Late last night, around 11:30pm, this story hit ten thousand reviews. They're still rolling in just as rapidly as they have been since the 9k mark when I asked for reviews and there is a chance that I could hit 11 thousand before this story ends. Dear god I love you guys.

From xX-Fiona-Xx: Kurt gets hauled in to perform as a Cheerio whilst he's at Dalton because Sue insists on doing a performance featuring him.

I was on the Glee Continuity Fails Tumblr (that thing is amazing, if you want the link just PM me for it) and one of the fails was "Kurt never quit the Cheerios." So, needless to say, I'm using that to my advantage here.

Cheerio

"So, Porcelain, quid pro quo?" The two boys stared at her in confusion. "What do you have for me?"

"I'm sorry Coach but you and I are not in cahoots."

"Probably should have nailed that down before I gave you my top secret intel." Coach Sylvester capped her drink and raised an eyebrow at Kurt. "Porcelain, you just made yourself a powerful enemy. Unless, of course, you do something for me."

Kurt shook his head, backing up a step. "I apologize again if you think I owe you anything but I really don't so -"

"But you see, Porcelain, you actually do." Blaine frowned, partly in confusion but mostly in disgust as the woman actually took a drink of the concoction she had just made. "You see, when I took pity on you and let you into my Cheerios last year, you never actually quit. Just took off that uniform of yours - and I worked very hard to get a male one in female sizes so you should be thanking me for that alone - and went crawling back to your Glee club that never ended up giving you those solos you were kicking up a fuss over. So because you never quit, you're still one of us."

The word Cheerios was familiar to Blaine for some reason other than just a breakfast cereal but he couldn't work out what it was and why Kurt had been - and apparently still was - a part of it. Kurt looked confused as well but for a different reason. "I thought you already lost at Nationals this year?"

"We did, but I merely had to tip off the judges that the winning team were all on a combination of steroids and trucker's pills that nobody could confirm nor deny when all of the urine samples mysteriously went missing. So they're doing a rematch and when I went through footage of our other winning years I realized that its all well and good to have my scantily clad teenage girls who can shoot fire out of their breasts but what I really needed was the soft pale icing on the cake."

Kurt sighed. "Coach, I haven't done any cheerleading in over a year now and I certainly haven't kept to the diet. Plus, I don't know any of the routines you've been running this year."

Cheerleading.

Blaine was so stunned that he nearly missed Coach Sylvester leaning in and poking Kurt's stomach experimentally. "I'm sure Sandbags can still lift you."

"Didn't Santana quit?"

"She's surprisingly easy to win back. All I had to do was promise not to fire her little Britt-Britt out of a cannon and they came crawling back, wanting to be on the winning team." She threw her coffee cup in the bin, Blaine blinking at it a few times before realizing his head was only hurting because he was thinking about all of these things. "Rehearsal is tomorrow, Porcelain. Bring your pet hobbit; if things get really dull, I might work him into my routine in some comedic sort of way." And as she walked away, Blaine swore he heard something about throwing off the top of the pyramid and immediately felt sorry for whoever this person was.

"I had forgotten how intense she was," Kurt said thoughtfully from beside him. "I guess I'm roped into that now… and of course you don't have to come if you don't want to, she was just saying that to be herself."

"Sorry?"

"The hobbit thing?"

Blaine winced. "Ouch. Didn't actually realize that was for me." Kurt actually sniggered and Blaine glared half-heartedly (he seriously was not that short). "I'd actually like to come if you wouldn't mind. It'll be - interesting."

"You are not allowed to bring Wes or David to gawk," Kurt said immediately.

Blaine chuckled, shaking his head and beginning to head over to their table. "They may kill me or try to bribe me but no, I won't bring them."

"Or let Rachel find out that you're at McKinley this close to Sectionals."

"Of course not."

Kurt took a deep breath and the final condition came out in just under a murmur as he sat down. "Or laugh."

Blaine dropped to his seat a little heavier than expected. "Kurt?" he asked, leaning in slightly across the table. "Do you really think I'd laugh at you?"

