.

.

.


Blaine followed Kurt from the lavatory then to the Food tent.

The atmosphere between them was strained, and Kurt had no idea what'd happened overnight to make the younger boy act as though He was a threat...

The glaze` eyed boy went over every sentence, every gesture and every look from the day before... He must've done something to be on the receiving end of one word answers and avoided eye contact...

.

Meanwhile Blaine felt embarrassment every time he looked at the taller boy. He'd genuinely thought that maybe the teen had been... well, attracted to him, but after witnessing what had happened this morning? It didn't seem likely...

.

It was well past sunrise when Blaine finally awoke, after having the first sound night's sleep he'd had in a week. He'd gone outside, and bumped into a brown-haired boy, a little taller than himself.

The young man that had been assigned to guard his tent was named Rory. He had a thick accent when speaking common, worse than anyone else they'd met yet, but he seemed nice, if a bit impulsive.

When Blaine had mentioned that Kurt had wanted to take him to meet some of his other friends, Rory had happily pointed out which tent was his, and walked him over. Blaine hadn't thought it through either... hadn't considered that the other boy might have had, well, company. It just reminded Blaine how little he knew about these people...

Kurt had been snuggled up in his bed-roll. He'd looked like some kind of Angel, to Blaine... at least until he'd seen the other person cuddled up against him.

A Girl. A Female. A member of the opposite gender.

She was about his age, with long dark-brown hair, and a face two strong to be what they would call 'beautiful' in the Kingdoms.

Her short form was pressed against Kurt's, one leg splayed across his knees, and an arm wrapped around his chest. The top of her head was tucked under his chin, into the crook of his neck, and Blaine had fought the urge to yank her off the sleeping Angel and replace her with himself.

It was that thought that sent him running back to his own tent.

.

He frowned to himself; He'd learned the hard way once already about chasing guys that didn't want to be caught by you. That incident with the boy in the clothing shop taught him that painful lesson: Just because you're ok with everyone knowing, mean everyone is like you. Jeremiah had left Westerville after Blaine publicly attempted to woo him.

It had been humiliating, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

.

Kurt handed Blaine a bowl of thick, hot porridge and a cup full of coffee, then lead him to one of the tables in off to the side in the tent. They sat down on the long cushions that ran the length of the tables, and Kurt cleared his throat.

"Are you angry at me?" He asked suddenly.

.

Blaine choked on his coffee, and put the cup down before looking up at the other boy.

"No! Of course not!" He replied. 'Angry at him? Why would he think that?' He thought.

.

"Then why won't you look at me?" He persisted. "I can't apologize if I don't know what I did..." He frowned, "and I can't figure out what, so can you tell me?" 'Just say what I did, so I can make sure to never do it again!'

.

The dark-haired boy gave a quiet sigh, and forced himself to look Kurt in the eyes. "You didn't do anything." He insisted. "It's something I did. I'm just embarrassed." He paused. "I went into your tent before you where awake this morning. I forget that other people like to sleep in. I didn't mean to..."

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"That's it?" Kurt gave a little laugh. "That's one thing that's different about the City-dwellers..." He smiled a little, "You all are obsessed with privacy. So you walked into my tent while I was asleep. No big deal. I mean, I prefer to know if someone's coming in before they do, but it's not a problem."

.

"No...um, that's not all..." Blaine blushed and stopped talking. The older boy didn't say anything, he just waited. "You, uh... had company." When Kurt didn't reply, he quickly added: "And that's nice, I mean that you care about someone like that, it's...nice." He finished lamely.

.

To his surprise, Kurt burst into laughter.

"Wait, you think that...? No!" He shook his head, "God NO." Kurt took a deep steadying breath, and continued. "I don't have a lover, let alone a GIRL as one! I like boys." He stated. "The girl you saw was my best friend, her name's Rachel. She woke me up at sunrise, yelling, because she's officially being courted by my brother."

Kurt reached over, and closed Blaine's open jaw with one finger.

"She couldn't wait to tell me. So we talked for a while, and then fell back asleep. She's a heat-leech, and usually gloms onto me like moss on a tree. It's happened before, and I'm sure it'll happen again. Rachel and Mercedes have slept over in my tent at least a couple dozen times, and since I'm fully and completely into guys, everyone knows that nothing inappropriate is going on."

'Besides,' he thought, 'I would've been allot more embarrassed if you'd come in while we where talking...'

.

