Blaine closes the door behind him, drops his overnight bag on the floor of Kurt's loft and watches as Perry starts inspecting every corner of the apartment, her tail wagging in excitement. It looks a bit weird, to see his dog inside Kurt's place, but Perry herself doesn't seem to mind, trotting from wall to wall and stopping to sniff at every piece of furniture she can reach.

"Why does this feel like we're one of those celebrity couples who get an official court order after their divorce to share the custody of their pet?" Blaine asks, following the dog with his eyes.

Kurt stops in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips, watching Perry with a proud expression. "Don't listen to him, girl, he's just tired after his court day," he says airily. He doesn't even flinch when Perry nudges her muzzle against the easel in front of the window with curiosity. "Or did we get both married and get a divorce during the car ride here and you just forgot to tell me?" he adds, glancing at Blaine over his shoulder with a teasing grin.

Blaine chuckles, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He can feel his cheeks heat up. "I'm just saying that this was your idea. If she throws up on your carpet, you don't get to blame me for it."

"She's not going to throw up," Kurt says, scratching Perry's head when she passes him by. "Besides, this way you don't have to worry about anyone checking my tracking data," he points out. "And since Perry didn't get car sick and has no problems with either stairs or elevators, I don't really see what could be the problem."

"Nothing," Blaine admits. He crosses the space between them and wraps his arms around Kurt's waist from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder and closing his eyes. Kurt feels familiar against him, firm and tall and slender, and Blaine nuzzles his nose against his neck, breathing him in. "Sorry. I really am tired. The court session seemed to drag on forever," he mumbles.

Kurt hums and turns his head to kiss his temple. "But that forger was convicted, wasn't she? Another case done and finished."

"Yep, she's going to prison. There was no question about that." Blaine blinks his eyes open, frowning in thought. "It just took a long time to go through all that evidence and explain it to the jury and..."

He trails off when Perry suddenly stops next to his legs, looking up at them with her Labrador smile, her tail swishing back and forth. She looks weirdly proud, if dogs can look proud.

"I guess she approves of the place," Kurt comments, and Blaine laughs, burying his face in the curve of Kurt's neck.

It's nice to know that he can do this, can be this close to Kurt. They haven't been meeting outside of work as much as they used to before the Caine case, but they have still tried to arrange time for themselves, and it has certainly taken some getting used to. It took Blaine weeks just to silence the whispering voice inside his head that kept telling him that one of his superiors could check Kurt's tracking data any day – and the other voice that called him a bad dog owner every time he worked late – but they both made compromises, and now it finally starts to feel like they have a working routine again.

And then Kurt came up with this idea, of bringing Perry to his loft so they can spend time together without worrying about the tracking anklet or stressing Perry, and for the first time in weeks Blaine's mind is completely and blissfully empty of those nagging voices. Just getting to hold Kurt in his arms always makes him forget the long days he's had. There have been a lot of court sessions lately, older cases finally making their way to court, and Blaine does like that side of his job as well – court sessions and testifying are fascinating in their own way and a necessary link in the investigation chain, even if he could never see himself handling them for a living, not like his mother; he likes the investigation part far too much – but unfortunately court sessions for white collar cases also tend to run very late almost every single time.

An evening alone with both Kurt and Perry was exactly what he needed, and judging from how relaxed and loose Kurt is in his arms, it's probably something Kurt needed as well. Kurt has testified on a few cases as well during the last few weeks, and the attorneys always tend to get fixated on his criminal past and question anything and everything about his expertise. Blaine can only guess how tiring it must be.

He smiles down at Perry and tightens his hold on Kurt, swaying them a little in place. "Thank you," he says softly.

"It's nothing," Kurt says, resting his own hands over Blaine's. He looks around the loft, and Blaine can see him squint his eyes in consideration. "I must admit, though – I actually like your place more than my own," he muses.

"Why's that?" Blaine asks, starting to trail slow kisses down Kurt's neck. Perry gets bored of them and wanders off towards the kitchen with a harrumph, probably looking for the warmest place to lie down on. Apparently getting used to a new place wasn't that big a deal for her.

"Well..." Kurt drawls, tilting his head to the side and giving Blaine's lips better access. "I don't really know. I guess your apartment just feels more... lived-in. More permanent. All of my things are here, all my clothes and sketches and paintings, but your apartment still feels more like home."

