Kurt blushed a little, careful not to look at Blaine but squeezing his hand a bit tighter. They would have been there earlier, but after not seeing each other for two days they had gotten a little carried away making out on Kurt's bed after Blaine had come over so they could get ready together for Rachel's New Year's party.

“It's not that late,” he said. “Even though apparently late enough for you to have made a nice head start on the booze.”

“Well, you'll just have to drink faster to keep up, then,” Rachel decided, barely giving them time to take off their jackets before taking their hands to drag them downstairs. “Guys,” she called. “Kurt and Blaine are here. Say hello to them.”

She hadn't been lying – literally everyone was here. All of the New Directions, all of Kurt's old friends. He hadn't seen some of them in such a long time, and as much as he would have liked to just spend the entire night wrapped around Blaine in his room, trading lazy kisses at midnight, he was glad they had decided to come here instead. Also, he was ridiculously excited to be introducing his boyfriend to all of his old high school friends. He knew that was probably an unattractive trait, but he wanted to brag. He had never got to do this with them back in high school.

So they made their way across the room, Kurt hugging people and laughing and showing off Blaine to everyone who stood still for more than three seconds. Of course everyone liked Blaine instantly – how could they not – and it made Kurt feel so proud.

Look at him, look at how beautiful he is, how good he is, and he's mine, he loves me and I love him, and did you think I would ever have this? Because I sure didn't.

Rachel had let go of them upon arriving in the basement and was currently kissing Finn, who, knowing Blaine already, had just waved and grinned at them as a greeting before resuming his awkward dancing.

Mercedes' smile was probably the brightest in the room as she walked over to them, and Kurt loved her all the more for it. She had been such a good friend to him when he'd been sorting out this mess. Even if he would probably have figured it out on his own sooner or later, she was at least partly responsible for his current happiness.

“So, you're Blaine,” she said, when she was done hugging Kurt. “It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Like, a lot. Kurt talks about you all the time.”

Blaine stretched out a hand, polite as ever. “I've heard a lot about you too. So yes, it's nice to finally meet you in person.”

Mercedes just stared at his outstretched hand for a second, before shaking her head and pulling Blaine into a hug instead, laughing at his slightly flustered expression when she pulled back a few seconds later.

“Apparently, you're making my Kurt happier than I've ever seen him. Seriously, I've never seen him glow like this. Thank you for that. And don't you dare break his heart. Because I'll find you and make you pay for it.”

“I won't.” Blaine looked at Kurt, his eyes sincere and affectionate. “I would never.”

“Good. Now let's get you both a drink.” Mercedes guided them over to the punch bowl, providing them with paper cups and filling them to the brim with something pink and sweet-smelling, no doubt one of Rachel's creations. “You're late, you have some catching up to do.”

Neither of the boys was really planning on getting drunk tonight – it was their second New Year's together, but their first as a couple, and they wanted to be sober enough for their kiss at midnight to remember it the next day. Kurt had never actually had a New Year's kiss, and Blaine had confessed that he hadn't either. So even if they'd had a lot of firsts with other people before they got together, here was a beautiful first they could still share with each other.

“Oh.” Mercedes grabbed Kurt's arm. “This is a Rachel Berry party, so there will be singing later on. You guys will do a duet for us, won't you?”

Kurt laughed at the way Blaine's eyes widened with excitement as he nodded enthusiastically. “I'd really like that.”

“We'll see,” Kurt answered, even though he already knew. A chance to sing for his old glee club friends with his new boyfriend? Like he was going to turn that down. Another thing he had never been able to do in the past – and while up until this very moment he hadn't even known that he was still bitter about it, always having to sit and watch them all sing love songs to each other while he only got duets whenever someone took pity on him – he thought he really needed to do this tonight. Besides, Blaine looked so pleased to be asked, to be included like this, and it wasn't like he could deny him anything anyway.

“Kurt!” he turned around upon hearing his name, almost spitting out his drink as he saw Jesse walking towards him, arms outstretched and a smug expression on his face. “And Blake.”

“Blaine. His name is Blaine,” Kurt corrected him automatically. “What are you doing here, Jesse?”

