The couple returned home to a relatively empty house. Finn and Puck were over at the frat house with their friend Frank, no doubt eating greasy pizza, drinking 3.2 beer and playing video games. Blaine heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the empty driveway.

Walking up the stairs, picnic things in hand, Kurt heard a noise. Looking around the hallway outside his open door was the tiny kitten his brother and Puck had given them as an anniversary gift.

"C'mere, Figaro, here kitty," he coaxed, setting down the tray of food to pick up the little ball of fur.

Blaine knelt down, setting his tray down beside him on the floor.

"Aw, she is so cute. I've never really had a pet before. Just some wild things, like JayJay, that we found and nursed back to health to let them go back to the forest. I think Balto is the only one I ever saw anyone keep after they grew up," Blaine said.

"Well, to be fair, Balto is part dog, not all wolf, so I don't see Lenore letting him go back to the wild. She's too attached to that wolf-dog to ever let him go – which is fair since he is also attached to her," Kurt smiled.

"Have you ever had a cat?" Blaine asked.

"My mother had one. His name was Eeyore. Yeah, I know, not the most original name, is it? But he was a long-haired Manx and she called him Eeyore because he had a lot of gray in his fur and because he "lost" his tail. I remember going around the yard always on the lookout for that lost tail. I don't know what I would have done with it if I'd have found one – nailed it back on like Christopher Robin did? Sew it? Poor cat," Kurt giggled, which made Blaine giggle and soon they were laughing and it scared Figaro. The kitten tried to get loose, clawing at Kurt's hand but he held her tight.

"Ah, little girl, calm down, nobody's going to hurt you, honey," Kurt said to the tiny kitten, scratching and rubbing gently behind her ears. She finally began to purr.

"I think I'd purr if you rubbed behind my ears, too," Blaine said, trying not to appear jealous.

Kurt grinned at him.

"Oh, I'll rub you alright – and I bet I can make you purr, too."

Blaine smiled a wicked little smile and his eyes sparkled. "I just bet you can, too."

Scooping up the kitten, Kurt set him on the bed and went back for the tray of food. A fresh vegetable plate with hummus to dip them in, pannini sandwiches with thin slices of cheese, sliced tomatoes, basil, and turkey, with a pitcher of Red Zinger Iced Tea. For dessert they had sliced mangoes and peaches with a few blackberries. They sat on the top of the bedspread, a tablecloth spread out and all the things arranged like a picnic. They sat eating, telling stories of what they liked best about the past year, the things they learned about the world and about each other. Some of the things were sad: the trip to visit Blaine's dad's grave and Kurt's mother's grave. The trial of the boys who beat Kurt and left him for dead, the day Kurt fell and broke his leg. There were joyous things, too: seeing Burt again across the cookhouse and the utter amazement when he was finally able to hold his dad in his arms again. There were tender moments: when Kurt took Blaine to the Lake House as a way to make him whole again when the hustle and bustle of the city had threatened to swallow him; the hike through the woods the day they met the bear; Kurt's eyes when he turned to see the Stargazer Lily with the engagement ring in it's center; the day Kurt caught the biggest Chinook Salmon anyone had ever seen come out of that river; the day Blaine won his prize fight in the logging camp ring.

Then they spoke about the small things: Kurt learning to tie flies and play cribbage, Blaine going to a real school for the first time, both of them making the cut paper Valentines and the pysanky Easter eggs. The most surprising thing was Dave Karofsky coming to their rescue at the fight in the parking lot or when Hank thought he was going to have a threesome.

"Eww," Kurt said, remembering the man touching him. Blaine frowned, wishing he could have knocked the guy senseless.

Surprisingly, one of Kurt's favorite memories was of making cinnamon rolls in the cabin with Blaine. He was also very surprised about some of the things he learned to do: to not be embarrassed being naked in front of Blaine those first days when they washed before bed, and Blaine was so shocked when Kurt took him to the locked room at McKinley and gave him a blowjob before class one day. They both laughed about the "Seven Minutes in Heaven" at Santana's party.

There were a few regrets, the fight that sent Kurt into the clutches of the lumber camp bouncers, a few things like that. All in all, they agreed that although the year had contained some of the worst things in their lives, it was more than balanced out by all the wonderful, amazing things that they had experienced together. They really believed they had found their soulmates.

