'If it were a halter instead it would make her look less frumpy. Then we would put a belt around her middle right above her hips to accentuate her waist rather than her hips. Of course the belt would need to be a pop of color considering her dress is all-wait. What?! No. Focus.'

Kurt shook himself from staring at the woman in her unflattering sundress and began his work on the cereal once again. This had been happening a lot. He would see someone and immediately begin fixing their outfits or designing outfits from scratch in his head for them. It was maddening. He hated to admit it was also sort of like coming home. He'd truly missed designing but hadn't realized just how much until he allowed himself to do so in private again.

Kurt focused back to the cereal and began humming under his breath to the song that was playing over the speakers, smiling when he realized it was one of Blaine's. Blaine's album was selling faster than stores could hold them. Kurt, of course, had gotten a free copy from the man himself. He was proud of his friend. Blaine had been playing bigger and bigger venues around New York and everything seemed to be going his way.

Kurt had been given more hours at the store. He talked with Santana and Brittany once a week. He and Rachel got coffee or drinks a few times a week. He spent as much time as he could with Blaine. He designed in his book at home and kept it hidden from all eyes because he knew he'd never do anything with them. The only person that knew he was designing was Blaine and he'd learned not to ask about Kurt's designs.

"Kurt! Kurt!" A very happy Blaine bounced through the aisles looking for him.

Kurt swallowed and turned away from the couple lingering nearby who turned to stare as Blaine came towards him.

"Hey Blaine," Kurt said quietly.

"Hey, I know I saw you this morning but this couldn't wait and I wanted to ask you in person." Blaine bounced from on foot to another.

Kurt stared at him with wide eyes, "Um, okay. What is it?"

"What are you doing Saturday the 23rd?"

"Um...nothing?" Kurt replied cautiously, afraid of what he was signing up for.

"Please, please, please be my date to the Music Note Awards?" Blaine nearly screeched at Kurt.

Kurt's mouth dropped open, "You...are you nominated?"

Blaine's grin grew brighter, "And performing!"

"What?! Blaine! Oh my god!" Kurt nearly screamed, before launching himself at the other man.

He closed his eyes as he fell into Blaine's embrace and wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck, pulling him tight. He became painfully aware of his surroundings a moment later when Seth's voice rang over the intercom about their sale on canned soup. He immediately pulled away and straightened his clothes, taking a few deep breaths to stay calm.

"Congratulations, Blaine. I'm very happy for you. And yes, I'd love to be your date." Kurt said, biting his lip as he looked to the other man.

Blaine's cheeks were dusted pink as he smiled back, "Thank you! I'm really looking forward to it, it'll be fun! Okay, I'll let you get back to work, but I'll see you tomorrow at the diner, right?"

Kurt nodded, "Of course."

As soon as Blaine was out of view, Kurt closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face, trying to will away the fluttering of his heart and the visions of suits fit for the red carpet.

The next day found Blaine staring out of the diner window, waiting for Kurt. The other man was running later than usual and Blaine was almost to the point of heading home, simply because he couldn't wait forever. The bell over the door rang as a flustered Kurt sat into his seat across from Blaine.

Blaine blinked at him with wide eyes. The Kurt seated in front of him wasn't the usual Kurt. He was wearing a tight white helney shirt with a blue vest over it and his hair was styled over his head in an apparently carefully done coif.

Lily dropped off a cup of coffee for Kurt, "Kurt you look amazing! Are those the new Marc Jacobs boots?"

Blaine ducked his head to look at Kurt's feet. Sure enough, the man was wearing the new Marc Jacobs knee high boots over skin tight jeans.

"Thanks Lily, yes they are." Kurt replied quietly, fidgeting in his seat.

"Oh my god they look fantastic on you!" Lily squealed.

"Thanks," Kurt said, meeting Blaine's eye with a shy smile.

"Oh, I'll let you two talk. Sorry!"

"It's fine Lil," Blaine replied with a smile, his gaze not leaving Kurt's.

As soon as she was back to the counter, Kurt let out a deep breath and Blaine couldn't help but smile at the relieved look on his face.

He reached across the table and squeezed Kurt's hand, "You do look great, Kurt," He took his hand back and sat back in his side of the booth, hands fidgeting with his coffee cup, "What's the occasion?"

Kurt blushed and took a drink of his coffee, "Um, I wanted to...ask you s-something. I guess."

"Sure, what is it?" Blaine suddenly felt nervous as Kurt opened and shut his mouth several times without any words coming out.

"Okay. So. Um."

Blaine waited for a moment and nothing else came out, "What is it Kurt? Is everything okay?"

Kurt nodded and swallowed, "Y-yeah. Um, I just wondered if...if you w-wanted to of course...if you'd l-let me d-d-design your s-suit for the awards?"

