On his second day home Kurt pressed his nose to Blaine's. "Between the eyebrows and the beard I'm starting to feel like I'm dating Padfoot. I'm shaving one or the other, you're call."

Blaine's eyes twinkled, "Can you just trim it instead? I like the way you react to my scruff, and now that we're home I wanna try some…stuff."

"You are in no shape to try stuff. Let's get rid of the whole thing, you'll be cooler. We can revisit when you feel better."

Blaine relented and allowed Kurt to cut his hair back to manageable (in truth Kurt left it a little long, he liked being able to twist his fingers in it when they kissed) and then tried to sit still and not laugh Kurt lathered shaving cream to his face and then carefully set blade to skin. He found the concentration on Kurt's face irresistible.

Kurt wiped Blaine's face clean then sat back smiling. "I've missed you."

"C'mere." Blaine pulled him close so they could lay together, "I've missed being alone with you." He kissed Kurt's neck, "And putting my arms around you." It took some time to work out a comfortable position, Blaine still had to keep his left shoulder as stable as possible and his left leg would be casted almost the entire summer but soon enough they were snuggled close together, Blaine absently stroking Kurt's arm.

Knowing he would need help with everyday tasks and how little support he had when he got home from the hospital Kurt became Blaine's constant companion. In the beginning it had been like a full time job. Blaine had difficulty lifting his arms or even turning to his side at all. Kurt had fed him when he was too sore or tired to feed himself, distracting him by talking about Finn's baseball fantasy team and asking Blaine to explain how those things worked. Kurt didn't really care but it gave Blaine a way to feel like he was teaching while being cared for, giving him less opportunity to feel like a child, or be embarrassed. There were a million small things that Kurt began doing for him usually without Blaine even needing to ask. It became automatic, like Kurt was an extension of him, just instinctively knowing what he'd need. He also seemed to know how to make himself small and vulnerable. Curling himself against Blaine's good side Kurt would look up at Blaine with wide eyes and ask for a story while he rested. Blaine loved to make up tales of the two of them, adventures they would have in New York after graduation or trips they would take together to Paris, London, anywhere. The sound of Blaine's voice soothed Kurt, frequently allowing him to sleep, something he could not do at home. He tried but ended up just laying in bed wondering if Blaine was okay without him there.

Burt had expressed concern over the role Kurt was taking on but knew his son was devoted to ensuring Blaine's successful recovery. He'd settled for asking Finn to keep an eye on his brother and let him know if Kurt seemed like he needed someone to step in and make him slow down.

Five weeks after the accident Blaine was tired of his room, his computer, video games, pretty much everything other than the company of his boyfriend. It was an especially hot afternoon and Kurt had just finished reading "Deluxe" out loud to Blaine.

"Please?" Blaine batted his long dark lashes in Kurt's direction. "I'll keep the cast dry, I'll tell you if I get too hot, and" he dropped his voice seductively, "I'll let you rub sun block all over me."

Kurt had to laugh. Blaine sounded like a kid in the store bargaining for a puppy. "Okay, against my better judgment, we can sit by the pool. Just for half an hour and I AM coming for you with the sun block, trust."

"You should swim."

"I'm not swimming."

"Why not, this summer is such a waste of the pool, and it'll make me happy."

"I don't have swim trunks with me, besides I'm not going in the water while you have to sit and watch I'll swim when we can both swim."

He leaned down to help Blaine transfer to the wheelchair. His leg was still months away from being better and though his clavicle was healing well he was still much too sore to support himself with crutches. Blaine used the opportunity to kiss his neck, "But I love watching you."

"Don't start; I thought you wanted to go outside."

"I do, but I love the sound of the water when someone's moving though it. C'mon. You need a break too, it will be refreshing."

Kurt planted a quick kiss on Blaine's lips with each word, "I. Don't. Have. Trunks. Here."

Blaine fingered the lock of hair that insisted on falling onto Kurt's forehead, "Wear mine." His eyes were liquid, it was incredible how he could do that.