Blaine smiles against Kurt's skin, his chest feeling warm. "Even if the view isn't as great?"

"Even– oh." Kurt's breath hitches when Blaine's mouth founds a particularly tender spot and starts sucking on it gently. "Even if," he finishes shakily. "I thought you were tired, Agent Anderson?"

"I was," Blaine agrees, putting emphasis on the past tense and turning Kurt around in his arms so he can pull their hips together. He can already feel Kurt growing harder against his thigh, and it makes all the warmth in his chest shoot right down to his own groin. "But I think I need a shower first?" he adds, licking his lips and looking up at Kurt, trying to go for innocent but probably failing miserably.

Kurt's eyes darken anyway, and he kisses Blaine's lips, his hands moving to rest above his ass. "Is that a statement, or an invitation?" he asks with a grin, teasing his fingertips over the waistband of Blaine's pants and fluttering his eyelashes. He does innocent so much better, probably thanks to his years as a con-man, and it's so not fair.

Blaine sucks in a breath when Kurt shifts his legs, aligning them together perfectly. "Yes," he breathes out, stealing another kiss. "Just, yes."

Kurt laughs and pats his ass. "You go ahead already. I'll just hang my clothes and then I'll join you."

Blaine nods and forces himself to let go of Kurt, walking backwards towards the bathroom for a few steps. Kurt shakes his head in amusement before turning his back on him, and Blaine can't help but watch the way Kurt's body shifts when he shrugs out of his jacket, the graceful movement making Blaine's mouth feel dry. He only turns around himself when he almost collides with a chair and then rushes through the loft, giving a quick smile when he notices that Perry has settled down in front of Kurt's fridge, her muzzle resting between her front paws. She glances at Blaine when he passes her by in a hurry, but doesn't even lift her head.

In the bathroom Blaine turns the shower on first – it always takes a while for the water to turn warm since Kurt lives on the top floor and the building is quite old – and only then shucks off his clothes, not folding them even nearly as neatly as Kurt would. He kicks off his underwear last and has just put his hand under the shower spray to check the water's temperature, the air in the shower stall already feeling warmer, when Kurt's naked body suddenly presses against his from behind, hot and hard (in every sense of the word, Blaine notices giddily), and Blaine gasps, leaning back against him.

"Y-you were fast," he points out shakily. "Are you sure you hung your suit properly?"

"Of course I did," Kurt murmurs, stroking his hands down Blaine's chest and kissing the spot behind his ear. His voice turns almost reverent. "God, Blaine, you have no idea how much I want to have this in my life every single day. How much I want to have you."

The warmth in Blaine's stomach starts pooling lower, his skin feeling more alive everywhere Kurt is touching it. He steps under the shower, pulling Kurt with him, and turns around so they can kiss again, hard and messy and open-mouthed. Kurt's hands immediately move to his hair, starting to work out the gel in gentle circles that seem to move in time with their kisses, and Blaine tugs him closer, running his own hands over Kurt's wet back. The warm water feels lovely against his muscles, against all the tight knots the uncomfortable court house chairs have caused, but not as lovely and soothing as Kurt's touch.

When Blaine feels the last remains of the gel loosening away, his lips already a little sore from all the kissing, Kurt pushes him against the wall so they're not directly under the shower's spray anymore, the cool tile making a sudden shiver run through Blaine's back. He blinks the water out of his eyes, and Kurt gives his lips one last kiss, nibbling at his lower lip before he leans away. He looks so beautiful like this, flushed and wet and gorgeous, his hair fallen over his forehead and drops of water running down the lines and curves of his body, and just when Blaine is about to lean in and do something, perhaps lick at Kurt's skin or kiss him some more, Kurt sinks down to his knees in front of him.

"I want to taste you," he says, taking Blaine's already hard cock in his hand and stroking it a few times, looking up at Blaine. "Can I?"

Blaine can't help it; he whimpers, thumping the back of his head against the cool bathroom tile, his hands trying to find something he can hold on to. "Oh my god yes, yes, of course, you don't even have to ask," he babbles.

