A/N: Sorry about the delay guys, another thank you to you guys and to Lotte for her great work, I love you all and hope you enjoy this xxx

...

"There they are." Carole smiled broadly as Sugar and Blaine entered the dining hall of floor three of the training centre. They were dressed in their own clothes and the body paint was washed off, at least most of it. Blaine still had some along his forearms. Kurt could faintly see the streaking electric pattern every so often. He was dressed in a simple shirt with elbow length sleeves, cotton trousers and was barefoot. He still looked amazing. "You both looked positivly stunning."

"Yes, McQueen did an amazing job." Sugar said with a smile as Blaine and her sat down, the boy across from Kurt.

"We have Kurt to also thank for that." Blaine said with a smile, gazing towards the mentor across from them. Kurt's cheeks burned a little and he smiled, lowering his head.

"My pleasure." He simply said, taking a bite from a leg of quail as Blaine and Sugar talked. Their appetites seemed back and they all ate in relative silence until the doors burst open.

"Starting without me?" William asked, gazing to them all with an eyebrow raised. Kurt said nothing, just continued to smother his meat in a strange but tasty purple sauce. "Oh well, never mind..." He walked over, sitting at the head of the table which was somewhat between Kurt and Blaine. Suddenly he gripped both of their arms and Kurt was sure that the same uncomfortable chill ran through Blaine's body as it did on his own. "I've been thronged with potential sponsors" Kurt grinned broadly.

"Really?" He beamed. Last year their sponsors had been very limited, so this was great news to hear.

"Yes, so all you both need to do is to preform well for the Gamemakers and interviews to keep them and possibly have even more begging to sponsor you." Blaine smiled, but said nothing. He did however remove his hand and Kurt didn't miss how he rubbed it against his hip as if cleaning. He had to stifle a chuckle.

"Sugar and I were talking..." Carole began, patting down her mouth. "About the possibility of allies.."

"No!" Kurt said suddenly, not looking up. Everyone exchanged glances except for Blaine who remembered Kurt's words to him on the train. Confusion took over them but Carole realised why Kurt was against allies when she remembered Quinn.

"It wont be like that Kurt..."

"I said no allies." He said underneath his breath, still eating. "When you're all training together be nice, make them like you but do NOT take allies." Carole frowned, clearly not agreeing.

"Well tell you what Kurt, you mentor your tribute your way and I will mentor mine." Blaine stayed out of it, his head down as tensions rose. For some time Carole continued to speak, but she was sure to not openly include Kurt, she wasn't inviting him into what she was saying. She spoke about them both practising what they were good at when alone and considered if they should flaunt their skills when all together or hide them to surprise the others.

"Careers flaunt." Blaine said suddenly, looking to Carole. "Thank you for taking an interest, Carole, but I think when we're training together I might...take Kurt's advice...use that time to have other tributes warm up to us." She opened her mouth to object. "Of course we shall also train but...well it's a good opportunity to soften the others. Don't you think?" She bit down upon her lip and frowned.

"I suppose...if you feel it is best Blaine." Kurt stayed silent, still eating despite how his appetite had left him long ago.

...

For the following few days the two had been in intensive training, both by themselves and as a huge group. Kurt knew nothing about the training other than what Blaine told him, which wasn't much. However he clearly made quiet an impression as a number of the other mentors were trying to talk to Kurt about an alliance between their tributes.

"Sapphie, Blaine has no interest in pairing up with Brittany." He said in a growl, somewhat annoyed by the sheer amount of female participants who were interested in Blaine. The blonde woman frowned.

"Kurt, Brittany is agile and fast. She can climb trees better than anyone else here. Therefor find shelter, keep a lookout..."

"And from what I hear she has the has the intelligence of some floosy from the Capitol." He said underneath his breath, like afraid someone from the Capitol would hear. Although saying that to someone from District One was almost as bad. The woman frowned and her jaw tightened.

"Fine." She snapped, turning away only for Finnick to approach. Kurt sighed.

"Please... no more allies..." He whispered and Finnick paused

"I know you had a bad experience, Kurt.."

"Stop it, Finnick."

"That doesn't mean it'd be the same for Blaine." The younger man groaned and tensed up, looking to the gorgeous man on front of him.

"I would prefer he die than have to go through alliances." He snapped, feeling sick before he turned away. "Good luck to your tributes Finnick...I hope they find partnership with someone else." He took in a breath and walked back to the training building. He was merely moments in the elevator before he came out at the third floor to see Blaine and Sugar sitting down with one another, some rolls of bread rested in a basket as they discussed strategies and ideas of what they were going to show the Gamemakers.

"Wow you are good with knots." Sugar whispered, neither of them noticing Kurt enter. Blaine laid down a napkin on top of a pile that were tied with knots. He smiled gently.

"It's all the work with wires I had with Beetee, though I don't see how this will impress them. Have you come up with your strategy?" She sighed gently.

"Carole thinks I should play dumb but I think that Brittany girl has that down to a T." They shared a chuckle and both reached out to get some bread. Hands touched and both pulled back. There was soft apologies and giggles, Sugar even blushed and Kurt finally decided to interrupt.

