Blue cotton candy is possibly Kurt's favourite thing at fairs and circuses. Soft and devilishly sugary it's a fun indulgence he's enjoyed since childhood and as it happens so are circuses. Un Spectacle de Joie is a full blown circus that sets up on the outskirts of Westerville for a week every two months and Kurt and his family have been visiting it since he was six. In fact Kurt's mother's favourite thing about the circus was the blue cotton candy and the Flame Folk.

He's wandering the circus alone, smiling wistfully at the night sky, illuminated by the stars and the bright lights of the Big Top. Kurt was unable to drag Finn away from the shooting range and his dad and Carole have chosen to be adorably romantic and take a trip on the Ferris wheel. He's content, however, to wander blissfully through crisscrossing garlands of lanterns and lights and dodge children begging for balloon animals and playing tag around his feet.

Things have been... heavy to say the least and the atmosphere, the place bursting at the seams with playfulness, joy and laughter; well it makes Kurt feel light. The place bustles with whimsical energy, a cute boy with dirty blonde hair and horn rimmed glasses won him a plush snow leopard and slipped his number into its paw. Kurt doesn't think he'll be calling but the gesture makes him flush with pleasure all the same.

He's considering stopping at another vender to get some cotton candy to take home with him, to savour and keep the memories of him and his mum running around the fair laughing just a little closer. As he turns away from the stall bag of cotton candy in hand he notices the sudden burst of fire coiling out into the sky. In the distance he can see the smoke rising above the crowd that's formed to the right of the Big Top.

It's the Flame Folk, Kurt would know them anywhere and they aren't exactly difficult to spot. He makes his way towards them like an excited child, dragging their parents along for the ride, squeezing his snow leopard tight to his chest whilst taking a bite out of his cotton candy giggling slightly as it tickles his nose.

The Flame Folk are always popular and a reasonably big crowd has gathered so Kurt has to edge his way in between bodies to get a good view. There are only two performers this time, others clearly away getting ready for the big show while they entertain the hordes of people waiting. The men at the centre of the circle are young, could only be a few years older than himself. One of the Flame Folk is a tall, intimidating man with a Mohawk and the other is a slightly shorter man with unruly dark hair, and olive skin. They're both shirtless, bare foot and clad in only a black pair pants, with crimson cuffs at the wrists and ankles.

They're ethereal, eyes rimmed with kohl, abstract flames painted on their bodies that twist and blur in the heat waves. One of them, the one with beautiful tan skin and luscious dark curls, extinguishes a flame on his tongue, seemingly swallowing the fire and he pulls the wand back and laughs at the raucous round of applause.

"Now," the man says, grinning from ear to ear, his eyes flashing in the light of the flames surrounding him "I'm gonna need a volunteer." Dozens of children jump up and down enthusiastically, waving their arms around desperate to be picked. "Sorry kids but it's gonna have to be someone a little more grown up for this one." Kurt can barely hear the man but his voice is deep and rich despite its roughness because hello the man just ate fire. He peers over heads and between bodies until he's met with a pair of blazing eyes.

"You" The man says simply, and it's like there's fire in his eyes, amber irises swirling with the reflection of flames, the kohl beneath them smouldering as he beckons Kurt out into the circle. Kurt wants to say no, wants to back out because no matter how mesmerized he is by what these people do, they're still playing with fire. But the man draws him out, takes his hand and his skin is rough and scorching, permeated by the heat of the torches he's probably been handling for most of the night.

"What's your name beautiful?" he whispers and Kurt replies with a stutter, entirely too hot now that he's in the circle standing so close to a circus performer who's burning eyes and hot breath are making his cheeks flush and his blood overheat. "I'm Blaine" he adds as he catches a flaming torch without even looking and it strikes Kurt suddenly that being a fire performer requires a lot of skill and no matter how effortless it may look to manipulate flame it is still dangerous.

Kurt is guided to the centre of the circle, his leopard and cotton candy in the safe hands of an audience member and the sleeves of his cardigan are pushed up past his elbows. Blaine talks him through it, tells him not to flinch not to be afraid of the heat and he'll be fine. The stunt sounds simple and before he knows it he's standing, arms and palms outstretched and piled high with soap bubbles.

