Five months later...

Blaine staggered and swayed. The music vibrated around him, inside of him and away from him. It was confusing. He didn't know if he was listening to the music or whether he was the music. The sounds of joyful laughter and chatter reverberated around his ears as well, sometimes sounding close by, and then, in the next second, miles away, too far away to reach him, and it scared Blaine because it made him feel so alone as if he was stranded on a deserted beach with no one to see him or hear him.

In truth, he wasn't standing and he wasn't even alone. In fact, there were people all around him on the long wide sofa, in another of the endless mindless hotel rooms, somewhere in the middle of Las Vegas. He had a man sitting on his left who was in the process of lazily dropping his arm around his shoulder having shown more interest than anyone else dared. Blaine didn't care, he had no idea who he was but the human contact was nice. It was the touch he loved, the feel of somebody with him.

The man moved closer still, reaching out to reaffirm the initial hint of interest. Blaine welcomed him and shuddered against the man's next touch. It had been a soft graze on the arm, but it felt like every single cell in Blaine's body had just been touched. He turned jerkily, the touch too much, but he wanted more, he had to have more. Blaine blinked once, then twice and then a third time in confusion. He couldn't remember which hotel he was in, or scarily how he had even ended up there, let alone who the beautiful man beside him was. Ever since he and Hunter had performed their song on stage his life had been a blur. Their partying had been relentless, every night, at all hours without stopping.

And then all of a sudden, the presence beside him was gone and it took Blaine a moment to realize that the man with the bright red hair was now standing in front of him, holding out his hand for Blaine to take.

"Come on," he encouraged. "It looks like you could do with some time away from everyone."

Blaine stared up at him for a moment, but realizing that he didn't want to be around these people any longer, he took the man's hand, let him pull him up to his feet and allowed him to lead him away from the small intimate group and into one of the bedrooms.

Blaine had thought the balcony door had been closer, but with each and every step he took, it only moved further and further away from him. He just wanted fresh air, cool breezy fresh air to wash over his face, cool off his body, and tingle and tantalize the sense receptors on his skin. The curtains were billowing towards him, so the wind must have been blowing quite hard, but he still just couldn't feel it.

He was holding his phone in his hands as he desperately tried to find that one thought that had attached into the mere essence of his soul, but was buried so deep he didn't know if he would be able to make it resurface. What had it been? He couldn't quite remember. It teased him like the salty air from a sea that couldn't yet be seen. It had been an important thought, he knew that much. And then, all of a sudden, the thought was there.

Kurt.

He wanted to call Kurt. He wanted to hear his voice. He wanted to touch him again. And most of all, he wanted to get to know him. Five months was such a long time and Blaine was so scared that he had left it too long, he was sure that Kurt would never want to speak to him again.

Blaine startled. He didn't know how long he had been standing there with the phone in his hand, or even how long he had been standing in the room, but he was suddenly aware that there was someone sitting on the bed a short distance away, watching him. Blaine tried to focus in on the man, but the room was too dark and he couldn't make out his face. Blaine frowned and looked about him. Who had turned the lights off? The darkness was frightening and he staggered to the man for comfort. He didn't want to be alone. Who knew what demons were hiding in the shadows?

"Hey, man," Blaine heard. He turned moving his head around in confusion, not too sure of which direction the sound had come from. "Over here," the voice laughed and Blaine blanched at the touch of a hand that had taken a hold of his arm. Hadn't he just been approaching him? The stranger's fingers slowly wound up Blaine's arm his touch was so soft and intimate, too intimate really because Blaine could feel the contours of his fingerprints as if they were digging into his skin.

"You're really tripping aren't you," the voice spoke again and Blaine finally managed to focus his eyes on the face before him. They were friendly, caring eyes, and eyes that Blaine believed that he could trust for tonight.

The room spun out of control again and the shadows moved in disapproval not appeased with Blaine's direction in life. He slowly realized that somehow, at some time or another, he had gotten rid of his clothes and he was now lying naked on the bed. He didn't care though. They had become too heavy, and the feel of them touching him in all the small places a person would never notice before, had been too much. He was happy, he was being touched and cared for, and that's all that mattered. Strong, soft hands were stroking over him. Blaine turned to face the man lying beside him on the bed and he jerked back, the face so familiar.

"Kurt?" He gasped and then frowned. He hadn't said the name out loud in five months and it felt strange and foreign on his lips, almost like it was an exotic love potion that he could only wish to drink.

"Nah, man, I'm not Kurt." The man ran his fingers down Blaine's body again, this time slowly and gently, and not surprisingly, his body cried out for more. The stranger's hand left Blaine's body and reached up to cup Blaine's face. "Who's this Kurt? Someone special?"

Blaine leaned closer desperately wanting more of his touch, relishing in the way his skin tingled and danced after his fingers had left him.