Kurt sighed, "Always trying to get me in your pants. You're obsessed Blaine Warbler."

"And woefully unsuccessful."

"Fine. Where are they?"

Blaine directed him to the correct drawer and Kurt pulled out a pair of plaid swim trunks in Red and grey. "Do you actually own ANYTHING not in Dalton colors?"

"I look good in red." He tried to shrug then winced.

"You look good in everything."

Kurt took the trunks and headed for the hallway. Blaine scowled, "Where are you going?"

He held up the trunks and his eyebrows, "Bathroom? Change?"

"You can't be serious."

"Yes, I can."

"It's not like I've never seen you."

Kurt had been half way out the door but he stood completely still, his ears turning bright red. "What?"

"We've been in the men's room together a million times."

Kurt squeaked, "You LOOKED?"

"You didn't?"

"NO!"

"Weren't you even a little curious?"

"Not having this conversation with you." He sang and headed down the hall.

They had made progress since the beginning of the summer, this was certain. Blaine no longer felt Kurt feared intimacy between them, in fact sometimes it seemed like he craved it even more than he liked to let on. It was probably easier for Kurt, knowing Blaine couldn't' really look for more than he was ready to give in his current physical state. He was flirtier, his hands wandered more freely and they'd spent some time together, side by side on Blaine's bed reading information online.

One of the sweetest moments of Blaine's summer was a lazy afternoon when the two of them were early into reading some "educational material" to help Kurt feel less lost when it came to sex. They were searching through instructional options for gay men who wanted to experiment with anal and the positions that worked for different couples. Kurt was only half looking at the screen, not at all comfortable with the images Blaine was flicking through but then he placed his hand over Blaine's stopping him. The image on the screen was two men in missionary position, the "receiving" man on his back, his thighs resting on those of the "giving" man who was over him, facing him. Kurt tapped his index finger on the back of Blaine's hand. "That works?"

"Apparently. Why?"

"I thought, I thought it had to be, y'know, with my back to you."

Blaine smiled gently, "No honey, some guys say it feels better that way, but I think for us face to face would be more our style."

"Shut it off. It's enough for today."

Blaine did and set the laptop to the side. Kurt curled against him and pulled him into a long kiss, sighing as they broke apart, there were tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Hey," Blaine searched his face, frightened he'd pushed too hard with the pictures, "You okay?"

Kurt traced Blaine's jawline with a fingertip, "I'm just so relieved. I hated the thought of…it just seemed like animals, not two people in love."

"What, behind one another?"

"Yeah, I was actually terrified of that. I hated the thought of it, didn't think I'd ever want…and I was so afraid you'd be disappointed, but if we can see each other, if I can see your eyes and feel you around me, I'll be okay."

"First I want you to understand you could never disappoint me. I don't even know what all I want, we gotta figure this out together. It is never going to be about what I want, it's going to be about how we feel together. This is about expressing love Kurt, not anything else, please remember that. I don't want you to be scared about anything we do. If it doesn't make us feel closer to one another then there's no point to it."

"Thank you, honey. Sometimes when I'm alone I get so worried, I don't know why, somehow I forget how patient you are, how you make me feel so safe." Blaine's heart had swelled at that. Somehow, completely unable to move or stand he still made Kurt feel safe.

At the pool Kurt practically had to pick Blaine up to lay him in the low deck chair. He took his time smoothing lotion over his shoulders, careful to cover the scars from his surgery extra well. Blaine closed his eyes while Kurt feathered his fingers over the sensitive skin there. When he first came home Kurt had changed the bandages, cleaned the wounds, and helped slough away the dead skin when the time came. Blaine had marveled at Kurt's strength and gentle touch, telling him he should scrap fashion and consider a career in medicine, but Kurt had answered that the only person he was interested in taking care of was Blaine. It had earned an "Aww" from a room full of visiting Warbler's at the time.

