From Mike to Kurt: Hey, Dude, meet me in the auditorium at 3.

From Kurt to Mike: Sure. What's up?

From Mike to Kurt: Just take a sec...

From Kurt to Mike: Can I bring Blaine?

From Mike to Kurt: Yeah. See you there. Just come in and have a seat.

Kurt walked down the aisle of the auditorium and sat in the fifth row back. He was the only person here, but he didn't feel lonely. It was actually comforting. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair. He was almost asleep, so tired from the stress of the day.

Blaine entered the auditorium, having just picked up his books from his locker for the night's homework. He spotted Kurt towards the front and walked down the aisle. It wasn't until he got close that he realized Kurt was asleep. Poor guy, he must be really tired, and Blaine hoped that whatever Mike wanted wouldn't take too long.

Blaine walked to the row Kurt was in and down to the seat next to him, careful not to make noise or jostle him. He slid his arm around Kurt's back and gently leaned him so he was close to his side. Kurt opened his eyes for a second, then closed them, apparently still asleep. Just as Blaine dropped a few light kisses on his temple, the curtains on stage opened and Blaine called Kurt's name softly to wake him up.

“What?”

“It's okay, it's just me. I think the reason we're here is about to start, the curtains are open.”

Kurt blinked and rubbed his eyes, sitting up straight and smiling at Blaine. He took his hand and turned towards the stage as Tina and Mike walked out. There were a few kids in the back playing instruments and Brad – faithful Brad – was sitting at the piano.

Tina was at the edge of the stage and looked at Kurt, smiling.

“Kurt, we wanted to thank you for all your help at the party. Both Mike and I realize that things could have gotten even more out of hand if you hadn't taken the initiative to step in and make it right. We want to thank you,” Tina said, Mike standing beside her, his arm around her.

They went back to the center of the stage and nodded to the band.

So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week,

your month, or even your year

but..

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight
You've burned your breakfast so far... things are goin' great

Your mother warned you there'd be days like these
Oh but she didn't tell you when the world has brought
You down to your knees that...

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

No one could ever know me
No one could ever see me
Seems you're the only one who knows
What it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with
Make it through all the rest with
Someone I'll always laugh with
Even at my worst I'm best with you, yeah

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month,
or even your year...

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

Kurt was grinning from ear to ear, so happy that his friends cared enough to do this for him. He was perhaps even more thrilled that Mike and Tina were back together after the disaster of an after party. In Glee today Santana had stayed by herself and ignored everyone, probably hung over. Kurt felt sad for her, even though she brought it on herself with her wild antics.

“Oh, Tina, Mike, I loved it!” Kurt crowed, clapping and smiling at them. They took a bow and came down the stairs to the seats, Tina hugging both Kurt and Blaine, Mike clapping them on the back.

“How are you guys feeling? I mean, after the party and all,” Mike asked. He looked plenty the worse for wear.

Kurt smiled. “Well, I didn't drink. Just water, so I probably feel better than you.”

Blaine looked around as if there were other people there to talk to and Tina laughed.

“You were as drunk as we were,” she said, giggling.

They all walked out to their cars together, talking about maybe getting together that weekend.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The weeks passed by and school was getting harder because they would either be graduating soon or because they would be leaving their families to go off to college soon. In any case, there would be lifelong friendships left behind.

Kurt rushed inside the house, Blaine two steps behind him. He clutched the letters he had grabbed from the mailbox in his hands and stopped by the dining table. Dropping the letters there, he shuffled through and pulled out two thick envelopes, one for him and one for Blaine. They stood looking at each other, twin looks of trepidation on their faces.

“Should we open them now?” Blaine asked.

“Or wait for Dad?” Kurt wondered. “No, we can tell them when they get home, let's do it now.”

“Kurt, if you get in and I don't, I want you to go ahead and I can reapply next year, okay?” Blaine said.

“Don't be ridiculous. You know neither one of us would last a fortnight without the other. Now, let's see what our fate is,” Kurt rejoined.

They looked a the envelopes with their names on them and looked at each other. Kurt held his out to Blaine and Blaine got the idea and handed his to Kurt. They opened them at the same time, pulling out the letters inside. Looking at each other they both sported huge grins.

“We're in?” Blaine asked.

“We're in!!” Kurt crowed, grabbing Blaine and hugging him close. They danced around, thrilled that they both were accepted into the college they wanted.

“Oregon State, here we come!” they shouted, grinning at each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spring Break. It was just around the corner and the boys were thinking very seriously about where to go to get away. It seemed like half a lifetime ago that they had gone to the Lake House to be alone together during senior week when the school granted seniors a week off to administer testing to the lower classmates.

Things had improved in terms of stress attributed to the trial, and the bullying had been kept to a minimum. In spite of Blaine's struggle to deal with the stresses of everyday life in a city, he still longed for quiet and solitude. He wanted to just let it go, enjoy his time here to the utmost knowing he would be moving back to Oregon in a few months, but he tended to keep this to himself. Keeping troubles of this magnitude to himself was just a way to build them up and it was getting close to critical. A person can only stuff feelings down for so long before they need to come out.