It was late in the evening when they gathered their dishes and cleaned up the remains of the picnic. Silently they went back to the room, putting Figaro in her bed for the night then taking each other's clothes off. Slowly and gently, knowing there was no rush, that they could take their time and feel each other, experience each other. In the spirit of the rest of the day, they continued to talk about the things they had experienced that year.

"Kurt, did you ever think you would be engaged before you were even twenty years old?" Blaine asked.

"Well, no. Honestly, I had never thought I'd ever find anyone to love the way I love you," he admitted. Blaine smiled, stroking Kurt's cheek from his temple to his chin.

"I didn't either. I must have done something good in my former life to deserve you," he said back. Kurt blushed.

"I did a lot of things this year that I never thought I would do before I was thirty, to tell you the truth. Things I had only a vague idea about, things I fantasized about," Kurt told him. "I had no idea how good some of those things could feel, both physically and in my mind, in my heart. Even things I had read about, thought I understood...they turned out to be different in real life."

"Worse?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, no, Blaine. So much better. It's like I have you all the time, I know you are mine and I am yours and we share that – but still, when we are apart for hours or days, well, I miss you so much. It's like a craving that gets worse as time goes on. I find that I want you, even after we make love and I've had all of you, the wanting you is still there afterwards. Do most people have that?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know, but I don't think so. I've never heard anyone say that, but Kurt? I feel the same way. That day you went to Seattle to see your dad, that was awful. I knew you needed me, but I couldn't come to you and even though it wasn't my fault, it felt like I had caused it. Like I was being punished. I was lost without you," Blaine confessed, kissing Kurt's temple and running a hand down his warm back.

"Did I tell you that Finn heard us the night we first went to my house? In the shower?" Kurt asked.

Blaine stared at him for a second. "Finn? How did you know he did?"

"He told me. When we were in Seattle and I had to go see the doctor about the anal tear – Finn wanted to know if you had been abusing me. He didn't think so, but I guess if you have that kind of injury, people tend to jump to conclusions. I had to assure him it was just an accident, that we were just learning about pleasing each other and he said he didn't think you would hurt me. He's my big brother, although he is younger, and he is just so much more protective since the night I disappeared. You can see why. Then he told me he heard us in the shower. He said he was glad we could have that between us, because as hard as he tries, he's never had that with Rachel. I feel bad for him sometimes because I know he loves her," Kurt said.

"I feel kind of weird that he was listening, we were pretty loud that first time as I recall," Blaine blushed.

"He said as soon as he figured out I was making happy noises, he left. He was just afraid at first I was crying, that maybe you had hurt me. He knows you now, though, so he wouldn't jump to the same conclusion."

"Good thing – I think he'd squarsh me with one hand if he thought I was hurting his brother."

Blaine slipped his arm in back of Kurt's shoulders and down to his waist as they lay in the bed and he was wrapped around his lover. Kurt scooted closer, turned sideways so he could bend his arm and place it on Blaine's chest, so he could feel his heart beating. His head was nestled under Blaine's chin.

"What have we done that you like, but never thought you would? Maybe something that scared you but we did it anyway?" Kurt asked.

"Going all the way. I had heard so many things about how painful it would be the first time, and Kurt, you are not small by any means. You are quite the opposite in fact, so I was really scared the first time," Blaine confessed, kissing Kurt's hair.

"I was, too. I'm glad we took things kind of slow, though. Practicing by prepping made it easier to understand and not all the feelings were new that night, which was comforting. Plus, I trusted you completely. I think that was the difference, the trust we had built in each other. My dad told me when I was a freshman that once I started doing it, I'd never want to stop. He was right. I couldn't understand it fully when he said that, never knew what the craving for your body would do to me. I understand now, and I'm grateful that he cared enough to tell me that," Kurt said, a sad smile on his face. "But...well, it's more than just your body you know, it's that you understand me, you care what I think...that's more seductive than even anything we have physically. He was right about that, too.

"You're lucky you have your dad, Kurt, he's so wonderful. I am glad we have his blessing," Blaine said, tracing patterns on Kurt's chest with his fingertip.