Jesse looked confused for a second. “Rachel invited me, of course,” he explained, before his face brightened again. “And she already filled me in about you guys. Congratulations on finally getting your act together. I've been telling you forever that this was what you wanted, remember?”

“You have?” Blaine asked, exchanging a look with Kurt.

“Actually, you just kept forgetting Blaine's name and the fact that I repeatedly told you we weren't together,” Kurt pointed out.

Jesse dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “Oh, please. Random strangers passing you on the street could tell you were more than just friends. It might have taken you a little long to progress to kissing and sex, but I thought you were just being extremely old-fashioned about it. You've practically been married since the day you met.”

“Um. Thanks. I guess,” Blaine said, and Kurt reached for his hand again, pondering Jesse's words. Was he right? Had they been that obvious? People kept indicating things like that. Sighing, he pressed closer to Blaine until their sides were pretty much fused together. Of course, the two of them had been the last to know. Well, it didn't matter. Not anymore.

“By the way,” Jesse said, “I'm working on this new musical and I was wondering whether you'd be interested in a part – I have the outline and a few rough versions of some of the songs in my bag upstairs if you wouldn't mind going over it with me quickly...”

“What, now?” Kurt looked at him incredulously. “This is a party, Jesse.”

“So?” Jesse shrugged. “I know you're still new to all of this, but it's not unusual at all to talk business during social gatherings. And seriously, you should make up your mind soon about this, I'll have people knocking down my door for the part once word gets out. I'm doing you a huge favor, asking you first.”

“Soon?” Kurt shook his head, feeling Blaine turn his head to stifle his giggles against Kurt's shoulder. “Jesse, you only just told me about it.”

“I know. What's your answer?” Jesse looked at him expectantly and Kurt sighed loudly. He'd had so much fun being a part of Jesse's last musical, despite how things had ended with Patrick. Maybe this was worth a few minutes of his time, after all.

“I just...” he turned to Blaine, a little uncertain. “Would you mind terribly? I'll only be a few minutes...” This was their night, after all. He really didn't want to leave Blaine's side for even a second, but then it was only 10 p.m. They'd still have all the time in the world later.

“Go.” Blaine nudged his shoulder encouragingly. “I'll be fine.”

“Thank you.” Kurt kissed him quickly, keeping their faces pressed together as he whispered, “and don't let the crazier ones of my friends scare you away. They only seem insane, but most of them are actually harmless.”

“Don't worry about your boy.” Mercedes grabbed Blaine's arm. “I'll interrogate him – I mean, take care of him while you're away.”

Before Kurt even had a chance to respond, Mercedes was already pulling Blaine across the room after her to the corner in which the girls were sitting. “Tina! Sugar! Have you met Blaine?”

Blaine looked back over his shoulder, meeting Kurt's eyes and shrugging apologetically.

“Okay, wonderful.” Jesse put an arm around Kurt's shoulders, leading him away in the direction of the stairs. “So, I've seen you act already, but I'm sure you'll understand if I make you audition again, you know, I have to be really sure before I actually make a decision...”

**

Fifteen minutes later, Kurt could feel the beginnings of a headache – prolonged exposure to Jesse still had that effect on him sometimes – but he was excited too. Almost flattered, actually, to be considered first choice for a part in yet another musical, even it was being written by his roommate again.

He found Blaine in the corner near the small stage in Rachel's basement, sitting in a circle with Mercedes, Tina, and Sugar. He was talking animatedly, waving his hands around, and it warmed Kurt's heart to just watch him like this.

Mercedes threw her head back, laughing loudly at something Blaine had just said, and Tina patted him on the back while Sugar actually went as far as hugging him.

“Ladies.” Kurt stepped in between Tina and Mercedes, holding out a hand to Blaine. “Thanks for everything, but do you mind if I take him back now?”

“Oh, I don't know.” Sugar took one of Blaine's arms as Tina held on to the other.

“Yes,” she agreed. “We were actually thinking about keeping him.”