"Working hard?" He questioned and Blaine glanced back, holding some of the bread from district four in his hand. He smiled tiredly and nodded.

"Yeah...I think we're...we're ready."

"I hope so." Silence followed and Sugar glanced from one boy to the other before her eyes widened and she found herself standing.

"I should erm...I'd better go find Carole and talk with her some more." She briefly hugged Blaine who was still on the ground before giving Kurt a small smile and leaving. The room was silent before Blaine held out a piece of bread from District 4. Small, bite sized, homely.

"Thanks." Kurt said, taking it and sitting beside Blaine. "You've made quiet an impression on the others." He said, popping the bread in his mouth, it was just that small. Blaine had bread from every district and looked like he was trying them all. He picked up a loaf of brown bread from District 1 that was the freshest of them all and simply delicious when eaten with potato and leak soup, at least Kurt thought so.

"Really?" Blaine replied, sounding genuinely surprised as he shrugged. "I didn't aim to.. ."

"Of course not." Kurt said with a soft sigh. "Don't...don't grow to like them Blaine... It makes it harder." Blaine bit his lip and took a breath.

"Kurt what would...what would happen if I did like them and they liked me?" The younger opened his mouth to speak but the other boy continued. "What if we..." His voice lowered and he leaned closer. "All just worked together...they need one winner Kurt, what if we all just..."

"No! No Blaine!" Kurt cried out, his voice a little strained. "You don't know what it's like...they will try to kill you no matter what and I am...not letting you die! Don't you hear me?" He didn't realise how he was gripping onto Blaine's shirt, holding him firm with tears clouding up his vision. He couldn't let him die...This was Blaine. His partner in crime...The boy who he was certainly he...he loved from a very young age. "...Just no..." Kurt closed his electric eyes and pulled back, shaking his head. "I should...we should both go to bed. You have to preform for the Gamemakers and..." He stopped pulling away when Blaine gripped his wrist.

"Kurt...for what it's worth...I don't think you killed Quinn." Kurt choked up suddenly at this unexpected confession and the tears he tried to hold in began to run along his cheeks. Of course he did...It had been on TV. Everyone saw it and they hated him for it...including Blaine.

"But you wouldn't look at me." He said in little more than a whisper, choking up. Blaine looked ashamed.

"Kurt, it's complicated." He replied, only for Kurt's hand to be pulled from his as the young man staggered back.

"Go to bed Blaine." He said, so hoarsely and quiet that he wasn't even sure the boy heard him.

...

He didn't talk to Blaine almost all the next day, except for a good luck before him and Sugar went to impress the Gamemakers. Kurt just stayed on floor three of the training building, looking out the window where soon people would be either celebrating Blaine and sponsoring them or withdrawing all their potential money. He sighed gently and the door behind him burst opened. He didn't look but the hands stroking his shoulder in that uncomfortable fashion told him who it was.

"What are you doing in here dear boy?" William asked, his warm breath fanning over Kurt's ear. The younger shivered.

"Thinking..." He replied beneath his breath as William rubbed his shoulders harder.

"Thinking? My sweet songbird, you should be out there, socialising, talking up your tribute to all those people with far too much money." William moved so he was sitting beside Kurt, touching his leg. "There are far more people who can be persuaded by a fine young boy like yourself than they can by me." Kurt pulled his leg away and made a sound of disgust.

"Leave me alone." He snapped and William rolled his eyes.

"Oh Kurt, don't be such a killjoy." He slipped closer, just as the doors opened and the young mentor jumped up. Carole walked in with Blaine and Sugar by either side.

"Where were you all? From what I heard the tributes from 12 got out over an hour ago." Blaine could see the look in Kurt's eyes and he smiled gently, realising he just hadn't wanted to be here with William. Even Kurt's bitch glare didn't stop his smile. "N-Never mind, how did it go?"

Sugar simply shrugged and sighed, walking passed as Blaine looked directly to Kurt.

"Okay I guess. I was able to fashion up some weapons really easily like a blow dart and even some homemade darts...I also made a slingshot...I dunno how impressive that is but maybe they'll like my resourcefullness." He shrugged as the TV announced something about the training. Kurt glanced around to where William was calling them over. All four made their way to the TV. Sugar was sitting on the ground with Carole slightly to the side and Kurt and Blaine stood behind the couch where William stood on front of it.

A photo of the boy Sam from District 1 flashed and he was given an 8, the Brittany girl who wanted Blaine as an ally only got a 4 which seems very low for a Career.

"She's playing dumb." Kurt said and Blaine chuckled, as did Sugar.

"She mightn't be playing." Both echoed as the Tributes from 2 get high scores. Then came 3. Unexpectedly, Blaine rested his hand over Kurt's and tightened his grip as his photo came on screen.

9

"W-what?" Blaine said with wide eyes at the score. He grinned broadly and glanced to Kurt, pulling him close and hugging him. The score was good...exceptionally, at least by Blaine's standards. He was still smiling as he pulled back in time to see Sugar's score of 6 on the screen. He leaned forward, patting her shoulder as he struggled not to fall over the couch.

"You did good kiddo." He said with a smile and she giggled gently, shrugging him off her. Both were happy, satisfied, but Kurt knew that feeling could only last so long.