The next hour or so was filled with Rachel briefing Blaine on his duties and the proper conduct of Golden Star, while Kurt followed them around with morbid fascination and sympathy. Blaine took it all with grace though; being dragged from area to area with obvious interest, and memorizing each new piece of information with a smile. He really was trying, and Kurt was thankful that Blaine obviously wouldn't be a repeat of last time.

"Rule Number One," Rachel said loudly, pulling Kurt out of his thoughts. She stood on the outside of the counter while Blaine stood behind the cash register, watching her intently with his large hazel eyes. "We give all our service with a smile."

He offered a small smile causing Rachel to frown and shake her head. "I said a smile."

Blaine widened his smile, grinning until the smile lines that appeared when he laughed became visible. It seemed genuine enough, but Kurt could tell that it wasn't his authentic smile. It didn't reach his eyes, though the amount of warmth they conveyed anyway was incredible.

"Much better," Rachel nodded.

She went over how to use the cash register, and how to organize and order music books, cd's, and records. They moved up to the sound booth –through a narrow staircase that creaked with each step—and she went over how to use the lights and sound.

"Number two, always turn the lights and sound system off when you're leaving this room."

Blaine nodded, his hands lightly playing over the equipment. "I wouldn't want to burn the bulbs out."

Rachel clapped her hands joyfully, leading them back down the stairs and out of the cramped room. "I thought you said you didn't have an experience." It wasn't an accusation, and even if it was, the joy in her tone lightened any burden out of her voice.

"I have a lot of experience with stage work," he answered with a shrug.

"That's great actually," Rachel said leading them back to the stage. "Because that leads us to the last and most important rule—"

"—Don't steal her stage," Kurt said with a wink.

"Please," Rachel scoffed. "As if he could."

Blaine turned to Kurt and raised his eyebrow comically. "I think I have another challenge."

"If you want to embarrass yourself, then sure," Rachel said stepping up onto the stage. "Be prepared, I've been doing this for a long time."

Blaine chuckled shaking his head, "I've been doing it better, for longer."

"Oh snap," Kurt crooned bringing his fist to his mouth to hide a smirk. "I feel like I should be breaking this up before it turns into a full-fledged cat fight."

"Whatever," Rachel said with a hair flip.

"Just give me a day and we can settle this like adults," Blaine stated, and if he were a girl Kurt was sure Blaine would have flipped his hair as well.

"Great," Kurt mumbled under his breath. "Just another diva to add to the mix."

"What was that?" Rachel asked crossing her arms and staring him down.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I said you guys should battle next week on karaoke night."

Rachel nodded, "That's a good idea."

"I know," Kurt agreed. "And to raise the stakes, the winner gets the golden microphone."

"The microphone she was singing with?" Blaine asked, cocking his head slightly.

"Yes," Kurt answered. "It's kind of super prestigious to be the owner of it, and if you can win it from Rachel you'll be a legend."

"If, being the operative word," Rachel quipped.

Blaine nodded appreciatively, "Sounds like fun, when's karaoke night?"

"Next week Saturday," Rachel responded.

"And what are the rules?"

Rachel looked at Kurt who pursed his lips in thought before regarding the both of them seriously. "I say you each pick one song to sing, and the night of the battle I'll choose a song that you both have to sing and we'll let the audience decide the winner. Deal?"

Rachel and Blaine nodded. "Sounds good."

"Great," Kurt said with an affirmative nod. "And on that note we're leaving."

"Good," Rachel said. "I need to start set-up."

"Where are Tina and Mercedes?" Kurt asked as the three of them walked to the door.

"They went to spread the news about the party."

Kurt scoffed but didn't reply as he opened the door and stepped through, followed closely by Blaine.

"May the best singer win," Rachel said solemnly holding out her hand for Blaine to shake. He looked at it before his gaze flickered up to hers and back down to the hand again. He took it and gave a firm hand shake.

"I will."

--------_O_--------

"You're so sassy," Kurt said with a laugh as he and Blaine strolled down Main Street to kill some time. It was just past noon and the sun was high in the sky, basking the two boys in a nice heat that wasn't too stifling for their impromptu stroll. "Rachel is going to put her all into her performance now; you're going to have to kill it."

"Boarding school," Blaine said. "It gives you a thick skin, and since violence is out the picture, sass basically becomes the first language. So don't worry, I can take her."

"I can only imagine," Kurt mused, tipping his face to the sun in thought. "Pranks, sass, a glee club, you're school sounds like a dream."

Blaine smiled, and Kurt watched him, a small something fluttering in his chest at the sight. "It is," Blaine replied. "I'm so happy I found it or else I don't know where I'd be."

"What do you—"

An arm fell onto both boys' shoulder from behind. Blaine started and jumped back, immediately smelling the smoke that clung to the stranger's body.

