“Will you fix my tie?” Blaine asks Friday evening.

Kurt exits the bathroom, finally content with his hair and stands in front of Blaine. He undoes the knotted mess around Blaine’s neck.

“You wear a tie to school every day,” Kurt comments. “This should be the easy part.”

Blaine shrugs and lifts his head to allow Kurt better access to his neck.

“Maybe I just wanted to see how good that new cologne smells on you.”

“And maybe you shouldn’t say things like that when we’re supposed to meet our boyfriends in ten minutes,” Kurt says.

“Probably not.”

Kurt looks up from Blaine’s tie to his face.

After what they’ve done, after every comment they’ve exchanged, Kurt’s never seen Blaine look so hopeful before. He’s never seen that precise expression on his face, and most definitely not directed towards him.

Kurt smiles and finishes tying a perfect knot. He straightens it before adjusting the lapels of Blaine’s suit jacket.

“So what’s the verdict?” Kurt asks, tilting his neck.

Blaine steps closer and places his hands on Kurt’s shoulders, leaning in just far enough to brush his nose against the skin of Kurt’s neck. He breathes in deeply.

“You smell divine,” Blaine whispers, exhaling warmly.

He doesn’t take a step back as Kurt expects him to. No. Blaine leans his head against Kurt’s shoulder and slides his hands, with just enough pressure, down Kurt’s back. Kurt sighs into Blaine’s gelled hair and wraps him up in his arms. They remain in that embrace for a long moment, neither willing to break away from the warmth of one another.

“Will you save me at least one dance tonight?” Blaine whispers into Kurt’s chest and Kurt thinks his heart starts to beat just a little faster.

Kurt holds him tighter, just for a second. “Of course.”

Blaine nods once and pulls away.

If they don’t hurry, they’ll be late.

The Spring formal is held in a ballroom in one of the academic buildings on the Dalton grounds. Usually the room is used for parent-teacher gatherings, otherwise known as an excuse for the staff and parents to drink too much champagne and boast about their children and particularly spectacular students. Tonight though, the room is drowning in silver, gold, and blue balloons and streamers. There’s a long table covered in various punch bowls and tiny, ornate h’ordeurves and finger sandwiches. The large ballroom is currently filled with every single Dalton student. Plenty have brought their girlfriends, others found dates from their sister school, and a handful of male students have brought their boyfriends.

It’s nice, Kurt thinks, to be able to attend a school dance with a boy and not have to worry about being harassed or attacked.

“You look so hot,” Brandon whispers in his ear once they enter the room.

Kurt blushes but shoves away his boyfriend’s roaming hands.

“Please don’t molest me in front of the entire student body,” Kurt says.

“No promises,” Brandon replies.

“Punch?” Kurt requests.

“Be right back.”

Brandon departs with a kiss to his cheek and makes his way over to one of the many punch bowls. Kurt watches him go and wishes he could understand why he could suddenly breathe easier without Brandon by his side.

“Abandoned so soon?”

Kurt smiles when he hears Blaine’s voice in his ear.

“He’s getting punch,” Kurt explains.

“He looks nice tonight,” Blaine nods to Brandon who fills up a couple of cups.

“So does Thomas,” Kurt adds politely.

“Mmm,” Blaine agrees, though his response seems distracted. He glances toward his boyfriend, who stands chatting with someone from one of his classes. “So how long do you think we’ll have to stay?”

Kurt shrugs. “Few hours, I’m guessing.”

“I feel like I should be more excited. The Spring formal is the only dance Dalton ever has.”

“I know. It seems underwhelming.”

“Here, babe,” Brandon says, having suddenly reappeared at Kurt’s side.

“Thanks,” Kurt says hollowly, accepting the proffered cup of punch. “…Is this spiked?”

“No, I tasted it first.”

“Good. Some days I feel like I’m still sobering up from the last time I consumed alcohol.”

Blaine snorts loudly.

Kurt suppresses the urge to face palm.

“Is my boyfriend a lightweight, Blaine?” Brandon teases.

“Ah, no. No sometimes I just feel the same way,” Blaine ends up saying, shooting Kurt a particularly pointed look.

“Damn, you guys must have had a shit ton to drink.”

“You have no idea,” Kurt mumbles.

“My boys!”

Out of nowhere, Jeff appears, squeezing himself between Blaine and Kurt. He throws his heavy arms around their shoulders, almost knocking them over in his excitement.

“I’ve missed you guys so much,” Jeff says with a broad smile.

“You just saw us at school today,” Kurt reminds him.

“Yeah but that was like, official capacity. This is fun! Why aren’t you guys dancing?”

“Jeff, have you been drinking?”