Kurt smirks and leans in, taking him into his mouth in one go without any preamble. Blaine's hips twitch at the sudden feeling, his muscles fighting against his instincts to push in, and he moans, the sound echoing through the small space. They usually do this the other way around, which is perfectly fine as well – Blaine loves giving just as much as receiving – but this time is different: Kurt is uninhibited, completely loose and himself, no walls to hide behind, as if he's letting himself be bold in this way when he's with Blaine, as bold as he is with almost everything else in his life.

Blaine keeps his eyes closed, focusing on the sound of Kurt bobbing his head and sucking. He's tired and already so worked up that if he even glances at Kurt all of this is going to be over embarrassingly soon. His fingers twitch weakly against the wall, and his whole body is shaking the whole time, small whimpers and moans the only sounds coming out of his mouth aside from the heavy breathing, and then after a while Kurt does something with his tongue, something complicated that feels amazing, and okay, this is probably going to be over embarrassingly soon anyway.

"K-Kurt–" Blaine stutters, blinking his eyes open and pushing weakly at Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt only sinks his mouth lower, swallowing around him, and then Blaine is coming, pleasure shooting through his whole body. His muscles coil tight and his eyes screw back shut again as he gasps out, feeling like he has lost his breath, has forgotten who and where he is, the rushing in his ears drowning out the sound of the shower water still hitting the floor.

Blaine comes back when Kurt's mouth finally slips away, his hands petting over Blaine's trembling thighs. Blaine blinks his eyes open again. He is completely slumped against the wall, his body feeling boneless and exhausted, his breathing heavy and labored, and Kurt looks up at him from where he's still kneeling, licking his lips absent-mindedly. Blaine whines.

"Kurt," he breathes out, reaching out and pulling Kurt up so he can kiss him. "That was – oh my god, you –"

Kurt laughs breathlessly, kissing him back and practically supporting him even though his own knees seem to wobble a little as well. He's still hard; Blaine can feel him against his thigh and he blindly reaches down, wrapping his fingers around Kurt's cock and stroking him fast and hard. Kurt shudders against him, his mouth dropping open and his hips twitching desperately closer to Blaine's hand.

"Blaine –" Kurt starts to say, his voice breathy and higher than usual, but the rest of the words cut off when Blaine presses a messy kiss on Kurt's collarbone and twists his hand. The movement seems to be enough because Kurt comes, shaking and moaning and dropping his forehead on Blaine's shoulder.

They breathe heavily against each other for a while, letting their heartbeats slow down. The air is humid and hot around them, the shower still running next to them, and after a moment Kurt tugs them under its spray again, kissing Blaine wetly and tiredly. His eyelashes are wet spikes over his cheeks when he closes his eyes, and Blaine wraps his arms around him, kissing back as well as he can with the post-orgasm sluggishness slowing him down.

"I love you," Kurt mumbles, his voice sounding wrecked and vulnerable.

And that's it, that's what makes Kurt seem so much more open and uninhibited than Blaine has ever seen him before. Ever since Kurt told him about his past and about everything that happened to him before he became a con-man it has felt like Kurt has given himself completely to Blaine, like he's not holding back anymore, like they are suddenly on a much more equal footing. Blaine has always shared more, opened up more about what made him become an FBI agent and what his life has been like, and that's okay – he knows that Kurt has had his reasons and that it's not easy for him to open up completely. He has already given Blaine so much, so much more than Blaine could have even anticipated over a year ago when he got that call from prison, and it has been more than enough. Kurt has always been more than enough for him. He has made Blaine's life more complicated but also so much better, so much more colorful and vibrant and alive and happy – but ever since Cooper's call and the following discussion it has been different. As if there are no more walls left, no more invisible weights holding Kurt down, no more con-man exterior for Kurt to hide behind when things get rough.

As if Blaine can finally see the real Kurt in all of his entirety.

They haven't brought up Kurt's family again in conversation, not yet, simply because there has been no need to, and Blaine himself hasn't even called Cooper back yet because some childish part of him still thinks that it's Cooper's turn to reach out for him now. But all the information is still there, floating in the air around them, probably in the same way it has been following Kurt around for years like a dark shadow, and Blaine's heart aches for him, for everything he has gone through and lost. He wishes desperately there was something he could do, some way to take all that pain and loss away and give Kurt his family back, but he knows that it's a big mess and that he can't just magically make it all better, no matter how hard he wishes. But there are some things he can do, a few smaller gestures and attempts, to hopefully make everything a little better for Kurt.