Blaine splits the torch, locks eyes with Kurt and waits. Kurt nods hesitantly, eyes focussed on the torches as Blaine touches them to the soap suds. The bubbles burst into flames in his palms, a quick flash of fire rising up from his hands and for a split second Kurt is literally holding fire. He glimpses Blaine through the flames his eyes dancing not just warm but kind, a bright smile gracing his lips as Kurt stares in fascination.

The flames quickly reach Kurt's palms and he flinches at the sting of heat as it dissipates on his skin, he tumbles back a little in alarm and Blaine catches him with an arm around his waist as the crowd oohs and ahhs with awe. He's not burnt but his palms are sore and he drops his cotton candy and leopard with a hiss as they're handed back to him as the crowd disperses.

Quickly a hand reaches out and grabs the leopard leaving the cotton candy to fall to the muddy earth. "Oh I-I'm sorry, I'll get you some more." It's Blaine, mumbling under his breath as he stares down at the lost stick of candy, stroking absently at the stuffed toy's fur. Kurt's about to reply when Blaine's looking up at him through dense eyelashes, arms extended almost shoving the snow leopard into Kurt's chest. "Oh here, that's a- a nice leopard did you win it for er someone?"

Kurt is mildly taken aback, the man who'd looked so confident performing, manipulating flames like they were nothing more than clouds, is standing before him, blushing and hopeful. If he had thought that Blaine was breathtaking from afar Blaine up close is divine, strong and shining with sweat, sweet looking and gorgeous.

"I-err a boy won it for me actually."

"Oh," Blaine says reeling back a little and he looks... disappointed, "A boyfriend or-?"

"Oh no!" Kurt blurts, wide eyed and flustered "I- he wasn't- he gave me his number but I don't think I'll call." He ducks his head but he can still see Blaine's pout turn into a grin. "Why don't you think you'll call?" He asks, petting the leopard and idly fiddling with a pendant tied around his neck resting in the hollow of his throat.

Kurt smiles and places his palm over Blaine's to stop his fiddling fingers, brushing over his hand and the pendant. "He wasn't my type." Kurt adds airily trying to ignore the spark flaring in the pit of his stomach from the touch of Blaine's warm skin on his own.

"Get some Fire Boy!" Blaine's flame throwing friend calls from the big top and Blaine chuckles lightly, his chest vibrating under their palms. "Fire Boy huh?" Kurt teases, taking a step back and gesturing to Blaine's pendant and body paint. "What's the story?"

The pendant is a medium sized oval of amber with a silver flame emblem embedded in the middle, tied around his neck with black string and Blaine tends to fiddle with it when nervous. And Blaine looks nervous, eyes flitting from Kurt's face to the lanterns above him, a flickering gaze like a candle in the wind. "I've been a circus performer for just over five years now. The best fire performer there's been in the Un Spectacle de Joie for a while, apparently anyway I don't know," Blaine blushes and ducks his head. He doesn't think he's the best, Puck and Santana are spectacular and he barely keeps up. "Fire boy is what everyone called me when I first started to learn. According to the Ringmaster my ‘fighting spirit and natural talent for the art' makes me eligible for the title."

Blaine feels his breath hitch as Kurt beams at him, "Well you're certainly talented," he says with a twinkle in his eyes "but what's this?" Blaine stares a little and only registers Kurt has spoken at the last second. "Oh um my brother gave it to me after he found out I'd run off to play with fire for a living." Blaine's laugh is bright and crinkles the corners of his tea brown eyes as he watches Kurt light up, his laugh musical and airy.

Suddenly a voice calls from one of the stalls and Blaine whips round and grins. "Cotton candy, be right back!"

"Oh no you really don't ha-" Kurt mutters but it's already too late, Blaine is sprinting towards the vendor and then sprinting back, a mound of blue cotton candy wobbling precariously on the stick.

He offers it to him proudly, like some prized catch and the grand gesture makes Kurt giggle and feel a warm tingle all the way down to his toes. "I need to go but-" Blaine starts looking nervous and so incredibly unsure of himself "will you wait for me, after the show? I'd really like a chance to talk some more." Blaine's cheeks flare up in a bright crimson blush and Kurt could swear he could feel the heat radiating from the flushed skin.

"I- o-okay." Kurt's eyes widen and his heart skips a beat as Blaine leans in to place a kiss on his cheek before sprinting off to the Big Top.