"Coop!" Blaine exclaimed, grabbing his brother into a hug "I didn't know you were coming tonight."
"Well, here I am. You were really good up there bro, but..."

"No buts Coop, please, let me revel in your compliment for a while."
"Really? I honestly thought you were an ass man little bro!" Cooper replied with a wink, whilst Blaine blushed furiously. "Oh Blaine! I'd like you to meet Kurt." Cooper grinned, seemingly only just remembering the boy who was stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Oh!" Blaine felt even more embarrassed. "I didn't know you were..."

Cooper erupted into a laughing fit. "I'm not gay Blaine." He said between laughs. "Kurt isn't my boyfriend. Like both of us, he's painfully single."
"Well, I wouldn't say painfully." Kurt interrupted.

"Anyway, I was sat next to him in the audience, so I thought I'd bring him to meet you."

Blaine glanced at Kurt, then at Cooper. Despite to boy's gorgeous eyes, amazing fashion sense, and obvious perfection, he was a fan.

Cooper had brought a fan to his dressing room.

"Cooper! Blaine hissed. "You can't just bring fans into my dressing room! Who knows what he could do!"

"Sorry for the inconvenience Mr Anderson, I'll just go. I seem to have had some delusions about you which, don't worry, you just shattered. Thanks anyway Cooper, it's nice to know that I look like some sort of crazy stalker." Kurt spat, but the hurt and upset in his eyes just couldn't be disguised.

For some reason, it hurt Blaine to see Kurt upset, he'd hardly seen the boy but he knew he had to do anything and everything to make what he'd done better. Kurt didn't look crazy, he looked pretty normal, but he couldn't be too careful. He looked at Cooper desperately.

"Go after him." Cooper said simply.

"Kurt, wait up!" he half-yelled, running out the door.

Kurt stooped, and turned on his heel.

"What Blaine, are you going to make out that I'm a brat and 'put me in my place'? 'Cause enough people have tried that, it won't work. Or are you going to break another of my another of my apparent delusions about you?" Kurt had his face set in a glare.

"No Kurt. I'm going to tell you that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, but I've got some fans that who do pretty crazy things, so I have to keep my guard up and be careful, you know?"

Kurt face softened, and he nodded gently.

"Can we go back to my dressing room so we can properly talk? I mean, you seem like a cool guy and that's why you're back here, right?" Hoping that Kurt would agree. "I have coffee!" he added, with his trademark grin.

Kurt smiled back, the grin fully reaching his eyes. "Okay Anderson," he replied "you have a lot to make up for!"

They walked the short distance back to the dressing room in a comfortable silence, giving each other side-glances and both hoping the other didn't notice.

"You two made up then?" Cooper grinned when they stepped into the room, standing up from his seat in the corner.

"Go make us some coffee Coop, you owe me. Medium dip for me and... Kurt?"

"Oh, a grande non-fat mocha please." he replied, reaching into his pocket to grab a $10 note.

"It's on me." Blaine said, laying a hand on Kurt's arm to stop him and giving a 20 to Cooper. They both gasped silently at the simple touch, and Cooper had a glint in his eye as he left.

"Erm..." Blaine said awkwardly, pulling his hand away from Kurt's arm, and gesturing to one of the two comfy chairs in the room. "Take a seat."

"Oh, thanks." Kurt said shyly, sitting down.

"So, Kurt, tell me a bit about yourself. Oh god." Blaine covered his face in embarrassment." It sounds like we're at one of those awkward speed date things." Both boys blushed at the idea of being on a date with the other.

"Well, my name's Kurt Hummel, I'm 18, from Ohio, but hopefully going to NYADA after I finish high school next month. I'm gay, as you've probably figured out, and I love Vogue." Kurt played along, and laughed, "What about you?"

"You know all about me though!"

Kurt gave him a pointed look. "I don't! Anyway, you've got to play along, seeing as though we're doing this speed dating thing," Kurt said with a wink.

"Okay... I'm Blaine Anderson, I'm 20, I'm a musician, singer, actor, performer guy. I'm also gay, and was beaten up for it after the Sadie Hawkins dance in my junior year, so I to go into hospital, and then I changed schools."

