Blaine and Kurt stood in silence for a few seconds.

Blaine started laughing, the tension immediately leaving his body, "This is going to be my fault, isn't it?"

A slight hint of a smile formed on Kurt's lips, "Maybe," he mused, "they are your daughters."

"They're yours too!" Blaine shook his head. "Well come on, we have to walk to the campsite and then to the lake to get water."

Kurt's jaw dropped, "You mean we're still going camping? Can't we just walk the half mile to the road and…I don't know, hitchhike or something?"

"Do you really want to show the girls that hitchhiking is a good idea?" Blaine asked as he saddled himself with their supplies, "Also, I'm going to hurt Santana when we get home."

Kurt eyed the supplies, "What did she do?"

Blaine knew if he told Kurt, there would be no stopping Kurt from walking the mile to the road, "Just…nothing. Come on, it isn't far to the campsite."

"Then how far to the water?" Kurt asked suspiciously, he still remembered how Blaine worked, and Blaine was obviously leaving something out. "Not too far I hope?"

"No," there was an honest tone to Blaine's voice that Kurt couldn't mistrust. But there was still something underneath it that left Kurt worried.

Kurt looked and Blaine and the way he had slung every single item onto his body except Kurt's bag, which he was currently trying to attach to his backpack and couldn't help but want to laugh, "You do remember that I don't break, right?"

Blaine looked up, "Oh, I remember."

The shiver that ran up Kurt's spine caused his mind to go places it couldn't – they were in the wilderness and there are some places one should not get dirt. "Then give me some of those bags," Kurt grabbed a few things and started walking toward the clearing, his head held high. He was going to make the best of this, even if he wanted to run away screaming.

The walk was brisk, both men trapped in their thoughts. They had no idea if they were only spending the night together or if they were spending a few days. Both realized what they were doing, but neither would admit it to the other.

They both also hoped it would work.

When they finally got to their clearing, Kurt dropped his pile, looked around, and sighed, "Just like a hotel, right?"

Blaine nodded, "Except in a tent."

Kurt looked at the supplies, "Blaine…where is the tent?"

Blaine paled, "I was hoping you wouldn't think about that until later…"

"Blaine," Kurt moved slowly toward him, arms crossed, "where is the tent?"

"You see," Blaine sputtered, not quite sure if it was because of Kurt's closeness or how angry he looked, "Santana has this funny streak…"

"Blaine," Kurt said softly, his eyes boring into Blaine's.

Blaine sighed and held up the bag, "This is the tent."

Kurt eyed it for a second, "Blaine...Please tell me that is not Ariel."

"It is," Blaine admitted, "It was Haley's…she always liked it because we usually camp on the lake side and she wanted Ariel to be closer to the water…"

"Wait," Kurt held up a finger, "if you usually sleep on the lakeside, why are we here?"

Blaine stared for a second, "I-I just thought that because you aren't really a nature person, you would want to be closer to civilization."

Kurt sighed and stomped over to the supplies, "Blaine, last night you went on and on about the 'Anderson Family Annual Camping Trip!' Why wouldn't we do it the same way, even if it's just us?"

Blaine swallowed thickly at Kurt referring to the pairing as an "us" but nodded dumbly. "We can go to the lake if you want to…"

Kurt motioned toward the water, "Lead the way."

They walked in silence again except for the occasional murmur of "watch out" or "it's kind of slippery here."

They reached the lakeside and it was still early afternoon. Kurt once again dropped his supplies and to Blaine's surprise, immediately toed off his sneakers, rolled his jeans up, and ran toward the water.

Blaine set his own things and looked over to Kurt. His back was to Blaine, but Blaine could still see him recoil at the coldness of the water. The sun was low in the sky and Kurt seemed to be illuminated from the back. He turned, "Are you going to come down here or not?"

Blaine took his own shoes off and ran down to the water, not caring if his basketball shorts got wet. He didn't even flinch as he ran toward the water, jumping when he got close to Kurt and coming down to splash the man.

"Hey!" Kurt bent down and splashed Blaine back, "that wasn't nice!"

Blaine shrugged, "When have I ever been nice?" Unlike to Kurt, the water felt amazing to Blaine as he walked deeper into the water, only stopping when it hit the bottom of his shorts.

Kurt's eyes kept straying to Blaine, and eventually he let them. The back of Blaine's shirt was wet with sweat, and Kurt couldn't help but gawk at the muscles that lined his back. Blaine had been in shape when they were married, and he'd gotten even better since then. Kurt's eyes went a little lower and he couldn't help but think that that hadn't changed either. Kurt had to work out three times a week so his ass didn't fall, but apparently coffee only helped defy gravity.

