“And how did you decide that it was Evan you wanted to send home?” Cooper asked.

Blaine shifted in his chair. “Well, honestly, we never really connected. I mean, he was attractive, sure, but we didn’t seem to have that many common interests.”

Cooper nodded. “Is that the only reason?”

“There was also an incident that upset a lot of us here – on the way back from horseback riding Chandler got thrown by his horse. Evan made some comments that didn’t sit right with me. I can’t fall in love with someone who’s going to treat others that way.”

“Of the guys left, is there anyone you’re particularly leaning toward?” Blaine shifted under Cooper’s intense gaze. He could feel Kurt’s eyes on him from the doorway and he panicked about what to say.

“Maybe,” he finally murmured. “But it’s too early to tell.” He glanced at Kurt over Cooper’s shoulder and then back down at his hands. He was so screwed. Kurt was not an option and he needed to get his act together.



Blaine escaped as soon as he could, leaving the rest of the guys to their interviews. He wandered into the main room and marveled at the large TV. He went over to the DVD collection and ran his finger along the spines of the cases, pulling out an old favorite. He slipped it into the player and turned it on, glad for the momentary peace and quiet. He had no idea when the crew would be back to get him for the second group date that afternoon.

The last few days had been pretty good – just him and the guys hanging out around the house before filming resumed. Thrown by his brother’s elimination, Aaron seemed to have stepped up his game a little. He was suddenly everywhere Blaine was, trying to make small talk. Unfortunately, as with Evan, Blaine didn’t think he had anything in common with Aaron and a lot of the times Aaron seemed kind of uncomfortable around him, though Blaine wasn’t sure why that was.

He settled back, watching the movie, smiling as the first song came on.

“Oh, I love this one,” Kurt said quietly from the doorway. “It’s a classic.”

“It is,” Blaine replied softly. “You could… join me?”

Kurt looked torn for a moment but then strode across the room, taking a seat on the same sofa as Blaine. They watched the movie silently and even though there was at least a foot or more of space between them, Blaine swore he could feel Kurt breathing.

“Filming going okay?” he asked, looking for a reason to break the silence.

“Oh, um, yeah,” Kurt answered, seeming startled. “We’re done with the interviews. We’ll be filming the next group date this afternoon.”

“Okay,” Blaine said. “Where are we going?”



Kurt watched as Blaine slipped on his ice skates and looked around the empty Bryant Park rink. They were lucky that it was still cold enough to skate and they’d been able to book the rink at such short notice. The other guys were slowly clambering down onto the benches, skates in hand. Some of them were eying the ice warily. Kurt wondered how many of them would fall and tried to stifle a giggle.

He was glad he wasn’t going to be doing it – he couldn’t imagine trying to skate. He’d only been a few times with his friends back in high school. They’d skated on the Auglaize River during the winter months, but after falling several times he’d been more content to wear a cute outfit and sit on the sidelines, sipping coffee and watching his friends have a good time. Occasionally he’d dreamed about finding someone, a boy who wouldn’t be too scared to take his hand and lead him across the ice. Still, it was Ohio and he was so young – he hadn’t found anyone worth dating until he’d come to New York.

Even then his dating history was spotty – maybe Kurt was just too picky, but none of the men he’d dated had ever made it past the third date. He was pretty sure he was in the running for oldest gay male virgin, but he didn’t care most of the time. He had his friends and a good job that was leading toward a promising career. Or well, he hadn’t cared.

Then he’d met Blaine and suddenly everything had turned on its head. He wanted Blaine and had a feeling that with time, Blaine could possibly be it for him. Every tidbit that Kurt uncovered about him only made him like Blaine a little more. Blaine was also drop dead gorgeous and Kurt was undeniably attracted to him. It just figured that he was the star of their new show and completely off limits.

That was thing, Kurt mused as he watched Blaine and the others take the ice, teasing and cat-calling each other. He wanted this show to do well. He wanted Blaine to find someone and fall in love.

He just didn’t like the pang in his chest whenever he thought about it.



Blaine slid onto the ice with ease, spinning joyously as he went around the rink. The others were getting their feet under them and starting to skate around by the time that Blaine had made a lap. Sebastian was on his heels as soon as he could manage it and Blaine laughed when Sebastian took his hand and spun him around.

