Blaine woke unseasonably early the next morning strangely excited but almost twitching with nervous energy. He felt a weight on his shoulders as if the success of the trip was entirely dependent on him and his attitude and he knew something simple might ruin what might prove to be a perfect trip. He didn't want to leave Nick and his home without alerting someone of his holiday but the thought of ringing and explaining the situation to Nick after he had so horribly shouted made the sinking feeling in his stomach return. He knew he would need to apologise to Nick, explain his actions, maybe even confess a little of his motives and nuances of character and he couldn't do that. Nick and the Warblers had seen quite a few things in Blaine's life but nothing had ever been mentioned about how he'd changed – it was always left unsaid but Blaine knew they disapproved and wanted their old friend back. If he explained now, if he apologised it would seem empty and trivial. He wanted to prove himself and Blaine thought of the holiday as a perfect way to realign again, make sure he knew himself again before he came back and had to pick up the pieces.

He knew leaving now when the newspapers were full of stupid pictures of his misdemeanours was pure escapism and shirking of responsibility but he knew Nick would be able to deal with it much more smoothly if Blaine was away somewhere. Blaine would need to be secretive especially after Kurt's comments on television the night before – it would look a little suspicious if they suddenly holidayed together – but it would do him good to be sensible. He knew the holiday was beneficial in more than one way.

Ringing too early for Nick to answer, Blaine left a message on his phone explaining that he was going on holiday with a friend and wouldn't be home for a week. He mentioned that he would appreciate secrecy in the matter and he apologised for his behaviour and the avoidance of the consequences. He would explain everything when he returned.

With all the last minute arrangements and packing it was only as he was in the car that was to take Kurt and himself to the airport that he realised. He was going on holiday with Kurt. With Kurt. Alone.

It wasn't that he was worried about their new relationship or even the act of defining said relationship but he did realise he was sinking fast and that if he wasn't careful Kurt could change everything in a matter of days. Kurt had changed things, he thought to himself as he watched New York whiz past through his window. He'd never been so introspective about his character and why he did the things he did before meeting Kurt. Kurt made him want to be better but also tried to show him that there was good already there, buried underneath all of Blaine's layers. Blaine didn't feel bad about himself when he was with Kurt, unlike time spent with his parents, but he did want to be more, he did want to strive towards something other than the selfish model persona he liked to project to the world.

Blaine's driver soon honked outside Kurt's apartment and Kurt waved happily through the high window when he could see Blaine stand outside. Blaine had got out in preparation to help with his luggage and Kurt had to do a couple of trips in the dodgy lift to get his suitcase downstairs.

"We're only going for a week remember," Blaine said, chuckling slightly as Kurt gave him a pointed stare.

"You should have seen the original packing I did about three hours ago. This is the reduced version," Kurt said, putting the luggage in the boot of the car. When it was finally arranged to his liking and the boot closed, Kurt stood by the car and looked up at his apartment.

"Worried about leaving?" Blaine asked quietly and so close, Kurt could feel his slightly warm breath on the side of his neck.

"Not really," Kurt said, still looking at his apartment, "I think the change will do me good."

"Good," Blaine said, pulling Kurt around so they faced each other. "I can't really explain why I'm looking forward to this holiday so much.... I just know I need to get away and I need...."

"Peace?" Kurt whispered in the space between. Blaine's eyes flitted between Kurt's eyes and he smiled. He was about to say that he needed Kurt but 'peace' fitted just as well.

"Yeah, peace," Blaine said and he knew he could already see it in Kurt's eyes, swirling in the beautiful blues and greys of his irises. He moved a little closer to tentatively place his lips against Kurt's. They kissed for a few seconds, Kurt smiling into the kiss until they realised the driver was waiting and they sat in the back of the car which took them to the airport.

They arrived at JFK airport late afternoon and checked in and got boarding passes. They ate an early dinner, keeping conversation light and carefree. Blaine didn't seem to find any kind of peace though until they boarded their flight, seeming to search constantly for people to distrust and expecting others to come towards him and demand attention. If anyone recognised them they kept their distance and Kurt found himself sitting next to Blaine on their flight and placing his hand gently on Blaine's jittery knee.

