"God, shes amazing." Blaine whispered as he watched Rachel and the rest of the cast close the first act of Evita. He and Kurt had had a long day of wreaking havoc upon the city, visiting various tourist attractions for Blaine, perusing the stores along Fifth Avenue for Kurt, and, of course, bartering in Chinatown for the best deals on mediocre merchandise. Kurt was (predictably) much better at haggling than Blaine, but the two of them had endless fun roaming around and just enjoying each others company. Blaine was thankful for the anonymity of the city, where people mostly paid only themselves any attention, so that they didnt have to dodge autographs and photos all day long. After a very packed day of adventures in the city, they settled down for a quick dinner and headed off to see Rachels show at night.

"Tell me about it," Kurt nodded. "Just wait until the second act. Shes been singing Dont Cry For Me Argentina since high school and shes only gotten better. Trust me, I sang it with her."

"You did? I would have loved to hear that." Blaine smiled.

"We used to pick the best diva songs from every musical and sing them together for glee club. It was one of our favorite things to do." Kurt shrugged, like it was no big deal.

"I wish I could have heard those. I bet you guys sounded great together."

"Well, Id like to think so. We both learned a lot from each other, though its clear to see that Rachel was a natural born Broadway star," Kurt gestured to the stage where the curtain was closed for intermission.

"She is. This is fantastic, thank you." Blaine said sincerely.

"Youre welcome," Kurt smiled, "though you should thank Rachel, she got us the tickets."

"Yeah, but youre the one who invited me here. And not just to see the show, but to New York. This is the best trip Ive been on in a while." Blaine admitted. Truth be told, he really hadnt been on any trips in a while, let alone any trips that had been as fun and relaxing as this one.

"Well Im glad youre having a good time for your first trip here. And Im glad I got to be your tour guide." Blaine didnt answer because the lights began to fade, signaling the start of the second act. They could talk more later on.

"That was stunning. Just... Wow." Blaine said as soon as the cast left the stage after the curtain call. "We need to go congratulate Rachel on that performance. That was incredible." Kurt laughed and grabbed Blaines arm to lead him out of the theater and around to the backdoor where Rachel would be exiting after she signed autographs.

"I think she wanted to go out for drinks anyway. Well wait over here so I dont steal her thunder." He laughed and led Blaine to a secluded corner down the sidewalk from the door.

"Forgive me if I dont drink much..." Blaine trailed off, and Kurt nodded in understanding. It had been over a year, but Blaine was still reminded of his deplorable actions from the past every time the taste of alcohol reached his lips. He was afraid hed reach the limit again.

"Dont worry, Rachels a bit of a light weight. Shell have one cosmo and shell be tipsy." Kurt reassured and gripped Blaines hand in his. Blaine was about to speak when a girl who looked about fifteen years old approached them cautiously.

"Um... Excuse me, are you Kurt Hummel?" The girl asked. Blaine mentally cursed. Hed hoped they wouldnt be swarmed while they were here and theyd had good luck so far.

"Yes." Kurt grinned happily at her. "What can I do for you, sweetie?" Blaine watched the interaction between the two. Kurts demeanor changed immediately from casual to professional, but he was still the same friendly face hed always been. The girl asked him to sign an autograph next to Rachels on her playbill and Kurt happily obliged. The girl agreed to keep their location a secret (after a wink from Kurt), and left with a wide smile hugging her program to her chest.

"Youre amazing, you know that?" Blaine praised.

"Not by a long shot, but thank you." Kurt blushed slightly.

"Hi boys!" Rachel interrupted just then, coming from out of a back door.

"Rachel! Oh my god you were amazing." Blaine gushed, then immediately burned red with embarrassment. He didnt mean to blurt that aloud.

"Thank you, Blaine!" She smiled and offered a hug, which Blaine took gratefully. "So! Are you guys up for some drinks or something? We can go back to my place, Ill open a bottle of wine and we can relax?" She straightened her blouse and raised her eyebrows in question. Kurt looked to Blaine for confirmation, and then turned to Rachel.

