Welcome back to chapter 6 of Repair! Thank you for reading and don't forget to review and let me know what you think of the fic so far! Big thanks this time go to JayhawkWrites and LauGS who gave me their amazing feedback on the fic so far - if you haven't already done so go check out their works!

Now, let's find out what our boys are up to...

Blaine opened his eyes and rubbed his face pausing when the stinging reminded him why that was a bad idea. He poked his cheek and lip gently wincing when he found a sensitive area. Staring at the ceiling, Blaine folded his hands across his chest and listened to Kurt's soft snores coming from the foot of the bed. He thought back to when he used to lie awake listening to the breaths beside him, watching Kurt's chest rise and fall, his nose crinkle as he started wake and the sleepy kisses once his eyes had adjusted to the early morning light peeking through the curtains. Now when he turned his head he was met with a pair of socked feet.

Blaine tried to think of something poetic about the socks but they were just socks. They were light blue with red leaves dotted across them. Red leaves with black dots on them - wait, we're they penguins?! Blaine let out a laugh, of course Kurt would have socks with penguins on them! The socks moved a little as a soft sound came from the other end of the bed.

"Hey you."

"Hey, did you sleep okay? I didn't kick you in the face did I?"

"No, no, although I was so exhausted I probably wouldn't have felt a thing anyway!" Kurt propped himself up on his elbows, blinking against the soft morning light. "Oh wow! Your face looks so much worse than it did last night!"

"I always loved your pillow talk" Blaine responded dryly sitting up and swinging his feet round to meet the floor.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Besides, the phantom could pull off a mask so I'm pretty sure you could too!"

"Kurt Hummel! You cruel, cruel man!"

And with that any leftover tension from the night before dissipated into laughter and friendly teasing as both men roused themselves, used the bathroom and went on the hunt for breakfast.

"Ok, medic time!" Kurt dumped the first aid kit on the kitchen table where half drunk cups of coffee sat beside plates with toast crumbs. "Let Dr Hummel check the patient."

"Dr Hummel huh? I didn't realise you'd completed medical school during the night." Blaine played along, turning in his seat to face Kurt.

"Oh yes, I'm very skilled at a great number of things." Kurt made a show of snapping on the rubber gloves and dabbing the antiseptic liquid onto a cotton pad. "This may sting a little so just don't be a big baby okay?"

"Are you sure you passed the class on bedside manner?"

"Hey my bedside manners are impeccable." Kurt smirked. "It's my people skills that need work. I got no patience for my patients!" Blaine laughed in spite of himself.

"That was a terrible pun, you should have your licence stripped for that." Blaine held a serious expression for all of thirty seconds before the illusion was shattered when they both started laughing.

"Ok, all done. Your cheek looks a little better now and your eye isn't as swollen as it was, there's still some bruising though and your head wound looks nice and dry."

"Thank you Dr Hummel, best doctor ever." Blaine smiled before wincing "ow, fuck - I forgot about my lip."

"Idiot" Kurt chuckled as he tidied up, disposed of the cotton pads and gloves then sat back down to finish his coffee. "Pill time - and don't roll your eyes at me mister! We're going to make time every morning and night to take our meds. It's the only way to make sure you stay all healthy and cute." Blaine blushed a little at the compliment and allowed himself to just feel the words for a while.

"So, um, about last night…." Kurt broke the silence quietly, a little unwilling to break the comfortable bubble they currently found themselves in. "We should really talk."

"I know, look I'll make arrangements to find somewhere to stay. I can speak to the accommodations director at school and see if there's any available dorm rooms."

"What? You want to leave?" Kurt placed his cup back into the table a little too forcefully.

"Isn't that what you meant last night?"

"No! I was going to suggest we find a new place to live together!"

"Wait - what?" Blaine shook his head a little as if to try and make sense of the half-conversation currently taking place.

"Blaine, listen to me, I love having you here and I'm so grateful that you called me when you needed help but this apartment wasn't really chosen with two people in mind. There's only one bedroom, a compact living area and the shower isn't big enough for more than a quick wash. I was going to suggest we look for a new place for us both. Together. A two bedroom apartment preferably with a kitchen that was installed this side of 1985."

"You….you want us to….." Blaine tried to wrap his head around what Kurt was suggesting. Two bedrooms. That meant he didn't want to share a bed with Blaine but obviously that was the case - he'd just kinda ended up in Kurt's bed and neither of them had thought to challenge that. But two bedrooms? Was this Kurt's subtle way of telling him he didn't want him like that?

"Blaine!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry - wandering mind. Two bedrooms huh?"

