"I think its somebodys birthday today..." Kurt said loudly as he walked into Cleos bedroom, Blaine following behind.

Cleo opened her eyes, sitting up and grinning cutely.

"Me!" She shouted happily.

Kurt gasped. "What!? Its not your birthday today!"

Giggling loudly, Cleo lifted her arms up. Kurt grinned and lifted her up, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Happy birthday, Princess," he said, hugging Cleo tightly.

"Presents!" Cleo said excitedly.

Kurt rolled his eyes, laughing at the two year old. "Breakfast first, missy," he said. "You have plenty of time for presents."

After breakfast, as promised, they sat down on the sofa and Cleo opened her presents, attempting to play with every new thing as soon as it was out of the wrapping paper despite Kurt continuously telling her to wait until shed opened everything.

Soon enough, people were starting to arrive and Cleo was excitedly running around from person to person informing them that she was two now.

"Blaine," Kurt said, peeping his head into the kitchen, where Blaine was getting snack time ready for the kids. "Ryans here."

Blaine sighed, fiddling with the wrapper on the cupcake he was holding. "Would it be wrong of me to climb out of the window and run away right now?"

Kurt smiled sadly. "You have to face him sooner or later," he pointed out. "You might as well just get it out of the way."

"Okay," Blaine said. "Let me just finish up here; Im nearly done."

"You can go talk in my bedroom, okay? Nobody will bother you in there."

Blaine nodded. "Can you just tell him that I...Ill be there soon?"

"Sure," Kurt smiled. "You know where I am if you need me, okay?"

"Okay," Blaine said quietly.

"Oh! My dad wants to meet you by the way," Kurt said, rolling his eyes. Blaine raised his eyebrow a little. "Dont ask. Hes...just go with it."

"Okay," Blaine laughed. "Now shoo, let me finish my kitchen duties."

"Youre a lifesaver!" Kurt called out as he finally left Blaine alone.

Blaine laughed, finishing up everything he was doing. Once he was done, he leaned his elbows against the kitchen counter, hiding his face behind his hands. He jumped a little when he heard the door creak open, letting out a little sigh of relief when he realised it was just Ryan.

"Hey," Ryan said awkwardly, standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Hi," Blaine replied. "Um...we should go talk."

Ryan nodded, following Blaine to Kurts bedroom. Blaine sat down on the edge of the bed, staring down at the floor while Ryan sat next to him.

"Youre breaking up with me, arent you?" Ryan said. Blaine looked up at him, a little shocked. "I guess I can just tell. You did sort of run away from me when I told you how I felt yesterday, and thats not a typical reaction."

"Its not...I really, really like you," Blaine began. "But as soon as you told me you loved me I just...I realised that I dont feel the same way about you. I have no idea why - I love spending time with you, and I do genuinely like being in a relationship with you - but I...I just dont -"

"Blaine, its okay," Ryan said, oddly calm. "You dont have to explain it, I do understand. Its not your fault."

"Its not yours either," Blaine said honestly. "I really do love being with you..."

"Its him, isnt it?"

"Who?" Blaine asked confusedly.

"Kurt," Ryan said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Youre in love with him, arent you?"

"I...I dont..."

"I guess I just met you a few hours too late," Ryan said, smiling sadly. "But honestly, Blaine...tell him, before its too late."

"Ryan I..." Blaine trailed off, not knowing what he was supposed to say. "How can you possibly know that Im in love with him when I dont even know if Im in love with him?"

"Because its really obvious," Ryan smiled. "We could be having a normal discussion and youd somehow bring him up, and when he walks in the room your eyes light up, even if youre upset."

"So why didnt you say anything?" Blaine asked. "If you thought I had feelings for someone else..."

"I dont know," Ryan said. "I guess I just thought I was overanalysing and being a paranoid boyfriend. Plus I...I do think its possible to have feelings for more than one person at the same time."

Blaine laughed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Im kind of an idiot when it comes to love, arent I?"

"No," Ryan said, smiling at him. "I think you just...need to be honest with yourself. You think about other people more than you do yourself, and youre too scared to hurt them. I think thats the only problem you have with relationships."

"I dont know what Im supposed to do," Blaine admitted. "I honestly dont even know how I feel right now, and even if youre right...he had a two year old, Ryan."

"A two year old who adores you," Ryan pointed out.

"Im nowhere near ready for a family!" Blaine exclaimed.

"Arent you? Or are you just scared?"

"I...I dont know," Blaine said.

"Just...go with your heart instead of your head for once," Ryan said, smiling a little sadly at Blaine. "Do what feels right, and stop worrying about consequences - just deal with them if and when they happen."

Blaine nodded.

"I think Im gonna go," he said. "I need some time, and Im not really up to doing anything right now."

"Im really sorry," Blaine replied, looking up at Ryan. "I really want to stay friends with you. As cliché as that sounds, I mean it."

"Me too," Ryan smiled. "And I promise we will, I just need a little space right now. Ill see you soon, okay?"

"Okay," Blaine agreed.

Ryan bent down a little to kiss Blaines forehead before leaving the room without another word. Kurt soon replaced him, entering the room with a worried look on his face.

"Are you okay?"

Blaine looked up at Kurt, about to tell him that he was fine, and burst into tears.

"Blaine," Kurt said, rushing over to him and pulling him into a hug immediately. "What happened?"

"N-nothing," Blaine hiccupped. "We broke up b-but it wasnt messy."