"Sure, sounds lovely." Kurt offered his arm to her, a gesture that seemed all too familiar to the two of them, but Rachel batted it away.

"Kurt, I can hardly compare to Blaine. Well, as far as your interests go anyway. Go take his hand." She winked and led the way to her car waiting for her. She and Kurt chattered the whole way back to the apartment, Kurt commenting on new and old actors in the show and how they had improved since the last time he came to see the musical, while Rachel retaliated with how they were behind the scenes and in rehearsals. Blaine listened to their banter, loving every bit of how comfortable they were and how natural their demeanors were around each other.

"Blaine! I still havent heard you sing! Will you sing for me tonight, please?" Rachel turned around in the front seat to plead. "I have a piano in my apartment, please?" Blaine stared at her puppy face and thought for a minute that she couldnt hold a candle to Kurts, but he smiled, nonetheless.

"Sure, if you insist." Blaine agreed. Rachel squealed and clapped her hands, turning back to face the front and continuing to rant on about how excited she was to hear his voice. Blaine looked over at Kurt beside him, who smiled and laced their fingers together.

"Sing something good," Kurt whispered as the car came to a stop. "Youve probably got two minutes before Rachel sits you down on that piano bench."

"Ive got something in mind, dont worry." Blaine smirked.

"Of course you do."

Kurt followed Rachel up the steps with Blaine close by. He was right, Rachel entered her apartment and immediately grabbed Blaines hand (the one that wasnt intertwined with Kurts), pulling him into a sitting room with glass doors where a polished, dark wood piano sat in the corner.

"So what genre do you usually sing?" She asked him, sitting in an armchair near the cushioned piano bench.

"Um... I do a lot of different things I guess; I do a lot of acoustic songs." Blaine answered awkwardly.

"Jeez, Rach. Let him breathe." Kurt chuckled as he entered the room and sat on one side of the loveseat. He noticed the grateful smile Blaine shot him before turning his focus to the piano. As usual, he fingered over the keys for a moment before slowly fading into a smooth melody. Kurt always loved that about Blaines playing. He could so easily switch from chords to any song he felt like playing and make the transition sound like something from the romantic period. Soon after he started on the song, his voice joined his fingers in rich tones.

Well I saw you there
Just the other day
You smiled at me
In a secret way

So I let you in
And you captured me
Im your prisoner
Thats what I wanna be

When it feels like its love
All the stars lift you up
Well Ill place you high above
on top of the world
Im just glad that I found you

Kurt could tell that Blaine seemed less relaxed than usual. His back was a little more rigid, his shoulders a little more tense. He was also all too aware of the fact that Rachel kept shooting him knowing looks when Blaine was looking down at the keys, but he pointedly ignored her and instead chose to focus on Blaine, who, despite his slight discomfort, was still able to let the music flow through him like it was the most natural feeling he knew.

Like a thief you came
to steal my heart
Ill surrender now
Cause you broke my guard

Such a pretty face
It warms my soul
And your sweet blue eyes
they shine like gold

Blaine met Kurts gaze briefly, which unfortunately did not go unnoticed by Rachel. Blaine blushed deeply and dropped his gaze, but Kurt watched him still, captivated like always. He didnt care that next to him, Rachel wore a knowing smirk on her face.

When it feels like its love
All the stars lift you up
Well Ill place you high above
on top of the world

And you know it must be right
Cause its burning up inside
I can feel it in your eyes
I want you to know
Im just glad that I found you

Kurt smiled proudly as Blaine closed the song. He looked up at Rachel and saw she had a fascinated grin on her face.

"Um..." Blaine started, trying to break the awkward silence that followed his playing.

"That was beautiful! Im admittedly very impressed, Blaine!" Rachel said with a short round of applause.

"I told you he was amazing; didnt you believe me?" Kurt asked and sent a wink Blaines way. He noticed Blaines face flushing as he looked away.