Kurt caressed lotion across Blaine's chest, down his torso and around his sides, "Arms." Blaine held out an arm and watched as Kurt stroked the creamy liquid down it and meticulously covered each finger. When he got to the fingers of the second hand Blaine linked them through Kurt's and held their hands up, palm to palm for a moment. "You're good to me." It was soft, thoughtful.

Kurt met his eyes and smiled slowly and offered his reason. "I love you." It was simple, obvious and perfect.

Blaine let his hand go and watched him continue, covering his face with lotion then moving to his legs. Kurt started with his thighs, pushing the legs of Blaine's shorts up his thighs to ensure he didn't burn right on the line. He couldn't help it, Kurt's fingers were just too close, he moaned just a tiny bit and Kurt knew he caught movement. "Behave"

"Sorry. I used to be able to just…take care of things when you weren't around, can't really do that anymore until the shoulder's better healed."

Kurt moved down the one leg not covered in cast with the lotion. "Thought you were going to tell me what you couldn't do for yourself so I could help." He took a beat then looked sideways at Blaine for a reaction.

"I…Wow . Um…I don't even know what to say to that."

"Me either, so I'm going to jump in the pool and cool off before we get carried away."

"No, you aren't. You need protection too."

Kurt couldn't argue with that, he was the palest person on the planet. He quickly covered himself in the waterproof lotion and then handed it to Blaine, 'Do my back?"

He perched at the edge of the chair and quivered at Blaine's touch. He knew he had pushed things up a notch with his offer. He'd been thinking about it for awhile, wanting to move things to a new level when Blaine was healed enough but once the words were out of his mouth he panicked. He felt ready but when the reality was right there the knots in his stomach took over.

"You're feisty today." Blaine noted as he rubbed lotion in, noting to himself how Kurt's body had changed over the summer. He was slightly taller, his face was leaner, his jaw line sharper. The biggest change was his muscles. He had some. Kurt wasn't bulky, but he was definitely getting stronger, his calves, back and arms gaining definition. He'd been going practically lifting Blaine in and out of bed, and the wheelchair, hoisting him into the car for appointments or just to go for ice cream to get him out of the house and Blaine suspected he might be working out occasionally with Finn.

"Your fault."

"I'll take that blame any day."

"Swimming now."

"Kiss first."

"Kiss later, swimming now." He ran to the edge of the pool and dove in.

Blaine let the sun soak into him. The cast was hot but he didn't care, this was the most normal he'd felt all summer. He was sick of feeling like an invalid. He watched Kurt move through the water and let himself imagine what it would feel like to take him up on his offer to help with his most personal task.

It didn't take long before the sun lulled him into a state somewhere between sleeping and alert. He was aware of the burning of his skin but it was a good burning, there was none of the constant pains that usually accompanied being lucid. He languished there for a time until he felt the sting of cold water dripping on him. Opening his eyes and squinting against the brightness of the sun he found Kurt standing over him, allowing the cold water to fall from his body to Blaine's.

"Kiss now."

Kurt covered Blaine's cast with a towel to keep it dry then wedged himself half on and half beside Blaine, soaking him and making him laugh.

"You're so cold!"

"And you're burning up." There was unhidden lust in Kurt's voice. He kissed Blaine and pressed hard against him. This, coupled with where Blaine's mind had been wandering was more than he could take and he abandoned trying to control his desire. He longed to reach down, slide his hands down the back of the bathing suit and for the first time feel the skin of Kurt's ass, cool and wet in his hot palm but reaching was out of the question with his injury. Instead he grabbed the edge of the chair for leverage and nudged his hips upward against Kurt.

Kurt felt Blaine harden beneath him and backed up. Blaine wimpered, "Kurt please, come here." But Kurt slide his arm beneath Blaine's back and lifted, "We're going to break this chair, let's go inside."

In the wheelchair Blaine tried to wrap his head around what was happening. His stomach did flips, his whole body was rigid with desire and yes, a little fear. How could he hope to make things right for Kurt when he could barely move on his own?

Inside Kurt did something he had never done before; he locked the door to Blaine's room.