"I haven't done any of it in so long and I didn't have any illusions of the uniform looking any good on me and really I think this is just Coach Sylvester's way of causing me public humiliation for not giving her any information back. And nobody really wants to look at the male cheerleader anyway."

Blaine had to laugh at that. "Somehow I think I'm the kind of guy who'd want to look at the male cheerleader," he explained to Kurt who rolled his eyes. "But I'm sure it's going to be great. How bad could it be?"

Kurt sighed. "You'll see."

Blaine saw, alright. And what he saw?

Holy hell.

"It's tighter than I remember," Kurt said as he placed his folded Dalton uniform into the bag next to Blaine, tugging an armband onto his wrist. "Good thing this is just a once off otherwise I'd need to go a size up."

"I think it looks fine," Blaine said, trying not to let on how dry his mouth had suddenly gotten. "The colour suits you. Um."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, spraying his hair again. "Really? Apparently the white washes me out and the red makes my cheeks look redder but thanks, I guess. You're not going to get bored up here while we practice?"

"I - uh, no, I think I'll be just fine."

Kurt tossed the hairspray back into his bag and nodded. "Alright," he said with a grin before making his way down to the gymnasium where the rest of the cheerleaders were stretching. He immediately dropped into the splits effortlessly and Blaine felt his jaw trying to drop because that wasn't normal but so very hot that it didn't matter.

You think Kurt's hot?

The problem was, it wasn't the first time Blaine's mind had gone down this path, especially since Valentine's Day. And while it wasn't necessarily a bad thing that he was starting to admire Kurt, to possibly see him in a way that was a bit more than friends, the last thing Blaine wanted was for it to only be a result of knowing that Kurt liked him, that if he liked Kurt back then he could have someone to call his own and someone who would love and care for him like he had always wanted.

No. Kurt definitely deserved more than that for his first boyfriend and Blaine wasn't going to make any kind of move until he was sure that what he was feeling for Kurt wasn't suggestive feelings.

Although watching Kurt stretch like that made it very hard to keep his mind clear.

Coach Sylvester began to bark out orders through her megaphone and Blaine marveled at the way that everybody simply followed them with no complaints or arguing. The Warblers were well behaved, yes, but even they didn't listen to Wes that closely, like they were actually afraid of what he would do if they disobeyed. Though judging by the stories Kurt had told him about this woman, Blaine was pretty sure he would do anything she asked as well. If he needed another reason to not be interested in women, this one definitely helped with that.

And then any other thoughts were wiped from his mind as two girls hoisted Kurt between them and lifted him into the air.

Blaine was halfway to his feet before he came to his senses, gripping the edges of his chair and forcing himself to sit down again. Obviously no harm was actually going to Kurt - while their coach seemed almost sadistic, Blaine didn't believe she would let them lift Kurt without beings sure they wouldn't drop him - but the fact that he could be hurt was enough to have Blaine's heart racing a mile a minute.

And then they tossed him and no, Kurt really couldn't die now, there were so many things Blaine hadn't told him yet and he hadn't had the chance to kiss him or take him on a date or -

Kurt fell safely into the arms of one of the girls who buckled a little at the knees but stayed steady and Blaine let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Right, Porcelain's finally decided to hit puberty so we won't be doing that one again," Coach Sylvester barked into her microphone.

Even from his seat, Blaine could hear Kurt's mutter of, "Why did I choose to do this again?" and grinned, shaking his head. Kurt was really something.

Oh.

There was a moment of stillness and then Blaine grinned again, sudden and delighted because he knew for certain it was real now. He wasn't just interested in Kurt because he should, he was interested because he was interested. It was as simple as that and he was almost kicking himself for not having worked it out earlier but now that he had… what?

Well of course he had to tell Kurt, but how? How could he turn around and admit that just a week ago he had thought he was in love with Jeremiah but now he was interested in Kurt? After all, he was still sticking by his decision to not screw things up but it was now getting to the point in Blaine's mind where not telling Kurt how he felt would screw things up more. After all, they were both gay, both liked each other, both single… why not?

And it really was that simple.

With that out of the way, Blaine settled back to watch the rest of the rehearsal. And yes, there were a few more moments where his heart nearly stopped but all in all it was just fun to watch Kurt back in one of his natural elements, effortlessly performing a talent that Blaine had never even imagined him capable of.

