Disclaimer: I do not own Glee in any way, shape or form. Otherwise the show would revolve entirely around Kurt, and all the boys falling at his feet... tee hee. ^_^

A/N: This is set during the first half of season 1. In case you didn't read the summary... This is slash. (If you're offended by that, you shouldn't be here - you should be in therapy, starting to understand what is so terribly wrong with your homophobia.)

"Hey."

Kurt looked up, his face flushed with embarrassment. He tried to stand up, and failed. That last jump had really hurt… He had fallen, again, and worse, he'd been seen failing. He was going to be laughed at again...

"You want some help?"

"I don't need help from jocks," Kurt declared, the pride in his voice unmistakable even as he was unable to stop his wince of pain.

"Just because I play football doesn't make me a thug. Now, your dance moves are pretty, but you're trying to be acrobatic. That, I can help you with."

Kurt looked up and for the first time, looked twice at Mike Chang.

Whether it was the earnest look on Mike's face, or the fact that he really did need the help of someone who knew how to dance - and Mike knew how - Kurt found himself accepting the offer. Then he accepted the offered hand, and was pulled to his feet easily. Mike was stronger than his lean frame suggested, Kurt realized.

The very next Saturday Kurt went to Mike's house to learn how to dance. He walked down the stairs to Mike's basement with some trepidation, almost expecting the rest of the football team to burst out of a closet - no pun intended - and it would be "Pummeling Hummel" time, as they called it.

But no, Mike's room was empty of anyone else - besides a small bird in a cage by the window.

"That's Evita," Mike told Kurt, a soft, loving smile all across his features as he stroked her feathers through the bars. "She's a zebra finch."

"She's beautiful," Kurt smiled, finally feeling genuinely at ease, now that he had seen a hint of a sensitive side to the boy who he knew so little about. Kurt glanced around the room, taking in the decor.

Light blue walls - too hospital-esque for Kurt's tastes, but as least it wasn't horrid… Then there were posters of cowboys and… ice skaters?

"Shen Xue and -" Mike began to explain.

"Zhao Hongbo, yes I know," Kurt said, feeling shocked. "The most beautiful pair skaters since -"

"The Protopopovs," Mike finished.

Kurt shut his mouth and began to completely re-evaluate his perceptions of the other boy. He liked ice skating? It was possibly the gayest sport ever, Kurt thought with a small smile.

"Exactly," he said softly.

"So then," Mike smiled shyly, stepping over to his iport and setting up his ipod. "Let's get started."

After two hours of what he had previously thought to be simple moves, Kurt was exhausted.

"That's enough!" He cried, sinking down onto Mike's bed.

"Did I wear you out?" Mike said cheekily.

Kurt couldn't help but smile at the look on Mike's face, and wondered at the swift change from the kind but firm teacher he'd seen, right back to the humorous teen again.

"My mom says I do that a lot," Mike went on, going to pause his playlist. Mike certainly had good taste in dance music, Kurt admitted - it varied from beautiful classical pieces to the roaring beat frenzies of hip hop.

"Want some lunch?" Mike offered.

"That sounds… wonderful."

And that's how Kurt came to spend every Saturday in Mike Chang's basement, learning to dance. Every time he got a bit more flexible, and a bit better at dancing. Every Saturday Kurt learned a little more about the enigma that was Mike Chang. Every consecutive week he spent a bit more time over at Mike's, until soon they were spending the entire day together.

Mike taught him some ballet, jazz, modern, and even some ballroom moves. Then were the stretches, and the bends, and the cartwheels, and the leaps… Kurt was slowly but surely becoming a great dancer.

Life went on for Kurt. He continued to sing, but still get passed over for solos every week. He continued to dress exactly how he wanted - and got bullied as a result by those 'thugs', as Mike called them, from the football team.

But soon enough he found that Saturdays were his favorite part of the week, and he spent the entire week looking forward to his dance lesson.

"I think you're ready to try something new today - something a little more complicated," Mike declared.

It was two days before Kurt was scheduled to audition for Defying Gravity, and Kurt was a nervous wreck. He didn't know what to do about it, especially after the call his father had received the day before…

But now he was here, dancing with Mike, and his troubles seemed far away.

"Yes?" Kurt's eyes lit up. Mike thought he was getting better…

"I want you to leap off of the desk."

"Wait - excuse me?" Kurt blinked.

Mike patiently repeated himself.

"You can't be serious," Kurt said, looking at the desk nervously. "I could hurt my ankles."

"That's why I'm going to catch you," Mike said, his eyes locking on Kurt's.

"Oh," Kurt breathed, his heart rate speeding up for no discernible reason.

"You trust me?"

"Yes," Kurt said easily… he hadn't even had to think about it.

"Good." Mike's dark brown eyes flashed suddenly, and Kurt felt weak-kneed. It was because he was nervous, Kurt told himself.

"Go on then," Mike prompted, and started the music.

Slowly, carefully, Kurt climbed onto the table. He tried not to think - and then he leaped - elegant, arms extended. He had a flash of panic as he fell - then strong arms were wrapping around him and spinning him. Kurt gasped and let Mike hold him as the taller boy danced with him in his arms.

Kurt felt like he was flying…

Then easily, as if Kurt weighed as little as a feather, Mike dipped him backwards, then slowly back up. Kurt's feet came to rest softly on Mike's, his arms automatically moving around Mike's neck as his head whirled and he tried to re-orient itself. The football player held Kurt close, waiting for the dizziness to fade away.

The soprano breathed in deeply, feeling absolutely giddy and rather light headed. He hadn't done anything that exhilarating in ages…

"Thank you," Kurt said, smiling up at Mike. The taller boy just nodded, not releasing the hold he had around Kurt's waist, his eyes wide and breathing erratic - more erratic than it should be, Kurt thought for a moment, because Mike was rarely tired from dancing, and not for hours at least...

For the first time, Kurt wasn't imagining that Mike was Finn. Mike was just… himself - tall, strong, trustable, kind, gorgeous Mike - and being held by him felt entirely right.

The look Mike was giving him was absolutely intense, and Kurt quivered as he finally got a clue.

"Mike," he sighed, and leaned up to kiss him.

The dancer clutched him tighter as he kissed back with a suppressed sob. Mike's lips were firm, and warm, and deliciously masculine in a way that made Kurt tingle all over. Kurt fervently hoped that Mike would never, ever let go of him.

"Wasn't planning to," Mike said, quite possessively, and Kurt realized he had spoken out loud.

"I was ready," Kurt said happily, and Mike nuzzled his nose with his own, in an eskimo kiss.

"Thank heavens," he said, amused.

"Thank you for waiting," Kurt couldn't stop smiling. He sighed and rested his head on Mike's chest, relishing in the closeness.

"You're worth it," Mike whispered.

Kurt could only hope so.

"Do you want to practice that move again?"

"I don't know if you need much practice, you're pretty good already," Mike's voice was husky.

"But I'd love to practice it with you, a lot," Kurt turned to look at him, his eyelashes fluttering.

"Didn't know you liked being caught so much," Mike teased.

"By you I do," Kurt said simply.

Mike was at a loss for words, so he expressed himself with a kiss.

On Monday, looking into Mike's eyes as he sang, Kurt aced every note of Defying Gravity… And won the solo part. As the other club members clapped and cheered, Mike stepped forward.

He took Kurt into his arms to give him a long, lingering kiss that left the soprano's toes curling. Amidst the cat calls and loudened applause, Kurt realized what had changed within him...

Kurt Hummel was now ready for anything.