"What's wrong with me?" Blaine asked.

"Looks like someone spiked your drink," the man informed him, looking at him in concern. "You'll be alright though. I'll take care of you." Blaine glanced about in confusion suddenly feeling vulnerable as he lay there naked on the bed. But then he noticed that the man was still fully clothed and he was confident that he was safe. Blaine let the stranger wrap his arms around his body. He pulled him close and Blaine's heart rate increased as the man's breath blew onto the side of his neck. Goosebumps broke out over his body.

Blaine had been with several men in the past couple of months, he couldn't get enough of the human contact. But he would never confess why he had been with so many different men. He was alone, so alone and he had never admitted it to himself before, but he would admit it now. And while he was being honest, all these different men, they were never really enough, they were never who he really wanted.

And this guy, even though he was taking care of him, he was all too close to that wonderful man that had enticed him so at the end of one of his endless concerts. His sandy reddish hair was just like Kurt's, but it wasn't as thick and full as Kurt's and his eyes, whilst blue, they were a slightly different shade and dull in comparison to Kurt's. His lips were also pink but they weren't as delicate, and he had two small moles on his left cheek instead of the dash of dancing freckles that liked to play hide and seek depending on the degree of sunlight. It was strange how all these factors would be so striking to someone else but to Blaine, all of a sudden, they were foreign and unappealing. It would do for tonight though.

"I want you," Blaine demanded trying to snuggle in closer into the man's hold as he leaned over him. He brought his lips to the man's and they shared a slow but highly charged kiss. Blaine pushed him down and onto his back feeling more in control of his body. He climbed on top and lowered himself down on the man's chest. His head might have been clearing but his body still quivered at the contact. Blaine grinded into the man's body and he couldn't help but groan.

The stranger pulled away from Blaine's lips though. "I can't go there man, not when you're this high." He stroked Blaine's face gently and Blaine shivered but turned his head to nibble on his fingertips. "I will kiss and touch you man but nothing else," he continued. "I'll stay here with you until you're fine."

"I am fine," Blaine assured him. "I know what I'm doing and I know that I want you," Blaine spoke huskily before he took his bottom lip between his own and tugged on it. It was true, his body was still on fire but his head wasn't so foggy. He was now aware of time passing and he could feel the soft breeze coming in through the window. He didn't say anything else and returned his lips to the man below him, his body aching with each and every kiss and each and every touch.

"Are you sure?" The man asked breaking away from his lips and gazing urgently into Blaine's eyes trying to assess just how lucid he really was.

"I'm sure," Blaine informed him.

"Well, we'll just take it slow."

Blaine laughed. "I never take anything slow." He reached a free hand down and began to undo the man's jeans. The guy might have wanted to do the right thing but there was no doubt by the bulge in his pants that he really wanted it. And Blaine wanted it too, he wanted all of it, he wanted everything. But right there, in the back of his mind, there it was burning a hole in his consciousness. He wanted Kurt.

***

"You know one of the joys and perks of actually being an adult and not living at home anymore, is that I'm not supposed to have to watch football games," Kurt complained sarcastically. Mercedes and Finn ignored him though because despite his protests, Kurt always joined them at their local bar when there was a game on that they wanted to watch. Although without a doubt, it was always with a healthy stock of Vogue magazines in tow.

They settled at the free table and organized their belongings so they would be comfortable. They would be there for a while as they always arrived early to ensure they had a good spot, another reason why Kurt always made sure that he had plenty of reading material to bide his time. The evening was unseasonably warm and the windows of the bar had been pulled open giving a wide open view of the street outside. Kurt pulled up the sleeves of his shirt and tried to push back the thoughts and memories that wanted to push through.

As soon as Mercedes had told him where they were going, Kurt's stomach had tied itself into an instant knot but he had insisted on going. He wanted Mercedes to believe that he had moved on, that he had forgotten Blaine, although it was far from the truth. Kurt quickly dropped his head suddenly feeling overwhelmed and tried to get his brain to focus on the Vogue magazine cover before him because despite all his efforts it was too much. He was back in the bar, the very bar that he had been in before he had seen Blaine for the last time. And now, having stepped back inside its very walls everything about that night came back to him in a flurry of memories. He remembered stepping into the limo, he remembered staring at Blaine in his sexy black clothes and drinking in the very essence of the man, and Kurt remembered, oh how he remembered how they had then...

Kurt paused. He still tossed around what had happened in his head. He didn't want to be so bold as to say they had made love, but he still couldn't say it had just been sex, because that just implied a night of fun without emotions. It was the complete opposite for there had been so much there when they had been wrapped up in each other's arms, so much so that Kurt still didn't know what to make of it. Kurt sighed. Maybe he was just thinking about it too much. Maybe he had imagined everything and the whole night had been nothing but a dream.