"Wow...Um...huh." Blaine had gone sun-set red. "I'm sorry... I just assumed... you know." He looked back at his breakfast. "I'm going to shut up now..."

.

"Don't feel bad, we've all jumped to conclusions. When Sam first joined us, I thought he went for guys too. I think it was his hair..." He thought for a moment, "Yeah, definitely the hair. When I found out I was mooning over a straight guy?" Kurt shook his head a little, "I just wanted to curl up in a hole and never come out."

.

Blaine laughed slightly, and pushed the curls that had come loose overnight back from his face, then froze as the rest of what Kurt had said sunk in. "Wait... when Sam first joined you? What do you mea..."

His question was cut off by the arrival of a overly-tall guy and the girl Blaine had seen snuggled against Kurt earlier in the morning.

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"Kurt!" Rachel gave Kurt a bright, toothy smile. "We where looking for you!" She shoved her breakfast onto the table next to him, and stopped as she caught sight of Blaine. "Ó, féach mé cad is ciall agat Kurt! An-dathúil! Agus na súile ..." She spoke in their native tounge, Ohh, I see what you mean Kurt! Very handsome! And those eyes! "Más rud é nach raibh sé i guys, agus más rud é nach raibh Finn agus mé i gceist mar sin ar ndóigh do amháin eile, ba mhaith liom a thabhairt duit comórtas beag!" She grinned as Kurt went bright red. If he wasn't into guys, and if Finn and I weren't so obviously meant for one another, I would give you a little competition!

.

He gave her his 'bitch, please" face before bursting into laughter. "Tá Rachel, cé nach bhfuil sé cosúil go mbeadh sé i bhfad de dúshlán ..." Yes Rachel, although it's not like it would be much of a challenge...

"Anyway, Blaine this is Rachel and my brother Finn, guys, this is Blaine." He smiled.

Rachel beamed and Finn looked up from his food long enough to mumble something that sounded like 'Hi.'

.

"Hello Blaine! I'm Rachel Berry! I'm Kurt's best friend, and Finn here is my boyfriend!" She was rather loud.

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Blaine gave Kurt a look as he ate as if to say 'Is she ALWAYS like this?'

Kurt gave a small nod and rolled his eyes.

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"Oh! Dude, I almost forgot. I saw Mir before I met up with Rachel. She said your boy is being sulky 'cause you haven't been down to see him in a couple of days." Finn spoke with his mouth full. "She said if you don't get your butt down their today then she'll do something nasty to your clothing..."

.

Kurt gave a visible shudder. "And she means it! And Finn? Don't call me dude! He finished his coffee and looked to Blaine who was already done. "Do you mind taking a walk? Mira will follow through, and I'm rather fond of this outfit."

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Blaine took in the grass-green tunic sewn so that the sleeves where long but had gaps along the sides, and the almost-black suede breeches and nodded.

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"Great!" He smiled brightly. "C'mon then! I want you to meet Pav!"

.

The dark-haired boy followed, but couldn't help but wonder,

Who the hell is Pav? How's he Kurt's 'boy'?


A/N: Hello everyone! We have officially hit more than 2000 hits on this story! (In only 6 chapters! Squee!)

As well as 28 reviews and 42 follows! Every time my phone buzzes and tells me that I have another follow or review? I do a little happy-dance. (Really!)

To the WONDERFUL, AMAZING people that have his the little button marked 'review':

Buttons'n'Bows: I know, I have to add some *minor* angsty moments here and there... and maybe some major ones later... I don't know yet!

Azaelia67: I'm going for longer chapters, perhaps a minimum of say 1700 words? I hate it when people 'update' but you only get like 500... grr... Glad you like!

lucky333123: I think Hunter may find a place in this story after-all, but he and Seb wouldn't really have much time in the spotlight until much later...

Mikaracat: Oh, you make me blush! Yep, I had to find a place to throw in the 'Karofsky Kiss' somehow! Don't be fooled! Kurt may come across as self-confident and strong, but he has a past and issues to work through the same as everyone else... Rachel and Finn's relationship will be clarified in the next chapter, ok?

Guest: Thank you! (: I'm trying to make them as real as I can... And Niff is rapidly becoming a ship I really like!

Ok, challenge time! The language Kurt and Rachel are speaking is not made up! It's actually real!

Can anyone tell me what it is?

The first person to get it right I will write a one-shot 'missing' scene of their choice! (anything you want, taking place in the CDNAR world!)

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Criticism? I welcome it all with open arms! Let me know what you think!