Kurt stepped out of the bathroom. Blaine had allowed him twenty minutes to shower, dress and make himself presentable while he did some last minute preparations for their date. Kurt rubbed his hands over his clothes anxiously wondering just how he was expected to look his best in such a short amount of time. The last time he had gotten ready to meet Blaine it had taken him over two hours. In fact, it usually would take him longer than twenty minutes just to have a shower. He rubbed his tongue over his teeth and looked around his apartment wondering where Blaine had gotten to.

'Shit!' Kurt spun on his heels and dove back into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He couldn't believe, of all things, he had forgotten to do that.

Blaine closed his eyes into the setting sun, the warmth of its rays soothing the unusual feeling that had developed in his stomach. He shoved his hands into his pockets and took a deep breath, relaxing as the warm breeze that danced around on the roof top also helped to settle his...nerves. Nerves!? He was nervous? The mere thought was incredulous! Blaine Anderson, the man who could chat up any living, breathing male in the pursuit of sex, was nervous about a date?!

Blaine opened his eyes and spun in a circle as if he was afraid that someone would be able to sense his distress and discover how he was truly feeling. The unsettled butterflies stirred even more within him. He didn't like this feeling, didn't like that he was suddenly feeling out of control. He sought frantically for his bad boy persona to come forth and to help him out, but his wild side continued to hide. His fear of putting himself out there and making himself really available to another person was the most frightening thing Blaine had ever had to face, even though he had been dreaming of this moment ever since he had met Kurt.

Blaine shook his head in disbelief. He still couldn't believe that the past forty eight hours had happened. There in Las Vegas he had gone from the lowest of lows, to here, on a rooftop waiting to take the most wonderful man he had ever met out to dinner. He had a chance to be happy, and there was nothing more in the world that he would want than to make Kurt happy as well. Blaine couldn't deny it anymore. He was at a turning point in his life. He had to do good by Kurt tonight.

He fiddled with the watch he was wearing and gazed around considering his preparations for the evening one last time. The twenty minutes he had given Kurt was nearly up. There was nothing else he could do now. He was out of time. Hopefully, it would be enough for Kurt.

Blaine took a deep breath, gave the setting sun one last glance and turned to the door that led back down into the building.

It was time to change his life.

The second time Kurt stepped into the lounge room Blaine was waiting for him leaning against the back of the sofa, arms folded patiently over his chest. They stood silently, equaling admiring the view. Blaine was still in his black jeans and black shirt, while Kurt had coifed his hair, and was standing in the tightest pair of trousers that he owned. He had picked them out on purpose more than aware of the effect that they had on his already perky butt.

Blaine smiled, "You look amazing."

Kurt rubbed his hands over his waistcoat. "Thanks, it was a bit of a rush but..."

"No, you look fantastic." Blaine approached and his voice dropped, "And very, very sexy."

Kurt couldn't breathe, but then, his eyes swept up to the top of Blaine's head.

"Your hair!" he exclaimed. For once Blaine hadn't let his curls fly free, and surprisingly, as much as Kurt loved those curls, Blaine's gelled hair was refreshingly cute. 'Yes,' Kurt smiled to himself, 'very debonair'.

"I thought I'd try something different," Blaine told him gliding his fingers over his slicked down spirals but gentle enough not to disturb the new style that he had created. Blaine took another step closer so that he was only two feet away from Kurt. "Do you trust me?" he asked softly.

"Um," Kurt chuckled. "Do I really have to answer that question? Because from you're past behavior..."

Blaine didn't say anything, he just stared Kurt directly in the eyes.

Sensing a sudden need to be serious, Kurt nodded and met his gaze, "Okay, I trust you." Blaine had obviously planned something elaborate and wanted this night to be special.

Blaine walked round to stand behind him, and ever so quietly, he lifted his hands and brought a delicate thin scarf over Kurt's eyes.

"Whoa, wait! What are you doing!?" Kurt exclaimed in surprise and he spun on the spot to face him.