“Rachel's dads are sending her to Florida for Spring Break,” Finn said one night at dinner.

“Oh, how cliché of them,” Kurt said without thought, then wished he hadn't. Rachel was his friend and that wasn't a nice thing to say. Burt stared at his son for a moment, then set his fork down, finished with his meal.

“Kurt, I need your help in the garage after dinner,” Burt said, in a tone that invited no argument.

“Is there something I can help with?” Blaine offered automatically.

“No, why don't you and Finn wash the dishes,” Burt suggested. The boys knew his suggestion was really an order, so they just nodded.

“I want to say how proud of you I am,” Carole added, smiling at each of her three boys. “All of you getting to go to the college you have chosen, and I'm really happy you will be going together. Being so far from home, it will give you a support system, someone to rely on.”

“You're going to miss us, aren't you, Mom?” Finn asked.

“My wallet won't,” Burt grinned, “You three eat me out of house and home.”

The boys laughed. It was true, they did eat a lot.

After they had cleared the table, Kurt walked out to the garage. Burt was already there, sitting in an old chair, his feet propped on the fender of his truck. The smell of grease and wood shavings permeated the air of the garage, but Kurt liked the odor, it reminded him of his father even more than Burt's cologne did. He was going to miss his dad when he went across the country. It wouldn't be the empty, scared ache he had before Brayden Warner found his dad and brought him to Oregon to reunite them, but it would be a separation.

“Dad?” Kurt asked.

“Kiddo, have a seat,” Burt indicated the stool that sat by the workbench. Kurt sat down, relaxing immediately in the familiar place.

“Is something wrong?” Kurt asked. It had been a long time since Burt had asked his son to join him here, the last time being when he showed Kurt the engagement ring he was going to give Carole.

“Well yes and no. I guess nothing is really wrong. You're growing up....hell, kid, you're a man already and you have been since you landed in Oregon. While I am so, so proud of you, part of me is just missing my sweet little boy. I know time marches on for all of us, and it's wrong to try to stop it, but oh my God, Kurt, I'm going to miss you,” Burt said with tears in his eyes.

Kurt got up slowly and went to his dad, tenderly gathering his father in his arms and holding him close.

“Oh, Dad, I'm going to miss you, too,” he sniffed, his heart tearing into little pieces.

They just continued holding each other for a while, swaying in the darkening garage, wishing there was a way to be in two places at once.

“Hey, we're going to be okay, kiddo. It's not like I won't know where you are, or that we can't pick up a phone and call. You need to follow your dreams, and if they lead you to Oregon, well, so be it. I'll support you any way I can,” Burt said, finally letting Kurt go so he could sit again.

“Now, Spring Break is coming up, and I think the best use of our time is to go to Oregon and check out the campus. Carole and I have spent many evenings talking this over and we have come to the conclusion that it would make the most sense to rent a house for the three of you to share. What do you think? I know you and Blaine are....well, are a couple and sharing a house is perhaps not the ideal situation. However, you are not married and if you didn't share a house with Finn, you'd be living in the dorms with even less privacy.”

“Oh, Dad, I think that's a great idea. I'm happy to share a house with Finn,” Kurt smiled a genuine smile. Since he'd returned from Oregon, Kurt and Finn had grown very close.

“Let's go in and get some of that apple pie Carole made before Blaine and Finn figure out it's there,” Burt grinned, clapping Kurt on his back and walking back in the house with him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The plane had landed at the Eugene airport and all five of them had disembarked, looking for the driver that would be taking them to Corvallis. Burt had planned this trip down to the last detail, so the others were just going along and happy to do so. Burt had a smirk on his face, no doubt pleased his plans were turning out so well. Finn was busy chatting with his mother, telling her of his last trip to Oregon when he'd been in the Warner corporate helicopter.

Kurt and Blaine, as usual, were so wrapped up in each other, it was like no one else existed. They didn't exclude others deliberately, they just couldn't help it.

“Hey, watch where you're walking, sport,” Burt said, tripping over Blaine.

“Oh, sorry, Burt.....” Blaine looked up at Burt to apologize when he saw past him across the corridor. He went pale, then flushed as he dropped Kurt's hand and sprinted down the hallway. He jumped into the arms of his brother, who was waiting there for him, a grin spreading across his face.

They hugged and Blaine was not about to let go, grasping Cooper so tight his hands were going numb.

“Hey, Squirt, are you okay? How are they treating you in the civilized world?” Cooper asked, patting Blaine in an effort to get him to let go.

All he got in response was moaning and his name over and over.

“Hey, get a grip, was it that bad in Ohio?” Cooper kidded his little brother.

“No, no....I just missed you,” Blaine murmured as he loosened his grip.

“Kurt, good to see you. We've missed you up in camp. Burt, Finn good to see you, too. This must be Carole?” Cooper smiled, holding out his hand to her.

“And you must be Cooper,” she smiled.

“We need to go, the plane is waiting,” Cooper directed them to a small jet waiting for them. On the side it said Warner Lumber.