He drummed his fingers on the table before him. If only.

Kurt liked to think though that he hadn't been the hopeless dreamer over the past five months. He had kept himself busy while he had been waiting for Blaine's tour to finish and he had even been on one or two dates, but there was always that little part of him inside that was still holding out for Blaine.

But amongst all its chaos, when Blaine's tour had finished, he had never called. A day passed, then a week, and then a month which had quickly been followed by another month, but Kurt's phone still hadn't rung. A part of Kurt wasn't that surprised to be honest. Three months in Hollywood was more like three decades, and holding out for someone for that long would be completely unheard of. He was disappointed, he wouldn't lie about that, and there were occasions when he was tired and lonely that he would just stare at his phone and wished he could will it to ring, and when he answered it, it would be Blaine on the other end.

But then Kurt heard something that brought him right back to the bar. It pulsated through the speakers and it was something that was going to torture Kurt for the next 3.45 minutes (yes, Kurt had timed it). It was Blaine and Hunter's song, the song that they had cruelly unleashed upon the world that radiated and oozed pure sex. The pair had been phenomenal together, their voices only complementing each other's in the sexiest of ways possible. The song of course had shot to number one and it didn't look to be moving any time soon. And if Kurt had thought that Blaine had been everywhere before, his presence in the media had been multiplied tenfold now, because not only had the song been the biggest hit but the partying ways of the pair had also become legendary.

Their behavior could only be described as scandalous. They appeared in multiple locations within a week often flying from one city to another and left nothing but chaos and mayhem in their tracks. They trashed hotel rooms, clubs and private homes. They partied in clubs, in the desert and once created a street party in the middle of Chicago on the spur of the moment. Then there were the more illegal moments including several arrests for drunken and disorderly behavior, assault charges and the worst, mysterious substances that were often found but then, mysteriously and quickly disappeared.

Mercedes flashed Kurt a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry!" She whispered, completely aware of how the song was going to torment him. Kurt gave her a shaky smile and tried to shrug it off but she wasn't fooled. Mercedes was the only person in the whole world who knew about what he had done with Blaine. He had told her everything about what had happened, about how Blaine had opened up to him after they had had sex the first time, and then had gotten angry. He had also explained what had occurred after he had left the speed dating, and Mercedes, as usual, had been the ever supportive, comforting friend. She had hoped too for Kurt to get that phone call from Blaine but after the third week of asking and seeing the painful, almost embarrassed look on his face, she had stopped enquiring.

"And what has rock star bad boy Blaine Anderson been caught doing now?" Kurt and Mercedes suddenly heard to their right. They spun in their seats to face the small TV screen, Mercedes grabbing a hold of Kurt's hand to show her support while the gossip news shows started listing the top stories they were going to cover.

Finn gazed over the menu completely oblivious, "So, I'm kind of thinking maybe 'The Lot Burger' or the..."

"SSSHHH!" Mercedes hushed him, hitting him on the wrist.

"Ow!"

Mercedes ignored him, her attention now fixated on the TV monitor. Kurt only scowled at himself. He was a weak floozy. As soon as he had heard the name Blaine Anderson his head had whipped round to gaze at the TV. "And this news in, America's two hottest bad boys just seem to be getting badder! It looks like Las Vegas has been their next target as they continue their flamboyant partying ways. Rumor has it that Blaine Anderson actually spent several hours locked up for disorderly drunken behavior."

"What are you...."

"Shhhh!!!" Mercedes shot at Finn again.

Kurt watched on bemused as the video showed a loud and obnoxious Blaine screaming at the camera as he was being handcuffed. The cop then placed his hand on Blaine's head and guided him backwards into the car before forcefully closing the door behind him.

"Looks like he's really lost it," Mercedes said quietly shaking her head in disappointment. "I'm so sorry Kurt."

Kurt's shoulder's dropped. It wasn't like he was really caught up in the guy anymore. He knew nothing was going to happen but he didn't want to see Blaine destroy himself either. His career might be at the highest of highs but with the way Blaine was going, he was going to either burn himself out or worse kill himself.

Finn finally looked up to the screen to see what had caught their attention and he shook his head. "Why are you guys so interested in Blaine Anderson?" He scoffed and waved his hand at the screen apathetically. "The guy's an asshole. Look at him. Yeah, so what, he releases a good song and now he thinks he can just be an ass about it. He's not even that good looking."

Kurt and Mercedes spun back in their seats to glare at him, as if he could dare to say such words in their presence. Mercedes' mouth hung open in shock so it was Kurt who answered first. "How can you say that?" He stammered. Was Finn blind?

Finn didn't answer him though. He was busy back to analyzing the menu even though he had it memorized off by heart.