"I want to surprise you," Blaine explained quietly, his hands still up in the air holding the material. "I asked you if you trusted me and you said that you did."

Kurt eyed him suspiciously for a moment but seeing only a soft, warm glow in his eyes Kurt relaxed. "Alright," he breathed. "But I have to tell you Blaine, I've usually been on at least more than three dates with someone before I start doing anything remotely kinky like this."

"Hmm," Blaine mused with a quirky smile. "I'll keep that in mind and start tallying our dates then." He took Kurt's hand and his tone returned to serious. "Come on. Let's not waste any more time. Let's get this date officially started."

"I hope we're not going far," Kurt announced as Blaine guided him out of the apartment's front door. To his surprise however, instead of going down the stairs and out of the apartment building, Blaine turned and they started to slowly rise to the roof.

The evening air greeted them as they came out into the open, the wind gentle and warm, the city still holding onto the sun's heat. Blaine pulled Kurt a little further, and Kurt, knowing the layout off by heart knew that he was now standing in the center of the space. His hand was gently squeezed and then released, but Kurt was not left alone for long for a second later gentle and quick hands worked to undo the blindfold. The material dropped free and Kurt gasped at what appeared before him.

If Blaine was trying to impress him, then Kurt Hummel was indeed impressed. Only a short distance away, Blaine had placed a table that was elegantly set, so elaborate Kurt believed it would have been fit for a five star restaurant. His fingers glided over the red table cloth and he glanced at Blaine only to see his eyes sparkling in the glow of the fairy lights that he had hung from every possible vantage point, and off to the side, Kurt spied an extra table where several pots and plates had been prepared and were ready and waiting.

"Blaine!" Kurt gasped. "I can't believe you did this?"

"You don't like it?" he asked worriedly.

"No!" Kurt turned around slowly taking everything in again. He stopped and frowned gently at Blaine, surprised by the worry he could hear in his voice. It was strange and out of character, but at the same time, endearing. "I just never expected you to do this, that's all. It's....beautiful."

"I hope it's alright. I thought for ages about where I could take you. I just didn't want to go anywhere where we might get attacked by the paps." Blaine took a step closer. "I just wanted it to be us."

Kurt squeezed Blaine's arm still taking in all the little details like the tiny candles along the wall that surrounded the rooftop. Some had blown out but the thought that had gone into the scene knocked Kurt speechless. Blaine had even moved the pot plants closer creating a separated area from the rest of the roof, closing them off and putting them into their own personal private corner of the world.

Blaine quickly recovered. He took a quick step forward and entered Kurt's space, Kurt's eyes dancing happily at the surprised movement. He gazed at Blaine in wonder his heart beginning to pick up speed again. Could he do this? Could he really take a chance on Blaine? Was Blaine really trying to be the romantic who really wanted more from him than a casual affair? If his preparations for the evening were any indication to go by, then yes, Blaine was trying to establish something more with Kurt.

Kurt steadied his breath trying to stop himself from getting swept away again. It had happened before with disastrous effects. Risk, it was such a small word but could have such large detrimental impacts on his heart if things went wrong, but there, in Blaine's eyes was a hope and determination that made Kurt's fears waver.

"It's perfect," Kurt spoke with a steadfast sureness having made up his mind. He really was going to take a chance with Blaine. Hesitantly at first, he lifted his hand to rest on Blaine's hip. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"I'm so pleased to hear that," Blaine smiled his chest rising as he took an excited breath.

Blaine was standing close, so close. If he leaned forward just slightly their lips would meet. Kurt tried to stop his eyes from drifting towards them but it was too late. There they were, Blaine's perfectly proportioned and perfectly shaped pink lips. What Kurt wouldn't do just to be able to gently take Blaine's bottom lip within his own two lips and tenderly pull and nibble on it?

He glanced back up to Blaine's eyes only to find that without a doubt, Blaine had every intention of doing exactly the same to Kurt. The tension between them was becoming unbearable. One of them was going to have to make the first move.