“Sorry.” Blaine freed himself gently, smiling at the girls before looking up at Kurt, taking his hand. “It was lovely, but I'm afraid my heart already belongs to another.”

He allowed Kurt to pull him to his feet, ignoring the girls’ sounds of protest.

“So you were just using us for entertainment,” Mercedes pouted.

“Dance with me,” Blaine said, arms slipping around Kurt's waist. “Please.”

Kurt just nodded, leading them more into the center of the room where Quinn was already dancing with Puck, Finn and Rachel dancing next to them awkwardly, mostly due to the fact that Finn still hadn't learned how to coordinate his feet.

“They like you,” Kurt pointed out, nodding over to where the girls were sitting, staring at the two of them with dreamy-happy expressions on their faces, Sugar actually giving Kurt a big grin and two thumbs-up when he caught her eyes.

“I like them too,” Blaine said. “I think I like all of your friends. But I like you most of all. You're my favorite. You know that, right? You do know that, Kurt?”

“Oh my god.” Kurt laughed, pulling him closer, shivering a little as Blaine started pressing sloppy kisses along his throat. “How much did they make you drink?”

Blaine tightened his arms around him, so close to him now that it was difficult to do much more than simply sway on the spot without tripping over each other's feet. “Mmm, not drunk,” Blaine mumbled, his breath tickling Kurt's neck. “It wasn't that much, I told them I couldn't because I have you and I want to remember everything.”

“And they listened to you?” Kurt asked, a little doubtful.

“Nope.” Blaine giggled. “But it's okay, I'll always remember everything with you.”

“How about we sing something now?” Kurt suggested. “Maybe the dancing around you're inevitably going to do will sober you up a little.”

“Nonono,” Blaine protested as Kurt attempted to pull back from him. “You've been gone forever, just hold me for a minute now, okay?”

Even if Blaine was clearly a little tipsy, this was a request Kurt just knew he would never be able to turn down. “A few more minutes,” he agreed.

“Years,” Blaine said, voice muffled a little since he had his face pressed against Kurt's shoulder.

“What?”

Blaine shook his head, sighing against Kurt's shoulder. “Nothing. Just don't let go.”

“I won't,” Kurt promised.

**

He did get Blaine to sing with him half an hour later, after Rachel had started off the karaoke part of the evening with a twenty-minute medley of all the solos she could remember singing in glee club.

Since it kind of seemed to be a theme for the evening, Kurt decided to go with it as well. He had never had sung romantic solos in glee club, but remembering his first big sing-off with Rachel, the selection wasn't difficult.

“I hope you like Wicked,” he told Blaine, waiting for him to follow him onto the stage before launching into the opening verse of “As Long As You're Mine.”

**

The countdown to midnight almost caught him off guard; Mike was the one to announce they only had a minute of the old year left and they all tripped over one another, loud and stumbling and happy as they made their way up the stairs, hurrying to get outside, wanting to greet the new year under the stars rather than in the by now relatively stuffy basement.

Kurt didn't let go of Blaine's hand even for a second as he walked them past his friends, off Rachel's front porch and a little way down the garden path so they were just barely out of sight, just close enough to still be hearing the countdown.

He'd done enough showing off his boyfriend for one night. This moment was one he wanted to be just between the two of them, just him and Blaine.

Ten, nine...

He stopped walking.

Eight, seven...

Turned around to Blaine, meeting his eyes, feeling his heartbeat speed up.

Six, five...

Blaine took a step closer to him, a slow smile spreading across his face that Kurt couldn't help but mirror back at him

Four, three...

“Kurt,” Blaine said, and Kurt slipped his arms around his shoulders.

Two...

“Blaine,” Kurt said back, feeling Blaine's arms circle around him, their faces so close they were almost kissing already.

One...

“Happy new year,” they whispered at the same time, and then Blaine's lips were on his and Kurt couldn't even hear the cheering and the fireworks and the clinking of champagne glasses, the only thought in his head being Blaine, Blaine, Blaine.

He had never really understood what the big deal was about New Year's kisses, but he thought he got it now.

Because now the first thing he had done this year was to kiss the man he loved.

He kind of wanted to start every year just like this.