Blaine fixed his eyes to radiate an apology to Kurt. He messed up and he owed an apology. Kurt couldn't find if he was pretending or if he was apologizing. Kurt couldn't go to sleep knowing Blaine would be watching him with the same look. He sat at the end of the bed, opposite Blaine. He was playing Rubik's cube trying to diffuse the tension.

"Look, mate. I'm coming straight. You just have to make them believe we are together and are boyfriends. The crowd bought it. Mission accomplished and it's over. You don't have to feel sorry for that. Besides, we agreed on a cheek kiss to make them believe."

"I kissed your forehead."

"Doesn't matter. It was not on my lips."

Blaine knew by the statement that we were forgiven. Then, he had to deal with his coming out. He didn't wait for the reaction of people but he got a glimpse of what they were speaking. Blaine tucked himself on the bed thinking about the consequences when Kurt went to get some water.

He pulled by a mysterious hand for the time and he would have almost freaked out but the face didn't seem like a thief.

"Hannah, what are you doing here?"

"Kurt, I need to talk to you about something. Do we have time?"

"Sure." Hannah awkwardly pulled Kurt's hand into the porch and made him sit on a lying stretcher.

"Kurt, I don't know if you know this but do you know about his past?"

"That he was married and he is a divorcee now? I know."

"Did he tell you?"

Kurt smiled awkwardly, stuttering between the words, " Y- yes, he-he told me. We are f-fine with that." Kurt was caught up in the whole whirlpool of lies.

"Are you sure? You are still a kid."

"I am sure Hannah. He didn't like the marriage and he opted for the decision. Doesn't change the fact that we are boyfriends."

Hannah pulled Kurt into a hug and her tears wetted his shoulder, " I am so happy that you found each other. He came out to me first and I was supportive. B-but I wasn't strong enough to call off the wedding. I know he was not happy and that scared the hell outta me. Glad that he took the right decision and put his life on track. He is lucky to have you, Kurt. Thanks for doing this."

Kurt was tearing up without his consent. It scared him so much that the pretend was going to end in 1 or 2 days and he would break Hannah's heart if she knew. Why did he get into this whirlpool? He sighed.


Blaine's dad brought Blaine and Kurt to the garage the next day. They were not expecting anything. His dad turned to Blaine and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Look, Blaine. I may not still get the fact to my head that you are gay. I always pushed our family to uphold their reputation and respect. And I realized it was the biggest mistake I've been doing all my life. Not that I've come to total realization but I didn't realize till now that my reputation cost your happiness through that wedding. I thought that divorce was a stupid plan. But I haven't seen you being this happy with Jane as you are with Kurt. I am so sorry for that."

Dad turned to Kurt and that was the first time he saw him smiling. " Kurt, you may be a kid but you have a big heart. The live mood change when Blaine came out yesterday made me realize how hypocritical people can be. This is getting harder day by day to learn these new things but I promise you something: You are loved and accepted here, Kurt."

His dad opened the car- cover to reveal quite an old car. It was brand- new from the outside.

"Do you remember this Blaine? I used it as a tool to change you. I thought making your hands dirty could change you. How silly of me! So today, you and I as a father and a son, are going to fix this thing together and send you as gay as you are. Alright?"

Blaine nodded in half smiling half crying sight. Blaine wanted this to happen every day since he knew he was gay. He turned to Kurt with his watery- eyes and Kurt gave him an encouraging nod. He couldn't wish anything more than this. They got into their working gears and started to work enthusiastically, leaving Kurt to swim in his sweet memory lane with his father at his tires and lube shop.

It took them no long time to stop working because of their minimal knowledge of car parts. Their frustrations were enlightened in their temples. Kurt didn't know if he should laugh or feel pity for him.

"Mr Anderson, I think you need help. Can I look into that?" His dad looked a little offended but he didn't want to screw the car with bolts and nuts. Kurt excused himself and rushed to their room. He returned in a flash, getting jaw-dropping attention from Blaine and his dad. He was dressed in a plain black shirt with a pair of knee-length denim. He analysed the problem and slid down the car to begin his work.

Blaine's dad excused himself from the spot and he left Blaine with Kurt. It came in as a total shock for Blaine. The flawless, perfect and sacred Kurt could get dirty.

"Do you know how to fix cars or are you trying to impress my dad?"

Kurt pulled himself from under the car and gave a scornful look. "I am not pretending. If I am, I wouldn't be knowing which tool for what." Kurt made a fair point in Blaine's opinion.

"My papa has a mechanic shop in London. I worked occasionally for a small payment or to get my dad to speak with me."

Blaine was getting about Kurt's lifestyle vaguely though he doesn't know his mom yet. At least from his dad's side.