"There's just one thing that I want to do before we have dinner?" Blaine announced softly, but there was a serious edge to his voice that worried Kurt all over again.

"What's that?" Kurt asked, his fingers faltering at Blaine's side.

"I think it's something very serious and very important that we should attend to."

Kurt frowned. "What could be so..."

Blaine quickly leaned in and placed his lips gently on Kurt's. He startled and even though Kurt's heart was pounding with excitement, he relaxed his lips to move with Blaine's as they parted to settle together. And just like their first kiss by the front door five months ago, they joined perfectly, moving fluidly, their eyes closed, hands moving gently to rest possessively onto each other. It was strange but wonderful how it felt so natural, so right. The kiss deepened, their lips parting further, and Kurt, sensing Blaine's desire for being in absolute control happily let Blaine take the lead.

Blaine felt Kurt's resolve and it encouraged him on. He stepped forward eagerly and wrapped both of his arms around Kurt, holding onto his clothing tightly. Kurt stumbled back slightly off balance but he recovered quickly as Blaine's hands held onto him, holding him strongly and firmly that Kurt knew that he would never let him go.

Blaine however, ended the kiss much sooner than Kurt anticipated edging back a fraction so their lips were only merely grazing against each other's. He tilted his head, their foreheads touching, and with his eyes still closed, he spoke.

"Maybe now we can really focus on the conversation," Blaine whispered huskily his hands dropping to hold Kurt by the waist. "If I didn't do that then, I would have been preoccupied the whole evening thinking about how I just wanted to kiss you again."

"How do you expect me to focus on a conversation after a kiss like that?" Kurt asked his voice slightly high. "All I want is for you to do it again."

Kurt tilted his head and grazed his lips gently against Blaine's, encouraging, pleading with him to return the tender movements that Kurt's lips were currently carrying out. Blaine's breath was short, hot and sweet against his skin.

"Hmm, if you're going to keep doing that then it can easily be arranged." Blaine angled his head again and tightened his grip around Kurt's body, and this time, Blaine didn't hold back in showing just how much passion and desire he had for Kurt. They stayed that way for some time lost in the new connection they had found, rediscovering the taste and feel of each other.

Finally, Blaine stepped back. He gave Kurt a long lingering stare that made Kurt's heart double in speed, and then, turned towards the table that was filled with their food for the evening. Blaine retrieved a bottle of red wine and two glasses and returned to Kurt.

"How did you prepare all of this?" Kurt asked his hand trailing down Blaine's arm. They were standing beside the wall of the rooftop their fingers entwined while they both took sips of their wine. Blaine's plan to break the rules and kiss at the start of the date had worked. Before they had been hesitant and too scared to lay a finger on each other, as if they were worried that they might scare the other off, but now, the kiss had brought them together. They held onto each other, their fingers frequently entwining, their shoulders brushing and protective hands quickly found purchase on the small of the other's back. There was no holding back anymore.

"You have a lovely roommate," Blaine informed him. "Mercedes helped a lot."

'All is forgiven, Mercedes,' Kurt said to himself, 'all is forgiven.'

"I'm glad you're impressed," Blaine spoke softly. "I've never really had anyone that I've wanted to do something like this with before."

"Really?" Kurt asked in surprise.

Blaine frowned for a second, obviously remembering something from his past. "I've tried once or twice but the other person never reciprocated the gesture."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Ahh, but I'm here with you now and that's all that matters." Blaine tugged Kurt towards the table. "Come on," he said with a smile. "Let's eat."

The conversation carried itself. There was no need for either of them to ponder over what they should say to each other. It was their time. Their time to really get to know one another and find out whether there was more to the sexual desire and intrigue that had brought them together in the first place. They helped themselves to the food that had been prepared and it didn't perturb them one bit that it became cold long before they actually got around to eating it. They happily nodded when they discovered a likeness in their interests and then laughed when they found something that they didn't agree upon.

