The sound in the General Room was tumultuous when they reached D Deck. Kurt felt aprehensive. He'd never associated himself with the drunken riffraff that was most of the third class he'd seen on the streets.

However, noting how relaxed Blaine and Cooper were becoming, he found he could at least attempt to have a good time -- for their sakes.

But if someone spilled beer on his suit, there would be hell to pay.

"Come on!" he heard Cooper yell, and then Blaine was grabbing his hand and pulling him further inside. "Blaine if I see you with a beer, I'm confining you to our cabin for the rest of the trip!"

"I'm sorry, I think I hold my liquor better than some people." Blaine shouted back at his brother, who simply rolled his eyes and disappeared further into the crowd.

Kurt quirked an eyebrow.

"He let me have my first beer a few months ago," Blaine explained as he led Kurt over to a spare table. "and let's just say he's been wary ever since -- rediculous as he's worse than I am when drunk."

"One beer?" Kurt asked disbelievingly.

Blaine snorted.

"I see you don't believe me, but that's alright. I'll be right back."

"Cooper is going to kill you!" Kurt called.

Blaine just laughed, removed his suit jacket, and disappeared into the crowd. Kurt nearly jumped when another man sat himself at the table.

"Thought you'd come join us, eh?" he said easily. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Kurt crossed his arms, annoyed.

"Not all first class passengers are like that, you know." he said.

The man rolled his eyes and took a swig of the beer in his hand.

"Hey, didn't mean to piss you off, kid." he stuck out a hand. "Dave Karofsky."

Kurt eyed his hand aprehensively for a moment, then took it, shaking it briefly before letting go.

"Kurt Hummel."

"Dave! You got a beer already? What am I going to do with this?" Blaine had arrived back at their table, clutching three glasses of dark liquid.

Dave shrugged.

"Give it to your brother." he suggested. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Dancing with some girl -- I didn't catch a name." Blaine set the glasses down, pushing one toward Kurt, before taking a sip of his own.

"How was that dinner?" asked Dave.

Blaine shrugged.
"Fine." he smiled at Kurt, who'd lifted his glass and taken a swig, grimmacing. "Strong, isn't it?"

Kurt nodded, rubbing at his throat, (which didn't really help the feeling) blushing when he caught Blaine's beautiful hazel eyes linger on his hand where it brushed against his Adam's Apple. He dropped his hand and stared at the table.

"Blaine!" both boys looked up to see Cooper approaching, hair disheveled, several buttons of his shirt undone, and his suit jacket missing. "I thought I told you --"

"Right, and how many have you had, big brother?" Blaine asked casually.

Cooper rolled his eyes and reached for the untouched beer on the table.

"Brittany's looking for you," he informed the younger boy. "She wants a dance."

Blaine smiled and took another swig of his beer, emembering the blonde girl they'd met when boarding the ship. She was very nice, and seemed to be alright with just being friends -- despite Cooper's teasing that they'd make a cute couple if Blaine weren't attracted to boys.

"Well then, can't keep her waiting, can I?" He looked at Kurt. "I'll be back in a bit. And you," he shoved Cooper a bit more forcefully than he meant to. Probably the alcohol talking. "I'd rather not wake up to you bedding another girl in a drunken state. We don't need another fiasco like your last birthday -- and I don't want those images burned into my brain either."

"You survived," said Cooper exasperatedly.

Kurt laughed. Blaine shot him a small smile before disappearing into the crowd as the band struck up a new tune.

A few times he caught sight of Blaine whirling through the crowd with the blonde he assumed was Brittany, and he couldn't stop smiling when he noted that Blaine was laughing, his curls coming free from their styled state, face and neck flushed.

They came to a halt in front of the table, and Kurt applauded politely. Blaine said something to Brittany, who smiled, hugged him, and immediately grabbed a new partner.

Then his stomach dropped, and a flood of nerves greeted his insides as the other teen walked over and held out a hand.

"Dance with me?" he asked hopefully.

"I -- what?" Kurt could barely speak. There was no way he could do this -- weave through a throng of drunken, dancing people with Blaine Anderson's hands on him. "Blaine, I --"

Cooper snorted.

"Kurt, no one here gives a shit." he said. Kurt frowned -- did they know he liked boys? Maybe they were just drunk -- maybe -- "He's only asking for one dance."

Then Blaine grabbed his hand anyway, not waiting for an answer.

