"K-Kurt!" Blaine was shaking violently with cold but still managed to smile his beautiful and infectious smile that made Kurts heart melt everytime he saw it. "Wh-what are y-you d-d-doing here? It-s-s 9pm!"

He stood up from the sofa and took Blaines ice cold hand, pulling him infront of the roaring fire. "Well, Dad and Carole were talking."

"And?" Blaine asked excitedly.

"And, they said it would be cheaper in the long run to board here instead of being a day student with the amount i'm spending on gas for my SUV and the bit extra we have to pay for just day tuition. Besides, they're paying towards Finn's college tuition next year and its turned out to be much more expensive than Dalton. Carole said it was only fair and as Dad's making alot more money with the buisness..." He trailed off, looking down at his hand which was still connected with Blaines.

"M'sorry." Blaine mumbled, snatching it back against his chest.

Kurt eyed his wet clothes and hair, the snow had now melted in the heat of fire. "Blaine, seriously, your freezing."

"I only went f-for a walk around the grounds," his teeth were still chattering, but not as harshly as before. "g-got c-caught in this c-crazy snow blizzard. My body is n-n-numb a-all over, I c-cant feel my hands."

"Here," Kurt gentley unwrapped the damp scarf from around Blaines neck, letting it slither down his back and land in a pool at his feet, shortly followed by his navy Dalton blazer. He could not help but eye the wet shirt clinging to his friends torso, outlining every muscle and perfect line on his body.

A soft voice snapped him out of his trance. I think I was starting to drown in my own drool.
"K-Kurt, what a-are you looking at?"

"I...er.. shirt... soaked." Well it is the truth. "You should go and change, you'll catch pnuemonia or something." He blushed and looked away from Blaines soft hazel eyes which were watching him intently.

Blaine was shivering, jiggling around to try and keep warm."S-some of the b-boys will be getting ready in the dormitory and there will be a q-q-queue for the bathroom. I dont feel like changing infront of everyone 'c-cause they g-get rowdy on early nights. The tutors m-make us go t-to bed early if-f its snowing bec-c-cause alot of them cause havoc outside. T-they'll probably make fun of me if I change in-f-front of them. Jokingly of course but i'm j-just not in the mood."

"Sit." Kurt ordered, forcing him down onto the brown leather sofa, kneeling down between his legs. "Trust me 'kay?" he muttered and started fumbling the buttons on Blaines shirt. He was still shaking slightly so it was making it much harder but eventually Kurt did it and slid it off his shoulders. leaving him sat there, half naked. Concerntrate. Concerntrate. He scolded himself mentally, trying not to look directly at his body.

"Kurt w-wh... how is this s-supposed to make me-?" A finger was placed on his lips silencing him.

"-hush and trust me." One swift movement and Kurt had pulled off his Dalton jumper and was already lifting Blaines shaking arms up and pulling it down onto him. "See? You're dry now at least." He reached for the tartan blanket spread the back of the sofa behind him and draped it around Blaines shoulders. "Get warm, i'll be back in a moment."

Blaine watched as Kurt picked up the wet clothes and left the room. He moved off the sofa and sat on the rug infront of the fire, thankful for the warmth as it began to spread through him. "You're right you know." Kurt said as he came back in, closing the door quietly behind him. "Its like walking in on the zoo animals at feeding time up there. Everyone is fighting and messing around."

"Thats why I tend to go for walks on nights like this and avoid all of that. I'm suprised you havent been told to go to b-b-bed yet but the tutors wont come back down now. They'll think everyone is upstairs. I cant believe how much its snowing."

"It really is Christmas now huh?" Kurt asked. "Hey, your teeth have stopped chattering...ish. You're still shivering though."

Blaine wiggled his eyebrows. "I n-need a nice warm body to come and cuddle up to me, thats why."

Kurt wished he wouldnt make things so hard for him. He knew Blaine was very cuddley towards him, they had been best friends for nearly a year now and and they were very comfortable with eachother. Well, Kurt used to be but he was gradually becoming uncomfortable as he always had the intense urge to kiss Blaine when they were close and one day that urge was going to overpower him, he just knew it.

Just relax Kurt thought as he sat behind Blaine, letting him snuggle inbetween his legs. When he leant back against his chest, Kurt couldnt resist running his hands through Blaines hair applying light pressure as he dragged his fingertips across his scalp making him moan quietley. "I love it when you do this." He heard Blaine mumble. Kurt did this quite alot, especially when his best friend needed to relax. Sometimes, in the evenings Blaine would sit crosslegged on the floor, his back to Kurts as he sat on the bed or the sofa and Kurt would comb his hair and they would just talk for hours.