Boarding the Leer Jet, Blaine heard a squeal and looked up to see Lenore, grinning up at him. Her beautiful long blonde hair was braided back and she was wearing tight blue jeans and an embroidered blouse. Blaine looked at her and realized she had matured quite a bit in the months he had been away and he wondered if he had changed as much.

“Blaine!” she called, throwing herself into his arms. He caught her out of reflex, but wasn't sure what to do with her as Kurt came to his rescue.

“Lenore, it is so good to see you once again,” he said, pulling her into a chaste hug, away from his boyfriend. “How are you?”

“Oh, I'm fine. Cooper let me come with him. Just wait until we get to the cottage!” she said, “We have all kinds of things planned for the week.”

Burt had called Cooper to tell him they would be visiting Corvallis, and Coop had called back to tell him the Warner's had offered their vacation home in Newport, a few miles away, for them to use.

Kurt and Blaine settled on the seats, leaning in to each other for the final leg of their flight, Lenore smiling at Finn.

~*~*~*~*~

As it turned out, the “little cottage” in Newport was a seven bedroom sprawling Victorian house with all the amenities. They settled in, putting things away and gathering in the large screened in porch on the back of the house for lunch.

Lenore was grinning, looking from one of her guests to another, clearly happy to be playing hostess.

She clinked her glass with her fork and the small gathering of people looked her way, Finn smiling at her.

“Since this is the week of Easter, I thought we might want to do something traditional. My family comes from the Ukraine and my grandmother has offered to teach you all how to make the traditional kind of eggs we dye for the holidays. She learned to do this when she was a little girl in Cherkasy. They are called pysanky, are any of you familiar with them?” Lenore asked.

“Oh, yes, I've seen them,” Carole said. “I'd love to learn to make them.”

They all agreed to try and there was a lot of kidding about certain people and whether they were clumsy or not. But it was all in good fun and the family finished their lunch and the tables were cleared for the project.

At precisely two o'clock, a small woman came in the back door, her arms filled with a box. She received a kiss on the cheek from her granddaughter and set the box down to meet the Hummel family.

“This is my grandmother, Natalya Gura,” Lenore introduced, going around the circle to name all of their guests. “And now, if you could help me, Finn, we can bring in the rest of the supplies.”

Burt elected to go with Finn and Cooper to walk down the beach to the lighthouse while Carole stayed with Kurt and Blaine to learn how to make the beautiful Ukranian eggs.

They placed newspapers on the table, opened jars of dye, gave everyone a small square of beeswax and a funny shaped tiny funnel tied to a stick, called a kystka. In addition there were candles and soft clothes, papers with designs and pencils.

“Okay, let me explain how to do this. You look at the pages to determine your design and the colors you want to use. Each one has a specific meaning, for example drawing diamond shapes indicates knowledge, curls are protection. Meandering lines are for eternity, grapes symbolize brotherhood. Colors also symbolize certain things: orange is strength, purple is faith, red is charity.”

Natalya waited for questions before going on to explain the next part. Lenore helped everyone decide on a pattern, and they drew them on paper.

“The next step is to draw them with a very light hand on the egg itself. You don't want it to show too much, so very lightly. When the whole design is drawn, we start. Pick up the kystka and warm it in the candle flame. When it is very warm or hot, scoop a bit of beeswax into the wide part of the funnel. Use this to draw the first part of the design onto the egg.

“This is very like batik. The parts you cover with the wax will be safe from the dye. For example, if you wish to start with white outline on a geometric pattern, draw it on with the wax.”

Blaine was smiling, having decided on his pattern and colors. He was in his own world, drawing the intricate design he had decided upon, humming in contentment. He had learned to tie flies and do many other intricate things, all using a great deal of manual dexterity, so this was not difficult for him.

Kurt, on the other hand was struggling a bit. He knew how to draw, he had been drawing everything from fashion designs to painting landscapes for years – but the kistka was a little hard to get used to, and he was torn about what design he wanted.

Carole had started with a very simple design, thinking she could learn the basics before adding a degree of difficulty to her work.

“Hey, how are you doing?” Kurt whispered to Blaine, rubbing his ankle with his foot under the table. Blaine smiled at him, one of those beautiful smiles that made Kurt's belly warm with the knowledge that Blaine loved him. He blushed a little and a secret smile dawned on his face. This was turning out to be a good day – being with his family, learning a new and interesting craft, finding out how another person's traditions fit with his own. Blaine close to him and ultimately happy, having been reunited with his beloved brother after so many months. Yes, it was a great day – a thanksgiving of sorts.

“When your first outline is done, you will choose your first dye bath. You need to make a list of the colors you want to use, starting with the lightest one. For example, you might use the white for the outline, then the wax had been applied in the white places, dip the entire egg in the yellow dye. It takes about ten minutes to set enough of the color. Leaving it longer or shorter will affect the saturation of your color.

“Okay, now decide what design you want to stay yellow. Once again, heat your kistka over the flame and scoop beeswax into the funnel. Draw the yellow parts. When the wax is set, set the egg in the next color: perhaps orange. Continue with each color and design, taking your time to make it neat and make sure all of the layers are in place.