"Oh my gosh Blaine. I'm so sorry! I mean, I'm bullied at McKinley, but I haven't had to visit the ER because of it. Yeah, a few outfits have been painfully sacrificed due to slushied, but that's nothing compared to what you've been through." Kurt sympathised.

"Bulling isn't nothing Kurt. Whatever those jerks do to you isn't nothing."

"You were hospitalised Blaine. Dumpster dives and being shoved into lockers isn't nothing compared to being beaten up." Kurt grimaced.

"No. Bulling is bullying. It doesn't matter if it's being beaten up, or slushied every day. Prejudice is just ignorance, Kurt, you don't have to stand for it."

Kurt gave Blaine a teary-eyed smile, cursing himself for crying.

"I don't have to put up for it much longer though, I leave next month, for good. I'm going to make sure I'm successful enough in whatever I do so I can say 'screw you' to Karofsky and the rest of the guys who have made my life a living hell."

"I love your determination. I envy it. But, do you know what, I say 'thank you' to them. Cause they made me want to bigger and better than them, and want to succeed. It was because of them I performed in the caf� the evening I was spotted, I needed to get things off my chest shortly after I moved to Dalton. Think of it that way as well."

Kurt grinned at Blaine's words, and Blaine returned it wordlessly. He didn't know what it was, but Blaine felt a connection with Kurt, something he hadn't felt before. Sure, he had some really close friends and one or two boyfriends, but it was different, and so much better than anything he'd ever felt. He couldn't act on it though. Of course he couldn't. He could hold down any relationship when he had the paparazzi following his every move. And Kurt was way out of his league.

The door burst open, interrupting Blaine's thoughts, and Cooper sauntered in, balancing 3 Starbucks cups in his hands.

"Sorry I was so long boys, the queues were terrible. And they got my order wrong. Caramel and Hazelnut are completely different things, how the hell did she get them mixed up?!" giving them their cups.

"Coop, you confused Daniel Radcliffe and Daniel Craig." Blaine observed.

"They're both actors, and British. You've got to give me that! Anyway, nice chat?"

"Great actually Coop!" Blaine said, grinning at Kurt.

"So, you two dating now or what?"

"We've had a 30 minute conversation, Coop. Just because we're both gay, it doesn't mean we want to get in each others pants." Kurt deadpanned.

Blaine looked deflated for a brief moment, before putting a mask on again, hoping neither of them saw his disappointment at Kurt's words. For Blaine, it cemented the fact that Kurt didn't like him in that way in his brain.

Kurt's phone bleeping with a text interrupted the silence.

From: 'Cedes

Boo, it's 11:15, where are you? Rachel's already going batshit and is threatening to go to Mr. Schue if you're not back before half past. I think she's pissed about not being able to go with you. xo

"Shit!" Kurt exclaimed. "Sorry guys, I have to go, I have to be back at the hotel in 15."

"That's fine man, see you around?" Cooper asked passively.

"Oh, okay then. K- Kurt?" Blaine stuttered nervously.

"Yes Blaine?"

"Can I... erm haveyournumber?"

"Pardon?" Kurt had heard perfectly what he said, he just wanted to hear Blaine say it properly, so he could relish the moment.

"Can I have your number?" Blaine inquired more confidently. "So we can talk, if you want of course, or maybe meet for coffee or something when you're next in town? Or not?"

"Only if you sign this for my best friend Mercedes?" Kurt giggled, pulling a picture out of his satchel.

"Oh, really? Sure." Blaine replied, grinning, and pulled out a Sharpie from his pocket.

"Pass me your cell." Kurt laughed, putting the-now autographed- photo back into his satchel.

Blaine passed his Blackberry over, and Kurt put his number into it.

"iPhone's are much better you know. Now, I really have to go. Bye!" Kurt emphasized, before heading out the room with a wave.

"Blainey's got a crush!" Cooped taunted good-naturedly, nudging him.

Blaine was too busy texting Kurt to notice his brother.

To: Kurt 'Crazy Fan' Hummel

Hey, Kurt 'Crazy Fan' Hummel, it's Blaine :P I had an awesome time chatting to you tonight, hope you get back safely.

Blaine debated for a moment whether to add an 'x' or not, before adding one, and returning his phone to his pocket, with a serene smile on his face.