"─Which is why this weeks assignment is─! Drumroll, please!" There's a pause, Mark rolling his sticks on the drum, then the clash of a symbol. "Solos!" The entire room burst into applause and cheers.

"Yes, this weeks assignment is probably one of my better ones. Each of you will perform a solo of your choice, fitting into the theme of bravery. That can mean the feeling of bravery or the act of bravery. Whatever you choose, make sure it's school appropriate and fits to the theme!"

The kids scattered around the room, breaking into small groups, gushing about their upcoming assignment.

"I already have the perfect song in mind," Kurt confessed, drumming his fingers excitedly on his knee. Mercedes started to speak, but Kurt's ears were tuned to the sound of lilting laughter coming from across the room. Kurt couldn't deny being drawn to the sound, so unfamiliar and rare. It was their guitar player, Blaine Anderson. He was so shy, so closed off, he rarely spoke let alone laughed.

Kurt's eyes flickered towards the boy with glossy black hair. He was about an inch shorter than Kurt, big hazel eyes that looked like molten honey, thermal and viscous. He was probably the quietest out of all the band kids, never really talking to anyone that much at all. Kurt assumed it was a personal choice.

He'd seen Blaine in the hallways before, head down, books drawn up tight to his chest, dodging familiar faces left and right. Kurt didn't understand it. How could someone choose to live their high school life in the shadows like that when it was so clear that people wanted to be his friend?

Kurt had seen Brittany try to coax Blaine out of his shell, but he more or less convinced Brittany that he was mute. Rachel had asked him to help her with a music arrangement, which he agreed to, but he didn't so much as utter a word throughout the process, which didn't perturb Rachel in the least; it was second nature for her to fill silence with her voice. Sam had asked Blaine to jam with him and the other band guys once, which Blaine politely declined. It was probably the most Kurt had ever heard Blaine speak.

His speech was always sort of slow, like he carefully thought out each word and how to string them together. He always used head gestures when possible and raised his eyebrows to show his attentiveness. And despite his lack of speaking, Kurt found him to be one of the most fascinating people in Lima. Or maybe it was because his lack of speech that Kurt found him so enthralling. Regardless, Kurt couldn't deny his small─or large─infatuation with the boy.

"Earth to Kurt?" Mercedes was snapping her fingers in front of his face, making Kurt startle, his attention came back to Mercedes at lightning speed. "You kind of tuned out on me there," She spoke again. "Are you okay?" She asked, an eyebrow raised with curiosity.

"Yeah, yes, I'm fine I just...got distracted," Kurt cringed at his own words.

"As I was saying, what song are you gonna do?" Mercedes let Kurt's words slide by, choosing to ignore them.

"Blackbird, of course," Kurt replied with a smile.

"A classic, why am I not surprised," Mercedes winked.

Kurt rolled his eyes at that, his eyes falling once again on Blaine. He was hastily scooping his music into a folder and sliding it into his guitar case.

"I think I'm gonna use a real guitarist, though," Kurt informed Mercedes, somewhat offhandedly. A smitten grin had begun to appear on his lips.

"You could always ask Sam? He's pretty good with an acoustic," Mercedes commented, grabbing her bag as she slid out of her seat.

"I don't want to interfere with his solo practice, I'll just ask one of the band guys maybe," Kurt replied, gathering his things before standing. "I'll...talk to you later, yeah?" Kurt parted from Mercedes, heading for Mr. Schue's office.

"Mr. Schue?" Kurt poked his head into the room.

"Yeah Kurt?" Mr. Schue barely lifted his eyes away from some cluttered paperwork.

"Is there anyway one of the band kids could help with my this week's assignment? I kind of need a guitarist." Kurt tapped his fingers lightly on the doorframe.

"Uh, sure. Blaine's probably available if he isn't already helping someone. Just ask him." Mr. Schue vaguely gestured to where Blaine was still standing, neatly organizing his papers.