He slid down again to work on the car. Blaine couldn't stand looking at the car which has been in his memory for six years. Blaine didn't know how to help.

"Blaine, would you mind if I ask you to continue talking? This would take some 15 minutes?"

"What do you want me to talk about?" Blaine stuttered with a zest of curiosity filling his face.

"Anything mate."

Blaine tried asking about the tools and other car things but he dropped it within 5 minutes. Kurt had so many things to ask but he had his mind focused on the car now. Blaine decided to ask something goofy.

"So what do you think about repairing?"

"Repairing? Do you need a definition? You can google that up."

Blaine chortled out of his control. He was thinking of getting Kurt Hummel fooled by his question and it backfired.

"No. I meant why repair and not buy new cars?"

Kurt gave a disgusted look that Blaine couldn't see luckily. Kurt rolled his eyes, trying it figure out if it was one of the famous Blaine Anderson pranks on him.

" I mean you can't buy a car for every time it gets repaired. Buying a car is like life mate, except in life you have no guarantee or warranty card and you cannot replace it with another life. You can repair it as many times as you can. When you are heartbroken, it's in your hand to repair it or throw it away.

Tools for repairing are on that walls every day." Blaine paused to take a look at the wall: Yes, they were hanging!

"People are like that, Blaine. Almost all people are available for you to repair. You just have to let the right spanner repair your life. Not everybody can help you every time."

"A spanner?"

Kurt slid his hand down and pulled a wrench to show.

"A wrench"

"Fine. A wrench." Kurt was still trying to speak American but every time he tried, Blaine would choke at its absurdity. This time, it was a mix of chuckle and inspiration.

"Like you."

"What? Am I a wrench to you?"

"Oh no. You are helping me, Kurt." Kurt nodded and went back to work. He ordered Blaine not to talk anymore.

"Blaine, could you turn on any music? The radio maybe?"

Kurt's ear started to intake the smooth flow of a song. It wasn't sounding like from the radio. It was clear and refined like a crystal, sweet and soft as ice cream and a thread to drag you into the neverland.

I could find the whole meaning of life in those sad eyes

They've seen things you never quite say, but I hear

Come out of hiding, I'm right here beside you

And I'll stay there as long as you'll let me.

Kurt added his magic spell of voice to Blaine's spellbound voice, syncing effortlessly to perfection.

Because you matter to me

Simple and plain and not much to ask from somebody

You matter to me

I promise you to do, you, you matter too

I promise you to do, you'll see

You matter to me

Neither of them knew why they were singing that song. They didn't know if the song lyrics applied to them at this point. But somewhere in the corner of their brains knew something: they matter to each other even as strangers.

It's addictive the minute you let yourself think

The things that I say just might matter to someone

All of this time I've been keeping my mind on running away

And for the first time, I think I'd consider the stay

Because you matter to me

Simple and plain and not much to ask from somebody

You matter to me

I promise you to do, you, you matter too

I promise you to do, you'll see?

You matter to me

Kurt gasped as he was lying on the skateboard. Blaine was giving him the same feelings as he gave the first day at the immigration. Oh, that good ol' day!

"Dear baby

I hope someday

Somebody wants to hold you for twenty minutes straight

They don't pull away, they don't look at your face

And they don't try to kiss you

All they do is wrap you up in their arms and hold on tight

Without an ounce of selfishness in it

I hope you become addicted, baby

I hope you become addicted to sayin' things

Having them matter to someone"

Blaine always wanted that to happen. He sighed as he let the throttle for Kurt to control. Has he ever tried to sing before? Blaine was all hot chocolate on Kurt's voice: got yet warm and comforting.

You matter to me

Simple and plain and not much to ask from somebody

You matter to me

I promise you to do

(Come out of hiding I'm right here beside you) You, you matter to

(As long as you'll have me) I promise you to do, you matter to me

You'll see

You matter to me

Yeah! They matter to each other as of now. They had just themselves for forthwith.

Blaine's dad had been watching them from the entrance, trying not to expose himself as he heard his son singing in happiness for the second time in long years. That was when he knew he took the right decision and had a hope to repair the mistake he did. His dad's tea felt different for Blaine for the first time in his life: it was made of love, acceptance, support and dedication.


The next day was spent with a real try to have a real family bonding which included Kurt too. Kurt was too contented that he made people happy and accepting and he had a family like the atmosphere here. The building was suddenly beaming with positive beacons.

Blaine and Kurt agreed on staying for four days. It was getting awkward between them in a good way thought. But their consciences couldn't let them accept that they had feelings for each other. Both if they used their work as an excuse( which is half true). Kurt gas never got this kind of feeling: his chest getting constricted and tight, squeezing his heart to death. He was going to miss them indefinitely and the only way he could cope was by reminding himself that he had a bi boyfriend and it would get better.