"I wish I had met yours," Kurt said, regret in his voice. Blaine nodded but didn't say anything.

They stopped for a few minutes to kiss and snuggle, Kurt biting Blaine's neck very softly as he watched the gooseflesh on his arms.

"What surprised you the most? I mean of all the things we have done." Blaine asked, looking into Kurt's eyes.

"That first kiss – when we were racing to milk the goats and I slipped on the straw?" Kurt laughed a little.

"Yeah, we had just started and that giant cockblock, Hugo! I never stop him from getting a little loving with Betsy or Bossy. That is not the mark of a gentleman, you know," Blaine said.

Kurt laughed. "But he's a nice tempered goat just the same. I like Hugo."

"It's probably for the best that he did. If I'd kept kissing you we would probably have ended up rolling into the manure pile," Blaine laughed.

"What surprised you the most?" Kurt asked, curiosity showing on his face in the dim light.

Blaine blushed so deep that Kurt could see his red face in the almost dark of the room. Blaine stopped and got under the covers, a sudden chill making him shiver.

"C'mon, there isn't anyone else here, you can tell me, can't you?" Kurt coaxed, planting tiny kisses at the corner of Blaine's mouth while he rubbed his shoulders.

Blaine put his head down and said a word into his chest. He hadn't wanted this discussion because it could go so wrong, but this seemed aimed at his inexperience. That was understandable, but it had been less than a year that they had been together and some words upset or confused each of them.

Kurt moved closer, kissing the place on Blaine's neck that made him shiver. Licking along the tendon there, humming in satisfaction and Blaine's breath got a little deeper. Kurt's breath ghosted over the wet spot, and Blaine got cold chills, pulling Kurt closer in reflex.

"That feels nice, Kurt," Blaine whispered and a heated flush went through Kurt's veins.

"Tell me, what did you say earlier when I asked what surprised you the most? Does it feel nice, too?" Kurt asked again, laying his head on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine waited so long to answer Kurt though he wasn't going to at all.

"It's something I never thought I'd do, much less let anyone do to me. I knew a lot about gay sex from the internet and the pamphlets Dad gave us, but mostly it says the names and descriptions, not how it feels. So, this thing.....when we did it, when you did it to me it was so, so amazing. Maybe it was because I thought it was beyond my limits or something? It was something I never thought I could ask for, even. And when I did it to you, you made the most incredible noises, Kurt. Just listening to you, I couldn't stop," Blaine said and Kurt realized what it was.

He kissed Blaine once more, then started to drag his hands down his body, massaging and rubbing, stroking his way all over the warm skin. Kissing followed as his hands and fingers moved in a quiet seduction. Blaine was humming with anticipation, but calmed down as Kurt kept a steady pace just touching him. Kurt's lips were warm and wet, and his tongue came out to lick in secret places as the touching continued. Blaine moved to follow, but Kurt placed a hand on his chest and pushed him down gently, letting him know this was for him to enjoy right now.

Kurt turned his lover over gently as he touched his ribs, firmly so as not to tickle him, then starting at the nape of his neck he tenderly kissed his way down Blaine's back.

Blaine had never really thought of his back being an erogenous zone, but now it seemed to be and he stretched like a cat under Kurt's loving hands. Moving down, Kurt's hands started to massage Blaine's butt cheeks, the rounded muscles were like magnets and brought him back again and again to touch, to kiss, to massage. Kurt got a pillow and slipped it under Blaine's hips and began kissing his way to the soft skin on Blaine's inner thighs, always touching, always rubbing or kissing, never losing contact with his lover's skin.

"This is what you meant, isn't it, baby?" Kurt barely whispered as his fingers found their way between the round cheeks, running down the crevice while Kurt kissed the end of his spine and then let his tongue find the dimples in his back.

"Right here, baby? Does it feel good right here?" Kurt gently pressed the cheeks apart and ran his warm tongue down the crevice to pause at the dark pink puckered rim and Blaine sighed, relaxing as he let the tense muscles he was holding so tightly loose.

