FRIENDS: I see them sitting there. They'll tell me that they're just friends, but friends don't look like that.

"Did I do something wrong?" Blaine wants to ask. "Wasn't I the perfect boyfriend? Wasn't I everything you ever wanted?" A thousand questions zoom through his mind as he stands at the counter of the Lima Bean.

But he doesn't say a word. Time slows. Everything seems to move in slow motion. A loud buzzing sound fills his ears as he sees Kurt and Karofsky, deeply engrossed in conversation, sitting in the middle of the coffee shop. Their cups are off to the side, completely forgotten; much like how Blaine is feeling at the moment.

Kurt told him he was too busy studying to go out on their usual afternoon coffee date.

Kurt told him that he was probably going to be too tired afterwards to even watch a movie together.

The Lima Bean suddenly becomes much too crowded. The air is suffocating and Blaine clutches his medium drip hard causing a bit of the coffee to spill over his fingers. The heat spreads from his hands to his arms, his chest, and suddenly Blaine feels like he's on fire. His heart beats frantically in his chest and his stomach lurches. The room spins around him. He tells himself not to gag, not to throw up, not to make a scene.

"Sir?" Blaine hears someone say. He turns and sees the cashier staring at him.

"Yes?" he manages to squeak.

"Your change," the cashier says, holding out his change and a receipt in her palm. Blaine mutters "thanks" and shoves everything into the pocket of his striped gray and white cardigan. Blaine looks back at Kurt and Karofsky.

Karofsky is leaning back in his seat, legs wide; one arm is slumped over the back of his seat and the other is on the table in front of him. Kurt rests his elbows on the table and speaks low to Karofsky, as if sharing a secret. Suddenly there's a burst of laughter from the two of them and Blaine feels sick. He wipes his wet hand on his charcoal colored jeans and keeps his head low as he walks toward the entrance. As he slips out the front door and feels the blast of cold air hit him, he only has one question on his mind:

What did I do this time?

DOUBT: Why would he ever choose me? There's nothing to me. I'm nothing. I'm no one.

Blaine supposes he should have seen this coming after Karofsky tried to kill himself. He needed a friend. Honestly, Blaine has no problem with them being friends. Everyone needs a friend.

Blaine just can't help but feel jealous. Kurt is his. Blaine knows that's possessive and he can't really own another human, but the thought that Kurt is his and only his comforts him. This means that Kurt can't leave him. He can't hurt him.

Blaine nervously wrings his hands in his lap as he settles into the couch in the Hudson-Hummel's living room. He glances around. He's been here countless times, and yet this time it seems different. Like the air is different. Like he's no longer welcome.

No, he tells himself. You're just being silly. Blaine leans back and lets out a shaky breath. He knows he's just being ridiculous. He's more welcome here than he is at his own house.

"Blaine?" Blaine jumps and turns his head to see Kurt walking in from the front door, his bookbag slung over his shoulder and a textbook in his arms. Blaine smiles as Kurt walks over, sets his stuff down on the coffee table, and leans over to give Blaine a kiss.

"Hey you," Blaine mumbles against Kurt's lips. Kurt straightens up and Blaine moves over to give him space on the couch.

"How long have you been here?" Kurt asks, wrapping his arm around Blaine's middle as he sits.

"Not long. I came with Finn," Blaine says.

Kurt frowns. "Is he still home?"

 "Yeah, why?"

"I thought we could've finally had the house to ourselves," Kurt says, putting his head on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine wraps his arms around Kurt and pulls him closer.

"Our date night is in two days, Kurt," Blaine reminds him. Kurt sighs.

"I know. I just wanted..." he trails off, biting his lip.

"You just wanted to take me right here, right now, until I screamed your name in ecstasy?" Blaine asks, a smirk tugging at his lips. Kurt untangles himself from Blaine and looks into his bright hazel eyes.

"Nope, that's not it," Kurt says with a playful smile. "That's not it at all."

Blaine leans forward, so close that Kurt can smell his peppermint breath and the cologne he always insists on wearing. "Oh, really?" he asks.

"Really," Kurt answers. Blaine moves a little closer so that his lips ghost over Kurt's.

"I don't believe you," Blaine says, tilting his head slightly.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Kurt asks. He fights the urge to run his hands through Blaine's hair and pull him closer, so he can finally kiss him.

"Yes," Blaine says, his lips finally touching Kurt's.

"Whoa."

The boys jump apart and turn to see Finn a foot away from them, eyes wide, his mouth slightly ajar and clutching a bag of potato chips.

"Finn, we were kind of in the middle of something," Kurt says in his most polite voice, but the look he's giving Finn is anything but. Finn looks away, embarrassed, and clears his throat.

