Its the way you swell, slow
Pushing right out your seams
Its the way you smile, baby
When youve got me on my knees

Your all night noise
Your siren howl
You make my heart, beat, faster

Own me, you own
You rattle my bones
You turn me over and over
Til I cant control myself
Make me a liar
One big disaster
You make my heart beat faster

Blaine strummed out the beat on his guitar and smiled at the crowd. He loved playing at bars and pubs as much as he loved playing at Gios. The atmosphere was much different. People at restaurants like Gios generally listened to the music and applauded at the end of each song politely. It was clear that they enjoyed the music, but at bars, people lost their inhibitions and started singing along (badly) and clapping with the music. It was almost easier for Blaine to let himself go, because people are easiest to talk to when they lose their inhibitions.

Cause I jump back, crash, I crawl
I beg and steal, I follow you
Yeah you own me
And you make my heart beat faster

I cant get enough
Because its on like
I guess this world is over to me

Blaine looked around the room, but his eyes stopped when they met a pair of crystal blue ones in the corner by the bar. He kept on playing, but his amber eyes didnt leave Kurts.

You own me, you own
You rattle my bones
You turn me over and over
Til I cant control myself
Make me a liar
One big disaster
You make my heart beat faster

The half-drunken crowd cheered when Blaines last song came to a close and he pulled his guitar strap back over his head to take it off. He glanced over at Andy, the bartender, and smiled back at the encouraging look he was given.

"All right guys, thats all I have for you tonight. Thanks again!" Blaine packed up his guitar and hopped off the stage, accepting the compliments from the half-drunken patrons in the pub and made his way over to Kurt with a huge smile on his face.

"Youre here!"

Kurt hadnt been to one of Blaines shows since the one in November, and its been getting harder and harder with his schedule filling up so quickly. Hed finally gotten a little free time and managed to slip in and catch the last few songs in Blaines set at Sals Tavern. It was incredible how much Blaine had improved in the past few months alone.

"I got out a little earlier than I expec—mmph!" Blaine tugged on Kurts hand and pulled him close as he kissed him fervently in front of the bar where Kurt stood. Kurt tensed a bit, and then relaxed and draped his arms on Blaines shoulders.

"I wanna take you somewhere." Blaine mumbled against Kurts lips, pulling the bottom one between his and sucking on it for a moment before letting go and kissing it one more time. He looked up into Kurts eyes through his eyelashes and noticed that theyd gotten a shade darker.

"Hello to you, too," Kurt smiled gently. "Where are we going?" He asked as he let his hands slip from around Blaines shoulders to slide down Blaines arms.

"Youll see." Blaine smirked, pecking the corner of Kurts mouth and moving back in the direction of the stage to grab his guitar. "Oh!" He turned back quickly, "can you—did you drive? I took a cab over and I probably shouldnt—"

"Yeah, Ill drive. You just tell me where to go," Kurt nodded and waited for him to grab his things from the stage. People clapped him on the back and offered to buy him drinks as he made his way back, but he politely declined and, after a short conversation with Andy, grabbed Kurts hand and led him out of the bar.

"Youre very excited tonight," Kurt commented with a chuckle.

"I have every right to be; you havent been to one of my shows in so long! When did you get there, anyway?" Blaine asked as they approached Kurts car. He waited for Kurt to unlock it and placed his guitar on the back seat.

"About halfway through your cover of Tiny Dancer. Which was flawless, by the way. Not that Id expect anything less, but still." Kurt commented and Blaine tried to hide his blush. "Youre supposed to be navigating for me, remember?" He added after a few minutes.

"Sorry! Just head back to my apartment."

"Thats the oh-so-secret location were headed to? Honey, you need to work on your planning for surprises." Kurt teased.

"Were not staying there long, I just need to get a few things. Where were actually going is more impressive than the faded paint of the walls in my living room." Blaine promised.

They were silent for the majority of the drive, comfortable in each others presence. Kurt pulled into a visitors spot in the parking lot for Blaines apartment and Blaine grabbed his guitar out of the backseat.

"Well just be a few minutes, I have to grab a couple of things." Blaine said as he unlocked the door once they made it upstairs. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Are you going to tell me where this actual secret location is?" Kurt asked as he plopped himself on the couch.

"Youll find out soon enough. Patience." Blaine was moving about in his kitchen and Kurt curiously peered around the doorway.

"What are you doing?" He raised an eyebrow as Blaine pulled two travel mugs from the cabinet.

"Making hot chocolate. Havent you ever heard the expression ‘curiosity killed the cat? Go sit down." Blaine teased and shooed him out of the kitchen and Kurt stuck his tongue out in a childish manner.