Blaine's sister grew attached to the pale boy. She dragged and squeezed him through her hug. Kurt couldn't leave her too. Blaine and his dad were having their moment: He patted his son's shoulder with a warming and comforting smile and gave a warm hug. Blaine was gifted a key to his car and Blaine grinned as if there was no tomorrow. The family bid a tear-filled farewell to these two "boyfriends".

They drove into the main road when Blaine stopped the car.

" What happened?"

Blaine sighed loudly and burst into laughter, powerful enough to stop the Earth from rotating.

" FINALLY! We don't have to pretend anymore! We are free!" And pulled Kurt into a hug. That familiar tinge of spark ignited again and all Blaine could do was hide in Kurt's shoulder.

Blaine was expecting Kurt to laugh and throw a party but it wasn't the case. His rosy lips curved between relieved and a sad urge to have something he wanted. Blaine erected his head to Kurt's cheek level, releasing his hand lock- up to around Kurt.

"While I am happy that we are free at last and your goals are achieved, I miss being your boyfriend slightly, " Kurt whispers in his breath.

Blaine eyed Kurt with his honey-hazel eyes trying to find something he lost. He didn't realize that the inner void getting bigger enough to match Kurt's thoughts: they were not "boyfriends" anymore.

They remained silent, inhaling the lavender scent from the air - freshener. Blaine broke the fragrant lock as he opened his mouth, " I know how you feel, Kurt. It was f-fun. But we would never stop being a friend with each other, Kurt. And thank you for doing this. Helping somebody in this crazy city needs a big heart. Glad I took you."

The glasz eyes and the hazel ones met, the distance getting closer.

" Imagine taking a shabby, scrambled man from a mental asylum and dabbing him with makeup and a wig for my boyfriend, ooooh."

Kurt spanked Blaine's shoulder playfully, breaking the contact, "I am the best option, Blaine. No another."

Blaine put his hand on Kurt's, blushing a little, " Yeah, nobody else."

Just then, Blaine's phone chimed, highlighting an inbox message. Blaine was breathing heavily as he read it. He burst into tears and kept hugging the phone. Kurt pulled the phone from Blaine.

"Wait? Three million dollars? Wow! From whom?"

Blaine's red face turned to Kurt, "my dad." Kurt opened his mouth to speak and Blaine kept his finger on his soft lips.

" Thank you, Kurt. I always wanted the last 3 days to happen for years and it had finally happened. I owe you so much, Kurt."

"You don't owe me so much. I just owe $2800 which is a big sum for me."

Blaine assured him to pay him up after they return to their apartment: their apartment.


Blaine was returning from the shoot around that day and he was on cloud nine, thinking of every single moment he was on the stage: facing the audience, the judges. He would give beyond his best for every single performance and this was no exception. He waddled down the lane when he slowly got reminded of the uncomfortable feeling in his throat. He had been feeling this for the last two days.

He was also suffering from an unexplainable migraine. He stopped himself on a bench, pulling out the same medicinal oil he's been using for the last two days but he couldn't feel the smell. He dashed into a pharmacy to buy masks, some medicines and something else before he ran to the apartment.

Blaine couldn't waste time anymore. He locked himself into his room, not wanting Kurt or even an ant to come in contact with Blaine.

Kurt walked into the apartment expecting Blaine to sit on the couch in his usual cheerful way, forgetting himself to a song. The apartment was haunting silent for the first time in many days. It was unusual.

Kurt heard some silent whimpering sound at regular intervals. It was loud enough for Kurt to not miss that. The apartment was amplifying the whimpers more than it should. Kurt realised that the only living creature that can make this noise was already home.

Kurt tiptoed to the other bedroom's door. He pressed his ear gently to confirm. Yeah! It was him.

Kurt knocked on the door, trying not to startle the inmate.

"Kurt?" A weak, fragile voice pierced its way through the door.

" Blaine?"

"Should I come in?"

"No. Don't come please."

Kurt could hear Blaine blowing his nose; he knew something was wrong.

"Blaine, what's wrong? Did you mess up your singing?"

Kurt kept his ears pressed to hear Blaine's whispers sharply.

" I am suspecting COVID."


Author's note:

There you go! The next chapter. All pretence is over now. Kurt and Blaine are back from the county to face yet another problem. A COVID chapter is coming up.

Song used is "You Matter To Me," by Sara Bareilles. Please do share your thoughts by reviewing. They are getting along somehow.

Jenna Ushkowitz(Tina Cohen Chang) is blessed with a baby. Her baby is out finally. Congrats Jenna!!