Blaine was working on the pink for the first layer, then pale robin's egg blue dye and then a darker blue. He had a smile as he drew the tiny lines to complete each layer of design. Kurt tried to figure out what it might look like done, but with all the layers of the dark beeswax, it was impossible. He didn't want to ask, but his curiosity was burning in him.

They all worked in silence for a while, concentrating on making the designs as precise as possible.

Lenore had done these pysanky eggs for every Easter her whole life, their family usually coming down to Newport to visit her grandparents in the week of Lent.

“Are these eggs hard boiled? They just don't feel like it,” Kurt observed.

“No, they aren't. If you do this dying with hard boiled eggs they are not pysanky – they are called Krashanky. These are raw eggs. The dyes we use are toxic, so you cannot eat them. Using raw eggs is better because as long as the shell stays intact, the egg will eventually just dry out. Some people drill tiny holes in the eggs and blow out the wet insides, but I have never done that. I just let them sit and they dry. To make Krashanky, you would use non-toxic dye so you could eat them. Hard boiled eggs don't dry out like a raw one.”

It took most of the afternoon to finish the layers of design and they passed it with small chatter and Natalya telling them stories of her childhood in the Ukraine. She reminded Kurt of Puck's grandmother, Sofia – who also came to this new land as a teenager on her own.

The layers were finally done, Blaine making a joke about Kurt liking this making of the pysanky because of his fondness for layers. Kurt laughed and kissed his cheek.

“Okay, now the most satisfying part of it all!” Natalya told them. “Take up the soft cloth beside you. Hold a small part of the egg over the candle flame, being careful not to burn the egg or your finger. You want to just warm the beeswax enough for it to melt a little. Wipe the melted wax onto the cloth and do the next tiny piece until it's all done.”

Kurt was grinning, anticipating uncovering his design on the egg. He held it over the candle, wiping gently and repeating the actions until it was done. He looked up to see Blaine grinning at him.

“Now, take a piece of this cotton and dip it in the olive oil I have here. Rub it gently over the egg to make it shine. Then set it in the wire holder to dry,” Natalya instructed, dipping her cotton in to make her egg shine with a nice sheen. She smiled, happy to be passing her craft on to another generation.

Kurt hadn't been paying a lot of attention to Blaine's egg, he seemed to want to keep it to himself until it was done and Kurt respected that. When they were all done, Kurt admired his design a bit. His egg was divided into diamond shapes with intricate borders. Within each shape was a different pattern of what looked like little stars: Ursa major, Ursa minor, Orion's belt, Pisces...six constellations in all with tiny yellow and gold stars, little lines coming out from the points as if they were sparkling. The background was a dark navy blue. He took the finished egg and gave it to Blaine, who took it in wonder as he smiled at Kurt and gently set the fragile egg in front of him on the table before hugging his boyfriend.

“Oh, Kurt. That is just beautiful,” he said very softly so only Kurt could hear it. He kissed him on the cheek, running his hand up to cup Kurt's cheek and look deep into his eyes. Kurt was looking back and something silent went from Blaine to Kurt, causing them both to smile again.

“I made mine for you, Kurt. Let me show you: the design is hearts for love first of all. The ribbons are for eternity and immortality, and the tiny poppies are for joy. I used the colors, too: white for rejoicing, orange for strength, pink for contentment, red for passion and love, blue for truth and fidelity, and the dark purple is for faith and trust.”

Kurt was speechless. He felt tears burning in the corners of his eyes, but didn't allow them to fall. He took Blaine's hand and they excused themselves to go to another room to speak.

“That was.....oh, Blaine...that was the sweetest, most wonderful gift, I love you so much,” Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear as he held him close and laid his head on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine didn't reply, he just held Kurt and rubbed his back in support. They stood like that for a long time, their world narrowed down to just each other for a while.

Blaine finally directed them over to a sofa and pulled Kurt down next to him. He held Kurt's hand and looked into his sparkling blue eyes, mesmerized as always by what he found there -pure and honest love. Kurt never held back or played games, his eyes were the most honest thing Blaine could ever imagine and he lost himself in the tiny stars of gold that resided in the blue. He smiled, thinking Kurt's egg reminded him of Kurt's eyes.

“Thank you, my stargazer, for your gift, too,” Blaine said, moving Kurt's hand up so he could kiss the palm. “You are the best gift I could ever imagine, you know, and the egg? Just one more thing that makes me love you, and makes me know I want to love you until the end of my days. I know that sounds corny or cheesy...but Kurt? You know I mean every bit of it literally.”

“I know, and you know I would say the same back to you. Now, let's stop being so maudlin and go back in there. I think I smell tea and cookies and we don't want to miss that, do we?”

“No. We'll talk more about this later, you know,” Blaine said with a wink and turned to go back out to porch.

“You bet we will,” Kurt said quietly as he reached out to grasp Blaine's hand as they returned to the porch.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bright and early the next morning, everyone was ready to go. They would be touring the campus at Oregon State today, meeting with faculty in their respective fields of study. While the three boys were busy at the administration office, Burt and Carole would be looking around the town. There were a lot of places for them to find a bit of culture and they had planned to go to the Oregon Coast Aquarium this morning, then on to the art gallery near the beach that afternoon. It was a busy day, but fun and informative.