"Well of course I did! I just wanted to hear it for myself!" Rachel laughed and smacked Kurts arm lightly. "Seriously though," she turned to Blaine, "why someone like you has yet to have his name up in lights is a mystery to me."

"Um, thank you." Blaine said awkwardly. Kurt saved him from further embarrassing himself by suggesting they crack open a bottle of wine. Once again, (after the subject had moved on from his "impeccable" playing) the conversation flowed easily between the three of them. They shared similar interests and opinions and they were all sincere. It seemed natural for them to be together.

When Kurt and Blaine were getting up to leave a few short hours later, they explained to Rachel that they had one more day in the city before they left Monday morning, and they were going to spend it together relaxing and dodging cameras to the best of their ability. Kurt was optimistic, as theyd had pretty good luck so far.

Rachel said goodbye to Blaine first, hugging him gently and showering him with praise for his singing and wishing him luck with a kiss to his cheek. She then turned to Kurt and pulled him into a tight hug while Blaine walked down the hall to wait and give them a little space. He didnt miss the grin she was sporting before she pressed her face close to his ear.

"Make sure Im the first you call when you get a ring on it." She whispered in a teasing tone. Kurt was so thankful she couldnt see his face when his eyes widened and he blushed deeply.

"RACHEL." Kurt whispered back, unable to come up with a snarky response. He glanced over to Blaine, confirming that he was out of earshot.

"I know its early, but Im not wrong." She pulled back a bit and put her hands on his shoulders, looking at him sincerely. "Be good to each other. You deserve this; youve got a bigger heart than anyone I know, and Im not wrong when I say to you that Blaine should be the one you give it to. Theres something there, I can feel it."

"I..." Kurt really didnt know how to respond to that. It was almost easier with his dad and Carole, before he and Blaine had gotten as close as they had, but now...

"Thanks, Rach." Kurt settled on responding with another tight hug. He and Blaine left shortly after, promising to see her soon.

"So what was that about?" Blaine asked once they reached the street. Kurt knew he was referring to his and Rachels goodbye.

"Oh... Um... Rachels not the most subtle person, Ill just put it that way." Kurt laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, which was turning bright red again. Blaine nodded and blushed as well, and Kurt figured that Blaine assumed Rachel had mentioned something about their sex life, and he was fine with leaving Blaine in the dark. Rachel may be a bit overwhelming, but Kurt seldom ignored her advice when she was being as serious and supportive as she was inside. However, this time he would have to ignore it, because she, like everyone except for Kurts PA, was unaware of the fact that this "relationship" was platonic. Well, sort of. Kurt knew there was officially nothing going on between them; they were just friends. But for him, it was weird to think he could so quickly become so comfortable about everything with someone who was just his friend. Hed had so many friendships throughout his career that were very superficial and it was nice for the change, for the ability to be so open and know he would never be judged.

Still, he couldnt help but wonder if Rachel would have said anything similar if she knew the truth. What would she have said if she knew he and Blaine were just pretending? Would she say they were good at faking it, or would she argue that no one could act that well?

"Im glad you came, too." Kurt said after they walked in silence for a few blocks.

"Hmm?" Blaine wondered.

"To New York," Kurt said, referring to their previous conversation from the theater. "Im glad you decided to take a mini-vacation with me. Its been a lot more fun having you here."

"It has?" Blaine raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I feel like Ive been dragging you down this whole time. It must be boring to have to bring me to every place youve been a million times."

"Well this is the first time youve ever been to the city, and Im kind of living it through you." Kurt shrugged as they turned a corner. "Seeing your eyes light up every time I take you somewhere new... Its almost better than when I experienced it the first time myself." Kurt subconsciously curled in on himself slightly with a mixture of embarrassment and anxiousness, "I know it sounds stupid, but—"

"Its not stupid." Blaine stopped in front of Kurt and looked up through his eyelashes, but Kurts own eyes were downcast. When he finally met Blaines eyes, they were sparkling. Kurt couldnt stop the corners of his mouth from curling upward ever so slightly. Blaine bit his lip but was unable to stop his own smile from splitting his face as he tugged Kurts wrist to lead them back to their hotel. "We should get some sleep; we still have one more day left in the city, after all." Blaine chuckled as Kurt tried to stifle a yawn, but he nodded his agreement and allowed Blaine to steer him through the nearly empty sidewalks back to their hotel.

