"I give up; there is no way to make these things look attractive," Kurt tilted his head from side to side in front of his hand mirror. He held an aerosol can a few inches out from his hair and immersed himself in a thick cloud of hairspray.

Puck coughed, choking on the lingering fumes as he passed, "Dude, you're going to kill everyone in here with that stuff, lay off."

Kurt ignored Puck and handed off the bottle and mirror to Santana before moving over to Tina. He slapped her hands away from her hair and adjusted a bobby pin, "Excited for the actual final time you'll ever have to walk through McKinley?"

"You have no idea," Tina glowered over his shoulder at a few of their classmates wrestling one another to the floor, "Aren't you?"

Kurt gazed around the hallway he and his fellow seniors were occupying, "I'm going to miss Glee club."

Tina's smile slipped a little as she, too, looked around and picked out the other members of New Direction in their various states of disarray, "Me, too… but a lot of them won't go too far; it's not like we're all moving to opposite ends of the country."

Kurt watched Brittany help Artie with his gown; studied Puck trying to bribe a classmate into giving him her high honors stole; he even took a moment to smile when Sam stole a quick kiss from Mercedes, "They're not leaving, but I am."

Tina squeezed his had, "We'll have reunions and we still have all summer before you guys move. Come on, you were more ready to be out of here than anyone, don't start getting sentimental now."

"I'm not, I'm not!" Kurt lifted both hands defensively, "Trust me, there are some people here that if I were to move to another planet I would still feel too close to them."

"Guess who," A warm hand covered his eyes.

"Blaine, what are you doing here?" Kurt pushed the hand off his face and twisted around to face his boyfriend.

Blaine pouted, "How'd you know it was me?"

"You'd be less identifiable if you ever deviated your cologne selection from Lacoste Essential," Kurt looked him over— a white polo and khakis; the contrast of his light clothes and dark hair made him look devastatingly attractive, "And you still haven't answered my question; I gave you a free pass on this thing."

"You thought I'd honestly skip out on your graduation?" Blaine grinned, "Not a chance."

"You're going to die of boredom," Kurt folded his arms across his chest but couldn't help but feel pleased at Blaine's spontaneous appearance. He was more than aware of the glances some of the girls were sending their way.

"I was looking forward to Kurt Hummel's graduation ensemble," Blaine looked over Kurt's plain red robe and flicked his fingers through the tassel hanging in front of Kurt's face, "I thought you would at least try to bedazzle the top of your hat or something for the occasion."

Kurt gave the surrounding sea of identical red robes a sour look. It really was awful to have to look the same as all of his peers on his final day at McKinley. He'd made his mark by standing out and now he looked the exact same as all of them. He batted Blaine's hand away but sighed, "You know me too well; I did try to bedazzle it, but Figgins just gave me a new one; he said something about graduating class unison."

"Well then, maybe you'll appreciate this," Blaine reached into his pocket and held out a little wrapped box.

"What is it?" Kurt turned it over in his hands a few times, eyeing the shoddy wrapping job.

"Something to make you stand out a little," Blaine smiled; shrugged.

Kurt peeled back the paper and abandoned it to the floor. He opened the box ready to make a joke about a marriage proposal, but he stopped himself.

"Do you like it?" Blaine shifted from foot to foot; suddenly nervous.

Kurt pulled the pin from the box to inspect more closely. It was a rose gold feather- delicate and only about two inches long. It wouldn't catch someone's eye immediately the way some of his gaudier accessories might, but it would definitely inspire a double take, "I absolutely love it. Where'd you get it?"

Blaine smiled; sheepish, "One of my aunt's has had this artist out in Oregon make a few pieces for her—I sent her a sketch a few months ago. I wanted to give it to you for our one year, but it came late, so I thought today would be a good day to give it to you."

Kurt felt happy tears sting his eyes, "How'd I end up with the best boyfriend in the world?"

"All the good guys are gay; the odds were in your favor," Santana called as she passed.

"I still feel pretty damn lucky," Kurt smiled and looked back down at Blaine's gift, "Now I have to come up with something amazing to give you for graduation."

Blaine took the pin from him and worked at undoing the clasp, "Don't; you've given me plenty."

"Screw love and devotion—those are built-ins to the relationship; I'm going to come up with the most wonderful material possession I can possibly give you." Kurt tilted his head; thoughtful.

"I'm sure you could come up with something a lot more creative than a feather pin, but you really, really don't have to." Blaine was scowling down at the pin as he continued to fumble with the clasp.

"I want to," Kurt took the pin from between Blaine's fingers and opened it in one deft movement. He pinned it on his robes and smiled at Blaine, "There; right above my heart."

Blaine pulled him into a hug, "Congratulations, Kurt."