"Yeah, I just kinda put you in my bed on that first night and we never really discussed it. I just thought it would be a good idea if we both had our own spaces we could go to if we needed to be alone, or we could still share if, if that's what you preferred." Kurt explained, secretly hoping Blaine would continue to sleep with him. There was something comforting about waking up against a solid wall of heat, of burying your face into a mass of wildly curly hair, to wake up facing the most gorgeous eyes in the history of eyeballs.

"What if we didn't share anymore?" Blaine asked, not really sure whether he actually wanted an answer to this question.

"Well, I'd be a little disappointed if I'm honest but I'd understand if you preferred to have some time to yourself. Whether that's a few hours or days or an indefinite period of time." Kurt could feel an icy chill in the pit of his stomach as he contemplated never being able to hold Blaine like that again. He'd been without it for so long but now that he had the opportunity again - he wasn't sure he was ready to give it up.

"What if I wanted to have my own room but I also want to share a bed with you? Would….would that be okay? I mean you could share with me or I could share with you or we could have a night by ourselves or if we…dated someone and they wanted to, sort of, come back here……." Blaine's voice trailed, not really wanting to complete the mental image his words had started to give him. Of course Kurt was going to meet other people and want to bring them back to his place - Blaine didn't have to like that idea though.

"Can we stop beating around the bush here? We both keep dancing around this and it's driving me insane. Cards on the table, once and for all." Kurt said a little too loudly and a little too harshly. "I'm in love with you Blaine, I always have been and I always will be. I want you back, I want to be in a relationship with you but I get that this is a difficult time for you which is why I haven't really said anything to you about it properly. Until now."

Blaine stared at Kurt silently, his face still and not giving anything away.

"Are you gonna say something?" Kurt asked, suddenly feel very raw and vulnerable.

"I'm in love with you too. But I can't give you what you want Kurt. I'm broken, I'm not boyfriend material anymore - as much as I wish I was. I'm just….I'm not. I don't want to lead you on or give you false hope."

Kurt surprised Blaine by taking his hand and running his thumb across the back of his knuckles.

"Blaine, I'm not asking you for anything right now. There's too much going on, for both of us, and so many new challenges to overcome and adapt to. I just don't want us to keep ignoring the spark between us cos we both know it's there."

"Oh it's there!" Blaine admitted.

"I was thinking about this while I was trying to fall asleep last night and I think we should both admit and acknowledge our feelings for each other and agree that the primary focus should be your health." Blaine opened his mouth to speak but Kurt held his hand up. "Dr Feldman said that within 6 months the blood tests should confirm whether or not your medication has successfully reduced your viral load enough for you to be undetectable. Therefore, I propose that we focus on finding a new place for us both to live and spend some time getting to know each other again. We can snuggle or sleep apart, work, study, eat, everything - we can go about our daily business and adapt to your diagnosis. We can be there for each other and just see how things go. No expectations, no pressure."

"And if I'm undetectable after 6 months?"

"Then we can either celebrate as friends or as a couple or as roommates - whatever we are to each other by then." Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand wondering if he'd said enough or too much. He really wanted nothing more than to kiss Blaine until he forgot his name but he knew they both had to be a bit more sensible than that. If things were going to work out for them, they needed to happen organically - not just because Blaine had been homeless and disowned by his fuckwit parents.

"I could get a job."

"Huh?"

"I could get a job. The library on campus has been advertising for weekend and evening help. I could apply. If I worked there I could study at the same time so that when I'm here I can be more present or help you with your articles if you needed it? And it wouldn't be much but it would mean I could help with the rent too." Blaine looked a little lost so Kurt gave into his desires and stood to hug him.

"I think that sounds like a great idea. Go get ready for class and I'll make you a lunch. We can have a look online tonight at new places to live?" Kurt suggested, the tell-tale butterflies in his stomach reminding him to calm down a little.

"Thanks, that sounds great. Kurt? I want the same as you by the way. I didn't want to make you feel obligated to be with me. I think getting to know each other again is a really good idea." Blaine smiled a little, careful not to split his lip again.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Kurt had managed to convince his boss that he could complete his article by the end of the week so when he finally left what felt like the longest "History of Theatre" class in the world he headed straight for the subway station. Or at least he tried to - if only he could get away from his classmate who was so annoying he gave Rachel Berry a run for her money!

"Look, Paul I really need to be going. I've got some stuff I need to take care of this afternoon so…" Kurt tried to be as polite as his waning patience would allow.

"Oh I'll walk with you! So there's talk of Madame Tibideaux putting together a little showcase for next years prospective students and she's offering open auditions. We should go - our voices would sound amazing together!" The tall, skinny blond babbled on not even noticing that Kurt was barely listening. "So what do you say? Should I sign us up?"