That was, until he fell.

It was an accident, Blaine could tell that much straight away. Probably a lack of practice on Kurt's part (which was understandable, he hadn't really been expecting to be a cheerleader again) combined with his growth spurt and close to an hour of non-stop practice. They were holding Kurt in the air again for the seventh time - apparently Coach Sylvester's earlier proclamation of not doing that again had been changed - when someone at the bottom wobbled slightly. It wasn't the first time that had happened either but usually everybody else managed to hold their balance long enough to keep it together.

This time, Kurt didn't and with a shriek he toppled backwards.

The next thing Blaine knew, he was pushing past the girls who had crowded around Kurt, skidding to his knees next to him. "Kurt, oh my god, Kurt are you alright?" he babbled, reaching for Kurt's hand before stopping, not sure whether he was injured or not.

"I'm okay," Kurt said immediately, reaching up to take the hand Blaine had offered and pulling himself to a sitting position. His slight wince didn't go unnoticed, nor did Blaine's reaction to that. "It's okay, I'm not actually hurt from the fall - the first thing we learned was how to fall properly. I'm just really stiff."

"Right, you're taking a break," Blaine announced before turning to the coach who was watching them with an eyebrow raised. "Coach Sylvester, either you give Kurt half an hour off or I'm taking him back to Dalton right now."

Blaine could actually see the grudging respect on the woman's face at that. "Alright, ladies, half an hour. I'll be carting out the newest formula of protein shakes, I want everybody to load up and then line up for weigh-in."

"Come on," Blaine said quietly as the girls headed off to do what Coach Sylvester had instructed. "Let's get you to a proper seat. Can you walk."

"I think so," Kurt said hesitantly. Blaine kept a hold of his arm as he climbed to his feet but when he noticed Kurt's iron grip on his arm in return he raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay, maybe it's a bit of an effort."

Blaine only hesitated for a second. "I'll carry you then."

Kurt stared at him. "I - no, I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking, I'm offering." Blaine pointed out. "It's just to the seats and the girls have been lifting and carrying you all day."

"This is different though."

If Blaine hadn't already been standing close to Kurt, ready to pick him up, he wouldn't have caught the half-whisper or the way Kurt ducked his head, blushing slightly. "Come on," he said instead of replying, wrapping an arm around Kurt's back. "Ready?"

After a few seconds of hesitation on Kurt's part, he finally wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck, letting the boy pick him up. Kurt was light, almost surprisingly so and it was ridiculous how easily he fit into Blaine's arms like he was actually meant to be there. And as Kurt rested his forehead against Blaine's shoulder with a sigh like he didn't even realize he was doing it, Blaine leant in so his lips were only inches from Kurt's ear. "Maybe I want it to be different," he whispered.

Kurt froze and Blaine continued walking, smiling to himself. He slowly navigated the steps until he reached his seat and gently placed Kurt into it before sitting next to him. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Explain."

Blaine smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that would probably help." Kurt was staring at him, waiting but the understanding was shining in his eyes and Blaine knew he knew, he just wanted to know. And for the life of him, Blaine couldn't summon the words. So he simply did the next best thing; leaning in and kissing him.

Kurt made the most adorable surprised murmur against his lips before cupping his face, kissing him back softly. Blaine could feel his breath puffing out against his cheek; shaky and overwhelmed and he knew Kurt had been waiting to do this for a long time and it felt like Blaine had as well without even realizing it and this was his new favourite pastime, hands down.

He didn't really want to stop kissing Kurt but the logical side of his mind reminded him that Kurt had just had a fall and probably needed to be checked on. The slight whimper Kurt made when they split apart was equally as adorable as his first noise, especially when he caught himself and blushed again. "Now that we've gotten that explanation sorted out," Blaine said jokingly, smiling when Kurt smirked, "let's deal with this fall of yours."

"I'm okay, really," Kurt said immediately.

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Lift your arms above your head, Kurt." He regretted it a second later when Kurt actually did it, barely suppressing his wince. "Hey, no, come on, I know that hurts," Blaine said, gently tugging Kurt's arms back down. "Just let me help you, please? You must have some kind of muscle relaxant in that bag of yours, yeah?"

