The next day at work was much less awkward than the night alone both men had had.

They put their thoughts firmly to the back of their minds; with strict self inflicted punishments should they re-emerge.

Blaine was back in the studio again, because, although they hadn't got another photo shoot, it turned out all those years at private school had paid off, and Blaine was pretty neat with the numbers.

So he was working on some of the fall accounts with Mellissa and another more professional accountant by the name of Brian.

(Kurt hated hiring people to do this, he hated people seeing how much money he had or how much he spent for that matter. (It was actually quite embarrassing when Mellissa found out he spent $2000 on a limited edition Jimmy Choo brogue set.))

This meant the pair had a lot of time to spend together, and boy did they make the most of it. Kurt would do his sketches in the lounge with the others on his breaks and Blaine would be allowed to use Kurt's office to do his work, since he didn't have one of his own.

During the next few weeks that Blaine spent there, he got to know a lot more people. He met all the store workers, who all seemed to wear their immaculate uniforms 24/7 (though who could blame them, they were Pavarotti designs) and he became quite close with the store's manager, Jeremy, as they worked on their individual accounts during the office hours.

He met the rest of the design team, and even some of the cleaners who worked in the store. All of whom seemed to instantly like Blaine. They would smile as he spoke and gaze up at him with adoration in their eyes.

Blaine may not see it, but Kurt knew that look. People used to give it to him just before he got his big break, the same with Rachel. It was the look you were given, if you were going to be a star. And boy, could Blaine be one Supernova if he tried.

Kurt watched Blaine. He watched him every day. The way he skipped around the office with a sublime expression of joy on his face. Or when he sang late at night as everyone was packing up to go home. Or the way he always wore those wretched Pink Wayfarers which somehow seemed to go with everything, even though they really, really shouldn't. Kurt was fascinated by Blaine. He had that special something about him, and Kurt loved it.

He was so happy to have this man as a friend. Which he could really call Blaine now.

The pair spent almost ALL their time together. They would share an office and go on lunch breaks together. Blaine would bring them coffee every morning from the Three Wishes and they would sit and drink it together whilst in deep debate over this month's Vogue. Blaine would perform some of his music every so often, to a crowd of his loving fans (a.k.a nearly all other Pavarotti employees) and Kurt would always try and be in the audience.

But now, many suspected there was a little something something going on between the two friends, which of course Wasn't true.

(no pretending those gutter thoughts hadn't gone away. If anything they worsened after more exposure to each other)

But they continued to be just friends, and to be honest, they were happy with just that!

xXx

It was one rainy Friday, around a month after Kurt and Blaine had first met. Preparations were being made for the first stint of their fashion 'tour'. They had several runway shows in NY, then they were travelling south to Florida, where they had two shows, one in Orlando and one in Miami. Then they flew off to Michigan where they would host the largest show in Chicago. After much debate, it was decided that they would take a long haul flight to San Francisco, to present three consecutive shows, before heading to Ohio, and staging the final performance there in Lima.

(It wasn't that Kurt wanted to show off at all, not one little-Ok, well maybe a little- Oh, who was he kidding, he couldn't wait for that show, because Kurt knew that all those Lima losers would get to see how huge of a star he had become, and he just wanted to spot those little green eyed monsters, who once wore their letterman jackets with such pride, staring up at him in awe)

Kurt's publicist had been scheduling interviews and such almost every day on the tour. TV, Radio and Newspapers were all about to be hit by the S.S. Hummel, and it would blow them away.

Though speaking of ships, Blaine was pretty sure he would need one to get outside in this weather. It was around 2 in the morning and the rain was hurtling out of the sky like mini bullets, peppering the window with deafening force.

It was just Kurt, Blaine and Mellissa left in the office. Clara left just before the rain started to get heavy, and took most of the crew with her, all realising that a storm was brewing.

The other three, being the oblivious and in the end, just decided to get as much work as they could done whilst they waited for the rain to stop...which it didn't.

Blaine sat by the window, staring out into space as he slowly strummed out chords on his guitar. (he may have been caught plying by Mel, then forced to bring it in to work every day)

His music remained unheard to the rest as the sound of the rain drowned out pretty much everything else.