"We're fine," Kurt said calmly, "No one knows us and if they did it doesn't matter."

Blaine looked at Kurt's calm expression, his eyes wide and honest and he felt his breathing slow down. He shook his head and smiled, acknowledging his silliness.

"I know, sorry."

"Don't apologise, we're just enjoying a holiday and once we're away, we're really away." Kurt looked a little mischievous, his eyes alight and Blaine's smile grew bigger.

"You'll like the villa then," Blaine said, "It's remote but so beautiful. I can't wait to show you."

"Have you been there before?" Kurt asked.

"Only once but it was wasted on the person I went with. I'd much rather spend time with you there. I get the impression you'll appreciate it."

Kurt knew not to push the subject of that other person and took the opportunity to look at the air stewardess and her instructions. After a while the silence allowed them to look out the window at the ocean that soon lay below and it looked so vast and untouched that Blaine realised he really was small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He smiled to himself and Kurt noticed.

"What are you thinking?"

"Just that I'm small," Blaine replied upon turning around to see Kurt's inquisitive expression, "Just a dot really."

"Well at your size, yes," Kurt quipped, laughing at Blaine's pretend shock and hurt expression.

"You wound me Kurt, you cut me deep."

Kurt tickled him playfully, causing Blaine to laugh and ruin his serious expression resulting in an adorable pout which made Kurt smile. Conversation was easy between them and Kurt would look intently at Blaine as he spoke, sharing trivial things about modelling contracts and people he had met, but sharing so much more than that, and he would smile. It was nice to finally have someone in the industry that recognised it for what it truly was – inconsequential and trifling. Everyone was so beautiful that it would sometimes make Kurt's teeth ache and almost like someone putting nails down a chalkboard. Words from perfect lips tasted like sugar but were painful to hear in their stupidity. Kurt had always known the truth, had tried to avoid spending any significant time with models, so he knew he had given the impression he was aloof and unapproachable. Blaine, it seemed, surrounded himself with the industry and seemed to know nothing else. It made him so unhappy that Kurt wondered what the appeal was. As laughter calmed down, as Blaine finished retelling his worst modelling experiences of carrot sticks for lunch and having to roller skate when modelling a car despite being a complete novice, Kurt asked him what was bothering him.

"Why do you stay in the world of modelling on the outside? Why don't you just do the job and escape, why go to the parties?"

Blaine looked carefully at Kurt, surprised to be asked such a question and not really knowing the answer.

"I don't really have anything else," Blaine said his head almost spinning with trying to find an answer. "I came into it all so young, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life and I got so swept away with it all. It was easier to go along with the tide, join the party, live the dream. It took me a while to realise it was never really my dream, not really me. I guess I didn't really think until recently."

"Do you want something more now?"

"I don't really know," Blaine said honestly, "I guess I want the chance to find out and know for myself."

"Well a holiday sounds perfect then," Kurt said smiling and Blaine looked a little surprised at his pure and honest face. He knew that he was only a couple of years older than Kurt but he felt so ancient but not so wise in comparison.

"How do you do it? How do you separate the world and the job?"

"I guess I separate it too much. Modelling is only a job to me and it doesn't bother my real life at all, mainly because I don't let it. I don't really have any model friends but I've not made any new friends either. I have my oldest and greatest friends but no one to challenge me or to make me think - until you came along."

Blaine smiled. He had worried that he was continually demanding and needing more from Kurt – wanting and taking - but now maybe they could support each other. Kurt's beautiful eyes, green in the light reflected from the window, twinkled with realisation and the light made his skin glow. Blaine felt his mouth open slightly and he shook his head. Kurt raised one impeccable eyebrow.

"Beauty is a funny thing," Blaine said, shaking his head in puzzlement, "I mean is it all science? Why are we chosen as beautiful, why are we considered the ideal?"

"Are these rhetorical questions or do you expect answers?" Kurt asked slightly amused at Blaine's earnest expression.

"Yes," Blaine said emphatically, "I need answers. I think I've struggled with the answers for so long."

"We're ascetically pleasing to the eye, that's mathematics apparently. The lines of the face, the symmetry, the contours but I guess what is beautiful one year might change the next year."

