This year wasn't so bad, because this year he had Blaine. The other boy, it turned out, was the sort of person who thrived on summer. Three weeks into the season and he already resembled a Greek demi-god, all warmth and vitality, sun kissed with the beginnings of a tan. He dressed in plain khaki shorts and thin cotton t-shirts and ran around with no shoes on. He even, most days, released his unruly curls from the gels and pomades that shackled them into submission during the school year. He was free and full of sunshine and bright, easy smiles and sometimes Kurt’s heart ached with how wonderful he looked and how much Kurt was in love with this boy.

Other times he felt exhausted trying to keep up with him. Today had been one of those days.

They were at another barbecue, just the kids from New Directions hanging out in Mike Chang’s back yard. Kurt had spent the afternoon flitting from one end of the fenced in bit of grass to the other, chasing his boyfriend from group to group and activity to activity. Blaine was like an overenthusiastic puppy with social ADD - he always had to immediately travel to wherever the fun seemed to be at.

Kurt, quite frankly, needed a break. As the sun started to sink below the horizon he perched on the edge of Mike’s back porch and sipped a glass of ice cool lemonade. The stars were slowly blinking awake and fireflies were starting to make their presences known - so, unfortunately, were the mosquitoes. Kurt decided not to let that bother him tonight. He found himself lost in thought instead, mind wandering in lazy, abstract circles.

He didn’t realize he was no longer alone until Blaine (apparently having worn himself out as well) had already settled on the concrete next to him. He leaned over and nudged Kurt’s shoulder, smiling that private, special smile that Kurt had never actually identified what he’d done to deserve, just knew he hoped he kept on doing it. “Hey,” Blaine said, and gently cupped Kurt’s cheek with one hand, leaning in to kiss him soft and slow.

Kurt was surprised, but certainly not unpleasantly so. It felt nice, always did with Blaine, and he wasted no time in reciprocating. “Hi,” he mumbled against his boyfriend's lips. Blaine tasted of barbecue and the watermelon wedges that had been served for dessert. Kurt could smell the tangy smoke from the grill hanging in the air and, more intimately, the faint bit of sweat mingling with his boyfriend’s cologne. He felt intoxicated with it, with the moment and the feelings and this boy. All of it.

He leaned their foreheads together and smiled his own private smile as they pulled back, brushing his thumb along the scratchy five o’ clock shadow on Blaine’s jaw. “You taste like summer.” Somehow it had just become his favorite season.