Oh gee Mr. Schue, never thought of that! Kurt thought sardonically.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." Kurt rolled his eyes as he walked away.

Adjusting the strap of his messenger bag on his shoulder, he approached the guitarist who was humming lightly to himself.

God he's adorable. Kurt thought to himself.

"Um, excuse me?" Kurt rocked on his heels as Blaine's head shot up at an alarming speed.

"S-sorry, am I in the way?" Blaine stuttered out nervously, gracelessly dropping a handful of sheet music in the process. "I'm always in the way, gosh, sorry, I'll just -"

"No, no! I just...wanted to ask you something, actually," Kurt blurted out the words, trying to tame the color high on his cheeks.

Blaine's eyebrows, his very triangular eyebrows and god if that isn't the cutest thing, shot up to his hairline, his eyes widening dramatically.

"A-ask me something?" Blaine swallowed thickly, his voice cracking a little and his hands fidgeting uselessly.

"Yeah, about the solo assignment?" Kurt began, bending down to pick up some of the scattered sheet music. "The song I picked has an acoustic guitar and you play really well so," Kurt shrugged, his head down as he plucked the sheets off the floor. "I was wondering if you'd like to help me." Kurt looked up at Blaine from his crouched down position. Blaine was sort of staring at him, his lips, deliciously luscious lips that are plump and full and so prettily pink, slightly parted and his jaw a little slack.

Kurt stood up straight, holding out the gathered music to Blaine. But Blaine was frozen for a second before quickly snapping out of his reverie to take the papers from Kurt's outstretched hand.

"Y-yes, sure, okay. I-I can, yeah, guitar, right. I can do that." Blaine sounded slightly crestfallen, and though Kurt couldn't place the reason, there was an overwhelming need within him that desperately wanted to fix that.

"We can rehearse at my house?" The words are out of his mouth before he has a chance to really think about it.

"Y-your house?" Blaine blinked a few times, his eyelashes, long gorgeously thick lashes, batting and fanning out.

"I-I mean, if you're not, um, busy or anything?" Kurt's nerves crept up into his throat, his voice raising ever so slightly in pitch. There was a beat of silence before apologies started tumbling out of his mouth. "I'm sorry, that was dumb to assume, you're probably busy I'm sorry I -" Kurt turned to evacuate the room ASAP.

"Wait!" Blaine's hand bravely reached out to touch Kurt's elbow. "I-I'm not busy. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing," Kurt watched as Blaine wince at his own words. "I'm sorry that's really -"

"Sweet. It's really sweet." Kurt choked out the words and oh my god is this flirting? Are we flirting now?

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief, a quick puff of breath that finished with a toothy, beautifully radiant and breathtaking, smile; a smile Kurt had never seen, but it was definitely something he could get used to.

A part of Kurt's heart twinged at the realisation that he was the cause of that smile.

"Um, so, what song did you have in mind?" Blaine inquired, more at ease now, but his voice still gentle and soft.

"Blackbird, by -"

"The Beatles! That's m-my favorite song." Blaine cut him off, his eyes, deep amber-hazel orbs that sparkle and glow with warmth, staring into Kurt's.

"I hope I can do it justice, then," Kurt spoke in a soft voice to match Blaine's.

"I know you will." Blaine spoke surely with a hint of adoration in his voice.

Kurt felt his face flood with color, his heart stuttered in his chest and his breathing fell out of pattern.

"So...your house?" Blaine clumsily toyed with the strap of his backpack, his eyes wide and unsure and unnecessarily nervous.

"Y-yeah, my house." Kurt swallowed. He bit his lip in hopes of containing the joy blooming pleasantly in his chest before he did something stupid, like grab Blaine's face and kiss him senseless.

And as they walked together, talking with ease and sharing small details of their lives, both boys pretended not to notice the way their bodies gravitated to each other, or the way their hands swayed and bumped the whole walk home.