He remembers what he said to Peterson all those weeks ago – fearlessly and forever – and kisses Kurt slowly, sliding their lips together under the shower.

"I love you too," he whispers back, stroking his hand down Kurt's trembling back, the water pouring over their skin. "So much."

This is something he can do, and perhaps it helps, in some way. At least he can feel Kurt's mouth turning into a smile against his own.

---

Blaine has a small wooden box on top of the bookcase in his living room, partly hidden behind old mystery novels and the few flower vases he has. He keeps the box locked, not because it has anything that secretive, but because he doesn't want just anyone to find it and look inside.

He keeps the birthday and Christmas cards Kurt sent him years and years ago in it, as well as a few of Kurt's sketches. Most of them are quick drawings Kurt has just left lying around the office or around Blaine's apartment, but some of them are also more detailed, more finished. Kurt has given them to him directly, but Blaine just doesn't have enough wall space to frame all of them, so he keeps them in the box with everything else.

He has one of Kurt's sketches framed in his office, a picture of a suit that Isabelle Wright complimented, and another one in his bedroom, a gorgeous detailed drawing of Perry Kurt sketched one lazy evening when they were watching TV and Perry was sleeping on the floor in front of them. He shyly gave it to Blaine when he was done, saying that he wanted him to have it, and Blaine was so touched that he couldn't get a word out of his mouth and had to thank Kurt by kissing him senseless.

When Kurt noticed the drawing framed on the wall in Blaine's bedroom a few days later, he looked so happy that Blaine had to kiss him senseless all over again.

The wooden box used to be the only locked compartment in Blaine's life, the only physical container he wanted to keep safe from everyone else. Obviously he keeps his gun behind a sturdy lock when he's not carrying it, but the door to his office is always open, and any secrets he has have always been kept within his mind, not as something concrete in boxes or safes – but now he has also started to keep one of his desk drawers at the office locked. The drawer doesn't have much in it, just his own copy of the Songbird case file, with his personal notes and additions. It's for his eyes only, has been ever since the case first landed on his desk, and he recently made a few new notes in it for the first time in a long while, deciding then and there to keep it behind a lock and key from now on.

Kurt could probably pick the lock, as well the lock for the wooden box, but he has no reason to. Blaine knows he will tell Kurt about the box and the file someday. He probably knows about the box already, but Blaine doesn't want to tell Kurt about the file until he's absolutely sure of the things he's quietly working on.

He doesn't want to give Kurt any false hopes.

It's a calm day at the office when Blaine takes the file out, stroking his fingertips over the well-worn corners with a small smile. It seems like a lifetime ago when he started keeping this file, when Kurt was just another case, and so many things have changed for the better since then.

Kurt is out having lunch with Rachel and Santana, and almost everyone else from the White Collar Division is out as well, either working or on their lunch break, so Blaine opens the file, looks through some of the papers inside it, and then places it aside, pulling the keyboard of his office computer closer. He hesitates for a moment, but eventually he opens one of the official governmental databases he has access to as the head agent of his own team.

He types the name Finn Hudson in the search box and presses enter.

---

"We have a new case," Blaine says over the rim of his coffee cup when Kurt steps into the conference room. Blaine has spread out the case files over the table during the last hour he's been going through them, and there are a lot of them – this already looks like a big case, probably bigger than anything they've ever worked on before, but it's hard to tell when the investigation is still in its early stages.

"Yes, Blaine, I can see that," Kurt says dryly, rolling his eyes and stopping next to Blaine. His eyes scan over the files in curiosity. "What's it about?"

"We're going to be working together with Organized Crime," Blaine starts, taking the nearest file and giving it to Kurt.

"Ooh, a collaboration," Kurt says, lifting his eyebrows in surprise.

Blaine nods and takes a sip of his coffee before continuing. "Yeah, they've been trying to solve this crime spree for a while now. At first it was just a string of robberies, and Organized Crime figured that it was connected to the mafia or to a highly skilled street gang. They've only been able to identify a few suspects so far and they all have links either to the mafia, to the local gangs or even to both, so it seems pretty complicated."