"Blaine --"

But then Blaine was smiling at him, and one hand was gripping his, the other on his hip, and he couldn't even think --

There wasn't even time to, anyway, because before Kurt knew what was happening, they were whirling around the floor, and he could hear Cooper wolf-whistling, and Blaine started laughing, and it was so infectious that soon so was he ---

-- Then just like that, it was over.

The song came to an end, and they came to a halt, breathing hard, and God, Kurt never wanted that moment to end...

Blaine smiled at him.

"Wasn't so hard, was it?" he asked, smiling brightly. "Come on." he let go and grabbed Kurt's hand, tugging him over to the table for another drink as they observed Dave arm-wrestling with a man they didn't know. Cooper was gone, back into the crowd with his mystery girl.

Dave groaned as his hand was slammed down onto the table, and swore violently.

"I'm not backing down, damn it -- two out of three. I win this and you get the next round!" he barked.

His opponent laughed.

"You're daft, boy -- but alright. Let's do this."

Kurt smirked.

"Actually, I'd like to take you up on that." Everyone's jaws nearly dropped. "What? Don't think I can take on a man of your stature? Maybe you're not as strong as you think you are."

Dave laughed.
"The boy's got guts, that's for sure. Go for it, Kurt." He stood, offering Kurt his chair.

Cooper chose that moment to return, a pretty girl with dark hair on his arm.

"What's going on?" he asked Blaine.

Blaine crossed his arms, apprehensive.

"Kurt just challenged this guy to an arm wrestling match -- the loser gets the next round of beers." his eyes fell on the girl. "And who's this?"

"Lucy." said Cooper. "Doesn't speak much English, but she's cute."

Lucy smiled at Blaine, who rolled his eyes at his brother. At the same time, they heard Kurt's opponent cry out, and Blaine whirled around just in time to see him having his hand slammed onto the table.

Cooper's eyes practically bulged out of his head.

"Nice." he said.

Kurt caught Blaine's eye and grinned before finishing off his own beer and coming to join them.

"One more dance?" he asked daringly (if he were sober he would have never asked that...he hoped he wouldn't regret this in the morning).

Blaine grinned and grabbed his hand.

"You've got it."

----

Before long, Kurt realized that he really did need to get back up to first class. Cooper had disappeared with Lucy, and so Blaine offered to walk him back up to the First class entrance.

"So what'd you think?" asked Blaine.

Kurt let out a sigh and smiled at him.

"I -- Everyone's so alive, Blaine. I -- I can't explain it -- I've never let go and just...gone in the moment, you know?" he was quiet for a moment. "If every day could be like that -- I don't think I could stand to be away from it." From you. He blushed, noting the soft look Blaine was giving him, and turned away, looking at the sign that read 'First Class Entrance'. "I should go." he stuck out his hand. "Mr. Anderson."

Blaine smiled and took his hand.

"Mr. Hummel."

Kurt let go, and walked through the entrance alone. Blaine turned and headed back to Third class.

---

Once he'd reached the hallway where his cabin was located, Kurt started hoping like hell that no one had noticed his absence.

Then out of nowhere, he was grabbed and slammed against the wall. Pain errupted in his head and lower back, but he kept his eyes open, willing himself to know who his attacker was --

Sebastian.

"Somebody had themselves a nice time down in Third Class, didn't they?" he hissed, one hand pressing against Kurt's shoulder, the other planted on his chest.

"I -- I don't know what you mean," Kurt croaked.

"Don't play stupid, Kurt. I followed you. I saw you with him." Sebastian's lips curled into a smirk. "I saw you dance, I saw the way you blushed when he touched you. You like him."

"Liar." Kurt struggled to free himself, but Sebastian shook his head, his grip tightening.

"Don't. Now there's two ways we can handle this." he stated. "One, I go tell your father where you've been -- don't bother telling me he won't believe what I say -- he'll know the truth when he smells the alcohol, and we can have him arrested. Or --" Sebastian paused, one hand playing idly with Kurt's unbuttoned shirt. "You get me a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Anderson. I want to talk to him. Tonight there simply wasn't enough time to -- get to know him, you know what I mean?" he let go of Kurt and adjusted his dressing gown. "You have until tomorrow morning to decide. Good night."

Kurt waited until he was gone before he slid down the wall and brought his knees to his chest, beginning to cry.

He didn't know what to do.