I just want to make a note of this. My Angel (xXLittle Rose AngelXx) sent this headcanon in from last chapter: And my headcannon is that the teachers' bet was on which teacher they would kiss in front of, and that is why they were all turning up after performances - in hopes to win that bet. First, I just adore the fact that she has a headcanon for my story and second, this is such a brilliant idea. So if it wasn't 'canon' to the story then it is now.

Happy birthday to KiKiFliesDW13 Gleek! I hope this is a great birthday celebration chapter for you :)

And a question: is there anybody out there who has so far successfully avoided spoilers for 3x05? I mean, obviously the promo is another story but apart from that, are there still people who have managed to avoid all of them? Because a bucket load were released today and my sister and I have already made plans to kick my parents out of the house that night and I just don't see how people couldn't know. So I'm curious.

From freakyfee91: I was thinking... could you maybe do a chapter in which Kurt practises an "I love you" speech in front of his mirror and doesn't notice Blaine standing in the doorway or something like that? Or it could be the other way round, Blaine practising the speech, which maybe would be nicer because I hate the fact that in the show Kurt always has to chase after the boys and never gets some being chased of his own.

So, 1. Kurt deserves to be chased and 2. Blaine's the perfectionist type. I bet he would have practiced his little post-Blackbird speech, even though it seemed all off-the-cuff at the time. I think he knew what he was going to say but actually doing it shook him up a little.

Speech

Blaine stared at his reflection in the mirror, drawing up all of his courage. A few seconds went by before he opened his mouth, waiting for the words to come out, the words that would sum up everything he felt right this very second.

"I feel ridiculous."

Okay, well that was true, but it wasn't exactly helping things along. Sighing, Blaine ran a hand through his hair, watching his mirror self do the same. "Okay, get it together," he told himself sternly. "This is for Kurt."

Blaine watched his reflection break into quite possibly the sappiest smile he had ever seen on his face, but he couldn't bring himself to wipe it away. It was already difficult enough not to smile that way every time he saw Kurt, which was why he was currently hiding out in his room, trying to work out a way to talk to Kurt without basically blurting out, "I think you're gorgeous and your voice is amazing and your emotions are so emotional and let's make out. Please."

Because somehow Blaine didn't think that was exactly romantic.

And romance was definitely what he was going for here. Not after he had spent the past hour and a half on various music search engines trying to find the perfect song - and even Candles didn't quite feel right but Blaine wasn't stupid enough to try and write an original song with only a few days until Regionals. But at least the song had plenty of emotion behind it and that was what Blaine was going for, an emotional song to lead into an emotional conversation. A conversation that Blaine was yet to work out.

Turning back to the mirror, Blaine stared himself down. "Okay," he said, trying not to feel too foolish about what he was doing. "Talking to Kurt."

Blaine quickly thought about how the first part of the conversation would go. He would tell Kurt about his song choice and explain that he had picked it because it was an emotional song. And then he would have to explain why he wanted an emotional song.

"Okay," he said again. "So, I picked Candles because it has a lot of emotions behind it. And maybe they're not the exact emotions that I wanted to express in this duet, but it's very hard to find a song that is written 100% perfectly for my situation, which is what I want to explain to you now."

It got easier as Blaine continued talking, trying to pretend he was saying these words to Kurt, the boy he had just realized he was a little bit crazy about. "Kurt, there is a moment when you say to yourself, 'Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you forever.'" Blaine allowed himself to smile a little at that one. Thank goodness for Google. That's kind of the perfect quote to sum my feelings up." Watching you do Blackbird this week… that was a moment for me, about you." Blaine paused, trying to find the right words, the way the performance had made him feel, made him realize… "You moved me, Kurt. And this duet would just be an excuse to spend more time with you."

What else?

Blaine tried to figure out how to put everything else into words - how sorry he was for taking so long, how he really hoped that Kurt hadn't changed his mind since Valentines Day, how he had never had a boyfriend before but if Kurt wanted to become the first that would be fantastic… and realized there was no way he could. There were so many things that Blaine would have to leave unsaid because what he had said already was emotional enough - he hoped - and the rest would just be rambling.

"I hope he likes it," Blaine said to himself, closing his eyes for a second to imagine how he hoped Kurt would take it, that gorgeous little shy smile that Kurt would give him and saying he felt the same and the moment being perfect enough, good enough that maybe Kurt would want to be his.

"He will."

Blaine froze, his eyes still closed. Okay, that was a figment of your imagination, you're imagining Kurt so hard that you heard his voice, that's all.

But there was no imagining the footsteps that crossed the room and Blaine had to face the truth - Kurt was here, Kurt had just heard his speech and Kurt… said he would like it?

Opening his eyes, Blaine turned around to find Kurt standing behind him. "What are you doing here?" he asked in just above a whisper.

"Your door was open," Kurt said simply. "I wanted to talk about what song we were going to do for Regionals… but I guess you've got that sorted. And a few other things," he added, looking at Blaine so intently that Blaine knew every part of his soul was up for scrutiny, even if Kurt hadn't overheard what was going on.

Blaine struggled for words, finally managing to find some. "Kurt… I would repeat myself but it's not going to sound genuine enough and I really want this to mean something -"

"Shh," Kurt said softly, closing the distance between them and reaching out one hand to touch Blaine's face gently, followed by the other. "Don't speak then," he finished before leaning in and kissing him.

When Blaine had imagined this moment, he had only dared to dream that he might be able to kiss Kurt, he might be able to get away with it and Kurt would like it and to have Kurt being the one to kiss him derailed Blaine's brain for a few seconds. Luckily his mouth seemed to be on autopilot, kissing Kurt back softly and almost hesitantly because is this real? Really?

It was only when they broke apart that Blaine was hit with what had just happened. Kurt had just kissed him, Kurt liked him…

Kurt had just overheard his speech that he had planned out for a much different setting than this.

Blaine couldn't help the twinges of regret and they must have shown in his face because Kurt frowned, suddenly looking a lot less sure of himself. "Are you okay? Was - was that too far?"

"No, I just - Kurt, that was meant to be perfect and I feel like it didn't happen properly and I wanted to make it a moment you'd remember," Blaine heard himself rambling, trying to keep the disappointment from spreading across his face. It wasn't that he was disappointed in what happened, but in what didn't, what there was the potential for that would never come to be now. And Blaine was a perfectionist at heart and he had just wanted this to go right.

But Kurt shook his head and somehow Blaine just knew he was resisting the urge to cluck his tongue. "Don't be silly," he said firmly. "It was perfect."

MusicalEscape:

"...betting pool? Wait, you didn't tell me or Kurt about this!"

*laughs* "Well, the whole school is pretty much involved. There's the teacher betting pool- the headmaster is on that too, he's be devestated he lost- the Warbler one, then the big one for everyone else."

"...do you mind if I have some of that money? I need more Redvines. And hair gel. Always good."