That Sunday the three boys found themselves sitting on the porch watching the waves roll against the shoreline. The tourist season was upon then, and people were running around on the beach still in their wrinkled travel clothes.

"I love to see people just let go and have fun when they first get to the beach," Blaine commented, "It's like they have a week where they can finally let go and have fun."

"What would you know about fun?" Kurt teased gently from his spot on the porch swing, "All you do is work!"

Blaine stuck his tongue out but laughed lightly, "Still, I get to work with the people who come here now. I get to see the little kids that come through the hotel, and I get to be with them until they leave."

Paul stiffened next to Kurt but then relaxed once Kurt smoothed his hand down his back, "Still don't you want to have fun?" Paul questioned.

"I'm having fun," Blaine countered, "I get to spend nights with either Kurt or my housemates, and I get to sing, play with kids, and make other people happy. That's what I like to do," he pointedly stared at Paul.

"Whatever, I just think you should let loose a little."

Blaine didn't respond and instead flipped upside down on the railing of the porch, sending Kurt into a fit about the safety, "I know we just had that fixed Blaine, but it could already be dry rotted! You're going to fall, and then I'm going to have to go sit with you, and you know I hate hospitals."

Blaine brought one leg to the ground and stood up, the blood slowly leaving his face, "Aw Kurt, you'd go sit in the hospital with me?" Blaine's mood that day had changed continually – he had been slightly off all day, but Kurt blamed that on his new list of kids he had to watch that week.

Paul nuzzled into Kurt's shoulder, "Only if he wasn't cuddling with me."

"I highly doubt cuddling with you is more important than my fractured skull," Blaine rolled his eyes and leaned against the pillar.

Kurt didn't know why, but earlier that day Blaine had made a quick personality swap and disliked Paul. He snapped at him several times and nearly pushed him out of the way to hug Kurt. It bothered Kurt that Blaine seemed to be jealous of the time they were spending together. After all, Paul seemed to be the first real chance Kurt had at having an actual boyfriend.

Though, neither of them really said the word.

Paul just shifted closer to Kurt and frowned, "I suppose not, that's why you shouldn't perform tricks like a circus trapeze act."

Kurt snorted a little, "I think he's a bit short to do that kind of act, Paul." He really didn't want to make Blaine feel badly, but he had to admit the fighting was grating on his nerves slightly.

Blaine pushed himself off of the column and started down the steps, "You know what? I don't really feel like standing around here. I'm off to bed; I have to be at work early tomorrow. You know, with your baby sister who you can't even be with." He looked pointedly at Paul, and the two seemed to stare at each other. Kurt wished he could understand their conversation but was left out of the loop.

"Blaine, don't leave," Kurt said while trying to sound half-hearted. He knew Blaine didn't really get along well with his housemates, and the night was still early.

"No," Blaine grabbed his bag off of the grass, "I really should go. I have to call my mom before…I just have to call my mom."

Kurt sighed but waved, "Talk to you tomorrow?"

Blaine turned around and shrugged, "If you really want to."

"He's touchy," Paul whispered into Kurt's ear, "Maybe he's PMSing?"

Kurt knew he should laugh at the joke but didn't, "We shouldn't antagonize him."

Paul pulled away from Kurt and frowned, "I know. I just…I don't like when people work away their lives. My Dad does that. We've been on vacation how long? He's never around. He always works. He only takes us out as a family right before we leave."

"It's his life," Kurt said with some guilt. He didn't want to talk about Blaine behind his back. "I'm sure there's a reason he works so much."

"Maybe he's homeless," Paul tried, "or his parents were murdered by the mafia."

Kurt pushed himself off of the swing, "You have an overactive imagination, and I think it's time I go to bed."

Paul pouted, "But it's early!"

"I know," Kurt pulled Paul off of the swing as well, "but I need my beauty rest."

Paul leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Kurt's lips, "I don't think you do."

Kurt blushed lightly but pushed Paul gently down the steps, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course! Sea Isle, baby!"

Kurt blew him a kiss and walked into the house, immediately pulling out his phone.

"Hello?" Blaine's voice came through the phone sounding somewhat upset.

"Do you care to tell me what happened today?" Kurt wasn't as mad as his voice made him sound, he was really worried.

Blaine sighed, "I just…I really don't like Paul."

"I can tell. Care to tell me why?" Kurt sat down on the stool next to Meg and rolled his eyes to her.

Blaine was silent for a few beats, "I just…are you sure he's a good idea, Kurt?"