"Well, if anyone is to know whether Blaine Anderson is hot or not it would be Kurt," Mercedes teased slyly and Kurt glared at her. They rarely spoke about his encounters with Blaine now, but given the opportunity, Mercedes sure did enjoy reminding him. As if he needed reminding. Mercedes buried her head in her menu but she couldn't hold onto the next lot of words that wanted to escape her sassy mouth. "After all you have seen him naked and had him fuck you up against a wall."

Kurt hit her over her head with his magazine. "Shut up! And it wasn't a wall. It was on the cabinet beside the TV in the hotel room."

"Oh my god, that's even hotter!" Mercedes laughed.

"Who had sex?" Finn asked. It appeared the word 'sex' was the only thing that could pull his attention back to their conversation. 'Typical male,' Kurt thought viciously. Mercedes and Kurt shared a glance. Kurt shook his head from side to side frantically while Mercedes nodded hers up and down with just as much energy and enthusiasm. 'No!' Kurt mouthed.

"He had sex with Blaine," Mercedes gushed quickly before Kurt could stop her. Her face went wide with a smile and her voice sounded proud just like a mother whose son had just won a prize in a competition. Kurt dropped his head in his hands and Finn lowered his beer slowly.

"I slept in your bed last night Kurt," Finn stated. "I hope you cleaned the sheets."

Kurt wanted to hit him over the head with his magazine now. Fortunately for Finn though, he was just too far away and out of reach.

"Don't worry. Sadly, it wasn't any time recently," Kurt sighed knowing better than to hold onto his anger with Finn because no matter what Finn had always been there for him.

"No, not in his bed!" Mercedes cried, "At his hotel."

"What you got picked up by some out-of-towner?" Kurt's head snapped up and Mercedes and Kurt looked at each other in surprise. Hadn't Finn realized that they were still talking about Blaine Anderson?

"No," Kurt replied in disbelief and trying to hide his smile. "No, he wasn't some out-of-towner."

"So, who is this guy then? Did he do something to upset you?" Finn asked before he took another mouthful of his beer, the penny still obviously not having dropped. "Cause if some guy has messed with you, I'll set him straight... um I mean," he floundered, "you know, I'll get him in the ass so bad.." Finn stopped again and Kurt couldn't stop giggling at the mistaken innuendo that kept falling out of his mouth. Yes, Finn really was someone he couldn't stay mad at and really, he was flattered that Finn had gone all protective big brother on him.

Mercedes however reached over and slapped Finn on the forehead. "Blaine Anderson the rock star, you goofball! Kurt had sex with Blaine Anderson the rock star! The one we were just talking about!"

"Mercedes!" Kurt gasped looking about him frantically hoping that no one had heard her. It wasn't that he was ashamed of what he had done, far from it, but he was a private person who would never gloat.

Finn paused and his mouth began to drop as he realized just who they had meant. "You're shitting me?!" He exclaimed. "The Blaine Anderson?" Finn pointed at the small monitor but he couldn't take his eyes off Kurt, "You had sex with Blaine Anderson?! No way!"

"And it wasn't just one time, it happened twice!" Mercedes quickly interjected and she quickly hid behind her menu when Kurt threw her another deathly stare. Finn's mouth fell open even further.

"Look can we not talk about this here," Kurt cried exasperated. He looked around worriedly. "I don't want other people to hear."

"Don't worry," Mercedes gave a quick glance over her shoulder. "No one is listening and anyway..." but Mercedes' words were cut off as the gossip news article continued.

"And Blaine Anderson was less than willing to give an explanation for his behavior when he was caught leaving the police station." This time Mercedes, Kurt and Finn glanced up at the TV screen. Kurt recognized Sebastian straightaway and he scowled when he saw the smug expression on his face. Blaine on the other hand, flicked the paparazzi the finger and pushed one camera out of the way. He then stopped in front of another cameraman, his face only inches from his camera lens. He pulled his sunglasses down and looked over the top of the frame and stared deeply into its lens. Kurt's stomach flopped. Those fucking sexy wild eyes!

"The cops don't know what the fuck they're talking about," Blaine exclaimed obnoxiously into the camera and then he gave a quick laugh. "You ain't seen nothing yet, it's just going to get better and better." He staggered away from the cameras then with Sebastian stepping forward to give him a hand, pretending to be all serious and caring. Kurt's inside squirmed and he just wanted to punch the man. There was something in his eyes that hinted that he was enjoying this just a little too much. The cameramen chased after them gathering around their car and the last image they saw was Blaine doing another rude gesture to the cameras as the car screeched away.

Kurt watched the figure on the TV in disbelief. The insufferable man on the screen was so far removed from the man he had been with in the hotel room. Kurt sighed and had to wonder whether any of the intimate moments between him and Blaine had actually ever happened.