The music blasted from the speakers around the rink and Blaine lost himself to it, dancing and sometimes even singing along. He was only mildly aware of the film crew putting out mats in the middle of the rink so they could be out on the ice and film them. He paused, watching Kurt make his way out to the center of the rink to hand the camera crew something when it happened. Kurt’s feet went out from under him and he landed on his ass.
Blaine chuckled, sliding to a stop in front of him.

“Some of us aren’t capable of re-enacting Disney on Ice, Blaine,” Kurt sniffed in mock offense. Blaine laughed again and reached out a hand to pull him up. “Oh, I think I’ll be feeling that later.”

“Are you okay?” Blaine asked, concerned.

“Fine,” Kurt said. “I’ll have the medic check me out to be sure.” Blaine nodded. “Thanks,” Kurt whispered and Blaine’s attention was caught by the fact they were still holding onto each other. Kurt took a step back, like he was startled and nearly fell again. Blaine caught him by the arm just in time.

“I am no good with ice,” Kurt moaned.

“I’ll give that to the guys,” Blaine offered, gesturing to the piece of equipment in Kurt’s hand – it was a wonder he’d managed to hold onto it. “You go sit.”

Kurt smiled at him gratefully after a moment and Blaine delivered the part before rejoining the others.

After a few minutes, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Chandler was sitting on one of the benches, talking animatedly with Kurt.

Kurt looked amused and Blaine caught his gaze, smiling a little. Kurt blushed, looking like he got caught doing something wrong and said something to Chandler before walking off to speak with Bill. Blaine turned and watched the other guys having fun and wondered why Chandler wasn’t out there with them.

He frowned – he’d been pretty sure before the date that he was going to send Aaron home, but now he wasn’t so sure.



Interviews were done again after dinner, Cooper taking them into the “ceremony room” this time. Blaine sank into the couch and crossed one leg over the other.

“So, Blaine,” Cooper began, “how was the date today?”

“We had so much fun,” Blaine enthused. “I’ve loved ice skating since I was a kid.”

“And has it put you any closer to deciding which of the guys are going home this week?”

“I’m torn,” Blaine admitted. “I thought I knew but then I saw how some of the guys were today and now I’m not sure.”

“Oooh, you have to give us more than that to go on,” Cooper insisted, looking interested (actually interested, unlike the fake acting interested that he normally did).

Blaine laughed. “You’ll see at the bowtie ceremony.”



“Gentlemen,” Cooper said in a deeply serious voice. Kurt was pretty sure that he worked on it religiously to get it to sound that way. “We are gathered here yet again, to see which of you is heading home and which of you are still in the running for Blaine Anderson’s heart.”

Kurt saw Blaine shift a little, obviously still uncomfortable with the idea that he was supposed to be falling in love with one of the guys in the room.

“Have you made your decision?” Cooper asked Blaine.

“I have,” Blaine replied. “It was a tough decision this time. Before we went on our date, I thought I knew who I was going to send home, but afterward I realized I wasn’t so sure.”

Blaine looked up at Kurt and their eyes locked. Little butterflies took up root in his stomach and he looked away, thinking instead about how Blaine had come into the elimination meeting and had insisted that Chandler be the one sent home.

Kurt had been surprised by that – he’d really thought Blaine would choose Aaron or Adam, since nothing had really seemed to develop on that front (from what Kurt could tell anyway). The producers had even pushed back, wanted one of the others to leave instead.

Blaine had been firm though and Kurt had managed to talk the producers around.

Chandler would indeed be the one going home.

Blaine went through the room, calling up each guy and offering them a bowtie. He put it on them and then kissed them all on the cheek. Kurt’s heart ached with each press of Blaine’s lips, longing for something he knew he couldn’t have.

Chandler was the last one called up and to Kurt’s surprise there were actual tears on Chandler’s cheeks. Blaine pulled him into a hug. “You’re a great guy, Chandler,” Blaine murmured just loud enough for Kurt to hear. “You’re just not the guy for me.”

Chandler took a step back and nodded, leaving the room. Cooper began talking again, giving his spiel about turning in for the following week and Kurt tried to pretend Blaine wasn’t staring at him again.