"I can't believe that you really don't like concerts," Blaine admonished. "I mean, come on...." he pointed to himself, "I live for them."

Kurt laughed, "Well you would have to love them." He shook his head. "I just don't like concerts where you get stuck in the crowd with people sweating all over you. No way," he leaned forward, his eyes shifting as he pictured his ideal evening out, "I prefer something more intimate like a bar or a pub with a live band."

"Hmmm, I'll remember that too," Blaine teased with a wink, "could be a possible third date."

"Third date?"

"Yeah, I've already got our second one all planned out." Blaine gave him a wink and Kurt couldn't stop the smile that came to his lips.

"Do tell."

"It's a surprise, but tell me, how does someone like you end up in LA?" Blaine asked changing the topic completely.

It was the only question that evening that would be able to make Kurt's face fall.

"You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to," Blaine hurriedly added seeing Kurt's unhappy expression.

Kurt stared off into the distance. He didn't like sharing the disaster of his last relationship but, "Oh, what the hell," he muttered. He took a long sip of his wine, a little bit of extra support to help while he revealed his story.

"I fucked up basically." Kurt shook his head at his idiocy, "fucked up royally."

Blaine leaned back, immediately forgetting that he still had half a plate of food before him. "You know I studied interior design right?" Kurt began.

Blaine nodded.

"Well, it didn't start that way. It didn't start that way at all. I was originally at NYADA, New York Academy of Dramatic Arts."

"Wait, what?" Blaine gasped. "NYADA? How does someone go from NYADA to here? That's one of the toughest institutions to get into."

Kurt didn't answer.

"Oh," Blaine said in realization. "I see."

Kurt sighed lifting his chin as he was forced to relive all of his mistakes again. "Yes, I was the wide-eyed kid from Ohio who had all his dreams come true by getting into NYADA." Kurt folded his arms across his chest. "You'd think that that would have been enough wouldn't you." He shook his head in disbelief at his own actions. "But no, I had to have more."

Blaine narrowed his eyes but he wasn't going to judge. He had made enough stupid mistakes of his own to never give him the right to make comments regarding other people's actions and bad judgments.

"So, who was he?" Blaine asked.

Kurt was silent not wanting to reveal his name, but he finally took a deep brief and began.

"Mark, his name was Mark." Kurt leaned back in his chair as well, his appetite clearly gone. "New York is a really lonely place to live in when you're young and new and have never experienced things that other young people have experienced. The hierarchy at NYADA was just as bitchy as high school, an even though I loved my classes, I was lonely, very lonely. I wanted to have everything that everyone else was experiencing. I found it hard to make friends. I didn't join any cliques. It was like it had always been. I was alone, the outsider. I hadn't even had a boyfriend before."

Kurt stared Blaine squarely in the eyes.

"I'm only human Blaine, I have needs. After hearing about all my fellow students' escapades of going to parties and going to bars, I decided that I deserved some fun too. So I did some research, found an ideal gay bar and one night when I had finally plucked up enough courage, I thought I'd just go out by myself." Kurt paused to take a sip of his wine. "It just so happened that on that night, out of the blue, I met Mark."

Blaine shifted in his seat and rested his arms on the table before making himself comfortable while he listened.

"Mark was older, sophisticated and I thought so wise and mature. He swept me off my feet, kind of took me under his wing and..." Kurt's eyes fell to the table cloth. "I'd never had anyone care about me, want to hold me, want to be anywhere near me let alone want to kiss me, or do things with me. He was my first everything. First hand hold, first kiss, first..." Kurt let his voice trail off as he relived some of the most intimate encounters he had experienced in his head. "So anyway, suddenly I was happy in New York. I had someone who was lavishing me with attention, and at the start, we were inseparable. We skipped classes so we could make out in each other apartments, we went to parties, and oh boy, was the sex incredible."