"Burttoldmetocheckonyouguys," Finn mumbles.

"What was that?" Kurt asks.

Finn clears his throat again and repeats himself, this time louder and clearer, but still not looking at the couple: "Burt told me to check on you guys."

Kurt groans and turns to Blaine, who had moved to the other side of the couch. "You couldn't tell me my dad was home, too?" Kurt asks.

"I didn't know," Blaine says with his face flushed.

"Uh, Burt said I can't leave you guys alone," Finn says. Blaine's surprised Finn doesn't burst into flames from the intensity of the glare Kurt is giving him. Finn sits down on the armchair and keeps his eyes low.

"Finn, please, can you give us like ten minutes alone?" Kurt asks. "I'm sure there's something in the fridge that you can stuff your face with." Finn looks down at the chips in his hand, but nods and mumbles something unintelligible before getting up and leaving the boys alone. Kurt lets out a breath and turns to Blaine, smiling.

"So where were we?" Kurt asks. Blaine laughs and moves closer to Kurt's side. Suddenly, a thought strikes him.

"What made you like Finn?" Blaine blurts out. Kurt blinks and quickly glances at where Finn had just been sitting.

"What?" Kurt sputters.

"I've just always wondered," Blaine explains. Kurt sits up straight and thinks.

"Well, truth is, in a sea of jerks, he was the only one that had any decency. I thought he was wonderful, but I figured out that I was just making up all that I really loved, well liked about him, in my head," Kurt admits. "Finn was just another guy. Yeah, he's sweet, but he wasn't the ‘Prince Charming' I was hoping for."

Blaine raises an eyebrow. "And am I that Prince Charming?" he asks. Kurt grins at him.

"Of course you are," he says. Kurt glances around to see if they're really alone and plants a chaste kiss on Blaine's lips. "So what made you like Jeremiah?"

Blaine, caught off guard, lets out a nervous cough. "Uh, he was nice," he says quickly. Kurt waits and when Blaine doesn't continue, he leans back and stares at him.

"That's it? ‘He was nice?'" Blaine nods. "Blaine, he can't be the only guy that was ever nice to you."

"He kinda was," Blaine says, shrugging.

"But what about the Warblers?" Kurt asks, but instantly regrets it when he sees Blaine tense up. "Uh, and everyone else at Dalton? And you must've had friends at your old public school."

"They were nice, but not like Jeremiah. He was nice and interested," Blaine clarifies. He frowns slightly and furrows his eyebrows. "Well, I thought he was interested. He liked me, he was gay, and we talked a few times. I just... fell in love."

Kurt scoffs. "Honey, your standards are entirely too low," he says. He pauses, thinking. "Wait a minute. I liked you, I'm gay, and we talked a lot and yet it took you months to fall in love with me."

Blaine shrugs. "I just thought you would want someone better than me."

 "And who could possibly be better than Blaine Anderson?" Kurt asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"Kurt Hummel," Blaine says with a grin.

"Yeah, but I can't date myself, so I settled for you."

"And that's all I can ask for," Blaine says. He quickly pecks Kurt on the cheek as Finn enters the room with 6-pack of lemon-lime soda, a bag of chips, and a big bowl of popcorn in his arms. Blaine and Kurt shuffle away from each other and stare at Finn, Blaine smiling and Kurt scowling slightly.

Finn looks apologetically at them. "Burt's sorta my dad and I just can't disobey-" Finn starts, but Kurt cuts him off by standing up.

"I have homework to do anyway," Kurt says. He picks up his bag and textbook from the coffee table, gives Blaine a little wave, and exits, pointedly not looking at Finn.

"I'm sorry, dude," Finn says to Blaine, setting all the food down on the table since Kurt's stuff is no longer crowding the space.

"It's fine," Blaine says. "What's all the food for?"

"Oh, there's a game on today, so Puck, Sam, and I are going to watch it," Finn says. "You want to watch it with us? I know you're into sports and all even though you're g-"

"I'd love to," Blaine says, cutting Finn off. He leans forward, grabs a soda and a few chips, and turns toward the television.

SMILE: He flashes me that smile that makes my heart melts every time. But why does that smile hurt so much now?

Since Blaine and Kurt had started dating, their date night was the most important night of Blaine's week. Every Friday night is their night. A night to celebrate them.

Blaine grins at the full-length mirror in the first floor hallway as he pushes back a gel slicked curl. He perks up when he hears the doorbell ring and walks over to the door. He flings it open and the sight of Kurt just makes his stomach flutter.

"Hey," Blaine says. He takes Kurt's arm and pulls him into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of Kurt's neck and breathing in.

"Well, hello to you, too," Kurt says breathlessly. "Someone's anxious."