"Why are you crying then?" Kurt asked confusedly.

Blaine just shook his head, holding onto Kurt tightly.

Honestly, he didnt know why he was crying. He was confused, mostly, but his feelings had also just hit him like a slap in the face, and he didnt know how to react or what to do about it. His heart was thumping in his chest and he felt slightly dizzy, but he needed to calm down.

"Im sorry," Blaine sniffed once hed stopped crying a little.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Kurt said, pulling back from the hug. "Are you okay?"

Blaine shrugged. "I dont know,"

"Whats wrong?"

Blaine shook his head. "I just...I guess Ryan made me realise something and I...I dont know."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Blaine said. "Not right now, anyway. I just want to go and spoil Cleo rotten and then...I dont know, maybe later or something? I need to figure out how Im feeling before I try and talk to you about it."

"Okay," Kurt smiled. "Lets go and sing happy birthday then, before Cleo literally causes a riot."

"You mean she hasnt already done that?" Blaine asked with a laugh as he followed Kurt back through to the living room.

They sung happy birthday to Cleo and had cake a little while before everyone left.

"I think this little one played a bit too hard today," Burt said, emerging from the kitchen with Cleo in his arms, her head rested on his shoulder and her dummy in her mouth.

"At least shes worn out," Kurt teased, going over to his dad and taking Cleo from him. "I think we best get you to bed."

After getting Cleo to say goodnight to everyone in a quiet, sleepy voice, Kurt put her to bed, tucking her into her sheets and kissing her cheek. He quietly left the room to find Blaine cleaning up the living room.

"Excuse me," Kurt said. "What do you think youre doing?"

Blaine stopped dead in his tracks, looking at Kurt in confusion. "Tidying up?"

"Nope," Kurt said. "I refuse to let you clean up after my child."

Burt let out a snort from where he sat on the sofa, rolling his eyes at his son.

"Kurt, I really dont mind," Blaine argued.

"Dad, help," Kurt whined.

"Sorry, kiddo," Burt laughed. "Im on Blaines side."

"But you- I...fine," Kurt sighed. "Damn you and your morals."

Blaine grinned, happily making his way into the kitchen to clean up in there.

"You guys are cute," Burt said.

"Im sorry?"

"Come here," Burt said, motioning for Kurt to sit next to him and only beginning to speak when he could hear the water running in the kitchen. "You know that kids smitten with you, right?"

"Dad, he literally just broke up with his boyfriend," Kurt said. "Today."

"That doesnt mean anything," Burt said. "And youre lying to me if you tell me you dont have feelings for him, too."

"Can you just...not," Kurt said desperately. "Please. You know Im nowhere near ready to date someone again...not yet. No."

"Kurt, as long as you tell yourself youre not ready, youre not going to be ready."

"Dad, I cant," Kurt said, his blue eyes filling with tears. "I still come home from work and expect him to be here. Every time I wake up and I realise Im in bed alone, I expect to leave my bedroom to find him reading Cleo a story or cooking breakfast. And every time I realise he isnt going to be here when I get home and hes not going to be dancing round the kitchen, singing completely out of tune while he burns his waffles in the morning, its like my heart is being ripped out all over again and I hate it."

"That feeling is never going to go away if you dont let yourself move on, Kurt," Burt said softly. "Do you think I just woke up and forgot all about your mom when she died?"

"No, but I -"

"You know Ethan wouldnt want you to hold onto him forever," he said. "What do you think he would say to you if he were here right now?"

"Hed probably tell me to stop being an idiot," Kurt laughed, instantly wiping away the tears that fell from his eyes. "Hed tell me that he wants me to be happy, and that its okay to move on with someone else."

"And hed be completely right," Burt said.

"I miss him," Kurt said brokenly, more tears falling down his cheeks. "I keep waiting for it to stop hurting so goddamn much and it never does. It still feels like he died yesterday."

Burt took Kurt into his arms, rubbing his back gently. "I know, buddy," he said softly. "Its been nearly thirty years and I still miss your mom like hell, but I promise you itll get easier. You have to let go though, Kurt, otherwise its still going to hurt just as much as the day before."

The tap in the kitchen had been turned off a long time ago, and as much as Blaine was trying not to listen to their conversation, it was kind of hard not to hear every single word that was being said.

"How do I even know he likes me?" Kurt asked, wiping his eyes.

"Kurt, a blind man can see how he feels about you," Burt laughed. "Clearly neither of you do, though."

"Im scared," Kurt admitted.

"Of what?"

"Everything," Kurt said. "Of actually opening myself up to someone else, of screwing up my relationship with Blaine if it doesnt work or things get uncomfortable. Im scared that I wont be able to open up to him. He needs - and deserves - a stable relationship after the crap that hes been through since I met him, and I honestly dont know if I can give that to him."

"Youre the single most compassionate person I know, Kurt, and Im not just saying that because youre my son. I know that its scary, but all you have to do is be there for him when he needs you."

"I really like him, Dad," Blaines heart pounded in his chest as he leaned against the door, not even pretending not to be listening anymore. "I havent felt this way about anyone in a really long time, and it scares the crap out of me. I really dont want to hurt him - I dont think I could ever forgive myself if I hurt him."

"You wont," Burt said. "You couldnt hurt a fly, Kurt. Look, its up to you what you do, but please try to move on, whether you do that with Blaine or without him."

"I will."