"Huh? What? Sign up for what?" Kurt asked, wondering what the hell this idiot was going on about now.

"The applicant showcase? Open auditions? Me and you? I've been working on a new arrangement of Teenage Dream and I think it would be perfect as a duet."

Kurt's head whipped around at the mention of the song.

"No! I mean, no, that song is very special to me and I won't sing it with anyone."

"Won't sing what?" Kurt spun around as he heard the familiar voice behind him. "Blaine! What are you doing here?!" Kurt wrapped his arms around the shorter dark haired man, his faked smile suddenly becoming genuine and wider.

"We got out of class early so I thought I'd come and surprise you!" Blaine explained, looking nervously between Kurt and the model-esque Adonis beside him who now looked as if he'd stepped in something awful.

"This is Blaine? THE Blaine?" Paul's sneer was evident in the derisive tone dripping from his words and Kurt shuddered when he noticed Blaine pulling in on himself a little.

"Yes, this is THE Blaine and his amazing talent is the reason why no-one could do that song justice. Especially not self-absorbed, narcissistic asshats who are trying to fuck their way through the male NYADA student population and if I was ever going to audition for the showcase I would be doing it alone because linking my name with yours in any professional capacity would ruin my reputation and leave me with a future similar to yours which likely includes emceeing an amateur karaoke night at a bar frequented by tone deaf baboons. Now if you'll excuse me, Blaine and I have an evening of apartment hunting ahead of us. Have a good evening!"

Kurt linked his arm with Blaine's and walked confidently away, his head held high and giving his friend a dazzling smile. Blaine for his part was trying not to let his jaw hit the concrete-it had been a while since he'd witnessed one of Kurt's epic takedowns and as usual it had left him feeling incredibly turned on. He trusted that Kurt was manoeuvring them around any obstacles because he could convince his eyes to leave Kurt's face. It wasn't until they were round the corner and half a block away that Kurt pulled them into a doorway.

"Ohmygod I can't believe I said all that! Was that too much? Too cruel?" Kurt dropped his head into Blaine's shoulder wondering whether he should have just held his tongue and said see you later like a normal person!

"I, uh, no that was, uh hot, I mean amazing! You're amazing! IT! It was amazing!" Blaine's brain failed to engage itself properly until he could feel the blush rising in his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around Kurt and held him tightly, relaxing as their bodies met and they both sank into the embrace. "You were amazing! No-ones ever defended me like that before….not since….not since the last time you did." He smiled a little, conscious not to split his healing lip.

"I'll always defend you."

"Even to the tone-deaf baboons?" Blaine smirked and Kurt laughed.

"Even them. I'm glad you surprised me today. I've been trying to find a way to get rid of him for weeks now - hopefully apartment hunting with "THE Blaine" will do the trick!" Kurt joked, straightening Blaine's jacket collar and brushing away an imaginary piece of lint.

"Should I ask why he calls me "THE Blaine"?" Blaine wasn't really sure he wanted to know what answer to this as a thousand scenarios ran through his head, none of which painted him in a generous light.

"Um, well you were "the one to watch" in your year and when we broke up and…everything happened…it was sort of spread around the school that I was a manipulative and vindictive heartbreaker who tried to destroy the career of NYADA's most promising students causing them to leave the school. It kinda didn't help that Adam left after we first got back together and engaged and told everyone the reason he was going back to England was because I'd broken his heart. So…yeah….that's, um…that's why. Cos you're THE Blaine I got engaged to which made Adam leave and then you're THE Blaine who I broke up with and made leave." Kurt's voice trailed off as the guilt began twisting in his gut.

"You know that's all bullshit though, right? You didn't make anyone leave." Blaine tightened his grip around Kurt a little.

"Yeah, I know. But it's still a pattern linked to me. But y'know what? I don't care. I mean, of course I regret what happened leading up to you having to leave NYADA but you're THE Blaine. You're MY Blaine, I'm always gonna be linked to you so if the gossips need to create a narrative of their own because they don't know the truth then I don't care. We know the truth of us and that's all that matters."

"I wish I could kiss you right now" Blaine whispered but as his eyes widened Kurt was pretty sure that thought was meant to stay in his head. "I mean…I-I-I…."

"It's okay, I kinda wish you could kiss me right now too." Kurt smiled widely, leaning his head in and gently rubbing the tip of his nose against Blaine's. "There, just like the eskimos."

"Just like the Eskimos" Blaine grinned and leaned in again to rub noses. "C'mon, you promised me an evening of apartment hunting. Let's go grab some takeout and get started."