"Hey," Blaine called, sauntering over to Kurt where he was standing beside the Ferris wheel gate, arms crossed just under the camera that hung around his neck. "Been waiting long?"

Kurt checked his watch. "Like a minute or two. Not long at all."

"Good. I got caught talking to my mom before I left," Blaine told him, giving him a quick smile. "So, where should we start?"

"Maybe we just walk around? If we see anyone that looks like they're having a lot of fun, I could take a picture, and if you see a carnie that's not busy, you could interview them."

"Good plan."

The two of them took off at a slow pace, looking all around them as they went, keeping their eyes peeled for any kids that looked like they were having a good time. Kurt nabbed a couple of pictures of kids playing the duck game, and Blaine stopped to talk to one of the carnies at the shooting game, asking him about where all they travelled during a regular season and if they thought the fair turnout had been better in Lima than at their other stops.

As the two of them milled around, the silence between them seemed deafening, quite in contrast to the yelling of delighted families and the sounds of cows, horses, pigs, sheep, and other livestock telling the world how they felt about living at the fairgrounds for a few days. It didn't seem awkward to Kurt, but Blaine couldn't take it anymore.

"So, how do you like working for the paper?" Blaine asked him after a while. "Is it all you dreamed of?"

Kurt chuckled dryly. "I guess so? It's taking a few pictures and touching them up on my laptop. Not too bad a gig, I suppose."

"You mentioned a few days ago you were thinking about getting into freelance. How's that going?"

"Honestly, not well. I know I need to set up a website and spread the word around. A lot of families want pictures before the kids head back to school next month. It's just that I don't really want to do freelance. So, I haven't forced myself to take the leap yet."

"Why don't you want to do freelance?" Blaine stopped, pointing to a group of kids gathered around the cotton candy cart. "They look pretty happy. Good photo op?"

"Good eye," Kurt told him, pausing to take a couple of shots. When they started to walk again, he said, "Freelance is just so demanding. If someone contacts me, asks my rates, and agrees that I should be their photographer, I feel pressured to say yes. Then, I have to take time out of my day to go and set up, take all the photos, and I still have a ton of hours in sifting through the shots and editing the good ones before I see anything out of the deal. Sure, you can make good money that way, but I don't really want to spend the time required. Photos were always just a hobby for me. It's not like I'm trained as a photographer. I need to quit complaining, though. Just bite the bullet and do it, as they say."

"If you don't mind my asking, what were you trained to do? Did you go to college?"

"Yeah. I left Lima pretty much right after graduation and went to school. I, uh…" He trailed off, not sure he wanted to talk about it. This path could open up so many cans of worms he wasn't sure he was ready to open up.

Sensing his hesitation, Blaine asked, "Will you at least tell me where you went?"

Kurt sighed. "NYU."

"Oh. Wow. You really got out."

With a nod, Kurt said, "Yeah. I wanted to get Lima out of my blood. I didn't think I'd ever come back here. Yet, here I am."

"You must have some story."

Another dry chuckle found its way out of Kurt's lips. "I guess some might say that."

"Care to tell me about it?"

"Uh…"

"Hold that thought. That guy at the ticket window doesn't look busy. I'm gonna ask him a few questions. Then, we can head in and take a few photos of the blue ribbon winners before…" He trailed off, pulling his phone out of his pocket to check the time. "Yeah. We've got 45 minutes before we're supposed to go talk to Cass and Elliot. So, blue ribbons after this." Then, he walked away, not waiting for Kurt to answer him.

Kurt watched Blaine as he spoke to the carnies at the ticket counter. The guy sure was charismatic. He could make anyone feel like talking to him with that big smile and pleasant, meaningful laugh. Hell, it even made Kurt want to open up to him, and he didn't talk to anybody. How long had it been since he'd actually admitted to a living soul that he attended NYU? Years. Even while he was in New York, he rarely told a soul. Yet... Blaine had almost gotten the entire story out of him if he hadn't caught himself in time. He was waiting to know if Kurt would tell him more, though, and that was the part Kurt wasn't sure about yet.

It might feel good to finally tell someone about it. Sure, it's only been a couple of months since the whole thing went down, and I told Dad. That's not the same as telling someone who isn't already sure to love me, who isn't already going to absolutely be on my side, no questions asked. Still, can I trust him not to tell anyone else? That's a story that I don't want getting out. Ever. If I haven't told someone, I don't want them to know. Why am I even considering this? You're not looking for a relationship, Kurt! Sharing details like that is what starts relationships! Yeah… But it also starts friendships.

Kurt was still lost to his reverie when Blaine came back. "Well, that was much more informative," he told him. "I should have talked to them first." He paused, looking at Kurt. "Earth to Kurt. You there?"

"What? Sorry. Yeah," Kurt answered, shaking himself a bit. "I was just thinking."

"About whether or not you'll tell me more about NYU and your degree?"

"Kinda?"

"How about this?" Blaine said, starting to stride toward the nearest fair building. "You think about it some more. If you decide you want to tell me more about it, you can show up at The Lima Bean tomorrow morning. Let's say 10:00. If you don't want to, you can send me a text at 10:00 telling me you're not coming. Either way, I'll be there."

"You-you'd do that?" Kurt sputtered, surprised. "You'd show up at The Lima Bean and wait, not knowing if I would meet you there or not?"

"Sure." Blaine paused just outside the fair building door. "Kurt, I have to be honest with you. I'd like us to be more than just a junior reporter and photographer team. I'd like us to be friends. And it's pretty obvious from the reaction you had to my questions that you've got some emotions and hurt you've been holding back, and all of it relates to school in some way. So, as a friend, I'm telling you that I'm willing to sit down and listen if you want to talk about it."

There was silence between them again as Kurt thought about it. "And this isn't considered a date? I mean, you're gay. I'm gay. Won't people talk? I-I'm not implying that you-you wa-want to date me or anything li-like that. I'm just saying. This is a small town, you know. People talk. But this-this can't be a date because I-I'm not— I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I don't-don't want to date right now. So, we-we can maybe—"

"Woah. Slow down there, Rambles," Blaine said, reaching out a hand to rest lightly on Kurt's shoulder. His heart beat a little faster at realizing just how much taller than him Kurt was. "This is a friend sitting down to coffee with a friend. Nothing more. You don't have to give me an answer now. Just think about it, okay?"

Kurt nodded. He had gotten a little caught up in his head there, and he was embarrassed by how much he'd just revealed. "I'll think about it," he said quietly. "Thanks. Thanks for, um, for being my friend."

"My pleasure," Blaine told him, giving him one of his signature, familiar smiles before dropping his hand and heading inside the building. "Let's get some of these pictures taken. We've got to get over to the new horse barn to meet Cass and Elliot soon."