think Davids looking for you."

Blaine nodded and said, "Thanks, Thad," before turning back to Kurt. "I should go then. Thanks again!"

He got up to leave before Kurts hand on his arm stopped him. "Wait before you go, what were you going to say before?"

"Just that erm," he paused, watching Kurts eyebrows raise in anticipation, "just that I really like that new scarf."