Thursday May 7th , 11.20am

It had taken three days for Blaine to finally work up the courage needed to even contemplate having his passport pictures taken.  Just a day earlier, hed dragged Sam to the post office to see if Kurt had been right about the long waiting time.

He had been right.  It was a three week wait, to be exact. 

It wasnt that Blaine wanted to prove Kurt wrong, and it definitely had nothing to do with not wanting to see him again.  In fact, Kurts face was all hed seen for the last few nights when he tried to get some sleep.  He didnt seem to be able to shake him from his thoughts - seeing him in the flesh might even help.

Blaine had tried to convince himself that, yes, it would help.  In the same way that listening to a song that had been stuck in his head for days made it go away.  Most of the time...

Sam had agreed to go with him, although Blaine had decided that he should just wait in the café a few stores away.  How would it look to Kurt if he showed up with another guy?  What if Kurt assumed Sam was his significant other?

Sure, Blaine.  Because Kurt would be give a crap if you were with another guy.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.  Silencing his inner logic, he let Sam into his apartment.

"Hey dude.  Nervous?" Sam asked, depositing himself onto Blaines couch with a laugh.

Blaine sighed. "Laugh all you like, Sam.  But today Im getting my photos taken.  And nothing is going to stop me."

Blaine glanced toward the dishes in the kitchen sink.

"See that?" he asked.  "That was bacon and eggs."

He turned to face the table by the door, and nodded toward it.  "And you see that?"

Sam nodded, confused.

"Well, that is a backpack.  With two straps.  One for each shoulder.  Practically guaranteed to not fall off."

Sam still looked confused. 

"So...you had breakfast and bought a new bag?  How is that going to..." Sam stopped, realization dawning.  "Ohhhh.  Because this way you can avoid bag slippage and stomach noises?"

Blaine smiled, obviously pleased that Sam was catching up with the master plan. 

"Exactly."

"Ok.  Smart.  But how about hot drink mishaps?" Sam asked.

Blaines smile grew.  "Got that covered, too.  Exhibit A..." Blaine twirled to show off his new lightweight waterproof jacket.

"Nice jacket, man.  But what about for the photo...?"

"A-HA! I knew youd ask!" Blaine exclaimed. 

He unzipped the jacket to reveal a chocolate coloured polo shirt which he had paired with a pink bow tie. 

"Exhibit B! Hot chocolate stains are no match for this shirt.  And, if tragedy strikes, my spiffy bow tie will be distracting enough to counter it.  Its flawless, Sam.  Just admit it."

Sam was speechless. 

"Im ready when you are" Blaine continued, oblivious to the expression on his friends face. 

"My hair is gelled to what I like to call ‘casual perfection.  Is it ok?"

Sam nodded dumbly.  Was this the same Blaine that was practically crying not three days ago?

"I have to ask..." he began.  "Are you sure youre ok?"

"Ok? Of course Im ok!  What do you mean am I ok?!" Blaine babbled, moving around the kitchen collecting his phone, wallet, keys and a brown paper bag containing a can.

Sams eyes widened in shock.  "Blaine...are you...drunk?"

Blaine took a swig of the contents.  "Dutch courage?" he offered. 

Sam grabbed the bag from his hands.

"Hey! Thats mine!" Blaine cried, reaching for the drink.

Opening the bag, Sam removed the can and held it up to Blaine.

"Sugar free Red Bull? Seriously?"

Blaine frowned.  "I cant mix sugar with caffeine.  Get too hyper." he explained sadly.

"Oh Blaine.  What am I going to do with you?"  He patted his friend on the back and passed the can back to him.

"Drink up.  Lets get this over and done with before you hit your come-down..."

**

They were a block and a half away from the agency when Blaines caffeine high started to wear off.

"Sam...I dont think I can..." he started, toying with the sleeve of his jacket anxiously.

Sam put a finger over Blaines mouth.        

"Shhh. Seriously Blaine.  Its a photo. Thats it. How many photos have I taken of you in the past?"

Blaine sighed.  "Thats completely different and you know it.  Im going to make an idiot of myself, I just know I am."

Sam jumped ahead of Blaine, placed his hands onto his shoulders and pulled them to a stop.

"What the...!"

"Blaine, buddy.  Listen to me.  I love you - youre my pal.  But you need to CALM.THE.FUCK.DOWN.  Besides, you have a plan.  You have your backpack, jacket and..." he glances down "...your incredibly distracting bow tie. You GOT this."

Blaine nodded, softly.

"YOU GOT THIS!" Sam shouted in his face, shaking him slightly.

Blaine nodded more enthusiastically - out of fear if nothing else.

"Ok.  OK.  I will meet you in the café as soon as Im done.  It shouldnt take long...in theory..."

Sam patted him on the back and walked away, turning to shout "YOU GOT THIS!" over his shoulder.

**

The door to the agency was open and Blaine could see that Santana was with a customer.  He couldnt see Kurt anywhere and almost contemplated running in the opposite direction as fast as he could. 

Should have had that second can for luck Blaine mused.

He sat himself down on the sofas by the door and waited for Santana to become free.  Or for Kurt to appear.  He wasnt sure which he would have preferred.

The choice was taken out of his hands as Kurt walked out from the back room carrying a large pile of brochures. 

"Oh hey!  Blaine, right?" he called, dropping the brochures onto the ground by his desk with a thud. 

"The courier guy just dropped these off and I was going to sort through them but I see that youve arrived to save me from that terrible fate!" he smiled. 

"Glad I could be of service" Blaine responded, surprising himself by how calm his voice sounded.

Blaine.  This is good.  Youre doing good.

Kurt grinned at him, before beckoning him over to his pod.

"So, I take it youre here to get some head shots taken, right?"  He hadnt broken eye contact with Blaine once and Blaine could feel himself starting to freak out.

As he sat at Kurts pod, he realised just how incredible Kurts eyes were close up.

"Yeah - head shots.  Passport photos.  Im gonna need those." he rambled, never taking his eyes from Kurts.

They were blue, green and grey all at the same time.  How was that even humanly possible?

He must not be human.  Must be some sort of sexy robot travel agent.

"So, passport forms, passport photos...I assume youre planning a trip somewhere?" Kurt asked, clearly trying to prompt Blaine into talking a little more.

Oceans.  His eyes look like oceans.

"Sorry, what was that about oceans?" Kurt asked, confused.

Shit. SHIT.  Did I just say that out loud?! Play it cool, Blaine, play it cool...

"Yes.  Yes - oceans." Blaine confirmed, frantically searching the shelf of brochures behind Kurt to find somewhere suitably ocean-y that could have potentially played a part in his answer to Kurts original question.

"Hawaii!!" he exclaimed, pointing at the brochure.  "Thats where Im planning on travelling to.  Hawaii.  Because of the...you know..."

"Oceans?" Kurt finished, a smirk on his lips as he watched Blaine blink. 

"Well, yes, Hawaii is famous for its....oceans.  Its also famous for being our 50th State.  Of the United States.  For which you dont need a passport..."

"No, no.  I know that.  I just - Hawaii will be one part of my trip.  Just the first part.  Then I want to go to..."  Blaine frantically searched the shelves.  He hadnt really decided where he wanted to go - just that he wanted to go.

He said the first place that came into his mind. 

"Sweden"

His mind was always a very strange place to be.

Kurt raised an eyebrow at him.  "Ohhh-kaaaay...so, Sweden via Hawaii it is.  Shall we get these photos done so we can start the process of turning that dream into a reality?"

Kurt stood, and held his hand out toward the door to the back room.  "After you" he offered.