A/N: Sorry for the wait on the update! As usual, I don't own Glee or any songs/products you might see here…

Tiny recaplet from the last chapter…

Kurt watched from the back of the tent, where he'd stayed. He became concerned when it looked like they were just going to leave. Of course they would! He chided himself. Why would they hang out with a bunch of tweens?

He bolted out of his chair, saying a quick, "I'll be back in a minute!" to Carole, as he followed the taller assistant to the van he was packing. And there he was.

"Blaine! That was amazing!"

Kurt noticed that Blaine jumped, visibly startled, as he turned around to face him.

"K-Kurt?" Blaine was smiling but pale. "Ah … I didn't know you were here." Brilliant, Blaine chided himself. The smooth master showman he'd been minutes before had vanished.

David looked over to Blaine, and batted Wes' arm to get his attention. He nodded at his friend, made a "shush" motion, index finger to his lips, and hoped to hear more before Blaine noticed.

Kurt couldn't help grinning, Blaine was so adorably flustered. The same Blaine who'd comforted him just the day before, when Karofsky had slammed him again, then kissed him after Kurt had confronted him in the locker room. Kurt thought back to the previous day's revelations…

Kurt had just finished babbling out to Blaine what Karofsky had done to him. Blaine had wanted to make sure first and foremost that nothing worse had happened. Kurt then found himself for the second time enfolded in Blaine's arms, as he recovered from the shock and horror at what had happened, a few stray sobs wracking his body. Kurt pulled back as soon as he thought he could speak coherently, accepted the tissue Blaine handed him, and asked, "How is it you're here for me again?"

Blaine had looked directly at him, and smiling a small smile, had placed his hand on top of Kurt's. "How could I not be?"

"No, really, most people wouldn't have walked in here, hearing someone crying in this place." He motioned with his hands at the boys' locker room. "I'm so glad that you did, though, I didn't feel like I could even breathe."

"Remember, I told you I was bullied at my old school, Kurt?" He'd nodded, and Blaine had said quietly, now looking away from him, "it was pretty bad. I don't want to talk all about that right now, OK? But I have to tell you, I understand better than you think."

Kurt had felt only surprise at the time, as Blaine shared only that he'd been singled out, along with another guy, for being gay; and that once that had become generally known, his life at his first high school had been sheer hell. Just then, Finn had appeared in the locker room, surprised to find Kurt there.

"Dude! I was just about to text you! I wanted to know if it was OK to stay for a while, Rachel wanted to work on some songs" –

Kurt had sighed, and cut him off, "Finn, it's fine. Just text me when you want to go. My phone's turned on, see?" He'd waved it in Finn's direction. "I was just talking with Blaine, no worries."

"Cool. I gotta get back to Rachel. Later, Kurt!" and Finn had run off, after retrieving some music from his locker.

Kurt had regretted instantly that his conversation with Blaine had been interrupted. "I am so sorry you were treated like that." He didn't know how to proceed next, but decided to go on. "Being gay in this place isn't great, I can tell you."

Blaine's gaze returned to him, and softened. "I'd sort of noticed." He'd furrowed his brows, stood up and slammed the locker in frustration, then spun around to face Kurt. "Damn! that was stupid – sorry, not like you need me to go slamming into things! This crap with Karofsky has got to stop." He'd retrieved his bag, shook his head, and offered a hand to Kurt.

They'd gone to the library, where they'd talked quietly at a corner table, until Finn's text telling Kurt he was ready to pick him up to go home.

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Kurt teased him. "You were kind of busy, what with breaking all those little girls' hearts, Mr. Amazing." Amazing. Not usually literal, he mused, but in this case, yes, totally true: gorgeous singing, bold performance, all wrapped in one jaw-dropping package.

Blaine just shrugged, and smiled, as some of his composure seemed to return. "Well," he bowed, "I am honored then if you enjoyed the show." As he stood up from his deep bow, his eyes were twinkling.

"Yes. Yes I did! Though I have to wonder who the real Blaine Anderson is? This isn't a side we see at McKinley, though I do approve of the wardrobe upgrade. I mean, really, Armani? Damn, Blaine!"

Blaine laughed at Kurt's obvious approval of this look. "Glad you approve. Of course you'd know the designer."

"Hey, Blainers, before you two go all Project Runway on us, care to introduce your humble assistants?" David had broken in, stepping to Blaine's side, Wes close behind.

Blaine narrowed his eyes momentarily at his friend and sighed. He'd forgotten for a minute they were so close by, he'd been so startled by Kurt's sudden presence. Shooting them a pleading look, hoping they'd go light on the teasing, he introduced them. "Kurt, this is David, and over there, that's Wes."

Wes squealed, "ooh! this is the Kurt we've heard so much –"

"Wes!" Blaine shot at him.

"Yeah, we'd heard our little hobbit here was making some friends at his new school. Nice to meet you!" David's tone was suave but friendly, as he gave a be nice look at Wes. Blaine was grateful, David extended his hand to Kurt, who promptly shook it. Maybe they wouldn't totally blow things for him.