Blaine, seeming to sense Kurt's gaze turned abruptly, "Let's go swimming."

"Absolutely not."

Blaine walked closer, the water sloshing around his legs, "Come on. We're here. How often do you get to swim in a lake in New York City?" Blaine's eyes were wide and his lips pouty. How didn't he forget that Kurt couldn't resist that face? "Please?"

Kurt wanted to say no, but part of him really did want to go swimming. Blaine was right, it had been a long time since Kurt had let go and allowed himself to act like a child. "Fine…" he said slowly, hardly believing the word was coming out of his mouth. "But if you dunk me, or something strange touches my feet, I'm going to hold you under…" his threat resonated off the water as he couldn't help the smile that formed on his face, "Also…no pale comments."

Blaine crossed his heart, "I would never."

Kurt looked down at his jeans, "I'm going to go put on some shorts…can we set up the tent or something?"

Blaine looked at Kurt like he was crazy. Blaine was already in the water and didn't plan on leaving until the sun went down. "Go change in the trees. You could always change in the clearing. People rarely come here."

Kurt was stricken, "But…there are bugs!"

"There are bugs in the water too," Blaine winked at him, "I promise I won't look!"

Kurt groaned but stalked toward their supplies, "You better turn around!" he yelled as he changed quickly, nearly stumbling over his own pants.

Blaine whistled low, lying back in the water, "Looking good, Hummel!"

Kurt blushed but couldn't help but feel proud. He knew men found him attractive, and he knew that he probably was attractive, but hearing Blaine say it made him realize it. Blaine made him feel special in a way no gawking man on a New York street could.

Kurt decided he wasn't going to let Blaine get to him, so he turned and slowly took off his t-shirt. He wanted to keep it on, but figured it was no time to be demure. He walked slowly down the lakebed toward the water. He still wasn't sure how he felt about actually swimming in the water, but he wanted to be closer to Blaine, who kept moving out slowly like he knew exactly what he was doing.

The sun felt warm against Kurt's skin now, and the water didn't make as much of an impact. He closed his eyes and let the sun make his skin tingle slightly. He stood, feeling the sand under his toes. It was somewhat relaxing, and he knew he'd pay an extremely large amount of money for this kind of exfoliation in New York.

He was almost at peace with the world when he felt something heavy hit his stomach. "Blaine Anderson, please tell me that wasn't a fish."

Kurt heard a splash and knew Blaine was moving away quickly. Kurt opened his eyes and looked down to see Blaine's shirt floating in the water in front of him. Kurt had to wipe the water droplets off of his face, "You jerk," he said laughing, walking toward the man who was treading water about ten feet away.

Blaine simply smiled, his entire face dripping with water. He tried not to notice the way the water clung to Kurt's eyelashes, or how his entire face was more relaxed than he'd seen it the entire time he'd been in California. "What are you going to do about it?" he asked eventually, raising an eyebrow. "You won't swim out here."

"I don't need to, I can probably stand," Kurt shot back.

"Ah, the short jokes have returned," Blaine immediately felt a sense of nostalgia at the way they were joking. Not for them being together, but the way they were before that, when they were friends. Friends who could joke about anything and be close to one another.

Kurt moved closer, and Blaine was having a battle with himself. He wanted Kurt closer, wanted Kurt to be as close as possible to him. But he also wanted him to stay away. He wanted to not have the ability to hurt the beautiful man in front of him anymore.

Kurt was eventually standing in front of him, "Yeah, I can stand."

"I can too!" Blaine placed his feet flat on the surface and tilted his head up. His mouth and nose were just at the water line, but he could breath. The sand beneath his feet shifted and he moved down a little, quickly gasping in a breath.

Kurt instinctively reached out his arms to grab Blaine, "Blaine!" he said quickly, pulling the shorter man up. "Are you okay?"

Blaine's nose burned a little, and he shook his head, "I think I need mouth to mouth…"

Kurt was still supporting a lot of Blaine's weight, "I can drop you," he threatened lightly, moving backwards so Blaine could easily stand.

Blaine slowly uncoiled his arms from around Kurt's waist and stood on his own. "Thanks…" he rubbed his neck in embarrassment, "I guess I am still pretty short."

"That's okay, next time we'll just take you to the roped off kiddy section," Kurt's smirk was back on his face.

Blaine shook his head wildly, spraying Kurt with water droplets again.

"Blaine Anderson! You are going to be the reason I need so many spa appointments when I get back to New York!" Kurt screeched, moving backwards.