Blaine sank back against the back of his seat and let the stillness take over him as he dropped his guitar to the floor. Another day down. And it was now officially the weekend too. He felt himself relax a bit at that. Weekends meant time to sleep, beautiful precious, beloved sleep. Unfortunately, it also meant that Blaine would have to actually get out of the office and back to his bed.

The sheets of water up outside blurred everything until just splashes of colour were visible outside, there was no hope of getting outside in this weather. Mainly because it was such an un earthly hour and no taxi's or company cars would be available to take him back to the other side of the city where his apartment was.

It was altogether a rather dreary experience, sitting in the darkened room, in complete verbal silence, but the rain and time did mean they could get away with other things (no, not Those kind of things)

'Take Out' Kurt yelled from his seat by the TV, breaking the verbal silence. 'Come on, It's absolutely peeing it down, and I am Not walking seven blocks to get a decent toasted roll. Especially at this hellish hour. I'm calling for takeout. What do you lot want?'

Both Blaine and Mel were a little taken back by this. Firstly, Kurt was ordering takeout, after religiously refusing to for the past 18 months after a bad incident with chilli cheese, but he was also asking their opinion, and that itself was a sporadic occurrence for a tired Kurt, late...or early? at work.

'Ummm, I'm fine with whatever you boys want, so long as I get a triple espresso with it or plenty of Coke. I need my Caffeine.' Mel said, as she relaxed back into her chaise lounge and closed her eyes.

'Blaine?' Kurt turned to the smaller man as he pulled out his phone with all the conviction of a starving man.

'I'll go with the same as you and Mel.' He stated, moving his guitar from the floor near his feet. 'I'm not fussy, especially as you said, at this time, I'd eat my own leg, that's how unfussy I am.'

'I don't think they have leg ala Blaine on the menu, but I can ask.' Kurt quipped as he pulled up the dial panel on his IPhone. 'Now! Does anyone know the number of a good 24 hour take out?'

The room filled with laughter as Blaine held out his hand, waggling his fingers in a come hither style.

Kurt handed over his phone and Blaine plugged in a string of digits and then held the device aloft, and on loudspeaker.

'You knew that off by heart? That is just sad Blaine.' Kurt hissed through giggles.

'Yeah, well I live alone, now listen to this if you want sad.' Blaine said as the voice of a woman rang out from the phone. 'Hey Mrs M...Yeah...No I'm great... No I'm in the office at the moment...can you hold on a sec.'

'What do you want.' He hissed to Kurt as he covered the receiver with his hand.

Kurt shrugged 'Pfff...I'll go with...is this ...?'

'Thai' Blaine responded in an almost trained fashion

'I'll get ...hmm, spiced fishcakes then please.' He said, which was followed by a huge grin spreading across Blaine's face.

'Hey. Yeah, can I get three of the usual and a couple of bottles of Coke...Diet. No... That's all Mrs M... Thanks.' Blaine read out the address of the office building and hung up the phone, before handing it back to Kurt.

Kurt was sniggering into his fisted hand as Blaine glared light-heartedly at him.

'You have a usual Blaine. Wow, you just trumped my sad list, You're officially a dork.' Kurt giggled

Blaine let out a breathy chuckle. 'Meh. But you love me for it'

The pair froze the instant the words left Blaine's mouth. Kurt's face flushed deep red and Blaine moved subtly further back from Kurt and withdrew his hand back at lightning pace once he had deposited the phone in Kurt's.

An awkward pause followed, as none of the rooms occupants made eye contact. (Well, Mel was asleep so that didn't really count) The deep and stuttered breaths of each man, punctuating the silence.

'Well...we have the same order...so that makes you at least part dork.' Blaine said, trying to defuse the tension. Seemingly trying to ignore the last few words he had said and savour the earlier speech about Kurt's new found desire to be unhealthy.

Kurt hummed in seeming agreement and settled back down into his chair, letting his thoughts play on Blaine's words. He stared out the window at the oscillating colours, trying to decipher whether the words had some sort of deeper meaning, or whether it was friendly banter or a slip of the tongue.