"Yes...," Blaine said as Kurt lapped slowly, then let his tongue go down to lick around Blaine's balls, spreading his legs apart a little more and took one into his mouth ever so gently, then the other and back to his entrance and licked softly until he could push in just a little. Blaine was sighing, his muscles quivering just slightly as he moaned, his breath quickening. Kurt's fingers were wet, coated in the saliva he was dripping on Blaine's skin and with that for lubrication, he entered the warmth of Blaine's body. With his first finger he gently stroked as he never stopped licking with his warm, wet tongue. He was moaning along with Blaine, knowing what this felt like, how erotic it was. Blaine's trembling was increasing and he was moaning louder now.

"Kurt, Kurt...oh, that feels so good. You know how good it is, I've done this to you and you loved it, didn't you? Ah....there...yes, yes..." he rambled, hardly knowing what he was saying as his head got light and he was lost in the unbelievable feeling. Kurt didn't stop. He pulled his finger out only to replace it with a second finger, still slow and gentle strokes and his tongue caressing Blaine's skin. His velvety smooth inner body was giving him so much pleasure,

Blaine began rocking his hips slowly into the pillow with gentle movements as he absorbed all the pleasurable feelings Kurt was giving him. Kurt changed the angle of his strokes, moving his fingers a little more forward, a little deeper and pushing his tongue into the warmth next to his fingers.

Blaine was moving with more purpose now, the soft and slow movements building in him as he reveled in the things he was feeling. Kurt's fingers were just touching the place inside that was the key to unlocking Blaine's orgasm. He knew he'd found just the right place because Blaine was moving a little faster, and his voice was a deeper growl now. His head was lying on a pillow with his eyes closed, his brow furrowed as he concentrated, his fists clenched in the blanket until his knuckles were almost white.

Kurt was humming, knowing the vibrations would be felt deep in Blaine's body as the pressure was building. He was stroking the place he could barely feel through the muscles inside, but knew it was the right place because Blaine pushed and clenched along with him. Kurt moved his mouth back for a moment, whispering to Blaine, "It's okay, you can come now. I'm doing this for you, Blaine, take your pleasure now, baby..now..."

He placed his tongue back on the rim and continued the steady pulsing of his fingers as he licked his warm tongue in long swathes down the cleft until he could feel Blaine tensing his muscles and increase the rocking of his hips. He could feel it as Blaine shot his semen into the pillow, a deep growl coming from his throat and his hands clenching into tight fists.

"Kurt.....Kurt!" he called, and it sounded like a prayer: his mind lost in the extreme pleasure of his climax. Kurt gently removed his fingers, wiping the saliva from his lips with a forearm and laying his cheek down on Blaine's butt cheek to rest for a moment.

They lay like that for a few moments until Blaine moved his hip to turn on his side. Kurt grabbed a small towel from the night table and blotted the pillow, wiping his lover clean before setting the pillow on the floor and crawling up the bed to lie beside Blaine who pulled him close, spooning Kurt and wrapping his arms around him.

Blaine was too nervous to say anything, the act embarrassing him still. Kurt could feel it in his tense arm muscles and spoke quietly.

"Baby, there is nothing wrong with enjoying your body. You of all people know that. I wanted to give you that pleasure to show you there is nothing wrong in asking for what you know feels good to you. Blaine, I love your body. All of your body. To think that you trust me enough to give you pleasure like that means everything to me and I hope we will always have that between us – to be so close that we can trust the other with our deepest wants and needs," Kurt said, kissing Blaine's fingers as he held his hand intertwined with his own.

"I love you, Kurt. I don't know how you always know what to say to me to make the biggest fears in my life just melt away. You understand me, even when I don't understand myself. Thank you, Kurt, my love, my heart," Blaine said, kissing the top of Kurt's head.

They lay there for a while, just a comfortable silence as they felt each other and knew what the other was thinking. Blaine turned Kurt so they were facing and kissed his mouth.

"Tell me what you want, Kurt. It's a night for granting wishes I think. Tell me your wish and I will do my best to grant it," Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear. Kurt smiled.

"I want you to make love to me, Blaine. I know you hold back because of the tear I got the first time, and I want you to leave that anxiety behind you tonight and make love to me," Kurt whispered. Blaine closed his eyes. Kurt was right. He made himself go gently, hold back because he was afraid of tearing Kurt again in spite of all the doctor's assurances that it was a mere accident and probably wouldn't happen again. Blaine was determined to grant Kurt's wish tonight, though, so he gathered his courage and leaned over to get the lubricant out of the drawer.