On the way from Corvallis to Newport, the three boys drove through a tiny little town, just ten minutes from Corvallis, called Philomath. It was a quiet place, just near enough to the campus to be ideal, and far enough away to sooth Blaine's jangled nerves. He had tried for a long time now to ignore the intrusions of the city into his brain and his very being. He wasn't used to noise, even after all these months living in Lima with the Hummels. Philomath was so much quieter and it looked both large enough and off the beaten path so they would all be comfortable.

They were driving down a small side road, trying to get back on the main road that went through the town between Newport and Corvallis. Finn was driving, Lenore in the front seat beside him. She wasn't going to college yet, but wanted to accompany the boys on their tour of the campus in case she could go there in two years. Besides, she had been close to Finn the whole time they were here.

“Hey, is that a rental sign?” Finn asked, steering the car over to the curb in front of the Victorian house. It was gray with maroon trim in the style of the day – if the day was during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was obviously drawn into two bedrooms and a lot of space. There was a stone walkway up to the front door and an older man was just locking the door as the three boys drove up.

“Excuse me, sir, we noticed the rental sign out front...” Finn said, leaning out the window.

“Interested? I'll give you the tour,” the man said, leaning on his cane.

~*~*~*~

An hour later, Finn, Blaine, and Kurt were sitting at the supper table telling Burt and Carole about the house they just rented. They could not stop the smiles from blooming across their faces as they enthused about every detail inside and out, the closeness to campus, the music room, the privacy. It was perfect. The owner was renting it for the summer but it would be vacant starting a few weeks before classes started. Perfect.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

The boys went to bed early, wanting to get a fresh start in the morning. They had plans to do something alone, and they had set the alarm for an early hour.

“Kurt, can you come closer? I missed cuddling with you today,” Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear and they scooted together, snug under the fresh sheets.

“Of course, do you want to be the big spoon, the little spoon, or shall we just do our koala thing?” Kurt giggled. He would accept an invitation to cuddle with Blaine in any way, shape, or form it came in.

Blaine gently pushed Kurt onto his back on the bed, lying so he was partially on top of Kurt. He kissed his temple, humming in contentment before trailing the kisses down Kurt's jaw line and onto his neck.

Kurt dearly loved to have Blaine kiss his neck. It made shivers across his arms, down his spine. He wanted to giggle and sigh and moan all at the same time...but all he was able to do was call Blaine's name into his neck for a moment.

Putting his hands flat on Blaine's chest, Kurt took a deep breath and spoke in a choked voice, “Blaine, do you remember the night at the cabin, that first night when we were naked together?”

“Yes, I have that night burned in my memory, where I can call it back any time I need to. Kurt, I think that was the first time in my whole life that I felt all the hoping and wishing I'd done for so many years might...might come true. With you.”

“I felt the same thing,” Kurt confessed, kissing Blaine before he said anything else.

“I know we've done more things since then, shared moments, and maybe we aren't ready for going all the way yet....” Blaine started to say, but he got embarrassed at saying the words and stopped. Kurt pulled back a little, looking at Blaine's face in the dark to determine what was going on in his mind.

“Are you okay?” Kurt asked, stroking Blaine's arm to calm him. He knew that although Blaine was certainly no prude when it came to the physical aspects of their relationship – no... god, no – he had a lot of anxiety with talking about it, about voicing his needs. Sometimes it was fun to push him in this, refusing to cooperate unless Blaine gathered his courage and asked for what he needed – but this didn't seem appropriate now. Kurt took pity on him and decided to help.

“Baby, do you want to ask me something?” Kurt cooed. Blaine nodded. “Is this going to be twenty questions?” Kurt teased, placing his hand on Blaine's shoulder.

Blaine giggled, thankful Kurt was not going to torment him. He could get what he wanted without the humiliating descriptions and he was okay with answering yes and no.

“Is what you want something I do to you or you do to me?” Kurt asked.

“Kurt, you know the rules, only yes and no questions,” Blaine admonished.

“Okay, is it something you want to do to me?”

“Oh, yes,” Blaine said, a sparkle in his beautiful hazel eyes.

“Does it start above the waist?” Kurt asked.

“Oh, yes,” Blaine said, smiling. He licked his lips and Kurt tried to pretend that he was not being affected by this line of questioning.

“Is it on my left side?” Kurt asked, eliciting a giggle from Blaine.

“Ah, no.”

“Good thing I lean to the right, then,” Kurt said under his breath – but Blaine heard him and red flooded his face.

“Is it something we've done before?”

“No, not exactly.” Blaine was now avoiding Kurt's eyes because he thought just one glance and his face would give it all away. He was suddenly very thankful this was a dark room.

“Does it involve...ah....supplies?”

“Are you asking me if I want to play with sex toys, Kurt?” Blaine giggled.

“Well, do you?” Kurt asked, a little snippy because he was embarrassed. That was not at all what he meant.

