(10 minutes later)

'I shouldn't be sitting with you…alone like this,' Michael shifted nervously in the passenger seat of Blaine's car and readjusted the air-conditioning vent for the tenth time, 'People might see us.'

'So what if they do,' Blaine demanded, 'It's over a hundred degrees outside. Anyone that looks will think we are just…I don't know, 'getting out of the heat'.'

With an incredulous roll of his eyes, Michael's faced scrunched into a smirk, 'Seriously. You've got a boyfriend all the way in Washington and I'm single; people will see this as more than two guys getting out of the heat.'

Blaine shifted in his seat so he faced Michael, 'Well, since we're on the subject, what are we then?'

The senior's hands gestured to this space between them, 'What are we calling…'this'?'

Michael sighed, ignoring the direct question and deflected to another topic, 'Why am I here, Blaine? What's going on? I thought I made it clear last spring that I really wasn't interested in a relationship.'

'Yeah about what you said…I don't believe you,' Blaine answered plainly.

Michael snorted, 'I don't care, if you believe me or not, I am saying that I don't want to see you.'

Hurt and sadness ghosted across Blaine's handsome features, enough so that Michael added some clarification to his brash statement.

'Listen, Blaine,' Michael's tone had softened somewhat, 'I don't hate you or anything. I just…I just don't think I can handle the 'societal expectations' associated with having a public relationship with you.'

'Oh, my, God,' Blaine half-barked, half-laughed in disbelief, 'Did you just pull the 'homophobe card'?'

Back-peddling, Michael quickly moved to better define his statement, 'No, no, no! Jesus, Blaine, I'm not some closed minded bigot! I meant that, if we had an open relationship, I'd be…I don't know how to say this without sounding like an asshat so I'll just say it…I'd be 'Lando Calrissian' to your 'Han Solo'.'

Confusion replaced the hurt on Blaine's face, prompting his next question, 'You're saying…wait, what are you saying? That McKinley would look at us like two characters from Star Wars?'

'Lando didn't appear until Empire, but that's beside the point,' Michael continued in a rush, 'What I mean is you'd be the 'cool one', the singer, the National Champion, the…the 'senior' for God's sake, and I'd be 'the-guy-that-does-the-same-things-only-not-as-well'. Everyone would compare me to you and ultimately discover I'm just a pale imitation.'

Blaine reached across and put his hand over Michael's, 'Don't ever think that…ever. When you moved back last spring, all I wanted to do was introduce you to all of my friends and show you off. Not because of our relationship but because of the type of person you are. You're funny, smart, and a hell of a singer; I mean, you could use some fashion tips, but that's neither here-nor-there.'

With the last part, Blaine allowed a grin to slip across his face, letting Michael know that he was indeed kidding…mostly.

Michael sighed and politely pulled his hand from under Blaine's, 'I need to make it on my own. Correction, I'm 'making it' on my own. If we start hanging out, it'll put me in an awkward spot, and next year when you're gone, I'll be left with a label. I just, I just can't have that.'

'I'm going to ask this one time,' Blaine's gaze lowered, 'Is it because I'm out?'

'Jesus!', Michael swore, 'I really am coming off like a prick aren't I?'

'You seemed awful worried about us being seen in the car together, so now I need to know, is it because I'm openly gay?' Blaine brought his eyes to Michael's and repeated his question.

Michael waited a beat before continuing, 'Sort of, but not in the way you think.'

'What other way is there?' Blaine demanded his eyes narrowing defensively.

'Okay,' Michael sighed trying to get his bearings so as not to cause further miscommunication, 'Let's say we hang out. Let's say you talk me into show choir. Let's say we perform together, sing and dance, just like we used to do. Everyone starts to tell us how much we look alike…just like they used to do. McKinley starts to see us as the same person, just like everyone used to do. How long do you think it will take until I'm 'you'?'

'Just because we look alike doesn't mean everyone would think we are the same person,' Blaine stated with as much confidence as he could muster.