Kurt looks up from the file he's been browsing. "And where do we come in?"

"Well, apparently the crimes have started to become a lot more white collar recently. It's still obviously the same group of people, perhaps with a few additions or some new experts brought in – but look at the list of their targets." Blaine points at the file Kurt is holding. "An art gallery, a museum, a few small banks... It's not just cargo trucks or local businesses anymore. They're moving up in the world."

Kurt nods in understanding, his eyes skimming over the file's contents. "And that's where we come in," he repeats.

"They specifically asked for our team," Blaine mentions and can't help but preen a little. His team has had the most impressive conviction rate in the New York office for a while now, but apparently they are so good and well-known these days that other divisions have started to specifically ask if they can work with them, bringing up Blaine's name in their conversations with the higher-ups. It's flattering, really – Blaine doesn't do his job for the glory or for pats on the shoulder; he does it because he knows he's good at it and because he wants to help people, wants to solve the puzzles placed in front of him every day and set things right. But the sense of accomplishment still feels nice.

Kurt looks at him with a fond smile, as if he knows what he's thinking about. "You're excited, admit it."

"Of course I am," Blaine laughs, placing his coffee on the table and starting to organize the files into an order that makes more sense. "It's a huge honor to get a request of assistance from another team, especially a team outside of our own division. And it's Organized Crime, on top of that. They're usually the ones who think we're stepping on their turf any time we ask for their assistance on a case."

Kurt shrugs, lifting his chin. "That's because they're jerks."

Blaine stops, holding the files in his hand. "Kurt..." he warns gently, not wanting to insult the other division too much but secretly knowing that Kurt is right.

"What, you've seen the way they've looked at me when we've worked with them before," Kurt argues, giving the last file to Blaine and leaning against the table. "It's all sneers and distrust."

"I know," Blaine sighs, putting the files down and shifting closer so he can bump his shoulder against Kurt's. It's not what he wants to do, but they're at the office and they have gotten used to the more professional relationship they have inside these walls. Friendly touches and conversation about their cases are alright, supportive kisses in the conference room are definitely not. Even if the team is alright with them, they're not going to risk it.

"The CIs they deal with are very different from you, though," Blaine points out. "It's understandable that they're suspicious. And I'm afraid I can't promise things are going to be any different this time – the agent they're sending in to brief us will probably be even worse. He kind of... Um. Doesn't like me."

Kurt head turns around so fast that Blaine feels almost dizzy with the movement. "Are you saying that there are actual agents in the Bureau who don't like you? But you're always so..." he gestures at Blaine, furrowing his brows, "... likeable."

"Stop it," Blaine laughs. "You know just as well as I do that there are actually several people like that. Several people who would just love to see me..." He trails off, looking away and frowning.

Kurt nudges his shoulder this time. "I know," he says softly, and Blaine can hear the honest understanding behind his words, the words he's saying between the lines. "So why doesn't this guy like you, then?" he asks, changing the subject. "Don't tell me he's a homophobe?"

Blaine snorts. "No, I think – I think he actually plays for our team? I don't know for sure. If he does, it's never been brought up like it was with me. He has enough connections in the Bureau to prevent things like that from coming to light." Blaine shrugs his shoulders. He's not bitter and he's over it, even if he still remembers how it felt to have his abilities as an agent questioned only because of his sexuality – but knowing it all could've been prevented if he'd just had the right connections...

"Well, what is it then?" Kurt asks, straightening his bowtie (steel gray today) and looking at Blaine curiously.

"I... Um." Blaine hesitates. "I was sort of offered his job before he got it."

Kurt lifts his eyebrows. "And what job was that?"

"Er... Running Organized Crime?" Blaine ventures, giving a small smile.

Kurt blinks. "Are you telling me that they asked you to run a whole unit and you turned it down?"

Blaine fidgets. "I'm not that interested in organized crime?" he offers, shrugging his shoulders again and scrubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "Look, it was a few years ago when the position came up and I was the first one they offered it to – but I like my current job, I like working white collar and I like running the team I already have, so I declined. And they gave it to Sebastian Smythe instead."