Blaine's mouth dropped open in shock as his insides froze. After a long moment of staring at Kurt as the other man tried to stammer his way out of the unanswered question, Blaine spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You'd design a suit for me?"

Kurt stopped talking and bit his lip as he nodded, "I s-sort of did already. I have the d-design here if you w-want to see it."

"Yes please," Blaine breathed, not even caring that he probably looked like a lunatic, staring at the man across from him like the sky had opened up around him.

In a way, it sort of had. Kurt was going to-already had- designed a suit for Blaine to wear at the Noties and he was actually going to let him wear it. Had this been even a month ago, even two weeks ago, Kurt would have ended up in a panic attack. Blaine had noticed the subtle changes with Kurt recently, but didn't want to say anything; he just watched and admired from afar.

"Um, so, th-this is yours. The other one is mine." Kurt said pointing between the two pieces of paper that he'd slid in front of Blaine.

Blaine looked down to the papers and gasped, "Kurt...they're perfect."

Kurt glanced out of the window of the SUV that he and Blaine were riding in and immediately had to look to his lap again and take several deep breaths. The crowds were loud and large that surrounded the red carpet. Not to mention the long line of photographers and press waiting to get their hands on Blaine, and by extension, Kurt. Kurt felt a hand on his and followed the arm up to meet Blaine's gaze.

"You okay?" Blaine asked quietly, ignoring the glare shot at him from Rylan, his Sonja-appointed publicist.

Kurt swallowed and nodded, "Y-yeah. Sorry. I'm just...it's a lot of people. I'll be okay though."

Blaine smiled and squeezed his hand before letting it go as they rolled to a stop, "Here we go. It'll be okay, I'll be with you."

Kurt followed Blaine out of the car and was met by a swell of screams. Blaine was definitely well known by then, with his chart topping album and few television appearances as well as the many gigs around New York, and it seemed like everyone wanted him to notice them. Blaine looked to Kurt with a wink as he buttoned his suit jacket and they walked forward.

"Okay, photos first then press line. Remember to keep your swearing to a minimum Mr. Anderson, Sonja was not happy after your last appearance."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks Ry." Blaine turned to Kurt, "Okay, when I go to step in front of the photographers, run to the other side and we can walk together after that, okay?"

Kurt nodded and reached to straighten Blaine's slightly tilted bowtie, "G-um-good luck, I guess."

Blaine laughed, "Thanks."

Kurt met Blaine's gaze again and suddenly the world around them seemed to dull out, "It's your night, Blaine. You'll be great."

Blaine licked his lips as his gaze flittered from Kurt's eyes to his lips and back again, "Thank you. Thank you for being here with me."

Kurt's heart began to flutter as butterflies filled his stomach. He took a half-step forward and watched as Blaine did the same.

"Mr. Anderson! You're up! Mr. Hummel, to the other side, please." Rylan's voice cut into their bubble.

Kurt did as he was told and watched in quiet awe as Blaine schmoosed with the photographers as though they were his friends and held different poses for them, ranging from serious to his usual bright smile. After the last batch of photographers had taken Blaine's photo, he strolled straight to Kurt with a bright smile that Kurt couldn't help but to return.

"How'd I do?" Blaine asked cheerily.

"Good. They seemed to love you," Kurt said.

Blaine held out his arms to his sides a bit, "Did I model your fabulous suit well enough?"

"Shhhh!" Kurt looked around wildly, his entire body seizing up.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Kurt. No one heard, it's too loud," Blaine rushed out, "Fuck, I'm so sorry."

Kurt closed his eyes and took a steadying breath, "No, it's fine. I'm sorry. But you-you did great, yeah."

Blaine smiled warmly, "I love thi-"

"Mr. Anderson, press, now."

"Fucking-okay Rylan, coming," Blaine said with a roll of his eyes and a squeeze of Kurt's hand, "Let's go sweet talk some reporters."

Kurt stood out of sight as Blaine talked to the reporters. They all begged him to know who designed his suit, but he kept to his promise of saying an anonymous designer made it special for him. He also dodged the boyfriend line of questioning when he said he'd brought his best friend with him. All in all, Blaine knew how to work the red carpet; probably from going with Cooper, but Kurt was still very impressed.

As Blaine was talking to the last reporter, Kurt's phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and bit his lip when he saw the text from Rachel, trying to keep himself in control and not alert Blaine of any issue.

FROM RACHEL: Kurt Hummel. I'm BEYOND upset! You didn't tell me you were designing again! And don't 'how'd you know, Rachel?' me, you know I know a Kurt Hummel design when I see one. Why aren't you making ME clothes?!

Kurt jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he met Blaine's gaze with a weak smile, "You're a g-great interview."