Blaine sobered a little at the thought of Kurt returning to the city but immediately pushed the thought out of his mind. He wanted to have fun while Kurt was here.

Even if it meant nothing.

"Fine, I'll stop. Let's just lay back and relax, float around a bit, yeah?" Blaine leaned back easily.

Kurt looked uncomfortable, "I don't know if I want to get my hair wet…"

"Your hair is already wet," Blaine said with a question in his voice.

"It getting wet and soaking it in the water are two different things…"

Blaine thought for a few seconds about the summers they spent together years ago, "Kurt…you can't float, can you?"

Kurt's skin was flushed pink, "No…."

Blaine nodded, "Come here, I'll help you."

"B-Blaine, I'm not sure that's the best of ideas…" Kurt ran his fingers down his arm self consciously, "I'm not…I don't think…"

"Shut up and get over here," Blaine laughed while holding his arms out.

Kurt walked over slowly, doubting himself the entire way. He didn't know how he would react to Blaine actually touching him. "What if I go under?"

"I won't let you get hurt," Blaine said softly, moving so that Kurt could lean back over his arms. "I want you to just lean back and let your weight rest on my forearms."

Kurt leaned back and almost gasped at the warm contact of Blaine's skin against the coolness of his back.

"Calm down," Blaine whispered gently, working his fingers beneath Kurt's back. "You can do it, it isn't hard. Just relax."

Kurt tried to listen to Blaine's words, but all he felt was the gently pressure of Blaine against him. "I'm trying," he breathed out.

"Stop trying," Blaine said, "and just do it."

Kurt was able to distance himself from the task and eventually was floating on the water with Blaine's arms beneath him. He eventually felt Blaine's one arm leave beneath his legs but he stayed afloat.

"I've got you," Blaine whispered, "don't freak out. I've got you."

Kurt didn't move, just listened to the water and the deep breaths from Blaine. Being this close, he could smell Blaine, the remaining cologne he used, the same as all those years ago. He wanted to just pull Blaine down and kiss him.

Blaine moved his second arm away reluctantly. He could barely believe he was feeling Kurt's smooth skin in his arms again. Sure, it wasn't how he had wanted to feel it, but he felt it nonetheless. "You're doing it," he breathed, sliding back and floating in the water with Kurt.

They both floated in silence, occasionally moving away, but Blaine would always move himself closer. They had been floating for an hour when Kurt found the courage to move his arms and reach them out a little. He moved his arms perpendicularly to the side and he accidentally brushed his fingers with Blaine's own outstretched hand. Blaine opened his eyes and glanced over at Kurt, who didn't move, but looked terrified. Blaine's heart beat faster as he intertwined his fingers with Kurt's. Kurt raised an eyebrow. "You keep floating away," Blaine said quietly, "I don't want you to float down the river."

"I'll be here," Kurt tightened his hold on Blaine's hand. He had been thinking about getting out of the water, but not anymore. He wanted to stay like that forever. He didn't care if they stayed in the lake until morning – he had no where better to be.

-----

Santana crouched on the rock and handed the binoculars to Brittany, "Do you see anything?"

"They are holding hands!" Brittany said in an excited hush, "I just saw Blaine lace his fingers into Kurt's!"

Santana nodded in approval, "Good. We have to push them closer. I know giving them that tiny tent is going to work. Hummel won't sleep without something covering his precious body and Blaine is so puppy love sick he'd do anything to get that close to him."

Natalie and Haley grinned at each other, "We're going to live together and get to be sisters forever!" Natalie wrapped her arms around Haley's neck, "we just need to plan other things!"

Burt grumbled from behind them, "How did this entire group of people get the worst plotting streak ever?"

The girls just shrugged and went back to staring at the pair through binoculars.

They watched Blaine and Kurt float around in the water for about twenty more minutes before Santana sighed and put her binoculars down. "Okay, obviously they aren't going to do anything else while we're up here. What else do we have? This one was my plan, so we are moving on. Brittany?"

"I'm going to go down tonight while they are sleeping to steal the sunscreen. Kurt will need someone to put aloe vera on him, which Blaine will have to do." Brittany smiled and she looked proud of herself.

"That's great!" Santana wrote something down on her notepad. "Burt?"

"I'm going to unleash the wrath of god on them," Burt deadpanned.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to put a lizard in the tent even though I think it is a terrible idea."

Santana nodded, "Good. And girls?"

Natalie and Haley just looked at each other, "We've got this, don't worry."

Santana nodded, knowing she didn't have to worry about the girls. Anything they planned couldn't be that bad – right?