Kurt found himself just playing with each curl on Blaines head, twirling them around his fingers. "So, i've got you full time here at Dalton huh?" Blaine asked, grinning. "How lucky am I? Well, I know you take up all the mirror time but least you can help me with my skin care, I dont have a regime like you and its getting all dry."

"Don't mock me!" Kurt snapped, scrambling to try and get to his feet. "I know i'm feminine unlike you but-"

"I'm not mocking you, dummy! Come here." He was pulled back down and hit Blaines lap with a thump. The dark haired boy adjusted the blanket, wrapping one end around Kurts shoulders and shifted closer so they were huddled together, so Kurt was sat sideways inbetween Blaines crossed legs. "Kurt Hummel! You should know I would never ever mock you, about you. I love all your little quirks like your skin care routine and the way you dress. It makes you who you are," Blaine placed his hand on Kurts leg.
Concerntrate Kurt, its just a hand on your leg. He's your best friend. He's your best friend. He's your best friend. He repeated over and over in his mind.

"and Kurt, you are wonderful." Blaine continued, leaning in to trace his nose across Kurts cheek. "You're special. And I really was being serious before, I mean my skin is really dry, its the cold weather."

Kurt pinched the bridge of his nose, half trying to concerntrate on not jumping Blaine, half trying to calm the wave of upset and aggrivation he felt towards himself bubbling up inside his chest like molten lava. "Blaine, i'm so sorry, I know you wouldn't be like that. I'm just... worried and its making me agitated."

Blaine raised a dark triangular eyebrow. "Why?"

He shook his head. "Its stupid."

"Hey," he held is hands up, "no judgments coming from me. You know you can tell me anything."

A sigh escaped his chest, feeling his body being pulled closer to the object of his desire. "For so long I felt out of place at Mckinley. I was the only openly gay person, I dressed differently, I acted differently, I was in Glee club. Even then, although we were all outcasts together I still felt like I was even..." he paused searching for the word. "outer, than the rest of them. Finally I feel like I fit in here, where people are more like me but my anxieties are just eating away at me. I dont want you to be tedious and annoying but I suppose I have this insecurity because i've finally found a place where everybody accepts me for who I am and I find it too perfect and i'm convinced something has to go wrong for me... right?"

"Of course not. " Blaine leaned forward so their faces were barley centimetres apart and oh, how Kurt really wished he hadnt done that. He could smell the gorgeous coconuty scent of his hair products despite the dampness and he couldnt help but watch his lips move as he spoke. They were looking so kissabley soft and pink and . "Everyone really likes you Kurt, you're a great addition to the Warblers and everyone marvels in your talent. Nothing will go wrong and you could never annoy anyone, especially me. Not ever."

Kurt could only lean forward, pressing his forehead against Blaines, letting his eyes flicker shut. "Thankyou. I... Blaine..." He was stumbling over his words because he was trying too hard to control the overpowering urge to let those three little words spill from his mouth. "I dont know what I would do without you. You've kept me strong over these weeks and you've made me feel like i'm not alone. You're like... you're like an angel or something and you came at the time I needed you most, when I was at my lowest. I suppose I have Puck to thank, I hadnt of told me to go to Dalton that day, I dont know where i'd be right now."

Blaine could hear his own heart hammering in his chest but didnt hesitate as he lifted his hands and placed them on Kurts cheeks, not moving his forehead away wanting to maintain as much contact as he could.

"Kurt, theres a time in your life, even after feeling happy and fulfilled that you notice perhaps things arent what you thought and that something is missing." He began to rub his thumbs gently over the soft skin underneath his hands. "Whether its a friend or... What I mean is, theres been a gap in my... you just make things a whole lot more worthwhile and I dont know what i'd do without you either."

"Blaine," Kurt breathed as his eyes flew open, two huge glowing hazel ones staring back at him. "Blaine I..." I think you are amazing and gorgeous and perfect? I am madly in love with you? You're everything I could ever have asked for? I need you? You bring me courage and strength and a happiness I never imagined I could ever feel? "I should go to bed."

Blaine frowned. "C'mon Kurt, its only 9.30. Stay."

"I... I'll see you later." As Kurt stood up, Blaine reached out to him, curling his fingers around his wrist.

"Kurt please, I-"

"-goodnight Blaine Warbler." Leaning down he pressed a kiss to his best friend's forehead.

"Anderson." Blaine called as Kurt reached the door.

"I know. But you'll always be my Blaine Warbler."

The door shut and he slumped up against it, letting his head flop backwards. He didnt even flinch as it hit the hard wood with a crack. Why do I have to be such a coward?