"And now this Agent Smythe is going to work with us on this case," Kurt clarifies, still looking at Blaine a little surprisedly.

"Yep," Blaine says, popping out the final sound of the word. "And he kind of... resents me. So he's going to resent you as well. But maybe we can work our angle and he can work his with Organized Crime and we won't have to deal with him that much." Blaine glances at Kurt, hoping he can get everything he wants to say but can't right now across with his eyes alone.

Kurt gives him a smile, pushing himself off the table. "Well, at least the case seems interesting."

"At least the case seems interesting," Blaine repeats with a sigh.

---

Sebastian Smythe looks Blaine up and down once before extending his hand for him, smirking like something about Blaine is inherently funny. "Special Agent Blaine Anderson," he says, drawing out the name. "It's been a while."

Blaine smiles back politely and shakes Sebastian's hand. He can act professional and respectful, even if he wants to grimace in reality. "It really has. You're still running Organized Crime, then?"

Sebastian lifts his eyebrows, the smirk staying in place. "I am. And you're still running... something."

Blaine can feel how his smile threatens to falter, but he pushes through. "Still running my own team, yes," he answers and steps aside so Sebastian can shake Kurt's hand as well. It's just the three of them in the conference room for now – Blaine would much rather brief his own team himself than let Sebastian do it, and thankfully Sebastian himself doesn't seem to want to spend any more time at the White Collar Division than is necessary.

"Kurt Hummel," Kurt introduces himself, sounding perfectly friendly, but Blaine can hear the underlying dislike in his voice. "It's nice to meet you, Agent Smythe."

"Right." Sebastian scoffs before he looks back to Blaine. "So you got yourself a government financed boy toy then, Anderson? Well done. I didn't know you had it in you."

Kurt freezes, the corner of his mouth twitching and his eyes narrowing into a glare, and Blaine is honestly surprised that Sebastian doesn't catch fire right there and then. He clears his throat, shooting a quick apologetic look to Kurt, and then furrowing his brows at Sebastian, placing his hands on his hips like he does every time he wants to remind people of his position as the leader of his team. He knows Sebastian is just trying to play them, trying to make it clear who the real boss is here, all of it only because he resents Blaine for something that happened years ago and has some issues with criminal informants. He's trying to make the whole request of assistance sound like pity, even if Peterson had told Blaine that Organized Crime had practically begged the White Collar Division for help because they haven't been making much progress on their own.

Their division – and therefore Blaine and Kurt – have the upper hand here, no matter what Sebastian thinks.

"He's a CI, Smythe," Blaine says, enunciating Kurt's title carefully, "you know that just as well as I do. And he's a brilliant one at that. If you want my help, you're getting his help as well, whether you like it or not. You're in my division now."

Sebastian shrugs. "Only because my superiors said I should include you. I can solve my cases without getting help from former criminals." He looks pointedly at Kurt.

"But you still came running to us for help when you couldn't figure out a simple robbery case?" Kurt comments snidely, tilting his head. "And your superiors even encouraged it. How sad."

"Ooh, the petty criminal has claws," Sebastian retorts, lifting his hands in a mocking gesture.

"Stop," Blaine snaps. He is used to the way Sebastian always tries to belittle everything and everyone, but this is still his office, his division, and he's not going to listen to it, not after everything he and Kurt have already gone through and Sebastian knows nothing about.

Sebastian lowers his hands slowly, giving a somewhat placating shrug. Kurt is still bristling next to Blaine, glaring daggers at Sebastian, and Blaine knows Kurt could tear Sebastian a new one in seconds, but he stays quiet even though it's clear he doesn't want to.

Blaine takes a breath to calm down. "Alright. We're going to have to work together on this case, emphasis on the word together, so we can't spend all of our time arguing. We're going to focus on solving the case instead." He gestures at the chairs around the conference room table. "So, Agent Smythe, why don't you walk us through what your team has found out so far and then we can figure out how my team can be of assistance."

After a moment Sebastian nods, resigned, and moves to sit down, seeming to begrudgingly acknowledge that Blaine is in charge here. The rest of the meeting goes much easier after that. Sebastian is a good agent, even if he acts the way he does, and it's clear that he can see when it's time to give up and focus on work. They go through the evidence Organized Crime has collected, discuss possible suspects and where the group of criminals might strike next if they stick to their pattern. Blaine can sense that Kurt is still annoyed, but he doesn't let it show and offers his comments just like he would in any other meeting.