"I knew that Mark was not perfect. I knew that he was flawed, the way he spoke about other people sometimes and got angry at strangers, or yelled at waiters in restaurants. I mean, I can sometimes be obnoxious and I've been pulled up for my own finger snapping, but I don't believe I've ever caused a scene. When you're lonely though and so desperate to be loved you can block out all of the negative aspects of someone." Kurt paused trying to get back on track. "Mark was studying in his last year at the Interior Design College of New York. He had travelled. He knew people, he was sophisticated, and the more I hung out with him, the more people in his circle of friends I met."

Kurt shrugged feeling ashamed, "I was in love, stupidly, hopelessly in love."

Blaine leaned forward even more, eager to learn more, "What happened?"

"I spent more and more time with Mark that eventually I was always at his place. I thought that that was what my life was meant to be about. That we were going to be together forever. I moved into his apartment, you know, to make things cheaper and," Kurt took a deep breath, "I stupidly let him convince me to drop out of NYADA and join him at Interior Design College."

"What?!" Blaine exclaimed aghast. "How did he manage that?"

"Mark was a talker and he was very good at persuading. He told me about his stories and the places he had been to. The people he had met and the connections he had made. He made the profession sound so exciting and that it had a more viable future for a, a person like me."

Blaine frowned but he let Kurt continue.

"I processed my application at the end of my first semester and quit NYADA at the end of my first year. I really did think that that was what I was meant to be doing after all. I had already made some great friends and people seemed to like my ideas. I enjoyed my first semester subjects, although the Mathematics ones were definitely a surprise."

Kurt took a long drink of his wine polishing it off completely and Blaine eagerly refilled the glass. It was only then that Blaine realized that his own mouth was parched and he took a large mouthful of his wine as well.

"I think, maybe it only lasted one semester at Interior Design College before things started to fall apart. Five months. Can you believe? Five months!" Kurt shook his head in disbelief. "Mark went away for Christmas and New Year and when he came back, he was just...different, distant and withdrawn. I didn't think too much of it. I thought that maybe he had had a rough time with his family, he had never spoke kindly of them before. We worked through it and things kind of settled down, but he never told me what had happened and we were never really the same again."

"But what really caused the downfall of our relationship, man I can't even believe I'm calling it a relationship, was the school's end of year competition. It's an event that causes a big stir and one that attracts a lot of big names in the industry. It's so big that it has been known for people to gain internships and placements in jobs before they even graduate. Past students have had their careers take off, off the back of this competition. Both Mark and I thought we'd enter together."

"That year's competition the school had chosen a rundown building that was to be refurnished. We had to design a work area that maximized the space we had been given but also supported sustainable usage. The competition was fierce, I mean, we're talking about elaborate designs here, some of the most creative minds coming up in the industry were taking part in it. But we didn't care, we thought it would be fun and I secretly hoped it would the perfect way to bring us back together again since we would be working side by side. We both complemented each other, you know. Mark was more of the builder type while I was more of the small touches, last minute flourishes person."

"At first everything went well, we drew out our designs working to our budget and we started working late nights around our studies. But then, surprisingly Mark began to withdraw again. At first, he came up with excuses that he had an assignment due, or he had to work. There was always some kind of reason. I'm not the kind of guy who's going to smother my boyfriend but I was suddenly finding myself working by myself most nights, pulling all-nighters. I let it slip for a while, and then one night, I went back to the apartment to find him but he wasn't there. I confronted him the next day and he just said that he had gotten caught up with friends."

"This would have continued if one of Mark's friends, Peter, hadn't taken pity on me. He sent me a text one afternoon and told me that I could find Mark at his place. Confused I went there, it was a small get-together but I didn't recognize anyone. Peter guided me off to a back room." Kurt paused obviously reliving the horror inside his head. "I opened the door and there was Mark with another guy."

Blaine's face fell, "The fucking bastard!"

"And not just any guy, one of my fucking lecturers at that. I mean, how sleazy do you have to be to start having an affair with one of the lecturers the college. We had this huge blow out in front of all these people who I had never met before. It was so embarrassing. I was so angry but what was worst of all. What was the ultimate horror, my lecturer turned around and told me that Mark had only pitied me, pitied me from the start and he just didn't know how to get rid of me. Apparently they had gotten together over a chance meeting at Christmas and they had been continuing the affair ever since. Everyone knew they had been fucking behind my back, everyone but me."