"You know, theres another line to that saying that youre missing." Kurt called as he went towards the living room.

"Yeah, yeah, ‘and satisfaction brought it back. Fine," Blaine relented. "If youre going to be nosy about it, then make yourself useful. Theres an old tan and blue blanket on the bottom shelf in the hall closet. Grab it for me?" Kurt nodded and made his way towards the closet when Blaine called out, "Grab the fuzzy green blanket in there, too!"

"Bossy!" Kurt called back, but piled both blankets in his hands and dropped them on the couch. Blaine poured the hot chocolate into the two mugs, screwed the caps on, and handed one to Kurt.

"Im just going to grab the blankets, all right? Can you grab my mug for me?" Blaine asked as he set his guitar strap over his shoulder. Kurt nodded and grabbed the mug, following Blaine out the door.

Blaine led him down the hallway under the stack of blankets and shoved open the door to the stairwell with his hip. He held the door for Kurt and then trudged up the few flights of stairs until they reached a small landing with a door that led to the roof. Blaine smiled back at Kurt and held the door for him once again, making sure to shove the cinder block by the door in the way so they wouldnt get locked out.

"Why are we on your roof?" Kurt asked with a skeptical look.

"Follow me," Blaine said as he walked over to the corner and laid the blankets out on top of one another. He set his guitar down, took his mug from Kurt, and took Kurts hand. "Come lie down with me."

"What?" Kurt asked as Blaine pulled him down on top of one of the blankets and under the other.

"Just lie down and look up." Kurt looked to Blaine one more time before turning and looking up at the sky. It was no comparison to a small town out in the Midwest, but the view had more stars than Kurt ever seen in the city.

"Wow."

"I know."

"You may have the best rooftop in the city."

"Its my favorite place. I used to come out here with Casey all the time. Wed spend all night up here if we could. When one of us was having a bad day or we just felt like we needed to clear our heads wed grab a blanket and sit up here and just watch the stars." Blaine sighed and rested his hands behind his head.

"Thank you for sharing it with me."

"Youre welcome. I wanted to show you where I write most of my songs." Blaine still wasnt looking at Kurt as he spoke, just watching the sky.

"You write up here? Why not in your music room?" Kurt asked curiously.

"Its too cramped in there. Ill write down all of the music when Im in there, but out here, all of my ideas can be out in the open. Its therapeutic, I guess." Blaine paused for a moment, just breathing in the cool air before continuing. "Once Kayleigh helped me get my head straight after Casey died, I spent night after night up here, just writing and letting the music flow out..." Blaine trailed off and sat up, drawing his knees in but still looking up.

"The first night he died," Blaine continued quietly, "well, the night after, I guess, I came up here and started to write this song... I just got too upset and I had to stop. Ive been trying to finish it ever since, but I could never find the right lyrics, the right chords... nothing would ever fit..." He glanced at his guitar next to him, then at Kurt, who sat up next to him as he listened. "Wow, Im sorry. I brought you up here because its special to me and I wanted to share it with you and now I just turned it into a sob story. Im sorry."

"Hey, no. Dont apologize." Kurt said, rubbing Blaines arm. "Will you play it for me? The song you tried to write?"

"I... I really only have the chorus."

"Play what you have then. Please?" Kurt looked over at Blaine and waited patiently.

"Yeah, I—sure." Blaine finally gave in, grabbing his guitar next to him. He stroked out a few chords and ran his fingers along the strings before glancing at Kurt and clearing his throat, taking a deep breath.

He started to strum in time with his voice and sang a nostalgically haunting melody that had Kurt mesmerized. He didnt have much to play, as he said, but the few lyrics he did have fit the music perfectly. Once he finished singing, he played a few more chords before they faded out like his voice had.

"Thats... Thats all I have." Blaine said as the echoes of the chords accompanying the slow, bittersweet melody trailed off into the air.

"Thats beautiful, Blaine." Kurt whispered with watery eyes.

"Thank you. I... Ive written tons of songs about him since that night but this one I can never finish. I just... I dont know what it is, but nothing fits." Blaine let out a frustrated sigh and sipped his hot chocolate.

"Youll get it. I know you will." Kurt rubbed his back soothingly as he sipped his own hot chocolate. Blaine started to strum absently on his guitar and Kurt leaned back on his elbows, looking up at the sky. "I could listen to you play all night." He said quietly.

"Are you asking?" Blaine looked back at Kurt with an eyebrow raised.

"Maybe?" He looked back at Blaine just in time to receive a kiss on his forehead as Blaine scooted back to lean against the edge of the rooftop.

"Lie back and relax," Blaine told him as he started to play.

