You would think that eventually they would have gotten tired of each other, but no. They just got closer and closer with each passing day.

After the news article about them got out, Blaine decided that it might be best if Kurt watched the shows from backstage from then on, so that he wouldn't get attacked by fans in the crowd who recognized him, or bombarded by paparazzi as he tried to get backstage after the show. Kurt had no problem complying to that. As far as he was concerned, backstage was the greatest place to be. From there he had a great view of the show. And it made him feel special compared to the other people who came to see Blaine. They thought they knew who Blaine was, but they had no idea. They all screamed for him and chanted his name and came up to him after the shows to tell him they loved him, but they had no idea how spectacular the man they were meeting really was.

Kurt could only say this because, a month ago, he had been one of those fans. But now that he had spent time with Blaine, he realized that Blaine was even better than the press made him out to be. He was damn near perfect. I mean, sure, he had flaws. When Kurt said that Blaine was perfect, he meant that Blaine was perfect for him.

Blaine loved Broadway and Aladdin and the Sound of Music and non-fat mocha lattes and Harry Potter and Patti Lupone and scarves and it was like Blaine was Kurt's missing puzzle piece.

The only problem was, Kurt didn't know if Blaine felt the same way. They still hadn't talked about the song Blaine sang to him that one night- the night before the news article was released . Kurt hoped that talking about this with Blaine would lead to Blaine revealing his true feelings for him. But, Blaine never brought it up, so Kurt let it be.

After three days and two of Blaine's shows of being on the tour bus together, all of which were spent playing card game and singing Disney songs at the top of their lungs, Blaine chose to, once again, serenade Kurt. But he decided to ask him about it first, now that he had seen first-hand the consequences of serenading Kurt in public. The news would get hold of it, and, basically, any decision Blaine made regarding Kurt would now have a direct effect on how the media portrayed Kurt. So it was only fair to warn his friend what he had planned.

So, right before Blaine's twelfth show, Blaine pulled Kurt aside backstage.

"Hey. I want to sing another song for you. Is that okay?" Blaine asked.

Kurt blushed. He wasn't lying when he said he was surprised. He thought that after Blaine had last sung to him and then never brought it up again that it would be the end of that. He wasn't expecting for Blaine to do it again. And frankly, he couldn't be more excited or flattered.

"Of course. I would love that." Kurt said, trying to turn his head in order to hide his blush. But Blaine didn't miss it, and smiled to himself knowing that he had that effect on his friend.

Blaine had been inspired by the crazy events that took place the day Kurt started riding on the tour bus with him. Kurt had really gotten him thinking about trust and love. Kurt had showed him that there are still some sincere people in the world and that not everyone was out to get him. Kurt brought out a side of Blaine that Blaine didn't even know was there to begin with. Blaine had never felt so free to just be himself. Kurt brought out the best in him.

Even though they hadn't talked about the last time Blaine had serenaded Kurt yet, Blaine just assumed that they had mutually agreed to just let it go. They were content with where they were right now, and, after Kurt stuck with Blaine through all the publicity, Blaine wasn't as worried about voicing vocally how he felt for the young man.

So here went nothing. Blaine glanced to Kurt, who was standing off-stage, before turning back to the crowd, announcing,

"I made a new friend on this tour. He's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. He has changed something inside of me. Made me a stronger person. And I just wanted him to know how much he means to me."

Gone like the wind
And the state it put him in
To hold his head high
When he really wanted to die

And you know the difference it makes
And you know the difference it takes
Is love, so he won't break

He's crazy from the pain
And can't get hurt again
If he ever falls
I'd be sorry for us all

And you know the difference it makes
And you know the difference it takes
Is love, so he won't break

Right around the way
Is where they go to pay
For remedies and pills
To ease their ills

And you know the difference it makes
And you know the difference it takes
Is love, so he won't break

At the end of the show, Kurt hung around backstage, talking to various security guards that he had come to befriend, while Blaine met with his fans who had come backstage to meet him. When the last fan had left, Blaine sneaked up behind Kurt, wrapping his arms around him from behind.