Kurt reached over to his bag and pulled out a tube, holding it up for Blaine's inspection. "We usually use this. I can reach my shoulders fine -"

"Let me?"

Kurt toyed with the edge of the tube. "I - um, I'm not sure - what are you doing?"

Blaine had already stood and was moving to the seat behind Kurt. "I'm not going to take your shirt off," he said reassuringly, already knowing that was what Kurt's issue was. "I'm just going to do this." He slipped his hands over Kurt's collarbone, letting his fingers dip under the fabric slightly as he applied pressure to Kurt's shoulders. "Okay?"

In response Kurt passed him back the tube, relaxing into Blaine's touch. Smiling, Blaine worked the cream onto his fingers and began to massage Kurt's shoulders, feeling the muscles relax. And really, this was the kind of thing he could get used to for the rest of his life, being able to just sit here and take care of this beautiful boy who he could actually call his own - could he?

"Hey?" he asked, leaning in to rest their temples together. "Are we dating now?"

Kurt made a murmur of approval. "Sounds good to me."

A whistle blew behind them and Kurt moved away reluctantly, climbing back to his feet. "I'd better get back. Should only be another half hour and then we'll be done."

"Are you sure you're -?"

"I'm fine," Kurt said, smiling knowingly. "Trust me, it's not the first time I've fallen. I'm used to it." He kissed Blaine's forehead, a sudden gesture that had Blaine grinning before he could stop it. "I'll be back soon."

"Hey," Blaine said suddenly as Kurt began to descend the stairs. Hopefully it wasn't too much of a risk but he really did want to say it. "If we need sex appeal at Regionals, I don't think we've got a problem."

"Oh?" Kurt asked, leaning against one of the seats. "Why's that?"

"We have you."

Instead of blushing or brushing off the comment, Kurt winked before turning and practically sashaying down the stairs. Blaine blinked after him a few times before leaning back in his seat with a groan.

This was pretty much the best way to die ever.

"Porcelain!"

The static-filled words echoed through the window, Wes stopping mid sentence to turn and stare at it. "What was that?"

Kurt lifted his head from Blaine's shoulder with a sigh. "That would be my cheerleading coach," he explained wearily. Blaine hugged him a little tighter, knowing how exhausted Kurt was from all the practice he had been doing. "Last rehearsal before our Nationals redo is this afternoon, I guess she pushed it forward."

"Porcelain, you have five minutes to get out here before I use my mole to contaminate all of your skin and hair products and re-sign your contract for another ten years with the Cheerios."

Blaine winced. "You're not calling that bluff, are you?"

"God no." Kurt stood, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder. "Sorry Wes, but she scares me more. I'll catch up later." He leaned back down, Blaine tilting his head up to kiss him before he pulled away with a smirk. "You want to come, don't you?"

"Um." Blaine bit his lip. "Yes?"

Kurt laughed. "Come on. At least you fall into one stereotype for a teenage boy."

"Blaine's stereotypical?" Cameron asked as Blaine grabbed his things and followed Kurt out (Wes would probably kill him later for bailing on Warbler practice but some things were worth it) before stopping as Kurt turned back with another smirk.

"Oh yes. He thinks cheerleaders are hot."

"Just one," Blaine murmured in Kurt's ear as they left the room. "There's only one cheerleader on that squad who catches my eye."

"Brittany will be thrilled. She's been wanting to make out with you for awhile."

Blaine let out a mock sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I've been trying to work out how to ask her for ages." Kurt elbowed him and Blaine grinned. "Seriously though? Cheerleading is the best thing in the world."

"You're such a boy."

"You love it."

Kurt smiled. "I do."

MusicalEscape:

"Oh, aren't you a cute little doggy, yes you are!"

"Blaine?"

"Everett, you're going to be my sidekick with your adorableness! Say Redvines. Can you say Redvines?"

"Blaine? You're creeping out my family. And Finn went off to get his cape and mask to join you, apparently. Just try not to be blinded by the technicolor stripes and rainbow unicorns."