Kurt frowned – he had no idea what Blaine meant by a good idea. "He's a good guy, Blaine. You would know that if you gave him a chance instead of latching onto anyone else in the general area whenever he was around."

"I'm sorry," Blaine sounded tired, "I…can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm on the phone with my Mom and I don't really…She can't…I want to…I mean, I just need to talk to her about some stuff right now. I'll make it up to you somehow."

Kurt sighed, "You can make it up to me by coming to Sea Isle with us tomorrow?"

"Us as in you and Paul?" Blaine sounded like he didn't want to but answered, "I work in the morning but I'll see what Puck will say about me taking the afternoon off," Blaine paused again, "I really have to go, but we'll talk tomorrow."

"Bye," Kurt said, not even sure if Blaine heard because the line immediately went dead.

"Boy problems?" Meg asked with a huge smile, "Let me guess – you have to pick between Paul, the good looking rich boy, and Blaine, the tormented boy that makes you happy?"

"You're weird," Kurt answered with a small smile, "and not really boy problems in that sense. Blaine hates Paul, and I have no idea why. Paul doesn't really have anything against Blaine; he just likes to antagonize him."

"Well that's boring," Meg sighed, "I can't even get entertainment from you."

Kurt knew she was kidding but he stuck his nose high into the air, "Well I'm sorry my life isn't dramatic enough for you nowadays. I finally have something good – a boy who has feelings for me, a best friend, and a job that I love."

"Put your talons away and save them for when Paul and Blaine inevitably try to kill each other," Meg threw a piece of cereal at him and left the kitchen with a giggle.

Kurt didn't want to let either boy know how much is bothered him that they didn't seem to get along. Paul tried to be nice and include Blaine, but he always stuck in a comment or two that just seemed to annoy the sensitive boy. Blaine had tried for so long to work with Paul, and he ignored the offensive comments until today. What had flipped the switch in Blaine's mind?

Kurt had no idea, but he knew that if he wanted to get through the next day with the two of them together, he would have to bring a very large bottle of Aspirin to ward off any headaches.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Where are we going once we get to Sea Isle?" Kurt asked from his place in the passenger's seat, "a museum? I heard that the museum is having a bridal show with some of the traditional gowns from some of the weddings held. I'd really like to see the gowns from the 1950s-that was when the silhouettes were really beautiful and detailed."

Paul bit his lip, "Oh. I thought we could um…go to the beach and then do the boardwalk? I'm not much of a dress or museum kind of guy…"

"Okay! We can do the beach!" Kurt tried to push down the feelings of sadness, "That sounds like more fun anyway!"

"No! We can do the museum! I'll even put on my most excited face!" Paul dropped his mouth open and bugged his eyes out.

Kurt laughed, "Just keep your eyes on the road. The exhibit will be there all summer but there won't always be days like this to spend on the beach."

Paul reached over and grabbed Kurt's hand, "Thank you."

A small smile played on Kurt's lips, but he said nothing. He was a little worried about how Blaine would react at the beach, however. The boy was driving down by himself in Puck's car which didn't look like it could go very far without flying over a highway. Paul had borrowed his father's car for the day because he was in final meetings with the company and wouldn't need it.

The ride took only a short amount of time, and they were on a beach. Paul quickly fed the meters over $5.00 worth of quarters and they grabbed their huge pile of things for the beach. The beach itself was different from the beaches of Cape May.

Kurt was about to ask Paul why when a huge splash in the water alerted Kurt to the fact that Paul was already swimming away. Kurt laughed and sat down on the towel, watching Paul swim out further and further.

He was only in the water for twenty minutes or so, showing off and body surfing when he came back, dripping wet. He stood directly in front of Kurt and shook, spraying Kurt with the salty, cold water. "Hey!"

Paul laughed and sat next to Kurt, pulling him into a kiss. The coldness of Paul's lips contrasted the warmth of his mouth and Kurt moved to his knees and closer, pushing Paul back into the sand. They kissed lazily for a few minutes before Paul pushed him away, "Let's go into the water, Kurt."

"No," Kurt shook his head, "I don't really like the water."

Paul was about to argue back when Kurt's phone rang out. "I can't believe you brought your phone to the beach!"

"It was for when Blaine called!" Kurt answered his phone quickly, "Hey Blaine! Where are you?" Kurt turned back to Paul only to find him retreating toward the water.

"I'm walking down the beach at 98th street, where are you?" Blaine's phone crackled and Kurt knew they'd lose each other. He turned around and saw the curly haired boy standing at the end of the wooden planks that helped walking. He waved, and Blaine saw him almost immediately, running toward him with a backpack on.