"Come with me." He whispered into Kurt's ear, grabbing his hand and walking him back to the tour bus in silence, not caring who saw. Kurt didn't seem to care either.

When they got back to the bus, Kurt was the first to speak.

"I feel like you sing songs to me an awful lot, Blaine. And we never really talk about it. I think we should talk about it now."

Blaine nodded slowly, a bit hesitant and scared to open up his heart. But it was something that needed to be done.

"Ok. Yeah. Let's talk about it."

They sat in silence.

"Blaine... to talk about it, you actually have to talk." Kurt joked, trying to lighten to mood.

"I don't really know where to start, to be honest."

"Well, how about you start with telling me why you wanted to sing to me. Well... not even sing. More like serenade, I would call it."

"Because I like you, Kurt."

There. He had said. And damn did it feel good to get off his chest. But shit. Kurt wasn't responding. Why wasn't he responding? Blaine looked up at Kurt, to see that Kurt had turned his head away, blushing again, biting back a smile. Oh. Ok. This was a good sign.

"Do you have anything to say to me, Kurt?" Blaine asked, having waited long enough for a response from Kurt.

"Why me?" Was all Kurt had to say. It all seemed too good to be true. His idol turned best friend liked him? How was that even possible?

"Well, for one, you didn't scream in my face when you met me. That's always a good start." Blaine joked.

"And I'm not gonna lie- your good looks definitely helped out your case as well. I was drawn in by your beauty. And we seemed to hit it off immediately... don't you agree?"

Kurt nodded, so Blaine continued.

"We can talk for hours and hours and we have so much in common and you get me and you listen to me and you see past the fake visage that the media has set up for me. You didn't even care when you made it in the magazines and newspapers. You held my hand tonight without a care in the world about who saw it. You are proud to be who you are and you seem to care about me, too. No one has ever really cared about the real me before. It's impossible not to like you. You're just... amazing. There's no other word for it."

Kurt's jaw had now dropped to the floor. He couldn't believe that Blaine was saying all of this to him. He didn't feel like he deserved it.

"Stop right there. I can tell what your thinking." Blaine said, interrupting Kurt's thought process.

"You are incredible, beautiful, talented... hell, your voice is better than mine. You're funny, kind, compassionate, caring, and I love being around you. Please tell me you feel the same."

"I do." Kurt responded instantly, no shame in his voice. Kurt knew that he definitely felt the same. There was no denying that.

"I mean, I had a celebrity crush on you before I even met you, but once I really did meet you, that picture in my head melted away and became something even better. You are so much better than I ever thought you'd be."

Blaine smiled, grabbing Kurt's hand. He was about to lean in for a kiss, when Kurt began speaking again.

"But we can't do this. Not now."

Blaine froze, with the exception of dropping Kurt's hands as if they were on fire.

"Why not? I like you. You like me. Why can't we do this?"

"Because you're on tour. In less than a month, this will all be over. Just another summer romance. And I don't need that. Neither do you. We both deserve something that is lasting. Not this impossible teenage dream. What we have going now... this friendship... it's good. No. It's better than good. It's fantastic. I don't want to screw it up. I don't want to have my heart broken."

Blaine couldn't believe what he was hearing. What Kurt was saying made sense, but he didn't agree with it at all. He wanted Kurt. He wanted Kurt as more than a friend. For longer than just another month.

But Kurt had a point. What happened when Blaine finished tour? Would they part ways? Kurt would go back to New York City to finish school and become a famous fashion designer and Blaine would go back to California and work on his next album? How could they possibly work out? There had to be a way.

But Blaine didn't have an answer right then. So all he could do was nod his agreement.

"You're right. What we have is good. We'll keep being friends..." Blaine said, sadness and defeat evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry it turned out like this. I wish things could have been different. But it doesn't have to be for forever. The fates have been kind to us so far. If it's meant to be, we'll find a way." Kurt said in all honesty, pulling Blaine into a hug.

And when they went to sleep that night, they made a silent mutual decision that they would share a room and a bed for the first time. And they fell asleep holding one another tight, content in the knowledge that they cared deeply for each other, wishing and dreaming that life could have given them more.