"Alright gentlemen and ladies, you can check the athletics board tomorrow to see who made the team. Good effort - all of yeah. I mean it. Nicely done. Im real sorry I can only take five of you."

Kurt had heard the same words, verbatim, the year before from Coach Beiste. When the tank of a woman wasnt coaching football in the off-season, she took care of the stunt team. Compared to Coach Sylvester and Coach Washington, the woman was a veritable pussycat though, and while Kurt would never say so aloud, she was his favorite.

The turnout had been good. Some forty hopefuls from both the Sirens and the Spartans showing up. Kurt knew he was a shoe-in though. He never missed a catch, could do a lot more than any of the other guys because he was so much more flexible, and he knew, for whatever reason, Coach Beiste had a soft spot for him.

True to his word, Blaine hadnt shown up. Kurt had still kind of been expecting him to, hoping in fact. If Blaine had lied about that much on the bus then Kurt would have been validated in hating him. He would have had a reason to despise him. But, as it was, Blaine was making that difficult.

After their exchange on the bus, Blaine had asked some rudimentary questions about Kurt. What his interests were, what courses he was in, and what productions the drama department had in mind for the future. After that, Blaine had dozed off, eventually slumping down so that his head was resting on Kurts shoulder. Quinn had snickered, other nearby girls had given him their raised eyebrows, and he had just continued to look out the window and avoid them all, and avoid looking down at the boy cuddled against his side.

Yes, Blaine was making it very difficult for Kurt to hate him.

"Your problem is that youre not a schemer." Quinn had noted to him when he had tried to complain about Blaine being on the bus afterwards.

"What do you mean Quinn?"

She had smirked at him. "I mean youre not very good at scheming. Let me ask you this - what was the point in telling Brittany she could hook up with Santana?"

Kurt shrugged, "I dont know… I figured I could use it somehow to our benefit later on."

"So, you didnt plan. Just like you didnt participate in any of the pranks the Sirens pulled on the Spartans. You want to undermine them, at least you say you do, but I dont think you actually have it in you."

"Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"No. Just fact. Somewhere in that nicely shaped body of yours is still that little sophomore boy I took under my wing who just wanted to get along with everyone and be loved."

"Ugh…" Kurt had rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "... hes done Quinn. His dreams all dashed and replaced with bitchiness that rivals your own."

"No… I dont think so Kurt. Its okay though. Sometimes I miss the old, sweet Kurt."

"You were always first in line to tell me what an idiot I was being in high school Quinn."

"Only because you needed to toughen up to deal with the morons at McKinley Kurt. You dont have to be that way though anymore…"

Kurt didnt see it that way. He couldnt go soft, and, truth be told, he didnt think there was as much of that naive little boy in him anymore as Quinn seemed to believe there was.

He had seen Blaine a few times in passing since they had gotten off the bus with Blaine apologizing for drooling on Kurts shoulder. The first time was once again in the fine arts open hall. Again Kurt had been practicing his dance while Blaine had tutored a student in piano. They didnt talk that time, since Blaine was occupied with his student during the entire time they coexisted in the room, but Kurt paid close attention to Blaine, trying to figure out why he felt as drawn to him as he did. It wasnt something his brain seemed to be able to rationalize no matter how hard he tried.

Kurt had also seen Blaine in the cafeteria. Like Kurt, he had a food pass which meant he could eat at the cafeteria as much as he wanted. Unlike Kurt he seemed to be taking advantage of it, tray filled with food including the questionable entrees they made. It was a stark contrast to the small salad Kurt had in front of him at the time. In a way, Kurt was jealous of Blaines ability to overlook the obviously worrisome food and be able to also stay lean while he did it.

"Howd it go?"

Kurt broke out of his trance sitting on a bench in the locker room after the try-outs. Everyone else had left and he had just been giving himself a moment of mental absence before stepping into the showers.

Blaine. Blaine was there and had someone stepped up beside him, looking down at him curiously.

"Fine." Kurt murmured, reaching back to grab his towel and shower caddy. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the weight room…"

"Oh really? Nice view of the gym the weight room has." Kurt noted with a perked brow. Had Blaine been spying on the try-outs from above?

Blaine grinned, his face lighting up. "Yeah… guess it does."

"Indeed." Kurt stood then and walked to a shower stall. He preferred to shower without anyone around, thus waiting for the rest of the stunt team hopefuls to leave, but he couldnt delay it forever, even if Blaine was there. Aside from the sound of his spray and Blaines, which turned on a moment after his, it was quiet. No humming, no talking. Kurt had to wonder if Blaine was straining his own ears to try and hear Kurts breathing as much as Kurt was trying to hear his.

They were equally quiet as they tiptoed around one another after the shower, getting changed and doing their hair. Kurt had never felt so bashful around anyone before, and the knowledge that it was Blaine making him feel that way made him feel irritated at himself simultaneously. Seriously, he needed to figure out his issue. He couldnt have some guy making him feel so weird all the time…

Especially when he didnt even have a cup or sports thong on to deal with the reaction of his body when he caught peaks of Blaines muscular thighs, his abs with the fuzzy black trail tucking into his towel, or that slight dip at the bottom of Blaines back that Kurt just wanted to trace with his fingers.

Quintessential
Stunt team results posted! Way to go Hummel, Marquez, Smith, and Yuchenko! Sirens take four of the five top spots!
#SCUSirens #SCUStunt

FondueForMew
Thats eighty percent! Most people would see that as worthy of honors, but would you want a doctor that only knew eighty percent of the body?

Quintessential
Youre ruining my celebration here Brit. Honestly. Besides, its a cheer team, not a surgery team.

AuntieSnix
Its okay Brit. Ill make sure I know one hundred percent of your body for you.

FondueForMew
Aw! So sweet Santana!