"This place is adorable." Blaine sipped his coffee and looked around the cozy restaurant. Theyd stopped at a small cafe in Upper West Side a few blocks away from the American Museum of Natural History for a break after a long day of roaming the city once more. Kurt took in the familiar, friendly atmosphere as he wrapped his hands around the ceramic mug.

"Why thank you," Kurt said as Blaine looked around as well. "Rachel and I were determined to find the best coffee in the city when we first moved here. This place was one of my favorites. Although that decision may have been influenced by their pastries..." Kurt gave an innocent look and nursed his coffee once more.

"Thank you for showing me the city," Blaine grinned slightly. "It—this was a blast, every bit of it."

"Well, were not done yet!" Kurt said excitedly, finishing what little remained in his coffee mug. "Are you ready?"

"To go where?" Blaine asked before he gulped down the remainder of the hot liquid in his cup.

"Central Park, remember? I have somewhere I want to take you." Kurt grabbed his hand and fled the coffee shop, headed down the street towards the park. "You have to promise you wont judge me, okay?" Kurt looked away with a light blush on his cheeks.

Blaines brows furrowed at that. "Why would I judge you for taking me to Central Park?"

"Well... theres a few places specifically that the romantic in me fell in love with the first time I went there... I used to just go for walks around the park on the weekends and stay around all the arches and bridges and just... Well, youll see, theyre really neat." Kurts hand tightened around Blaines as he felt his cheeks redden even more. He couldnt help his love for certain areas in the park; the romantic in him loved the fairytale-esque views that were hidden in the center of Manhattan.

"So where are we headed?" Blaine asked as he quickened his step to keep up with Kurts long stride.

"Central Park." Kurt said with a sly grin.

"Wow, that narrows it down." Blaines tone was heavy with unnecessary sarcasm.

"Im not going to tell you, silly! That would ruin the surprise!" Kurt was so giddy, as if he were a child about to share a secret.

"Its not like Ive ever been here before, so why not tell me?" Blaines gaze wandered as they neared the edge of the park.

"Because its half the fun! Were almost there anyway." Kurt led him on the paths through the trees as they entered the park. Once they hit a small pond, Kurt looked over to Blaine, but continued walking, though he did slow his pace a bit. "Its on the other side, come on."

Though Kurt seemed to regain his composure, he was still bubbling with excitement. He hadnt been as excited to take Blaine anywhere else and well... even if it was all pretend, who said he couldnt close his eyes and just imagine for a moment?

Blaine knocked him out of his ridiculous thoughts when he asked, "Have you brought anyone else here?"

Kurt bit his lip. "Rachel and I came here a few times, and I was here with Luca once, but it was kind of a disaster," Kurt chuckled a bit. "We were coming back from a party and he had too much to drink... A wave of nausea hit him just as we were getting to one of my favorite spots and, well... My attempt at romance didnt really go so well."

Kurt knew he wasnt hiding his disappointment well. When hed brought Luca here, hed been hoping for that movie moment, the kind hed craved all throughout high school. The kind where the entire world faded away and all that mattered were the two people who found what they were looking for. Needless to say, Kurt was very unsatisfied when his romantic moment was crushed by a plastered boyfriend vomiting by the edge of the pond.

Kurt took in the ambiance of the evening air with the sun nearly set around them, changing the colors of the sky from pale blues to oranges. He timed this perfectly, even though it was unplanned. True, he had planned to go to the park in the evening, but that was more so because it would be less crowded, and not because hed wanted to create the moment.