The crime spree started with small thefts, the culprits quickly moving to bigger and more valuable targets with every robbery. They have also been getting more and more violent with every crime – two security guards are already dead because of them, and as Blaine listens to Sebastian list facts about the case he can't help but feel the pattern seems familiar, like he has seen a case like this before, many years ago, perhaps even during his training. If it was just him and Kurt, he'd point it out, but with Sebastian here he doesn't want to speculate when all he has is just a hunch.

"We don't really know what their endgame is," Sebastian explains, gesturing at the list of stolen goods in front of him on the conference room table. "It's clear the targets are getting bigger, but we don't know if it's because the robbers are getting cocky or because they have some specific goal in mind. For the past few days we've been focusing on figuring out how they got into the bank they robbed earlier this week, but..."

Blaine looks up. "Do you have the blueprints of the bank?" he interrupts, remembering the robberies he and Kurt have successfully worked on before.

"Yeah, they're right here." Sebastian opens a new file, taking a few papers from it and spreading them over the table. "We think they used the maintenance corridor, but we haven't found any evidence there."

Blaine leans over the papers and then looks up at Kurt. "Kurt? What do you think?"

Kurt slides down from the window sill he's been sitting on and pulls the blueprints closer. He purses his lips in thought. "I can see why you'd think they used the maintenance corridor, but... You said the crimes have been getting more violent, right?"

Blaine nods, following Kurt's train of thought. "You think they used a more violent way to get in as well?"

"Not necessarily more violent," Kurt says, putting the blueprint down on the table, and stabbing at it with his finger, "maybe just more forceful. See that? There's a clear route from the cellar to the vault if you just get through that wall. It's doesn't even seem to be a bearing wall," he observes. "That way they wouldn't have had to enter the vault at all – they could've just broken the wall, leaned in, and gotten what they came for. It's a lot more effective than using the maintenance corridor."

Sebastian scoffs. "I think we would've noticed a hole in the wall, Hummel."

"Not if they covered it up," Kurt points out, surprisingly calmly. "And if you look at the way they handled that art gallery job, it's clear they have experience on covering things up. All you have to do is notice the patterns and figure out what fits."

Blaine looks up from the blueprints at Kurt, probably grinning like an idiot. Seeing the way Kurt works things out is always fascinating, whether it's about the case they're working on or about the details on Kurt's sketches – and it also always makes him wish he could pull Kurt in for a heated kiss because good god, his boyfriend is clever and amazing and hot and he really wishes he could make everyone see it, let everyone know that he is Kurt's and Kurt is his.

But obviously he can't, so he settles on just smiling contentedly and pushing the blueprints over the table back to Sebastian.

Sebastian grumbles something unintelligible, and Kurt just grins back at him, satisfied and proud.

"So are we done for now?" he then asks, glancing at Blaine. "It's getting late and I want to get home."

To everyone else it probably sounds completely ordinary, just a CI asking his handler if they're done for the day, but Blaine can see the way Kurt's mouth twitches, can hear the underlying meaning – I want to get to your apartment and spend the rest of the night with you, away from this jerk of an agent – and Blaine nods, giving him a small, private smile.

"Sure," he says. "Agent Smythe and I can work out the practicalities, and then we can continue tomorrow."

"Great." Kurt straightens up and strides to the door of the conference room before he stops with his hand on the door handle. He turns around to look at Sebastian, his eyes suddenly narrowed. "Oh, by the way, while we're talking about things that fit – it's no use putting that much money in a suit that doesn't even fit you. You should really have a word with your tailor." He tilts his head, looking Sebastian up and down much the same way Sebastian looked at them earlier. "That's all. I'll see you agents later!"

With that he opens the door and steps out, humming to himself.

Sebastian stares after him for a moment before he turns to look at Blaine, incredulous. "Did he just –"

Blaine shrugs, trying to hide his smile and act professional. "To be fair, you did insult him first." He pushes himself away from the table, starting to collect his files. Suddenly he can't wait to get home either. "And I don't know about Organized Crime, but in the white collar world we take fashion very seriously."