"I missed you," Blaine murmurs, planting soft kisses along the side of his neck.

"You saw me a few hours ago in school."

"It feels like it's been years," Blaine whines. Kurt laughs and gently pushes Blaine off.

"Are your parents home?" Kurt asks. Blaine shakes his head. "Cooper?"

Blaine snorts. "I'm not even sure he still knows where we live," he says. He steps behind Kurt and wraps his arms around Kurt's stomach. "We're all alone in a big, quiet house."

"Now, what can we do in a ‘big, quiet' house all alone?" Kurt says innocently. Blaine nibbles up Kurt's neck and Kurt lets out a low moan.

"I don't know, but I promise you it won't be quiet for long," Blaine mutters. Kurt grins as Blaine moves from his back, grabs his arm, and leads him upstairs to his bedroom.

A little under an hour later, they're naked and sweaty under Blaine's covers, but too blissed and tired to really move. Kurt curls around Blaine's side and Blaine rests his hand on the curve of Kurt's ass.

"Mmm," Kurt hums.

Blaine lifts his head to look at him. "Mmm?"

Kurt looks up at him through heavy-lidded eyes and nods. "Mmm." Blaine laughs and lightly rakes his fingernails up and down Kurt's back. Kurt purrs and cuddles closer, resting his head on Blaine's smooth chest.

"Kurt," Blaine says gently.

"Hm?"

"Where were you last week when we were supposed to go on our coffee date and then go to the movies?" Blaine asks.

"I told you I was studying," Kurt answers, barely stifling a yawn.

"Someone told me they saw you at the Lima Bean," Blaine says.

"Blaine," Kurt says, sounding bored. "Do you really want to do this now?"

"Yes."

Kurt sighs and shifts, so he can lie on his stomach and look Blaine in the eyes.  "Fine. After Rachel and I finished studying, we went to the Lima Bean and I bumped into David Karofsky. We decided to get a drink with him to catch up and talk about how he's doing, but Rachel had to leave for something the Berry's were planning, so it was just the two of us left," Kurt says.

"So why didn't you just invite me?" Blaine asks, trying not to sound hurt.

"I don't know," Kurt says, dropping his chin on Blaine's chest. "I just really wanted to talk to him alone. After all he's been through, he needs a friend. I thought I could be that friend."

Blaine looks up at the ceiling. The dim lighting of his room just makes him want to sleep, but his face is starting to feel hot and suddenly Kurt on him is an uncomfortable addition to his already sweaty body.

"I could be a friend, too," Blaine mumbles. He can feel Kurt's face shift as he smiles. Blaine moves his hand from Kurt's back to his hip and pulls him closer.

"You know, I used to look up to you," Kurt says. Blaine nods, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he remembers when Kurt had admitted this to him when he had his (thankfully, very short) sexuality crisis.

"It's kinda weird looking up to somebody that's younger than you," Blaine teases.

"Oh, shut up, you certainly acted more mature at the time," Kurt says. "Anyway, you were so confident and comfortable and popular."

Blaine lifts an eyebrow. "So you only liked me for my popularity?" he asks, grinning widely.

Kurt rolls his eyes. "I obviously only like you for no other reason than the fact that you're super duper popular," Kurt deadpans. "Blaine, I'm just saying that being gay didn't ruin your life. You were what I wanted to be."

Blaine beams at him. "But what does this have to do with anything?"

"Well, now I'm happy, I have a great relationship with my family, and I have the best boyfriend ever. I'm evidence that it's possible to be happy and gay. That it gets better. What you were for me, I want to be for David," Kurt says.

Blaine sucks in a breath. Kurt turns to him, confused.

"What's wrong?" he asks. Blaine shakes his head and gives him his best secure smile.

"Nothing," he says. "So, you call him David now?"

"We're sorta friends. Calling him Karofsky sounds like I'm talking to one of my enemies and I don't feel like we've gotten to the point where I can call him Dave," Kurt says.

"Oh, friends. Is there anything I should be worried about?" Blaine asks, still smiling. Kurt lays his head on Blaine's chest.

"No, of course not," Kurt says. Blaine frowns. He can almost swear he heard Kurt hesitate.

No, Blaine, a little voice in the back of mind says. You just made that up in your head.

"You'll be mine forever?" Blaine asks, gripping Kurt hip tightly. Kurt's eyes drift closed and he yawns, half muffled by Blaine's torso.

"Even longer than that," Kurt says, before falling fast asleep. Blaine smiles down at him as Kurt's breath steadies, but he doesn't feel reassured. His body feels hot again and he hopes the rapid beating of his heart doesn't wake Kurt up.

He loves you, Blaine tells himself. And he won't ever stop loving you.