“Kurt, I don't know what to say. I know we should be able to say anything to each other, and that makes sense in theory – but the truth of it is that I just can't bring myself to say it out loud. Okay? I don't have any easy answer, maybe it is too much for my emotions to handle. I can think it, I can imagine doing it...and I wouldn't be too shy to actually do it if the opportunity arose. I just.....oh, Kurt, I just cannot say what it is I want. Now, I'm going for a walk. I'm not angry or anything, and none of this is your fault, okay? But I'm going for a walk,” Blaine said, getting out of bed and getting dressed while Kurt watched, feeling a little stunned.

Blaine walked along the beach in the moonlight, feeling the slight breeze from off the water and smelling the salty ocean. It was a wonderful scent, bright and full of life. The sand under his feet wasn't as fine as he imagined it was going to be. He had thought about how romantic it would be to walk on this beach, arm in arm with Kurt, or holding hands while they sang to each other. Why did he have to go and screw it all up? Just because he couldn't articulate a simple request. Damn it.

Well, he thought, why did he have to make such a case out of it? He didn't have to ask for a certain thing, he could have just seen how Kurt reacted to it while they were being intimate anyway.....but oh, no. He had to go and make it uncomfortable for both of them – and Kurt was trying so hard to make it okay for him. Blaine kicked the sand, but it wasn't satisfying enough, so he picked up a rock and threw it into the ocean. Better.

Better enough that he decided to do it again, and found another rock. He threw it. It helped, so he walked along – finding rocks in the moonlight and throwing them with all of his might into the ocean, trying to make the biggest splashes. Then trying to make the least splashes with the biggest rocks, like Olympic divers. He threw them faster and faster, trying to rid himself of all the pent-up stress of the evening. All the disappointment he felt in himself. He wore himself out after over an hour of throwing increasingly larger rocks.

“Sometimes, I guess there just aren't enough rocks,” a voice said behind him.

“Forrest Gump,” Blaine answered, thinking of the scene from the movie when Jenny threw rocks at the house where she grew up. He stopped cold, afraid to turn around for a moment. Not afraid of who was standing there, but very afraid that it was his imagination and when he turned around, nobody would be there. So he stood very still, waiting.

He didn't have to wait long before warm hands touched his shoulders. He turned into Kurt's arms, grabbing at him to get as close as he could; Kurt doing the same thing until they were flush against each other, holding each other.

“I'm sorry, Kurt. So sorry...” Blaine said, still holding him tightly.

“What are you sorry about, baby?” Kurt asked, a little curious but more worried.

“I want to tell you things, Kurt, my deepest secrets are meant to be an open book to you. I want to tell you my whole heart, but then I get tongue tied, just frozen and I can't say what I'm thinking or what I'm feeling. That might feel like some sort of betrayal or rejection to you, Kurt, but it isn't meant to be. I just cannot explain it to you,” Blaine said, looking totally defeated.

“Oh, Blaine. Please don't feel like that. You don't have to tell me everything. Don't you think I can feel what you want to say to me? Loving each other shouldn't be hard – what would be the purpose in that? We can be comfortable with each other without having to wrench things from our souls just to prove we care. I wasn't upset that you couldn't express yourself this evening, and I am sorry if you thought I was pushing you. Honestly, I was trying to help you, but that was all.

“I gave it a lot of thought tonight after you went to take your walk,” Kurt continued. “I believe that in loving someone, you don't need to articulate each thing to them first. I know it is wise to discuss what you're going to do before you do it, just to know if the other person feels the same way.”

“Blaine, I understand you're trying to make that statement so it fits all situations or something, but it came out just a mass of confusion. Can you just say what you mean?” Kurt asked, his fingers running through the curls at the nape of Blaine's neck. “We are all alone on this beach, you can talk to me if you want. I mean really talk to me, not some abstract third person.”

Blaine walked over to a large piece of driftwood and sat down, patting the seat beside him. Kurt dropped down, snuggling into Blaine's side. Blaine's arm went around Kurt's shoulder automatically as they relaxed into each other. They looked up at the stars, silently picking out Orion's Belt and Kurt's fingers absently sought out the disc around his neck. He thought of the day Blaine had given him the necklace, Valentine's Day. They looked at each other and smiled, their eyes looking back up at the cascade of stars spread across the heavens.

“Blaine, I want to share everything with you, you know. When we're in bed, I mean. I don't want to hold us back in case you were thinking of going further. We don't have to, we have our lives ahead of us and I want to save having intercourse for...well, for the right moment,” Kurt whispered. The beach was deserted, but he still could not say this out loud any more than Blaine could.

“I agree, Kurt. Of course I want to try new things, and I want to do the things we liked over again. I like it when we are close like that, naked in the bed and private, Kurt, and it feels so good to me...but what is even better is when I can help you to feel that way. I love to hear those noises that come out of your mouth, the moaning like you're being torn to pieces. Oh, my love, when you lose yourself in the heat of the moment, when I can feel you giving yourself to me, the sounds can break through my skin and I can feel them warming me, curling through my body and settling in my belly. I love touching you – your warm skin, the feel of changing textures and temperatures as I move my hand across your naked body. The scent of spicy citrus and fresh skin and the amazing scent that fills me when you're aroused. It's like a drug and I can't stop wanting it. I can't stop wanting you, Kurt, whether it has been a week since we touched in that way or it's been five minutes since you pulled an orgasm from me...I still want you,” Blaine's voice got louder and Kurt was obliged to move a little away or damage his hearing.

