Technically, Blaine invited him first.

Granted, the invitation was sort of tossed in without much real thought, squeezed in between amusement and frustration at having to deal with Rachel as his duet partner. Blaines texts were getting increasingly more alarmed, and Kurt couldnt quite help but find it highly entertaining that Blaine was losing his aura of calm control because of Rachel Freaking Berry, even if she had that effect on nearly everyone.

She carries around sheets of star stickers. did you know this? very disturbing. --Blaine

Isnt finn your step-brother? i sense an unhealthy obsession. --Blaine

Really, how do you shut her up? theres got to be a way. --Blaine

Oh my god, how fast can you get here with rope and a pair of scissors? --Blaine

Nix the scissors. have decided not to cut all her hair off after all. pixie cut wouldnt suit her. --Blaine

But youre coming for one of the shows, right? with rope and a gag, just in case? --Blaine

To Rachels credit, she extended her own invitation shortly afterward, via email -- but Kurt wasnt sure how to take it, since Rachel couldnt seem to decide on an approach: demand his attendance like the diva she was, or wheedle him into providing a little moral support in her time of need.

( "Dont come on the first performance, obviously, well still be working out the kinks. Come to the 9:00 show on the second night, by then Ill have a better idea if this boy is anywhere NEAR good enough. And maybe you should bring someone else along, too? I mean, its a long drive, and Id hate for you to be bored until we take the stage..." )

If Kurt hadnt already been tempted to make the drive out to Kings Island after helping Blaine rehearse, there was no way hed be able to passthis up -- so he called in Mercedes as back-up (and wingman, just in case Rachel needed distracting and/or cutting), and convinced his dad to extend his curfew by two hours so they could try to catch Blaine and Rachel after the show.

And if both parties had actually asked him to come, independently of each other, it wasnt Kurt being overeager or creepy or pushy, so Finn could just mind his own business.

***

"Dont hate on the hat," Mercedes told him stoutly as they took their seats, and she tugged the garishly sequined Santa hat down rakishly. "Tis the season, you know -- besides, Santas not really a Christian thing, you can't say I'm trying to convert you just by wearing a hat."

"The secularization and commercialization of your sacred holiday really doesnt bother you, does it?" Kurt deadpanned, though not without affection.

"Keep talking, Hummel," Mercedes scoffed. "Ive got your present in the car for later, dont think I wont find a Toys For Tots bin if you keep pushing it. I bet theres tons of Tots whod appreciate Marc Jacobs."

"Your threats are hollow, but far be it for me to rain on your holiday cheer," Kurt smiled. "Did it have to be sequined?"

"Yes," Mercedes grinned. "And you secretly think its fabulous, dont even pretend."

"Its something," Kurt said dubiously, and tugged his scarf straight as the house lights dimmed for the start of the performances.

***

If he hadnt known ahead of time that Rachel was talented, watching her and Blaine mightve been a bit depressing for Kurt. They played off each other beautifully, and it was hard to believe theyd only met less than a week before. Still, there were little things that Kurt knew to look for -- Rachel rocking back on her heels in an effort not to turn the tables and chase Blaine instead, or Blaine not quite leaning in to Rachel as close as he could near the end of the song. Kurt wasn't certain, but he thought he recognized parts of the choreography, as if it mirrored what hed done with Blaine in the Dalton common room, and he couldnt help but feel a little smug about that. Watching Blaine perform was always a pleasure, but now Kurt knew that was nothing compared to singing with him. If Kurt briefly wished he were up there in Rachels place, flirting blatantly with Blaine in public -- well, no one could really blame him.

Besides, he and Blaine were friends, and Kurt wasnt in any hurry to torpedo that particular friendship like he had with Finn. Finn might be his stepbrother now, and it had all worked out for the best -- but Blaine was important, and Kurt couldnt afford to mess this up.

***

Kurt and Mercedes found the stage door without too much trouble after the show ended, and they didnt have long to wait before performers and stagehands started trickling out. Rachel and Blaine emerged together, and Kurt couldnt help but smirk a little at catching Blaine out of uniform, even with Dalton miles away and on holiday.

He didnt get a chance to say anything about the snug turtleneck in a particularly fetching shade of dark green, though, because Rachel skipped ahead, hips swaying as she broke into song -- and Kurt grinned as he recognized the familiar lyrics hed just heard her belt out onstage not an hour before. He picked up the song without missing a beat, just as he knew Rachel was expecting, and met her drama for drama with a twirl and a dip that made her laugh, and had Mercedes rolling her eyes at them and grinning.

"You survived being onstage with Rachel Berry, rich boy, Kurt Hummel ought to be a piece of cake, now," Mercedes said. Kurt pulled Rachel upright and looked up to see Blaine smiling at him in amusement, Mercedes compliments settling around his shoulders effortlessly. Kurt was getting pretty good at managing the jittery feeling in the pit of his stomach when Blaine smiled at him, but that didnt keep the butterflies from swarming, anyway.

"If Id realized Rachel was your partner, Id have armed you with duct tape and the original cast recording of Funny Girl," he said instead. Because rope wouldnt have done a bit of good when Rachel really got on a roll, and Kurt knew from prior experience that duct tape suited her so much better -- but Blaine didnt know that, not yet.

He was too busy grinning at Blaine to voice any objections to Mercedes suggestion of a late dinner -- not that he would, but she didnt have to add that little dig about his curfew. Still, he couldnt suppress a flash of surprise when Rachel pulled away to latch onto Mercedes instead, leaving Kurt and Blaine to follow behind. She shot Blaine an unreadable look over her shoulder, and Kurt shook his head slightly at Mercedes matching please-god-get-her-off-me expression.

If it gave him a few minutes to talk to Blaine without an audience, Kurt was going to feed her to the fame monster gladly.

"Im totally going to steal that spin-and-dip move for tomorrow night, you know," Blaine announced, and Kurt had to glance over at him to see if he was serious.

"You have my blessing," he answered, willing himself not to flush. "Youll probably pull it off better, anyway. I dont know what you were so worried about."

Blaines laughter punched straight through to his gut, and Kurt cursed the fluttering in his stomach as the other boy nudged him with one shoulder -- he really had to stop doing that, it was hell on Kurts nerves. "I was right, you know," Blaine murmured, his voice low enough to give Kurt a pleasant little jolt. "Youre way better than that girl."

Kurt suppressed a shiver, and for the first time in recent memory he hated his fair complexion as the color rose higher in his cheeks. "If you have any sense at all, you wont let Rachel hear you say that," he countered.

Kurt counted it a personal victory that his tone was appropriately appalled, and that he didnt completely embarrass himself with a goofy, besotted grin when Blaine laughed loudly enough to garner suspicious looks from Rachel and Mercedes. The corner of his mouth quirked slightly, though, and he lifted one innocent eyebrow at both of the girls -- neither of them bought it, he suspected, but it was the principle of the thing.

Hed pull off this whole friendship thing yet, even if it killed him.