Kurt decided to leave it, it was probably just a mistake, and Blaine seemed pretty embarrassed for it to have been anything else.

Hmm, that was all. Definitely.

Although...now seemed like the perfect time to mention Blaine's Surprise.

(Yes, he and Mellissa had been planning a special gift for Blaine's birthday for the whole of last week and just hadn't gotten around to telling him. But he supposed now would be as good a time as any to mention it, especially as it might get Blaine's face to return back to it's normal shade rather than lobster, and he may stop hiding in a scrunched up ball on the couch)

It all seemed a little out of the blue, but the preparation beforehand made up for that.

'Blaine' Kurt stage whispered gently.

Blaine turned his head to face Kurt, he was still slightly flushed. 'Yeah?' he said nervously. (He had meant what he said, just, not for it to be spoken out loud, but Kurt didn't know that right?)

'Are you ok?'

'Yeah, just embarrassed as that came out totally wrong!'

Was it bad that Kurt's heart sunk a little at that?

'It's fine, but can...can I ask you something?'

Oh crap, oh Crap, OH CRAP! Kurt was going to ask if Blaine meant it, and if he wanted Kurt to love him, and he just couldn't lie to Kurt, he couldn't, so he'd say yes or something and then Kurt would laugh and chuck him out and fire him, and he'd never work again and he'd have to move to Canada and-

'Is it your birthday next month?'

Oh, well that was anti-climatic

'Err..Yeah, the 24th...why?'

'Good, because, well...Mel and I have a surprise for you!' Kurt chuckled faintly.

Blaine's laughter was not so soft. 'But Kurt.' He said, shaking his head, 'You said yourself, it's next month, telling me sort of ruins the point.'

'Yes, well...this needs time to prepare.'

'I am intrigued by your layers of mystery!'

'Hmm...Well you better like this, or our mystery planning will be all to waste'

'Spill!'

'I...we...have- well, you remember how you told us you were, a musician, before working here?'

'Yes...' Blaine said slowly, narrowing his eyes as a smirk spread across Kurt's lips.

'Well, my step-brother Finn, owns a recording studio. And... well... .' He said, all in one breath.

'What? English please Kurt.'

'You're going over to my step brother Finn's recording studio next Tuesday for a recording session, for a single.'

'WHAT!' Blaine jumped a foot into the air and began to hop up and down, hyperventilating.

Fanning his face with his hands he turned to Kurt. 'Are you actually serious?'

'Yes.' Kurt chuckled,' you have to stop doubting me.'

'I don't it's just...just Oh My GOD Kurt, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.'

'Being Kurt Hummel has it's perks' he said, smiling grittily.

Blaine continued to thank Kurt profusely as he flung himself into the taller mans arms, clutching at his waist and neck as he pulled him into the tightest embrace known to man, all whilst Kurt was still lying uncomfortably on the couch.

Blaine nuzzled his head into the crook of Kurt's neck as they lay awkwardly together.

Mellissa by this point, had been roused from her stupor, and heard the buzzer from the intercom blare across the room. 'Food's here.' She mumbled groggily.

Neither man seemed to notice.

'Eugh. Fine I'll get it.' She said, pulling herself up from the seat. She quickly smoothed down her hair, and twisted the waistline of her skirt back to normal, and took one last fleeting glance at the tangled men and meandered over to the door to fetch their takeout.

'Blaine' Kurt choked. 'need...air...to...live...lemmego.'

Blaine pulled away from the man, leaving his hand on Kurt's leg as Kurt rubbed at his neck in jest.

They sat in amicable silence for a moment before Kurt realised something was amiss.

'Hey.' He said, glancing around the room with an inquisitive stare. 'Where'd Mel go?'

'Here.' She croaked as the door swung open as if on cue. 'I got you losers your food, seems you were too preoccupied with other things to notice though.'

'Sorry Mel.' Kurt said cheerfully (tired Mel was not someone you mess with). 'I just told Blaine about his birthday present.'

'OOH.' Her demine changed immediately. 'What do you think?' she said, setting the white boxes down on the centre coffee table.