Halfway through the sand Blaine stopped and took off his flip flops, "I'm not as smooth as those Baywatch boys," he joked when he arrived.

"Blaine, you look exhausted!" Kurt gasped, looking at the bags under Blaine's eyes.

Blaine shrugged, "I didn't get much sleep after I got off the phone with my Mom last night. But I promised you I'd be here. Sorry I'm a little late – I had to make a few deliveries on the way down."

Kurt folded the extra blanket he brought and laid a towel out for Blaine, "Here, take a nap."

"No!' Blaine sat on the end of Kurt's towel, "I'm here to spend time with you."

Blaine pulled off his t-shirt and stretched his arms behind him. Kurt had to force himself to look away. It wasn't fair that his best friend was actually gorgeous. "I should work out," Kurt said quietly to himself."

"No," Blaine peeked at him with one open eye, "you're perfect."

Kurt wanted nothing more than to just pick up a handful of sand and throw it at him.

That reminded him, "Hey Blaine, do you know why the sand is different here?"

"Because the sand at Cape May in brought in from somewhere else," Blaine answered lazily.

"Oh. I like it though."

Blaine laughed a little, "Some things aren't meant to be where they started…they belong somewhere else."

"That was philosophical," Kurt deadpanned.

Blaine sat up, "Just for that, I'm going to make you go stick your toes in the water."

"You wouldn't," Kurt shook his head.

"Come on, you can't sit on the towel all day and watch everyone else have fun. You have to grab the bull by the horns! Live each day like it's your last! You have to bend over backwards! Let's cut to the chase! I can't think of any more idioms!" Blaine was yelling at this point.

"Oh my god if you shut up, I'll go," Kurt laughed and stood up, wiping sand off of his legs, "Happy?"

"Ecstatic!" Blaine ran toward the water, giving Kurt a very nice view.

Kurt walked slowly, letting his toes get used to the water and then his feet.

Paul body surfed in and stopped in front of the two boys, "I see you finally decided to come in the water!"

Kurt shrugged, "Blaine threatened to talk my ear off if I didn't come in."

Paul shot Blaine an easy smile. Blaine didn't smile back, but he didn't say anything which Kurt thought was an improvement.

Paul seemed to realize that he wasn't going to get a rise out of Blaine, so he jumped back into the water, putting on a little show for both boys.

Kurt walked forward into the water more, now it pooled around his calves. He held his arms out almost fully to balance in the water. It was more complicated than it looked because the undercurrent was strong and the sand kept shifting beneath his toes. "This even feels different," he stuttered out, "I feel like I'm going to fall."

Blaine reached out and grabbed his hand, "I won't let you fall."

Kurt held on tightly, not even caring about Paul. "So what did you do with the kids today?" He wanted to get his mind off of the water and onto something else he could focus his attention on.

Blaine moved closer to Kurt, "We went on a dolphin watching trip."

Kurt felt his heart flutter, "There are dolphins around?"

Blaine nodded, "Of course! They migrate south during this time of the season, so they pass through. There is a boat that leaves from Cape May. It isn't cheap really, but most of their parents don't care."

Kurt bit his lip in excitement, "Maybe I can get Paul to go on the ship," he thought for a moment, "I'd ask you, but you already went," he added hastily.

"I wouldn't hold your breath on that one," Blaine said almost so low that Kurt couldn't hear him.

"Excuse me?" Kurt glared at Blaine and pulled their hands apart.

Blaine jumped back and tried to grab for Kurt's hand, "I just meant that you can probably see them today if you look close enough. It's hard from the beach because you usually need to be up higher."

"Oh," Kurt felt silly but he knew that wasn't what Blaine had originally meant, "I wonder if Paul could lift me up…"

"I could," Blaine offered.

Kurt laughed before thinking, "Do you really think you could, Blaine? You're shorter than me!"

"But I'm strong!" Blaine knelt quickly in the water, "Come on, get on top of my shoulders."

"No."

Blaine stayed down, "I'm serious. The dolphins are probably out there now. Quick! They'll come soon!"

"No."

Blaine looked over his shoulder, "Please Kurt will you just get on my shoulders?"

Kurt looked down into Blaine's huge eyes and fought with himself. He knew it would annoy Paul, but he did really want to see the dolphins, "Fine."

"Yay!"

Kurt moved his legs to Blaine's shoulders, "Oh god, this is going to be awkward."