Kurt was right there with Blaine in these thoughts, and he was getting hard just thinking about Blaine's hands on him, his scent, and those glorious sounds...It was a seduction that Kurt followed willingly, even here in the open and empty beach.

“Blaine, can you kiss me now? I want to feel you, I want to feel like I'm yours......I just want you,” Kurt asked. Blaine leaned forward once again to get a better grip on Kurt as he kissed him deeper, his hands rucking up Kurt's shirt in the back to touch that lovely pale skin.

“Let's go back to the house, I need to cool down a little or you're going to be waking up in the morning with sand in every crevice you own,” Blaine kidded, trying to lighten the mood.

Walking back to the house, Blaine's arm around Kurt's waist and Kurt's around his shoulder, they sang and did silly dance moves, running into the surf for a moment until Blaine reached down to splash Kurt. Wet to his thighs, Kurt giggled and chased Blaine into the water. It was cold, not like a beach in California or Florida, and a bit cooler than was comfortable.

“Let's get home, I'm getting cold,” Kurt shivered, snuggling close to his warm boyfriend. They sauntered on, not hurrying at all, but enjoying the starlight and the full moon.

“Do you miss your cabin?” Kurt asked, seeing a far away look in Blaine's eyes. Blaine turned his gaze on the beautiful boy beside him.

“Yeah, Kurt, I do. I never experienced living anywhere else, and although I loved seeing a city and really loved living with you – I miss the cabin. It is home to me, and I was content there,” Blaine explained.

“Was?” Kurt picked up on the word and wondered at the past tense.

“Yeah, I was. Kurt, I have tried to explain it to you – and I think you have an inkling of what it means to me, but when I saw you that first day, well, I just can't imagine living away from you now, and I think you understand, right?” Blaine asked.

“Yeah, I do,” Kurt said, blowing in Blaine's ear very gently just to see the shivers run down his back.

“I'm glad. Please don't get me wrong, I was happy to be with you in Ohio, but I'll be happy to be back in my little cabin in the big woods, too....as long as I'm with you.”

They were back to the house now, going into their bedroom and taking off their clothes to get settled back in the big bed. Kurt was sitting on the side of the bed, getting ready to slide under the blankets when Blaine stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“No briefs, okay?” Blaine whispered in his ear, running one finger down Kurt's spine. Kurt gasped, but recovered and took off his underwear, a smile on his face.

“You, either,” he grinned.

They turned out the lights, snuggling together. It was only one in the morning, plenty of time to sleep later. Blaine turned Kurt over so his back was snug against Blaine's chest. He loved holding Kurt like this: it was easy to whisper little suggestions, leave kisses in that tender hollow below his ear, easy to run his finger down the line in his back and cup his perfect ass. Perfect for holding Kurt close to him around the waist while he stroked him. Tonight was a night for all these – Blaine just had to have his hands on Kurt.

Kurt stretched like a cat, looking over his shoulder at Blaine's beautiful eyes in the moonlight. Blaine's hands were stroking down his sides, over his chest, and down his pale thighs. Kurt practically purred. He had been so hesitant at first about moving forward in this realm of sexual awakening, but with Blaine it was just ...somehow right. He was comfortable with everything they had done, more than comfortable -he reveled in each new sensation. He was not usually the instigator, being so much more shy about his body, that he envied Blaine's practiced ease in stripping down at the slightest provocation.

“Kurt, are you okay with me doing something new tonight?” Blaine asked.

“Yeah...” Kurt cooed. Was he okay? Hell, he was panting for it.

Blaine began to kiss him, stroking his fingers along the muscles on his belly and making Kurt jump with the sudden feeling.

“Mmmmmmmm,” Kurt hummed and pulled Blaine down closer for another kiss. They just kissed and touched for a while, happy just to be together and sharing this moment. Blaine nibbled on Kurt's earlobe, and on to his collarbone. It was as though Blaine wanted to devour him -nibbles and licks as he made his way along muscles, exploring secret flesh as he went. Their bodies readjusted and shifted to accommodate each movement and by the time Blaine was at Kurt's waist, kissing the top of his hipbone, Kurt was a mess. He was trying not to giggle, even though it did tickle, because it also felt good.

Blaine kissed along the crease that divided Kurt's leg from his body, holding his leg and placing it over his shoulder. He kissed up Kurt's inner thigh as Kurt stiffened, not sure of the feelings he was experiencing but as Blaine nipped his tender skin he moaned. Blaine bent Kurt's knees and pushed his legs up, granting him access to nibble and kiss his way along. Kurt lay back on the pillows, his eyes closed as he let the experience cascade over him, sensations filling him. Just as he thought it was more than he could bear, Blaine's tongue was caressing his skin.

If the thought of this was more than Kurt could even fit inside his head, the actuality of it was mind shattering. Blaine's tongue was warm and soft, licking across skin that had never seen the light of day, much less the eyes of another person. Kurt was so mesmerized by this he was simply silent for a few moments, holding his breath as he realized what Blaine was doing. His tongue was licking broad stripes along Kurt's entrance, warm and wet and it wrung a moan out of Kurt's throat that burned Blaine down to his balls. That feeling was so intense, it would wake the dead.