"Its just over there." Kurt pointed ahead of them from the path and Blaine followed the gesture with his eyes to see a large stone building across the pond that looked like a castle. It was lit up along the stones on the bottom, casting a beautiful reflection on the rippling water.

"Oh, Kurt, this is amazing!" He breathed, taking in the scene before him. Kurt watched him as his eyes raked over the sight, his mouth slightly agape in awe.

"I found this spot a few years ago when I decided to give myself a day off and relax in the park. I was so absorbed in a book I was reading and by the time I looked up again the sun was setting and it just took my breath away. The way the light reflects on the water and shimmers..." he trailed off and stared for a moment. "Belvedere Castle." He said finally. "Its just... Its so pretty and its strange to me that something like this is buried in here amongst all of the skyscrapers."

"Thats... Wow, I can see why you fell in love with it. This looks like something out of a fairytale." Blaine let out a breath and looked over to Kurt, who was already staring at him.

"Come on, lets go up the other side." Kurt led the way as they circled back around the pond and climbed the steep hills and stairs to the top of the castle. It was quiet and empty and very serene. Blaine went up to the edge of the wall and looked down at the pond.

"This is really incredible, Kurt."

"Thats why its one of my favorite places."

"So youve never tried any other romantic endeavors here?" Blaine asked with a little teasing in his voice, turning to face Kurt and lean his back to the wall.

"Unless you call Rachel a romantic endeavor, then no." Kurt supplied, his tone light as their banter continued.

"Well, then Im flattered!" Blaine half-joked, but Kurt could tell he was being sincere.

"I figured my next attempt should be with someone I trust, right?" Kurt asked as he walked to join Blaine at the edge of the castle, resting his elbows on the wall to look over the lake with the city skyline to his back.

"Yeah, but you also know me well enough to know that Im a hopeless romantic like yourself," Blaine teased. Kurt looked over to him with one eyebrow raised, and in one swift motion, Blaine grabbed Kurts waist and twisted him down until he was dipped low over Blaines leg. Kurts eyes widened and he drew in a deep breath, but seemed to relax immediately as Blaines gaze met his, low and close so they could feel each others breath on their cheeks.

"Youre trying to kill me arent you?" Kurt whispered, a smile ghosting his lips as he draped his arms around Blaines neck for a little more support.

"Not kill you," Blaine reasoned breathily. "Woo you? Make you swoon? Sure." He winked and smiled lightly.

"Consider me wooed," Kurts voice was still breathless and his eyes were shining as they bored into Blaines. "Youre quite the charmer, arent you?" Kurts teasing tone was lost to the soft murmur of his voice.

"You deserve what youve always wanted, even if its not the way you initially planned it out." Blaines gaze flickered briefly to Kurts soft lips and back up once more. He then pulled Kurt up, twirled him under his arm and gracefully tugged him in close with an arm around his waist as if they were dancing. Well, they kind of were, he supposed. "You of all people should never have to wait for someone to sweep you off your feet." Blaine whispered while they swayed gently.

Kurt didnt say anything in response, opting instead to just stare into Blaines honey colored eyes as they gazed back into his own until neither of them could stand it anymore. Kurt tightened his grip on the back of Blaines neck and yanked him closer by the few remaining inches for their lips to meet. Several moments of a gentle press of the lips was all it took to steal the air from their lungs. When they finally broke apart, their shallow breaths were the only things that broke the silence.

"I want to show you something." Kurt whispered against Blaines lips as he slowly opened his eyes. "I... Ive never taken anyone here before, and Im sure a billion people have been there, but I want to show you." Kurts voice was sure and trusting as Blaine slowly pulled back and loosened his grip on Kurts waist.

"Are... are you sure?" Blaine said just as breathlessly.

"Yeah," Kurt smile shyly and twined his fingers in between Blaines. "Its a little bit of a walk, but I think our timing will be perfect," he looked west towards the sun that had almost completely disappeared and smiled. "Come on!"