"Whoa, calm down there, Curly," Sebastian said holding out the hand that wasn't holding Kurt. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"What do you want Sebastian?" Kurt practically growled taking the boy's arm off him.

"Why do I need to want anything?" Sebastian retorted putting his hand in his pocket. "I saw an old acquaintance laughing and having a good time in front of me, so I figured I'd join in on the fun."

Kurt didn't move, though Sebastian was encroaching on his personal space. He just shook his head in disgust. "You're one of the few people I know like the back of my hand. I know you want something, so tell me what it is so that I can continue on my way."

Sebastian shrugged taking a step back, "I just wanted to see how you were."

"I'm fine." Kurt stated his tone as cold as ice. "You can go now."

"Kurt," Sebastian said a soft flicker of something in his tone. "Don't—"

"What do you want Sebastian?" Kurt asked again, cutting him off. "Is this just a joke to you?"

"No I—"

"Do you find this funny?"

Sebastian floundered, looking around to find the right thing to say to calm Kurt's ire but he couldn't find them. He met Blaine's eyes for a brief second, cool grass meeting warm honey, and Blaine saw the sincerity and something in Sebastian's eyes before they left his and returned to the angry impossible eyed boy.

"Yes," he answered, a cold indifference schooling over his features. "What can I say? Look how passionately you react; you're face gets all red, and your hands ball into fists, and your face becomes as cold as my heart. It's amusing to see how much control I have over you. "

Kurt looked like he was on the verge of tears, so when he spoke his voice was low and as dangerous as Blaine had ever heard it.

"Get the hell out of sight. Now."

"Kurt...

"Go!" Kurt yelled. When nobody moved, he turned and stormed past Blaine at a fast walk that was almost a run.

"Kurt wait," Sebastian tried, taking a few steps forward. But Kurt didn't so much as flinch.

Blaine looked at the calling boy, raising an eyebrow because he didn't really know what to say.

"Fuck off," Sebastian hissed before whirling around and storming in the other direction. He paused and looked over his shoulder noticing Blaine watching him contemplatively. "Our offer still stands just so you know," Sebastian said with a small shrug. "If you want it."

Blaine just nodded, and Sebastian smiled before wandering back the way he came.

What the hell just happened?

Turning his attention back to Kurt, Blaine saw that he was far down the road, and he had to jog to catch up to the boy who was still walking. "Are you okay?" Blaine asked tentatively when they'd walked for a few minutes in a weighted silence that was only broken by the occasional car.

"I'm fine," Kurt answered slowing his pace a bit. "Sorry I just..." he stopped and wiped his hands over his eyes quickly and took a deep breath. "I'm fine."

Blaine didn't buy it at all. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not at all," Kurt replied with a short laugh that bordered on manic. "I'm fine, I promise."

Blaine nodded slowly, biting his lip and scrunching his eyebrows. "You know I don't believe you right?"

Kurt shrugged, his features mellowing into something a little more natural. "It really doesn't matter what you believe."

"Okay," Blaine said resisting the urge to take a step back. "Fine. What are we doing now?"

Kurt looked around himself as if he'd totally lost his bearings, which he probably had considering the state he was in. Blaine really wanted to know what possibly could have happened to cause a reaction like that. He wondered if Sebastian would tell him if he asked, but that boy screamed trouble, and Blaine doubted he could trust a word out of his mouth. Yet he had seemed sincere in his pleas... this was far too early to start delving into Kurt's history, he'd only just met the man after all.

"We're close to Fabray's," he answered. "We'll go there, get a coffee and a treat and then head home, sound good?"

Blaine gave a small smile. "A coffee sounds nice."

"Good," Kurt responded. "And just, sorry again. Sebastian is the Hook to my Pan."

"You're Pan?" Blaine asked.

Kurt scoffed and started walking. "You don't think you're Pan do you?"

"No, I'm not Pan. But you seemed more Wendy to me."

Kurt scoffed again, "I am not Wendy."

"You keep thinking that," Blaine said with a playful wink.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

Blaine laughed, "You sound like Rachel. Petulant when faced with defeat."

Kurt narrowed his eyes, "There is no defeat here. You're wrong, but you won't accept it so I'm moving on."

"Ah that's what you're calling it," Blaine said pursing his lips dramatically. "See where I'm from, it's called defeat."

Kurt rolled his eyes with an affectionate smile. "You're an idiot."

"It's all a part of my charm."

Kurt just laughed. "I think all you're charm comes from your hair."

Blaine let out a small screech, and grabbed his head, pulling the long strands of curls into his line of sight. "Thank you for reminding me!" he cried. "I need to buy hair gel."

Kurt made a face.

"What?" Blaine asked giving Kurt a face back.

"We're here," Kurt said stopping outside a small white painted caf� with light pink accents and the name Fabray's Caf� written in pink cursive. "We'll talk about the hair inside."