"I stuck it out though. I completed the room all by myself while sleeping on the floor of Peter's apartment. I finished it just in time but my lecturer was on the panel for judging the rooms. I failed miserably and it was only then that I found out that Mark had designed another room all by himself. That's where he had been spending all of his other time when he wasn't being fucked from behind in my lecturer's office."

"Wow," Blaine shook his head in disbelief, "that's really messed up. No wonder you left."

Kurt paused for breath all of his spite coming forward.

"My room failed miserably, my lecturer pointing out all of my flaws in front of everybody and told me that I had no place at the school and should have stayed at NYADA, but God-forbid that that was a hopeless case for me as well."

"Wow, he really said that?" Blaine was horrified. How could people be so cruel?

"But that's not the end of it. It was one drama filled catastrophe after another. I got really drunk and at some godly hour after the judging, I stumbled back to Peter's apartment only to have him hit on me. He was drunk too but that doesn't excuse what he said to me.

"What did he say?" Blaine was furious. He was sitting on the edge of his seat wishing he could have been there.

Kurt shuddered at the memory. "He said that I had better put out if I wanted to keep a roof over my head, and if I didn't, then I would have to get out and leave."

"What! Are you fucking kidding me?" Blaine's face went red and he wound his hands into tight fists. "What did you do?"

"I told him no way, said I would rather sleep on the pavement than do that with him. I thought he'd been my friend. He went on to say that I really was pathetic and that no one could ever really want me. He said it was no wonder that Mark had cheated on me. He told me to run back to Ohio and that I could never play it big against all of them." Kurt shrugged. "So I did. I ran. But I didn't run back to Ohio."

Blaine couldn't believe Kurt's story. Who were these people?

Kurt sighed heavily, "So there I was, with hardly any cash, with nowhere to live and having just been told that I had no future in Interior Design. I couldn't hang my head in shame and try to get back into NYADA they would have just laughed at me. I couldn't call my Dad I was so ashamed that I had gotten caught up in such a mess, so I called Mercedes and she used most of her savings to fly me over to LA that very night. I've been living with her ever since. I never went back."

They were silent both processing everything that had been said.

"I don't think I'm a person who just gives up easily," Kurt commented, "but when you're in New York and your young and naïve and you realize you're playing with the big guys, it's hard to not believe what they say to you."

"I would never think you were quitter, Kurt. No way, not after that and you did the right thing and stood up for yourself. I would have left too."

Blaine was surprised to see a soft smile come to Kurt's lips.

"How can you smile after a story like that?" Blaine wondered.

"Because," Kurt responded quickly, "for the first time, I just realized the only good thing that came out of all that?"

"What?" Blaine asked unable to comprehend how Kurt could see anything positive out of such betrayal and deceit.

"Because, if none of that had ever happened, I would never have met you."

Blaine's mouth fell open. For once he was speechless. Kurt's words were so unexpected. But while it was one of the most flattering comments that he had ever heard, he was worried. Blaine shifted on his seat and his expression became serious.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Kurt replied his tone much lighter.

"Since all of that, since you left New York, you've never been in a serious relationship with anyone?"

Kurt shook his head and for once that evening he was unable to hold Blaine's gaze. "It happened just over a year ago but I don't want you to start taking pity on me or anything, Blaine. These things happen and I've grown from it, I'm older and even though it wasn't really that long ago in the grand scheme of things, I'm much more experienced in life now."

"But you've definitely been with other men, not just him and me?"

Amused, Kurt leaned onto the table as well mirroring Blaine's pose. "Yes, Blaine, there have been other men in between you and Mark. Mercedes, the ever so wonderful friend, pushed me out there, set me up on some dates but they were all an attempt to stop me from brooding around at home, and really, they were only just rebounds."