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked as his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"J-Just that Rachel saw your s-suit and is m-mad I'm not making her c-clothes too. I'm fine." Kurt shrugged as though it were no big deal; which in hindsight it wasn't, but he needed to get his mind to accept that.

"Well, we're done out here. We should head in and find our seats." Blaine smiled, letting the subject drop, which Kurt was grateful for.

As soon as they found their seats, Blaine got pulled into a conversation with Hill-A-Ray, the new pop artist who had been blowing up the charts and had been placed next to them. Kurt decided to text Rachel back just to get it off his mind.

TO RACHEL: I was inspired. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. It's a one time deal.

FROM RACHEL: Hmph.

Kurt rolled his eyes and pocketed his phone, looking around at all of the fashions walking past him, secretly fixing them to make them more flattering for everyone.

Soon enough, the lights dimmed and the show started. Blaine's performance got a standing ovation from everyone. Kurt had unashamedly hugged him when he got back to his seat, proud of being able to do so in such a crowded room.

It finally came time for Blaine's award to be announced. Blaine reached over and took Kurt's hand. Kurt looked over and saw the nerves etched on every centimeter of Blaine's face.

"And the Notie goes to...Blaine Anderson!"

Kurt couldn't help the yelp of excitement as a wide grin spread over his face so wide it hurt his cheeks. Blaine seemed to be frozen so Kurt jumped up and pulled him with him to stand. Blaine looked at Kurt and had tears swimming in his eyes. Kurt pulled him into a quick hug.

"I knew you'd do it. Get up there!" Kurt said into his ear before pushing him into the aisle.

That spurred Blaine into action and he jogged down the aisle, kissing the presenter's cheek as he took the award from her.

"Oh. My. God." Blaine said in a shaky voice as he stared down at the trophy in his hands, Kurt couldn't get the beam off of his face, "Wow. Thank you to the...I'm sorry," Blaine cleared his throat as the tears in his eyes threatened to fall as he finally looked to the crowd, "Thank you to the Association for giving me this award. I...I never expected this and I'm so grateful. Thank you to Rocket Records for being gracious enough to have me on their label. Coop, I know you're watching," Blaine pointed at the general direction of a camera, making Kurt laugh, "Love you bro. I especially want to thank Kurt." Kurt's eyes widened, "Without you, I wouldn't be where I am now. Thank you!"

Blaine trotted off stage, staring at his trophy once again. Kurt had never been prouder of someone than he was in that moment for Blaine.

XXXX

"What about...Katy Perry? Did you meet Katy Perry?" Lily asked excitedly as she refilled Kurt's cup.

It was his turn to wait for Blaine. The other man had been in nonstop meetings since the awards and finally found a morning they could meet, only to be pulled into another meeting. Blaine had promised to come straight to the diner after the meeting, so Kurt waited.

"Yes, Blaine made sure we met her," Kurt laughed, "She was nice."

Lily practically squealed, "Oh my god! You're so lucky! All of these famous people and you. Met. Them!"

Kurt smiled, "I was just glad to spend time with Blaine."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him with a conspiring grin on her face, "What is going on with you two anyway? Something's...different lately."

Kurt felt his cheeks warm, "Um, I-I," The bell over the door chimed and Kurt breathed a sigh of relief as Blaine walked in.

"This isn't over," Lily said with a wink before turning to Blaine, "Congratulations!" She squealed as she hugged him.

"Thanks Lil." Blaine said with a smile.

She ran to get him a cup as he sat down. Kurt could see something was off but didn't address it as the three of them chatted for a few minutes before Lily left them alone.

"Kurt-"

"How-"

They both laughed as they spoke at the same time.

"You go first," Blaine offered as he took a drink of coffee.

"Oh, I was just going to ask how your meeting went." Kurt said with a shrug, "No big deal. What were you going to say?"

"Um, actually it's along that line...Kurt, I'm going on tour." Blaine said quietly.

Kurt felt his heart stop in his chest, "Oh! That's...that's great!" Kurt said in a falsely happy voice, not even really sure why he wasn't ecstatic for his friend.

"Yeah, yeah...it'll be good," Blaine swallowed, "It's for two months."

Kurt took a deep breath as his heart thumped painfully and his stomach dropped, "Oh, well, that's good. That means...lots of stops right?"

Blaine nodded and looked to his hands, "I guess I just...um..."

Kurt was startled at his usually articulate friend who'd gone nearly wordless.

"What is it?"

Blaine looked up and met his gaze, the tension between them palpable.

Blaine looked away after a moment, "Nothing. It'll, um, it'll be fun."

When Blaine met Kurt's gaze again, his smile wasn't even half-genuine. Kurt knew his just about matched.