"Exactly," Blaine said as if he had known the answers all along, "But do you know the truth? Do you know when I've seen you look at your most beautiful?"

Kurt shook his head, his stomach still jittery with the idea that Blaine thought he was beautiful.

"The behind-the-scenes shot from that August man photo shoot. They used a photo for the party that didn't make it to publication but it was shown at the venue anyway. It wasn't part of the supposed shot and you weren't looking at the camera but god you were so fucking beautiful. I saw it and knew."

Kurt didn't ask what he knew, his face portraying his need to know and his desperation for Blaine to continue.

"You were laughing at someone in the back of the shot, your scarf around your neck and your hands clasped. Your face was so alive with laughter lines, your face so animated that it was the perfect shot because it wasn't the perfect shot. Does that make sense?"

Kurt nodded in understanding. He knew the shot Blaine meant, had remembered the blown up picture at the party that hadn't made it to the publication that was never meant for the magazine. He had wondered at the party why they had used it to adorn the room when it wasn't to be used but he had thought nothing of the picture since that night. He could understand why Blaine liked the shot – the complete opposite of a model's craft, the picture represented everything that modelling was not.

"I know we're new to this Kurt," Blaine said suddenly, clasping Kurt's hand in his, "But I promise, if you let me, to help you remember how perfectly imperfect you are."

Blaine's eyes seemed to twinkle slightly with the promise and Kurt smiled so bright that a few people around them seemed to realise something important was happening and stopped to stare. Kurt leaned forward slightly and kissed Blaine's cheek sweetly, finally resting his head on Blaine's shoulder, their hands remaining clasped together between them.

The flight was long and by the time they arrived it was morning in Milan. Kurt and Blaine had drifted to sleep soon after their conversation but woke a few hours later to watch a film and chat. When they sorted their luggage, they picked up their rental car and prepared for the nearly two hour drive to Vareena, a village on Lake Como.

"I'll drive," Kurt said emphatically when the car rental papers had been signed. They were both allowed to drive the vehicle when it was in their possession but one look at Blaine, slight purple bags under his eyes and his eyes shiny with tiredness, Kurt knew he was the most awake out of the two of them.

"Are you sure?" Blaine asked politely, "I really think I'll be ok when I get some coffee in me."

"No it's fine. It's not a long journey and I can sleep when we get there."

They soon got on their way and Kurt would occasionally look over, Blaine leaning slightly back in his adjusted seat, his eyes closed, his bow lips slightly apart. His eyelashes fanned out across his face, his eyes slightly fluttering in his sleep. Kurt wondered what he was dreaming and whether he would remember the dreams upon waking. Not for the first time, as he glanced over occasionally whilst driving, he realised Blaine truly was beautiful. He got to thinking about what Blaine had said earlier and hoped that Blaine wouldn't think he was shallow as he appreciated the beauty lying by his side in the rental car. It wasn't that Kurt admired the lines of his face or his symmetrical features, rather it was the simple peaceful expression that rested on Blaine's face as he slept. He looked so innocent that Kurt knew Blaine was young and during the day piles of unwanted rubbish that life threw his way managed to make its way onto his face and ruin its simple innocence and untarnished beauty. There were no lines of worry or creases of fear upon Blaine's face now and Kurt knew what Blaine had meant about that shot at the August party after all.

They arrived at the villa, Blaine waking up just as they arrived, his body seeming to recognise the change in pace and he was able to explain to Kurt where to park so they could walk the rest of the way to their villa. As soon as they pulled up and got out of the car Kurt stopped talking, his sentence left unfinished, his mouth open.

The day was breathtakingly beautiful. The sun had risen on a new day, the breeze cool enough to ensure the heat was not uncomfortable and the tourists not yet arriving. Kurt looked around the village as they started to take their luggage to their villa, Blaine confidently leading the way. Kurt tried to take it all in, his sleepy head stirred awake by the images around him and Blaine turned round to face him when they had arrived. He laughed.

"We have all week to appreciate it, I promise," Blaine said laughing at Kurt's awe struck face.

"Another promise Blaine?" Kurt said quietly, in all seriousness, "I think this has the possibility of being my favourite place in the whole world and you might just be my favouritest person for bringing me here."