"Just lie down and I will give you a massage like you gave me, baby," Blaine said, pushing Kurt to lay in the mattress on his back. Blaine started with kissing, deepening it as he went, his tongue in Kurt's mouth as they danced their tongues together. He ended the kiss and moved to give gentle nibbles across Kurt's cheek and down his jaw to the tender places on his neck that made Kurt squeak. Blaine's smile got bigger each time Kurt made another sound and he was almost laughing by the time he got to Kurt's chest. Licking the salty skin down the center of his rib cage, stopping to kiss his nipple. Kurt has very sensitive nipples and Blaine had reason to know this, so he paid a lot of attention to them. Kurt pushed his pectoral muscles forward so more skin was placed in Blaine's mouth as he moaned louder. Kurt was very loud when he wanted to be and Blaine loved it.

Moving down, he engulfed Kurt's cock and worked him up and down, first sucking gently on the tip and pushing his lips over the length. It was so good, listening to Kurt as he was moved to almost scream Blaine's name in a moment of passion. Blaine pulled back, placing a kiss on the head of his cock as he stopped, a sad look in Kurt's eye but Blaine knew there would be more to come. Come being the operative word here.

By this time he had gotten closer to Kurt, bringing his leg up and propped it on Blaine's shoulder. With the new found access to Kurt's most intimate parts, Blaine placed his gel-covered fingers in the place he had just found such joy. He hoped he was as gentle as Kurt had been with him as he inserted his fingers to begin the stretching process. Kurt loved this part, knowing the anticipation was building and trying to keep pace as Blaine shared himself with Kurt.

At last Kurt seemed ready, Blaine had taken his time to do it right, making sure before he coated his fingers and applied some of the lube to his cock.

"Are you ready? Will this be the best position, or would you rather we did another position? Blaine gave him the option.

"I want to see you, Blaine. Let's do it this way so I can see your beautiful face," Kurt purred. Blaine made sure Kurt's leg was comfortable resting on his shoulder and pressed in. Kurt jumped, the sensation so amazing after the anticipation all evening. Blaine ran a calming hand down Kurt's thigh to let him breathe for a minute, then pressed further in until little by little Blaine was in up to the hilt. He gave Kurt a triumphant smile and pulled back, almost all the way and plunged slowly back in, savoring the pull and drag over the sensitive skin.

Kurt was almost over stimulated after the way he had been giving Blaine his pleasure and it didn't leave his mind – not the things he had talked about or the feelings he had felt already this evening. He knew it wasn't always necessary to last a long time, and that was good because he wasn't going to, not at all.

The hot and excited feeling he got every time he made love with his soon-to-be husband was gathering in his muscles, and Blaine's final thrust might have been the last one if Kurt hadn't suddenly found the strength within himself to wait. He pulled Blaine's face as close as he could get it, then kissed him so hard and suddenly it was there, with hardly a minute until he was spouting like a whale. Kurt shouted Blaine's name, pressing close to feel every inch inside his body, to know without a doubt he was as close as humanly possible to his lover, to be as close as he could to becoming one being.

"Blaine, oh my god....Blaine," Kurt called, his tears falling down his cheeks as he felt all of Blaine's love just explode inside his heart. Blaine was all he ever wanted or needed and one glance at those golden hazel eyes and he knew for a fact that Blaine was feeling the same thing. Kurt finally closed his eyes and collapsed into Blaine's waiting arms, overcome with the pure joy of having the love of his life holding him – not just in his arms, but in his heart.

Long afterwards the two boys lay in bed together, just touching along their sides, holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. They had shared the silence, so comfortable with just being in the same place at the same time, knowing each other's hearts and minds. Knowing their lives would be forever entwined no matter what bumps there might be in the road.

"I love you, Kurt, and I always will," Blaine whispered to Kurt, holding his hand as they dozed off, tangled together as they so often did. "I need to sleep, at least for a short amount of time."

"I love you, too, Blaine. Making love is exhausting, but I don't think I can ever stop. Not that I would ever want to. I'm yours forever."

"And I'm yours."