"I survived." Kurt laughed; lifting one hand to hold his hat in place.

"You did more than survive; you conquered this place," Blaine pulled out of the hug, but squeezed his shoulders, "Don't let anybody tell you different."

Kurt smoothed Blaine's collar with a thumb, "You could get in trouble for being back here you know."

"I won't tell if you won't," Blaine winked.

"Deal," Kurt smiled, "But you really should be getting back out there; you might be able to get a seat with my parents."

Blaine glanced over his shoulder toward the doors to the gym, "Rachel's dads probably wouldn't mind plowing a few people over in the front row for me either- I saw them on my way in- they brought like an entire recording and movie studio for this thing... I'll see you soon. Don't trip on your way up to the podium."

"Save that advice for yourself," Kurt shoved him playfully, "Get out of here."

Blaine twisted around to flash him one last smile before disappearing into the gym with a few straggling parents.

Kurt traced a finger over the pin and smiled at the space he'd last seen Blaine.

His view was obscured by a pack of (former) football players, "What a dream come true, Hummel; a bunch of dudes in dresses."

"As alluring as I'm sure you feel in drag, I'll pass on the has-been athletes; thanks," Kurt glanced around.

"Watch who you're calling a has-been, Hummel, I'm going to be on the college team." Azimio took a threatening step toward him.

"I don't think taking a couple make up classes to boost your GPA down at the community college and playing for the park and rec team make you qualify as a 'college football player," Kurt looked him over disdainfully, "Mind backing off a little? You smell horrendous and I feel like if you're within a fifteen foot radius it's going to rub off on me."

"Is this too close for you, Lady?" Azimio grabbed a handful of Kurt's robes and jerked him forward.

"Lay off."

Kurt looked to Karofsky in surprise. His robe was a little too short and his hat was on at a rakish angle. He looked tired.

"Is that dress going to your head, Dave?" Azimio turned to look Karofsky over, "Are you siding with the homo?"

"I just want this to be over with as fast as possible so we can go; I don't want Figgins making us stay longer for giving him shit." Karofsky motioned a hand at Kurt; he didn't look at him.

Azimio held onto Kurt for a few more seconds before shoving him backward. He adjusted his robe up higher on his shoulders and looked back to Kurt; his expression disgusted, "I guess you're right. Stupid lady boy isn't worth my sweet party time anyway."

The boys moved away from Kurt, but a few couldn't resist shouldering him as they passed.

David remained where he was; watching the others with a glum face. Kurt studied his profile, "For you, that was a decent attempt at civility."

Karofsky didn't look at him; he followed after the others, but remained a few steps behind the pack.

"Karofsky?" Kurt called just loud enough to be heard.

Karofsky paused and turned to look at him.

"High school's over, David." Kurt tried to smile for him just a little.

Karofsky studied him in silence. He nodded his head once and turned to catch up with the others.

Finn looked from Karofsky to Kurt as he passed the former jocks. He frowned, "Are they giving you trouble?"

"No more than usual," Kurt smiled grimly, but caught Finn by the arm when he wheeled around to chase after the boys, "Don't waste your time; they're depressed and needed somewhere to put their feelings."

Finn stared down the hall but reluctantly turned back toward Kurt, "They're lining us up to go in. You ready?"

"I have been ready for this since the first day of second grade." Kurt smiled and followed Finn to find their place in with the others already filing up in front of the doors. Rachel stepped out of the line to look over her fellow glee club members solemnly.

"This is our last performance for McKinley—"

The others let out a cheer that drowned out her voice.

Finn didn't cheer; he looked them over sadly, "this is our last performance together as a team, you guys."

The group quieted. Despite her previous reassurances to Kurt, Tina leaned into Mike's side with a solemn expression.

"I didn't mean to make everyone depressed." Finn looked to Kurt for back up, but he only shrugged; he'd already been through the emotional wringer of having to leave his friends behind; he had little comfort to offer.

"Some of us will go away," Rachel said quietly; glancing toward Kurt, "But we've been through too much together to just fall apart after this. We're a family. We'll always be here to support each other and offer each other a shoulder to lean on. This isn't goodbye forever… just for now."

"Why is this the first time she's opening her mouth and saying something I want to hear?" Santana sniffled; smiled.

Kurt found Tina's hand on his left and Finn's on his right. The whole group joined hands and stood quietly for a long minute; looking around at each other.

When they walked to the front of the gym and mounted the stage to a few catcalls and choice words; none of them minded. The music started and the crowd hushed.

There's a time and place, for everything.

There's a reason why certain people meet.

There's a destination, for everyone.

What's the explanation, when we're done?

Kurt looked past his classmates—some watching quietly others openly leering at them— and picked out Blaine and his parents. Carol was whispering something in Blaine's ear. He nodded his head, but his eyes remained on Kurt; his grin widening when their eyes met.

