It seemed the holiday was their only time off before they were working again. Kurt had been invited to model for a new men's after shave which was to include television adverts as well as magazine photos so it would occupy him for the next week. Blaine was finally asked to be on the runway for Topman after a break of a year and he didn't want to admit it to Kurt but he was nervous. He was staying with Kurt for the foreseeable future, allowing them to see each other whenever they could get some time, but he would get up early in the morning to go to the gym and not return until Kurt was just getting up for breakfast. When asked if he wanted any food, Blaine always declined, explaining to Kurt that he had had some breakfast at the gym café. Blaine was flicking through the photos of the outfits he was to model the following week.

"Wow this is nice," Kurt said in surprise, "I didn't know that Topman was that good, I always thought it was just a British label trying to catch up with the big names."

"Yeah it looks pretty good," Blaine said, looking carefully at the outfits, "I'll be wearing quite a range."

Kurt took in Blaine's expression as he worried his lip between his teeth.

"Are you looking forward to it?" Kurt asked and Blaine looked up quickly.

"What? Oh yeah of course," Blaine said falsely cheerful. "I haven't walked a runway in so long, I just worry that I won't be good enough."

"Are you serious Blaine?" Kurt said incredulously, "You were fantabulous at your last one. I remember watching you, just before I got my first shoot and I wanted to be you Blaine. I admired you so much. I knew if I could do half the job you did I'd be ok."

He was so sincere that Blaine could only stare back at him incredulously.

"You seriously watched me before?"

"Yeah and afterwards. No matter how much of an ass you were in public I knew you were good." Kurt winked to show he was teasing. Blaine swallowed.

"I don't know if I can do it now Kurt," he said, looking back over the outfits.

"Blaine," Kurt said, taking his hand, "What's going on? Why can't you do it?"

"Look at me," Blaine said standing quickly and twirling so Kurt could get a good look. Kurt looked over Blaine's admirable body and his very fine ass and gave Blaine a confused expression.

"I don't get it," he said, "All I see is a fine tush and a great body."

Blaine laughed.

"Really?" he said, "You don't see the layer of fat or the need for more exercise and less cake?"

Kurt's eyes went wide.

"Are you serious?" he exclaimed, "I've never seen any fat on you. Have you not seen your beach photos?" Blaine couldn't remember and shrugged his shoulders. Kurt rushed to get his copy of his People's magazine and he thrust it into Blaine's face when he had found the right pages.

"The people went wild Blaine; I even remember all the extra shots being released. There were hundreds on tumblr."

Blaine looked over the shots.

"But these were airbrushed slightly," he said, "It's not real life."

Kurt promptly tugged at Blaine's T-shirt and he asked silent permission if he could continue. Blaine shrugged. Kurt took the bottom of his shirt and lifted it up revealing a tanned and toned stomach beneath.

"See?" Kurt said, "It's just the same, no exaggeration."

"But it's all nothing Kurt, you know that."

Kurt thought over what to say next and he smiled.

"But do you know what I love the most? I love when you just come out of the shower or you've just eaten a dessert or drank a few beers, you have this teeny tiny belly and it's perfectly gorgeous." Blaine look horrified. "No let me finish. You see your abs won't always stay like that, I know. I mean I wish mine were like that at all but I know they're not. I'm firm but I don't have the lines that take dedication that quite frankly I never have or want to have. My point is this Blaine: I love you whether you have a little belly that I can stroke and tickle with my fingers or whether you have tight abs and firm muscles. You're cute and beautiful but not because you have a perfect v shape or a tiny waist but because you make me laugh and your eyes make me melt and you sing so well. You come alive when you sing and laugh and talk, I love it when your eyes become all crinkly or when you talk about a song and get all enthusiastic. That's when you're beautiful Blaine but I don't mind looking at these photos," he said jokingly, giving Blaine a little smirk. Blaine seemed to be taking this all in.

"Do you mind if I give this all up?" Blaine said after a while and he kept his eyes resolutely down until Kurt spoke.

"Do you really want to?"

"Yeah, not straight away," he said, finally looking at Kurt, "I mean I want to be able to support myself but I want to cut back. I don't need the expensive apartment and the rich trappings. I just need you."

"If you're sure Blaine," Kurt said.

"Yeah as much as the business has helped me I'm pretty sure it'll kill me eventually. I think I'm obsessed with being perfect and I can feel it creep up on me again. I just want to be the best I can be and I don't want to worry about it anymore. I think I want to try my hand at singing professionally." He said the last bit as if he was admitting his most closely guarded secret. Kurt smiled widely.

"That's great Blaine," he said enthusiastically, "I think you'll be fantastic."

"I think I could do anything with you next to me," he said and Kurt's smile became even wider.

"The magazines seemed to have died down a little now," Sara said as soon as Kurt entered the room for his shoot.

"Well good morning to you too," Kurt said, walking straight to the coffee machine and pulling a face.

"Don't be like that," she said skipping along beside him, "I thought you'd want to know."

"Yeah I am happy that they're leaving Blaine alone," Kurt said, his expression softening.

"You're really in a relationship with him?" Sara asked quietly.

"Yes, did you think it was a ruse?"

"No I just don't really see you two together that's all."

"After all that time you spent ribbing me, saying I needed to 'tap that'?"

"Well I don't take that comment back," she said smirking, "But I didn't think he was the relationship kind."

"Well he is," Kurt said and Sara accepted defeat.

"If he makes you happy, then I'm just jealous," she said smiling and Kurt laughed. He couldn't stay mad at that cheeky face and he begged her for a breakfast croissant.

Fashion week came along and Blaine was even more nervous than before. He waited back stage impatiently wringing his hands and swallowing nervously, bouncing on the balls of his feet to get rid of his nervous energy. Kurt tapped him on the back.

"Fuck Kurt!" he exclaimed, "You nearly killed me!"

"Sorry," Kurt said, "I just wanted to wish you luck and see how you were."

"I was fine before you came along," he said smiling and Kurt laughed.

"Sorry about that. You sure you're ok?"

"I'm nervous Kurt, you know that," he said impatiently, "But I'll be fine, I promise."

"You know you're beautiful right?" Kurt said coming close so he could whisper in Blaine's ear, "So beautiful that everyone will be looking at you rather than the clothes."

Blaine smiled.

"But the most important thing is I get to see you later tonight all ruffled against the pillow, your curls having escaped and your laughter lines back and you'll be more beautiful than anyone here today."

"Thank you," Blaine whispered, kissing Kurt for a long time, almost to see if he could steal some strength from those soft lips.

"I'll be out there watching you and whooping when I can," Kurt said, laughing and he gave one last twirl as he walked away from Blaine.

Blaine's outfits were modern and eye-catching on the runway. He started the night in a simple black suit with shiny lapels adding a touch of modernity and showed many summery shirts that looked young and showed off all his hard work in the gym. A few of the bright jackets also caught the eye of many of the fashion forward at the show. He ended the night in a tiger onesie that made Kurt chuckle and he definitely whooped then. He met him back stage afterwards and hugged him tightly.

"Do you get to keep any of the outfits?" Kurt whispered.

"I can ask for one or two I think," Blaine said smiling at the seductive tone Kurt had used, "Why, do you want the black suit?"

"No I want the onesie," Kurt said smiling, "I think you're the only guy that can really rock a tiger onesie and I think you should definitely twerk in that!"

"Deal!"