Blaine looked genuinely relieved. "That's good. Good."

Kurt giggled. "Blaine relax. It might have taken a while but I've moved on. I have had some fun times, but no one as fun as the two nights that I had with a gorgeous, sexy rock star, I might add." Kurt gave him a playful wink. "I will be honest though, you were my first one night stand."

"Well," Blaine began with a sly look, "I don't think it really categorizes as a one night stand when you go back for seconds."

Kurt's smile widened. "Hmm, true."

Comforted by Kurt's casual joking manner, Blaine's shoulders dropped. "I'm glad to hear that there were others though. You had me worried there for a moment that I had been some other asshole that you might have thought had taken advantage of you."

Kurt smirked, "Blaine I was using you! What better way to get over someone than by being fucked in every position imaginable by a hot rock star."

Blaine smile and looked more than pleased with himself that he had been able to do his part. He refilled Kurt's glass again.

"You were definitely a surprise though," Kurt added. "There I was thinking I was just going to get a good lay, to help me move on and then you turned around and whipped the floor from under me with your whole intimacy speech. I think I fell for you right then and there. I hadn't even realized that I had wanted more than just a fuck until you said that."

Kurt closed his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant to reveal that to Blaine just yet. He swallowed uncomfortably embarrassed that he had let so much slip. It must have been because of the alcohol and the fact that he had rambled so much about himself and had already put so much out there.

Blaine wanted to ease some of his embarrassment. "Well, at least we know that there are some mutual feelings floating around," he said softly.

They shared a warm understanding smile until Blaine suddenly reached out for Kurt's hand. "I'm sure karma has gotten back at Mark."

Kurt took another large gulp of his wine and shook his head. "It hasn't actually. He's doing very well for himself, very well indeed. He's now the chief editor of America Interior Design, the online magazine, earning bucket loads, still travelling, and worst of all, the last time I heard Mark and my lecturer were still together."

Kurt was silent after that. He had heard those rumors from various people and he had tried to ignore the possible truth that could be in them. If they were still happy together maybe they had always been right about Kurt. Maybe Kurt had been clinging onto Mark because he had been unhappy and unable to adjust to New York by himself. Maybe Mark had just taken pity on him, and maybe, just maybe Kurt had to realize that he really didn't have any talent after all.

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand, and just like before, it was as if Blaine had read his mind, "You didn't do anything wrong Kurt. You said yourself that the pair of you was inseparable. You were in love and he was the one in the wrong by cheating on you and not telling you. How can someone lie for so long and sleep with someone else behind their back and think that it's okay?"

They were silent again until Blaine finally had to ask, "So now you're just..?"

"living my life," Kurt finished for him staring at the table.

Blaine leaned back in his seat and frowned. "But what about your dreams?" he asked.

"What happens if you've realized that you don't have any dreams," Kurt quickly answered softly, but before Blaine could even think of how to answer such a depressing confession, Kurt continued, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And since we're on the topic of dreams, Blaine, what about you? What about your dreams?"

"Oooo, we're going straight for the punch, are we? Touché!' Blaine quipped but he was silently impressed with Kurt's intuition. Apart from his hint on the roof the night before and the conversation that they had had in bed five months ago, Blaine had never commented on what he wanted, but he sensed that Kurt already knew. "I see we are both people who have become sidetracked and have lost our way," he mused.

Kurt smirked, "At least you have been successful."

"Ah, but what is fame and fortune if you don't have someone to share it with?"

"Hmm, true." Kurt eyed him closely wondering whether he was going to get Blaine to open up just like he had, but before he could ask, Blaine closed the conversation. "Let's talk about something else and be happy again."

Kurt forced a smile. Another day, sometime in the near future, he would get Blaine to tell him his story, he was sure of it.

Blaine reached for the bottle of wine, and noticing that it was almost empty, rose from his chair and retrieved the second bottle he had chosen for the evening. He stood behind Kurt as he refilled his glass. "It's a date and I want to make you happy. Something I don't think I've been very good at so far by making you relive your past memories." Blaine's free hand came to rest on Kurt's shoulder and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "And I can't think of any other way of making that happen than by having desert."