Blaine laughed and stood up slowly to support Kurt's weight, "It's fine." He swayed mutinously the water as he shifted his feet.

"Blaine, if you drop me I swear to god!"

Paul immediately came walking up to them, "What are you guys doing?"

"Kurt wants to see the dolphins," Blaine answered immediately.

Paul looked up at Kurt, "Can you see them?"

Kurt looked around but saw nothing. Probably because he was more focused on not falling to his death, "No."

"Maybe you can get on my shoulders; you'd get a better view."

Kurt felt Blaine tense his shoulders and he grabbed Kurt's ankles even tighter, "I just don't think they're out anymore," Kurt explained.

Paul shrugged, "Whatever."

"Can you let me down?" Kurt asked softly to Blaine, running his fingers through his hair to placate the boy who was obviously holding back something.

Blaine nodded, "Paul, can you help steady me so he doesn't fall into the water?"

Paul grabbed Kurt's arms and helped as Kurt went back to the somewhat safe sand.

Blaine stood up and grimaced, "Shit," he murmured.

Kurt looked down and saw a huge line of red down Blaine's leg, "Oh my god! Blaine! You're bleeding!"

"I see that," Blaine reached down and grabbed some water, splashing his leg. It didn't take long before the line appeared again, "Stupid shell," he murmured.

Kurt grabbed his hand, "Come on, I have a first aid kid."

Paul followed behind them dutifully up the beach.

"Sit on the towel."

"Yes, Mommy," Blaine said. His cheeks were tinged pink.

"You don't need to be embarrassed," Kurt said as he wiped away some of the sand that had already made its way into the wound.

Blaine said nothing, but Kurt could see the muscle in his jaw clenching.

Paul grabbed his phone while Kurt rubbed over the wound. "Looks like my Dad is finally out of the meetings!" he said.

Kurt pressed the neon green Band-Aid onto Blaine's shin, "I doubt you can go back in the water with that on," he warned.

"Will my leg fall off if I do?" Blaine's eyes were wide in mock fear.

"Jackass," Kurt whispered.

"That's okay," Paul pulled away from his phone, "My Dad wants to go out to dinner tonight anyway, so we need to get back to the Cape."

Kurt frowned; it was only mid afternoon, "Oh."

Blaine seemed to notice Kurt's sadness, "Well why don't you just head back? Kurt and I could do the boardwalk or…" he grabbed his bag and pulled out a newspaper, "I saw this headline today about a bridal show…"

"YES!" Kurt grinned and did a happy dance. "Please?"

Paul shrugged, "Sure."

It bothered Kurt a little that Paul wasn't more jealous of Blaine, but he supposed Paul could just see what a good man Blaine really was.

Paul threw his shirt on, "I'm going back, but I'll come visit you tonight okay, beautiful?"

Kurt preened under his attention and leaned up for a kiss. Paul nipped at his bottom lip lightly before pulling away. "Tonight," Kurt said softly.

Paul grinned wider, "Maybe I could…um, stay over?"

Kurt's heart immediately started racing, "Maybe…." The answer didn't jump out into his mind.

Paul nodded and grabbed his bag, "I'll see you later, Blaine?"

"You can always spend the night at my house," Blaine said cheekily.

"Nah, you're not my type," Paul said with a grin.

Blaine looked at his retreating back and then turned back to Kurt, "Can you tell me why you're with him?"

Kurt stiffened, "Why are you starting this now?"

"Just tell me why."

Kurt wrung his hands, "I don't know. He makes me feel…special and wanted."

Blaine nodded while looking down at the band aid, "Just tell me you won't have sex with him."

"I'm not telling you anything! I can't make a promise like that!" Kurt was angry now, Blaine was ruining another day.

Blaine reached out his hand, "I'm not saying it for bad reasons, Kurt. I just think you should wait for...for someone else. For anyone else! Someone who will respect you and care about you and want to be with you all the time."

"Unless you tell me what your exact problem is with Paul, I can't promise anything!" Kurt hated Blaine in that moment. Kurt had finally found happiness and someone was taking it away.

"I can't tell you. I'll lose my job," Blaine shook his head and stood up, "You know what? Whatever. You do what you want to do, Kurt."

Kurt didn't want to fight with Blaine again, "Look, can we talk about this after tonight? I won't have sex with him."

Blaine turned and pulled Kurt into a hug, "You promise? Please Kurt?" Blaine pulled back and searched his eyes, "Don't do that to yourself."

Kurt didn't know why, but he felt like he had to trust Blaine.