"Favouritest isn't a word," Blaine said winking in mock pedantry.

"Well I think we need to start a new dictionary." Kurt took his eyes away from the ethereal beauty around him and kissed Blaine sweetly on the lips.

"I think we should see the villa first and sleep for a few hours," Blaine said quietly.

"Ok," Kurt said, nodding as Blaine took all the luggage and led the way.

The villa was perfectly sized for their needs and so set apart that they could feel completely free from everything but so close that they could get to town whenever they wanted. Blaine dropped the luggage in the lounge and followed Kurt who was taking the grand tour of the place.

"This terrace is amazing Blaine," Kurt said as he sat on the seat overlooking the lake. "The view is amazing." It actually seemed to take his breath away as Blaine followed his gaze out to the water. The landlord had left them pink lemonade in martini glasses waiting on the table of the terrace where white curtains, tied at the sides, surrounded their view. The table was adorned with white flowers and the mountain loomed in the distance, making Kurt completely understand the overwhelming feeling of smallness that Blaine had felt earlier as they flew over the ocean. They were next door to the most beautiful sight Kurt knew he would ever have the pleasure to see.

They sat there sipping lemonade for quite a while in silence, appreciating it all, sinking in real beauty and Kurt felt his eyelids droop as the peace fell over them both.

"You should get to bed," Blaine said as he watched Kurt battle to stay awake. "I had a little sleep as you drove, you haven't slept in hours."

"I know but I don't want to waste the day," Kurt said pouting.

"We'll just sleep for a few hours I promise," Blaine said, already standing and starting to lift him up which was relatively easy, so tired and lax in his arms.

"Ok, ok," Kurt whined, his lips pouting adorably.

Kurt was so sleepy he didn't seem to notice they were heading for the same bedroom until they arrived with the luggage and he looked around.

"Oh sorry," he said blushing slightly, "I should check the second bedroom."

He wandered to the other side of the villa and found the yellow beds. It seemed the master bedroom, all nicely adorned with a red bed spread, a lovely picture of hearts above the bed was really the main bedroom. The much bigger second bedroom was designed to contain a maximum of five people with a bunk bed and three single beds. The covers were an old yellow and the art work minimal. Kurt smiled a small grimace without Blaine seeing.

"Well I guess this will suit me fine," he said, walking forward to decide on a bed to occupy.

"No Kurt this is ridiculous, this bedroom is grotesque compared to the master bedroom. You should have that one, I'll be fine in here."

"No Blaine, you haven't allowed me to pay for this trip so far, the least I can do is to let you have the best bedroom."

"No I insist," he said, already trying to move his luggage into the second bedroom although Kurt tried to stop him.

"Why don't we just share?" Kurt asked after a while, already feeling sleep threaten to take-over. "We can argue about it later, I just want to sleep." He looked about to plead and Blaine laughed.

"Ok, left or right?"

"Always left," Kurt said confidently.

"Good." Blaine didn't say anything about the fact that he rarely slept on a particular side, never having anyone to occupy his bed for longer than a slight doze and preferring to spread out like a starfish. He didn't notice Kurt's hesitation by the bed as Blaine stripped to his boxers and crept under the covers. He looked up from the pillow and smiled at Kurt's nervous attitude.

"I've seen you change before, remember?" Blaine said laughing lightly and Kurt blushed that he was nervous at all about something so silly. He quickly stripped to his underwear too and went under the covers.

They stuck rigidly to their sides until Kurt stretched his shoulders and turned to face Blaine in the bed.

"Thanks for taking me here Blaine," he whispered, as if the walls could hear them and he might disturb the peace.

"You are most welcome," Blaine said smiling and opening his arms invitingly. Kurt snuggled closer, dipping his head in the warm area between neck and shoulder. He kissed gently, smiling into the skin and making Blaine melt slightly. It was already proving to be so different from his last visit here and Blaine found his eyes drifting closed as he wrapped his arms more fully around Kurt who lay nestled into his side. Kurt fell asleep there, warm and comfortable and so full of the beauty that he saw in the lake and in the warm brown eyes that had promised him the most amazing holiday.