There is no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard
No song that I could sing, but I can try for your heart
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things
Like a, shoebox of photographs
With sepia-toned loving
Love is the answer,
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come its so hard?
Its not always easy and
Sometimes life can be deceiving
Ill tell you one thing, its always better when were together

Mmm, its always better when were together
Yeah, well look at the stars when were together
Well, its always better when were together
Yeah, its always better when were together

Mmm, mmm, mmm

I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep
Hey now, and when I wake up,
You look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time,
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing
Were better together

The melody faded out and Blaine noticed that Kurt had fallen asleep next to him. He smiled fondly and set his guitar aside while getting comfortable against the edge of the rooftop as Kurt rolled closer. Maybe he should stop getting so close with Kurt. Wasnt that the whole deal in the first place? Close in public, just friends behind closed doors? He didnt want to string him along.

And what would happen when this was all over? They werent going to stay together forever; that would be ridiculous. Kurt didnt have feelings for him and Blaine... Well if he were being honest, he wasnt sure how he felt. Or maybe that was just because he wouldnt let himself feel anything. Regardless, he shouldnt be doing this. They were together for the media. Thats it.

Blaine looked back up at the stars and let out a sigh, his eyes swimming with unshed tears. He couldnt do this anymore, to Kurt or to himself. His name was getting out there. Now was as good a time as any to start pulling back, right?

"Kurt... Kurt." Blaine shook him gently as he spoke quietly. "Wake up; youre missing the sunrise."

"Mm?" Kurt grunted as he turned his face into Blaines leg, which he was using as a pillow.

"Wake up, sleepy. Watch the sunrise with me." Blaine smiled as Kurt started to blink his eyes open.

"I just slept on a roof." Kurt said as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"First time?" Blaine chuckled as Kurt nodded and leaned back against the edge of the roof next to Blaine.

"Did you sleep at all?" Kurt asked.

"A couple hours." Blaine lied easily. In actuality, hed been up all night thinking about what to do. "Its not the first time I stayed out here all night."

"Im sorry I fell asleep on you," Kurt replied as he leaned his head on Blaines shoulder.

"Its okay. You were fine; I promise." Blaine responded, watching the sunrise over the horizon.

"This is beautiful," Kurt whispered. "I cant remember the last time I did this." Blaine hummed in response, still transfixed by the scenery in front of them. They were silent as they watched, just looking out at the colors that flooded the sky. Blaine nudged Kurt with his shoulder and stood up, grabbing his guitar and offering a hand to Kurt, who took it and stood as well. They gathered the blankets and nearly empty hot chocolate mugs before heading back towards the still-cracked door to the stairwell and back to Blaines apartment.

"Coffee?" Blaine asked as he started the pot.

"Yes, please!" Kurt ran his fingers through his hair and cringed. "Maybe sleeping on the roof was a bad idea."

"Its not bad," Blaine tried to hold back a laugh as Kurt tried to style his messy hair. "It actually has a nice messy look to it. You should keep it." He teased as the coffee brewed. "What time do you have to be on set today?"

Kurt glanced at the clock. "Eleven. So I should probably head home and shower before I go." Blaine poured him some coffee and pushed the mug towards him.

"Caffeine first." He said.

"Right." Kurt watched silently for a long time as Blaine sipped his own coffee staring intensely at the corner of the counter with his eyebrows drawn together in thought. "Are you all right?"

"What? Oh. Yeah, Im—yeah. Sorry. Im good." Blaine stammered out unconvincingly.

"Sure you are. Whats wrong?" Kurt looked at him in concern as Blaine avoided his eyes.

"Just—thinking. About last night. Im sorry about—in the bar, I mean. Id had a little bit to drink at that point and Im sorry. It was out of line." Blaine muttered, still looking anywhere but at Kurt.

"Blaine." Kurt reached across the counter and laid his hand over Blaines, holding onto it while he waited for Blaine to look at him. "You have nothing to apologize for. So it was a little more than... what were used to, but really, its okay. Dont worry about it, okay?" He waited for Blaine to nod before letting go of his hand and finishing his coffee.

"I really should go so I can get ready," He placed his empty mug in the sink and turned to Blaine. "Thank you for the coffee. And the hot chocolate and the roof and the songs and... Thanks for a wonderful night." Blaine smiled warmly as Kurt cupped his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. He responded a little reluctantly, but did so all the same, smiling with Kurt as he pulled away.

"Youre welcome." He whispered.

"Ill see you later, all right?" Kurt called as he backed out of the kitchen towards the door. "Bye, Blaine!"

"Bye, Kurt!" Blaine replied as the door was closing. He let out a breath he didnt know hed been holding. He had to start pulling away from this sooner rather than later.