All the summer nights spent wondering;

So many questions asked, but no one's answering.

Would it be okay if I left today?

Took my chances on what you said was wrong?

Kurt looked back to the sea of red robes in the front few rows and caught Karofsky's eye. He was slumped low in his chair, but, surprisingly, his expression was not vacant or even resentful. He stared back at Kurt and even smiled a little. Kurt was shocked enough to check twice, but, yes, Karofsky was definitely smiling—it held no mocking disdain or ugly hatred… it wasn't exactly friendly or warm either, but it remained even when Kurt held his gaze. And why shouldn't they be able to smile at each other? Kurt reassured himself; after all, he had been the one to say it: high school was over.

He returned the smile.

I'm jaded, stupid, and wreckless.

Not sorry, and I'll never regret.

These years spent, so faded and wreckless.

Not sorry, and I'll never regret these years.

I'll never regret these years

The rest of the ceremony went so quickly, Kurt barely had time to process it. Even Figgins' speech seemed to have the fast forward button on it. Before Kurt knew it, Figgins was finishing with a reminder to stop by the blood drive as a way to 'give back to McKinley and Lima just one more time' and then they were being asked to stand and face the audience.

"Friends and loved ones, I present to you the graduating class of 2012," Figgins voice had never sounded so sweet in Kurt's ears. For once, he was more than happy to conform to the actions of the rest of his class: he felt as if a physical weight was lifted from his shoulders and high into the air right along with the ocean of red hats.

Despite the nearly palpable excitement of the end of the ceremony, nobody rushed for the doors. Students lingered; chatted; took pictures.

"So I'm feeling pretty badass dating someone out of high school and all that," Blaine grinned as he approached the glee club members.

"Well make sure you savor it now because in one week it's your turn," Kurt shouldered Blaine playfully, "though I would assume the headmaster at Dalton will leave out Red Cross plugs at the end of his speech."

"It's good to give back, Kurt," Rachel scolded.

"I don't see you skipping over to the blood drive," Kurt retorted.

"I donate all the time," Rachel looked around pointedly at the other members of New Directions, "As should all of you."

"Seriously; this school already sucked my soul out, they can't have my blood, too." Tina said flatly. The others nodded and murmured their agreement.

Having failed to persuade her classmates, Rachel turned to beam at Blaine, "What about you, Blaine? Going to help out a good cause?"

Kurt snorted, "Maybe if you drag him there kicking and screaming."

Rachel frowned, looking between Kurt and Blaine who had shoved his hands down in his pockets; his expression sheepish. Still, she tried to defend him, "I know he doesn't have a problem with blood—he helped Finn bandage his knee just last week after he fell playing basketball."

"Blood isn't the problem," Kurt glanced at Blaine.

Blaine shifted from foot to foot; he tried to smile at Rachel, "I… um… I kind of have this thing about needles."

"He's absolutely phobic." Kurt corrected.

"I am not phobic," Blaine pulled his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms across his chest, "I just don't like them; that's all."

"Blaine, you refused to go in for a check up because you thought they'd do a finger prick," Kurt rolled his eyes, "By the way, if you step on a rusty nail and get lockjaw from lack of tetanus vaccination, I am totally saying I told you so."

"Hey!" Blaine pouted, "No need to add details."

"You would do the same to me," Kurt replied coolly, though he did feel a little bad when his friends giggled.

"I'm not running around telling everybody you're scared of mice," Blaine huffed.

"That was one time and I wasn't scared, I was disgusted that there was a mouse running around my basement." Kurt folded his arms; mirroring Blaine's defensive pose.

Blaine grinned, "Really? Because the way you stood on your vanity and screamed at me to kill it made it made you seem like you almost enjoyed having them around."

The entire group was laughing save for Santana. She just looked irritated.

"As freaking charming as I find your I-think-we're-so-fucking-adorable-when-we-banter thing you have going on, can you both please shut up so we can get out of here?" Santana rolled her eyes, "I wanna get my drank on, like, yesterday."

Kurt and Blaine trailed quietly after the group as they finally started to make their way toward the doors; Blaine was whistling Pomp and Circumstance.

"You're not actually upset I said that, are you?" Kurt watched Blaine out of the corner of his eye.

"Of course not," Blaine turned to look at him in surprise, "were you?"

Kurt shook his head quickly and added in a low voice, "And, truth be told, I am terrified of mice."

Blaine winked at him, "Your secret's safe with me."

When Blaine nearly stumbled into him to make a wide arc around the Red Cross station in the front entry, Kurt couldn't suppress a laugh. He found Blaine's hand and secured it tightly in his own, "I'd say the same to you, but I don't think me running my mouth will be the thing to give you away."