It was a strange thing to contemplate, and Kurt didn't think about it consciously -he just reacted. There were chills cascading down his back as he squirmed to get closer, quietly begging for more and Blaine was so worked up, he gave Kurt exactly what he wanted. He had lubed his fingers while he started and was ready when Kurt begged for more. First, he pushed his tongue past the tight ring of muscle, feeling it grip and sensing Kurt's breath being held. He moved his tongue slowly, licking all along the crease before reentering the space – causing Kurt to make a noise like his heart was being ripped out.

“Oh, Blaiiinnnee, oh, my god...please, let there be more...is there more? No, never mind, just don't stop. Oh...ah ah ah ah ah..” Kurt continued his jibberish as he was astounded by the amazing feeling he was experiencing. “Blaine...Blaine.....oh...” he was barely able to articulate as his breathing became ragged and fast.

Blaine pulled back a tiny bit, Kurt letting out his breath in disappointment, but not wanting his boyfriend to feel badly. He wanted more, he didn't want that sensation to stop, but as he drew breath to speak, Blaine kissed the inside of his thigh. He caught the look on Kurt's face and patted his thigh. “Now, let me take care of you, my love. Are you doing okay?”

Kurt just looked at Blaine, finally realizing that he was required to answer the simple question. Blaine smiled and Kurt just nodded his head.

“Are you okay with a little more now?” Blaine whispered. Again Kurt nodded.

Blaine readjusted their positions so he could kiss Kurt. Even with all of the amazing things they did with fingers and mouths and other places, kissing was what Blaine always thought of first. He loved kissing Kurt.

In the heat of the passionate kissing, Blaine slid his lube-slick fingers where his tongue had been and stroked. Kurt came unglued. It was just a gentle touch, drawing a circle around the ring of muscle, but Kurt kissed Blaine with a renewed purpose. He practically growled and the excitement was a blue aura glowing from the two boys. Kurt pushed himself closer and Blaine's finger entered the velvet soft warmth, and he gasped. Oh, this was...so different than he had imagined it was going to be. He had no time to contemplate, though, as Kurt was whispering to him to do more, begging for Blaine to use another finger, but to be gentle.

“Oh, Blaine...I know you liked it when I did this to you, and now I know why...oh, that feels so...so good, Blaine, so good...don't speed up, just slow and steady and...ah ah ah ah...oh, god....” Kurt was incoherent and babbling, and Blaine was thinking about when Kurt had done this to him. He pulled his fingers out to reapply the lube, knowing that a lot was required to keep Kurt comfortable. It was cold, so he was letting it heat up and kissing Kurt while he waited.

“Again?” Blaine asked and Kurt nodded, tilting to give his boyfriend an easier time. It would have been amazing, just to continue, but Blaine was tenderly massaging Kurt – the lube making it easier and Kurt was so hard that Blaine was almost worried for him. Just as Blaine was kissing down Kurt's neck he stiffened and held very still, an undecipherable look on his beautiful face, and Blaine slid his fingers to explore deeper into the warmth of Kurt's depths, he brushed by that place that amounted to heaven in this whole endeavor.

If Kurt had come unglued before, that was nothing to this, his high pitched keening as he tried to be quiet was torture, the ecstasy from each and every push or give in their loving encounter making his throat fill with sounds that only made Blaine more eager. “Did I do that to you, Blaine? Did I make you feel this good?” Kurt mumbled as he pushed back against Blaine's fingers. He moved a few more times, just to get it at the right place – and then closed his eyes and dragged himself up and down Blaine's fingers, letting the climax build and burn until he couldn't stand it. Blaine was not idle, rutting against Kurt's hand which was holding Blaine tightly as he pumped up and down Blaine's erection. The combination of the friction, the sounds Kurt was emitting, and the thoughts of what this would feel like on the day they decided to go all the way was more than enough for Blaine to come, crying out and slamming his hand into the mattress in an effort to redirect some of the energy so he didn't explode. His vision still hadn't cleared when Kurt stiffened and called out.

“Oh, god, Blaine...oh, god....I'm coming, Blaine, coming just for you...” and he burst forth, as Blaine was saying the same thing, begging Kurt to come for him, to spill his everything in his ecstasy. And Kurt did.

Long after, Kurt woke up and found himself in a fresh-scented, clean and warm bed. He blinked a few times in the darkness, looked at the clock to realize it was past five in the morning, and slid his fingers across the sheet. Blaine was there, his head back and his arms thrown apart, in total sleepy abandonment. Kurt watched him for a while, the love he felt for this amazing boy warming his very soul. He still could not imagine what he had done in his karma universe to deserve such a person.

He moved his fingers, caressing Blaine's cheek and kissing him on his soft, dusky pink lips that responded even in deep sleep to make Kurt know he was loved. He sighed in contentment as Blaine moved in his sleep, gathering Kurt close to his heart and falling back to deep slumber. Kurt smiled and closed his eyes.