Michael smirked, 'You know that's not true. I'd be everything you are in a matter of weeks, maybe days, and while I could care less if people think I'm gay, the reality is I'm not. You're gay so I would be 'gay' too…in the eyes of McKinley anyway. Someday I'd like to find a girlfriend, someone to spend my time with, someone to love, just like you found Kurt. If everyone thinks I'm gay that makes my job twice as hard, and as this conversation proves, I have a tough time getting my thoughts and feelings across. I'm a nerd, and I've accepted that, but what I can't accept are labels and lies. I'm…I'm just not 'cool' enough to fight through a gauntlet of rumor-mongers and Internet accusations.'

'I think your view might be a little fatalistic, don't you?' Blaine responded.

'So I don't put my foot in my mouth again this next part isn't supposed to be disrespectful, but I think your view is a little naive,' Michael jerked his head toward the building over his shoulder,'Look around McKinley, Blaine. The students aren't ruled by their own reasoning and experiences, they're 'told' what the truth is. They hear that someone is a slut on Facebook, and that girl goes through high school as a 'slut', even though, in reality, she's never so much as played spin-the-bottle. Reality isn't 'lived', it's 'created' by others, and when the last straw is pulled, you are either on the winning team…or you're the 'slut' that's never been kissed. As for me, I'd rather be in a position where I'm calling the shots and giving myself an advantage for when I finally meet someone.'

'You are starting to sound like that idiot that runs the Croparazzi, Charlie Booth. You don't know him do you?', Blaine's eyes peered into Michael's.

Forcibly keeping his gaze steady, Michael lied, 'No, but I've heard of him, which just proves my point. If we hang out and do the same things, a group like the Croparazzi will tell a much different story than the truth because the truth would be too boring. I'd be 'out and proud' in a week, and I don't have enough game to talk to a girl, let alone explain that I'm not gay 'before' I talk to her.'

While the fan of the car's air conditioning provided the only sound, the boys stared at one another, in many ways the mirror images Michael so feared they would become…again.

'I tell you what,' Blaine's voice finally usurped the air conditioning for auditory dominance of the space, 'We are all going up to the mountains tomorrow, just the members of New Directions. We will be hanging out, playing music, swimming, singing, and just enjoying the weather and the company…why don't you come with me?'

'I thought I just told you that…', Michael started.

'I know, I know,' Blaine raised his hands in surrender, 'But there won't be anyone else from school, just us. You could hang out and keep your precious reputation intact. You might even have fun.'

Michael rolled his eyes, 'I don't have a 'precious reputation', Blaine; I don't have 'any' reputation. I just don't want to end up with a false reputation that I'm too awkward to get out from underneath.'

'No, I get it,' Blaine smiled genuinely, 'And what you say makes sense. I guess I've just gotten used to the Hummel way of doing things: being yourself and to hell with the haters.'

Michael's head dropped, 'Man, I wish I could be like that, but I…I'm just not as strong as you two.'

'No, you're stronger…you just don't know it yet,' again Blaine put his hand over Michael's, 'At least think about coming with us. I'll text you the details as soon as I hear from the others.'

The senior's hand squeezed the sophomore's, and Blaine whispered, 'I love you, Michael, and I always will, so as much as I might be annoying you, I'll always be here for you…always.'

'Man, I love you too,' Michael smiled, 'Hell, when we were growing up, you 'were' Han Solo to me, and you still are. I'm just the idiot that's too worried about being picked on to…to…to act more like you and your boy, Kurt.'

Blaine nodded, his eyes glistening, 'Think about going with us, okay?'

'No promises,' Michael placed his hand on the passenger door's latch, 'I'm sure Mom has a metric 's' ton of stuff for me to do this weekend.'

'Tell Aunt Cathy I said 'hi',' Blaine smiled, 'And tell her that if she lets you come with us tomorrow, I'll come over on Sunday and help you do whatever needs doing.'

Michael rolled his eyes and climbed out of the car, 'You always were a 'kiss up'…guess that's why you're her favorite nephew.'

'Take care,' Blaine's face grew solemn, 'And call me if you need me.'

'Will do,' Michael said and slammed the door.

Moving back toward McKinley, Michael watched as Blaine backed up and then drove out of the student parking lot.

Moments later, Charlie Booth emerged from his car and joined him.

'So,' the leader of the Croparazzi purred, 'How's your cousin?'