Kurt looked at David, mystified. "Hobbit?"

"David! Wesley! I can finish packing up, I know you've got that rehearsal to get back to!" Blaine had blurted out, a bit unnaturally chipper in his tone.

"What"

Wes stopped David before he could say any more. "Sure. Blaine, that'd be cool. David, let's go."

"Uh, right. Going. Right now." And then David and Wes both burst out laughing as they walked away.

Blaine carried another props box back to his van. Avoiding eye contact with Kurt, he murmured, "Well, that didn't go awkwardly at all."

"Can I help you with any of this?"

"No, it's fine. I got this." Blaine looked at Kurt's leg for a moment.

Kurt sat on a large rock in the ornate garden outside the tent. "They seem really nice."

"Oh, they are. Those guys really helped me through some awful times. And, they're a lot of fun." Smirking in the direction they'd gone off in, he added, "And usually they don't let me off that easy!" Blaine chuckled.

He could barely believe his luck; he thought about Kurt all the time, and now, here he was. He'd always planned on revealing more of his story to him (he'd hardly told him anything about the bad parts of his past, not wanting to freak him out when he'd just suffered emotional trauma). He'd regretted that the scary persona he wore at McKinley had probably frightened him off; he didn't want to tell him that he liked him, with that going on. After he'd found Kurt crying after Karofsky had kiss-assaulted him, he'd revealed enough for Kurt to know that not only was he no danger to him, but that he was also gay. But telling him then that he really really liked him? It hadn't seemed like the right time, and he didn't want it to be like that. He wanted Kurt to think of him as more than just a somewhat scary bodyguard. And he didn't think he'd had any indication that Kurt liked him that way.

Kurt laughed right back. Blaine snapped his head back to look at him; his laughter sounded so musical, just beautiful. Sitting there on the rock, the light caught the highlights in his perfect hair, and he just seemed to, well, glow. I'm not the only one who looks different out of school, he mused, taking in the tailored designer jacket and shirt Kurt wore, somehow making it work over the non-couture cargo pants. He loved the way he looked when he wore a relaxed smile, and then caught the change when his expression took on an impish air.

"I think I'm enjoying seeing behind the curtain, Mr. Amazing. I don't know what other tricks you've got up your Armani-clad sleeves, but I must say I'm interested." Kurt watched as Blaine hastily stowed the rest of his gear into his van. "I've got to say it, Blaine – you are an amazing singer. I mean, just wow!" There I go, he thought, going on like a groupie. Too bad, he thought, before he went on. "No stage fright either, I see!" he added.

Blaine blushed, happy Kurt had responded that way to his performance. "Well, that wouldn't be very amazing, now would it?" he managed to banter back.

Kurt took in Blaine's blush, wondering if this guy could possibly be any cuter. "You should join glee club! That would be so great! We need you!" Kurt rambled. Well, I sure as hell need you, he thought. Hearing his singing had somehow made his attraction to Blaine utterly undeniable. Now he knew what Blaine sounded like, he couldn't wait to hear that sexy voice, or see the swagger he brought to his performances.

"You sing?" Blaine looked over at him.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Blaine nodded encouragingly, so he went on. "It's actually a show choir; we do dance moves when we sing, a little acting too with it sometimes."

"Kurt?" Blaine's tone was quiet, hopeful, as he closed the back door, finished now with his packing. "I've got room up front. How about we go for coffee – my treat – and then I can take you home?"

"That – that would be great! Just give me a minute!" Kurt's heart raced. His growing crush had gotten a lot bigger this afternoon. Worries that this lovely boy was way out of his league he gladly pushed to the side, for now. Even if he only ever got to be friends with him, he wanted to spend as much time talking to him, and listening to him, as he could. And he had just asked him to go for coffee! He hustled over to Carole as fast as his still-stiff leg would allow.

Blaine frowned as he noticed Kurt's limp. His hand had recovered pretty well, didn't really get in the way of today's show too much. He hated that this beautiful boy had been hurt that day, and knew he'd never forgive the jerks who'd done it. He banished gloomy thoughts as he saw Kurt finish talking to what he guessed was his mom, and rejoin him.

Blaine fretted just a moment before asking him, "you do like coffee, I hope?"

"Love it. I know just the place."

Carole Hudson beamed, watching the boys from the cover of the tent. Kurt was so happy and excited; she'd quickly consented to a change in plans, and promised him to take plenty of pictures at the florist so they could talk wedding plans later.

A/N: Well, I hope you've enjoyed this serving of klaineness! More soon, and sorry it's been longer than I would have liked. I love hearing from you, as you know, and feedback is a treasure to any writer! I will shamelessly dangle before you (ta da!) extra content to reviewers, PMers, etc. We still have some funhouse stuff to go – twists you probably won't expect (but that will ultimately make sense, since I respect my readers!).