“Shh,” Jeff says in a too-loud whisper. “I had to pre-game. The teachers are on high alert for flasks.”

“Oh my god,” Blaine laughs. “I’m calling you ‘boozy’ from now on.”

“At least it’s a nickname I’ve earned. Come on, we’ve got our own little Warbler’s corner on the dance floor,” Jeff urges, stepping in front of them to grab both Kurt and Blaine’s hands.

“I can’t just leave Br-”

“Go head, Kurt,” Brandon says with a kind smile. “I might just enjoy the show.”

Brandon winks at him and takes his cup of punch. Kurt surrenders as Blaine shouts over to Thomas to let him know where he’ll be.

“You guys looked bored as hell!” Jeff shouts as he drags them closer to the dance floor. “And I figured, no way! Kurt and Blaine can’t be bored! They’re too awesome and they’re such good dancers! So I can a rescued you!”

“You’ve done a good thing,” Nick states, slapping Jeff on the back. “Hello, boys!”

“Do we get a repeat performance? ‘Cause I mean, after that party, unless you two start stripping, I don’t know if anything could top th-”

“Jeff,” Wes interrupts their drunken friend. “Go dance over there.”

“Okay!” Jeff skips off, reminding Kurt of one of those toy dogs he sees rich women carry in their purses.

“Who gave him alcohol?” Blaine asks the council member.

“God only knows,” Wes sighs as people bump into them. “He’s right though, we’re all over here dancing and you two were moping in the corner.”

“We weren’t moping, Wes,” Blaine shoots back.

“Oh shut up and dance,” Wes says with a roll of his eyes, tugging them by their ties to join the circle of dancing, bouncing Warblers.

Kurt chokes as Wes yanks them over, prying his hand off his tie so he can breathe again. Blaine nudges his shoulder as they both adjust their ties and a new song begins to play. It’s mellow, but they can still dance to it and everyone seems to know the lyrics.

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just praying to a God that I don't believe in

Blaine smiles shyly at him as a few of their fellow Warblers take their hands and begin spinning them in circles.

'Cause I got time while she got freedom
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break even

Her best days will be some of my worst
She finally met a man that's gonna put her first
While I'm wide awake she's no trouble sleeping
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven... even... no

Kurt has to admit, he’s beginning to have a little fun. These are the first boys that accepted him into Dalton, accepted him into their circle with no questions asked. It was a difficult adjustment, Kurt recalls, and there have been days where he misses his friends at McKinley desperately. But these boys are his family now: boozy Jeff, goofy Nick, staunch Wes, not-so-black David and a slew of others.

No matter what, Kurt knows they’ve got his back.

He stops spinning and looks over at Blaine, who’s laughing loudly as Jeff attempts to dance something that might resemble disco.

What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you,
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces

Kurt stops breathing.

Blaine.

They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
'Cause she's moved on while I'm still grieving
And when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven even... no

Kurt’s still as a stone amidst their group, catching glimpses of Blaine through moving, twisting bodies.

These bodies, these boys, would they still have his back if they knew he was a cheater? Would they still think him as trustworthy or as reliable if they knew what he’d done? Would they still believe in him if they knew how little he had cared for someone else’s heart, if they knew how much he desired another’s?

What am I gonna to do when the best part of me was always you,
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces
One still in love while the other one's leaving
I'm falling to pieces
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven

The song doesn’t even really reflect his situation, not precisely, but Kurt’s caught in the mass of boys and he’s right there and Blaine’s just there and everyone’s so close and why, oh why does he have to see him now? Why does he have to see Blaine like this right here when his boyfriend is just on the other side of the ballroom and they had sex and they kissed and touched and I wanted you, I wanted you, I wanted you…

Oh you got his heart and my heart and none of the pain

Blaine’s eyes meet his as the song plays on but Kurt only catches bits and pieces of the lyrics.

Now I'm try'na make sense of what little remains ooh

Kurt watches Blaine shove through the throng of sweaty boys.

'Cause you left me with no love and no love to my name.

“I – I-”

Unable to choke the words out, Kurt’s never been more thankful for another person when Blaine takes hold of both his hands. They stand there together, their small frames shielded from the eyes of their boyfriends thanks to the dancing Warblers all around them.

Eventually, Blaine begins to sing along with the song.

“What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you and
What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok”

I’m not okay, Kurt thinks.

I’m going insane.

I'm falling to pieces
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven

“It’s okay,” Blaine says to him as the song winds down.

“No it’s not,” Kurt shakes his head miserably, eyes watery.

“You’ve got me.”

“No, you’re with – and I’m with-”

“Kurt,” Blaine says firmly, gripping Kurt’s shoulders. “Kurt, you’ve got me.”