'I am...speechless. You guys are the best people in the world, ever. I...come here'

He leapt out of his seat and dashed over to Mel, enveloping her in an embrace almost as tight as Kurt's.

Mel just patted his hair awkwardly. 'Hey, anything for our little superstar to be.'

Blaine laughed as he released Mel and went to flop back down on the couch next to Kurt, scooping up two boxes on his way.

He ripped open the lid, not bothering with any cutlery, and just bit into his fish, trying to savour every last crumb that fell from his lips.

'Thif if weally good' he said between mouthfuls, whilst Mel and Kurt just laughed at his enthusiasm whilst they politely ate their food.

xXx

By 3am, Blaine was completely out cold. The empty take out box resting on his chest. It certainly wasn't the glamorous end to an evening you would expect, working at Pavarotti, but the three occupants of the office were all happy, and that was the important thing.

Kurt and Mel were still awake, putting the finishing touches to the files and organising all the folders featuring the catalogue prints.

Blaine remained curled up on the couch, with only his deep, but exceedingly loud, breathing, reminding them that he was still alive.

Kurt had much debated trying to see how many things you could balance on Blaine's head before he woke up, but gave up when the stapler fell onto the floor and smashed. It was becoming boring, and he was seriously considering just going to sleep, but that just...in his office...No. No?

Kurt slumped back down on the couch by Blaine's feet as Mel went to the mailbox to collect the early morning post. He slowly ran his fingers over the hem of Blaine's pants that ghosted against his ankles. He let his head fall back against the back of the couch as he continued to watch the calming rise and fall of Blaine's chest. It was hypnotic.

The smaller man hummed lightly in his sleep as he shifted around trying to get comfortable. Kurt shuffled in a little closer into him. Letting the heat radiating from Blaine's body, warm his own freezing form. The rain had steadied but was still loud and rambunctious as it pelted the window.

Kurt let his arm fall down the side of the couch until it was resting on the square of Blaine back. He slowly rubbed soothing circles with his thumb, massaging at the scrunched up material of Blaine's work shirt. (Which was nothing compared to the one he wore in those shots they took that very first day, Kurt still had one of those on his desk)

He thought back to their earlier conversation, where Blaine and he had been so comfortable together, as if they'd known each other all their lives, it was cliché and Kurt knew it, but there was something about Blaine that made Kurt feel so incredibly at ease. They had become best friends, and they could say or do anything together. But somehow, when that 4 letter word came into play, everything changed. Kurt reminisced on what Blaine had said to him, that little word falling absentmindedly from his lips, Kurt shook his head.

'You were right.' He whispered, eyes never leaving Blaine. 'What you said...you were right.'

With that, Kurt laid his head down on Blaine's legs and closed his eyes, willing himself to fall asleep as he pictured the sweet thoughts of what had happened over that last month, and what would hopefully happen in the future.

xXx

Mellissa felt very wayward, intruding on such a personal and intimate moment. She stood in the shadow of the door, watching as Kurt whispered into the sleeping mans ear.

It was remarkable. How Kurt had managed to find such a wonderful friend in Blaine. All because of an accident. Mellissa felt so proud to call these men her friends too. She knew how much Kurt had suffered and she knew that Blaine seemed to always be there for him, and for some reason she felt he always would.

And that was why; she stopped herself from storming into the room and screaming profanities, and instead, took herself, and the infuriating newspaper she found in the mailroom, away and back to the foyer, where a taxi cab awaited to take her home.

She tiptoed slowly back down the corridor and snuck into her office. She slung the paper down onto her desk as she slipped back over to the door. She locked the door behind her and hurried down to the awaiting vehicle.

The paper stayed in the office. Silence befell the building as it lay on the desk, with the exasperating headline blaring out for all to see. Numerous pictures and snapshots scattered below.

What New Treat has Hummel been Snacking on?

A little birdie saw this gorgeous piece of man candy on the arm of fashionista Kurt Hummel. Is this the designers new beau, and why is he sneaking around with him on little romantic rendezvous? Details inside...

TBC...