"Ohhh," Kurt exclaimed looking up at him and despite the fact that he had just shared one of the most horrible stories of his life, Blaine's support and kind words eased him. "That does sound promising."

"And someone, a dear friend of yours, informed me that if there was anything I could do to try and get on your good side, cheesecake would be the way to do it."

Kurt's eyes burned, "Oh, all my secrets have been revealed! The traitors!"

True to Blaine's words, Mercedes had done right by him and had told Blaine where to buy Kurt's favorite kind of cheesecake. It was a simple blueberry cake but if a cheesecake was bought from 'Pure Cheesecakes', it didn't need to be elaborate, the texture and flavor was enough.

Their conversation took on a lighter note as they both realized that the last movie they had seen had been the same. They discussed the storyline and debated over the characters agreeing with each other at nearly every turn. Kurt laughed at Blaine's enthusiasm slowly sucking every last bit of cream off his spoon while Blaine became more and more animated as the conversation returned back to music. Music really was Blaine's life. His passion was invigorating. Kurt had only been in LA for just over a year and even though Mercedes, Finn and he enjoyed going out, they had only just scratched the surface of LA's extensive partying scene.

A small dollop of cream fell from Kurt's spoon and landed on his plate. Not wanting to waste it, he used his index finger to scoop it up and placed it in his mouth. He sucked hard on his finger savoring every last bit.

"You know you better stop doing that Kurt, you're starting to distract me," Blaine suddenly announced mid-sentence.

Kurt startled and blushed. He had been so captivated and entranced watching Blaine he hadn't realized that his mouth had been reenacting just what he'd like to do to another part of Blaine's anatomy. "Uh, sorry, it's just really good cheesecake." He dropped the spoon that he had been holding in his other hand and pushed the plate away.

"Well, it definitely gets the imagination going," Blaine said with a teasing smile and he rested his head in his hand to stare at Kurt longingly.

For the first time that night the conversation came to a halt and an awkward silence arose between them. It was a tension that was filled with a sudden hungry desire that neither could ignore.

Their eyes met heatedly.

"You know what's charming?" Blaine asked his voice low and sexy again.

Kurt shook his head.

"The fact that I don't know whether it's your embarrassment or the red wine that's brought the blush to your cheeks."

Kurt's cheeks only burned brighter and his stomach dropped. It was such a turn on when Blaine was so direct. He strongly believed that his decision to take a chance on Blaine was the right one. He was completely aware that Blaine was seducing him, trying to win him over. Kurt's mind flicked back to Blaine's comments about how he had already planned a second date and had mentioned a possible third. If Blaine was true to his words and was promising more dates and that he was going to be exclusive with him, then Kurt was more than willing to heat things up a little. He leaned forward and rested his head in his hand, and without missing a beat, he directed the conversation to just where he wanted it to go.

"Do you want to go downstairs?" he asked. "The sofa might be a more comfortable place for us to continue our conversations."

"What about Mercedes?" Blaine enquired.

"I checked my phone earlier. She's dragged Finn out for the night. She's going to crash at his place for a change which is saying something because you've never seen Finn's apartment." He shuddered dramatically and the corner of Blaine's mouth twitched to a half smile. Kurt's face became serious again and he looked Blaine squarely in the eyes. "We have the whole apartment to ourselves."

Another silence filled the air, and out of the corner of Kurt's eye, the only movement he could see was the gentle stroking of Blaine's fingers over the stem of his glass as he considered Kurt's invitation. Kurt's heart began to beat fast as the silence dragged.

"You have nice friends," Blaine finally commented.

"I do indeed," Kurt agreed his gaze unfaltering.

Blaine didn't say anything else. He rose to his feet taking his glass with him and captured the neck of the bottle in his fingers. He held out his other hand to Kurt, "Let's go."