Chapter 18:

Kurt woke up and Blaine was not next to him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, the bright sun slipping through the blinds, leaving tiger stripes on the walls and all across the bedding and Kurt's chest. He stretched his arms and legs, blinking away the sleep, then climbed to his feet and walked across the room. He opened a drawer, grabbed a pair of briefs, closed it, then grabbed some pants from the closet and pulled both on. He tugged a t-shirt over his head, ran a hand through his hair, then left the room to look for Blaine.

Blaine was in the kitchen, elbows pressed into the counter, eyes on the toaster.

"You're naked," Kurt noticed.

Blaine turned around instantly, standing up straight. He had a broad grin on his lips and he looked as if he wasn't fully awake yet. His curls were sticking up and his eyes looked tired. He was also very much naked.

"'Morning, beautiful," Blaine said, yawning.

"'Morning," Kurt replied. "You're naked," he said again.

Blaine chuckled. "Good eye."

"Why are you naked?" Kurt asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Santana could walk out here at any moment, not to mention the fact that Rachel pretty much comes and goes as she pleases—"

"Santana left for work about twenty minutes ago," Blaine told Kurt. "And I put the chain on the door, so even if Rachel did try to get in, she would be stopped in her tracks, so relax and enjoy me cooking with a hard-on."

"You're impossible," Kurt said, shaking his head, a small smile dancing on the corners of his lips.

"Coffee?" Blaine asked, turning away, giving Kurt a direct view to his ass.

"Hmm?" Kurt asked.

Blaine turned and laughed. "Mr Hummel, were you ogling my backside?"

"Turn back around."

"You don't think my front is as appealing as my back?" Blaine asked, leaning back against the counter.

"I don't know," Kurt told him. "I've forgotten my own name."

Blaine laughed heartily then turned back around and proceeded to make the coffee. Kurt watched him moving about the kitchen, opening cupboards and bending down to take mugs from the dishwasher and Kurt was getting hard just watching him. The asshole was also singing quietly to himself and he was well aware of Kurt's eyes on him, too. Kurt knew because he kept lingering when he bent forward and he would stop against the counter and arch his back slightly and he was so very obviously trying to get a rise out of Kurt and God, was it working.

Before he could stop himself, Kurt was standing up. He walked across to the kitchen and came up behind Blaine and pinned him against the counter. Blaine tilted his head to the side, to look back at Kurt. He was smirking.

"Can I help you?" Blaine asked, cheekily.

"You can't just walk around the kitchen shaking your ass like that," Kurt told him, pressing his lips briefly to the back of Blaine's neck.

"Oh, yeah?" Blaine said, but it came out shakily. "Gonna make me pay?"

"Mm," Kurt hummed. "Maybe. Stay here."

He turned around and went back into the bedroom, Blaine staring after him, blankly. Kurt grabbed the bottle of lube from the side table, then went back out. Blaine was still pressed to the counter. Kurt went up close and Blaine shivered very slightly. He popped the cap on the lube and spread some across his fingers, then slipped his hand lower to find his boyfriend's entrance.

"Fuck, Kurt," Blaine hissed, but he rocked back into Kurt's touch.

Kurt rubbed a finger across Blaine's hole a few times, teasing him, because he liked the needy sound Blaine made, before prodding a finger inside, very slowly. Blaine groaned and gripped the counter in front of him. He was really tight. It had been a long time since Kurt had topped. He preferred bottoming, but he definitely wasn't opposed to topping. In fact, he liked it a lot, especially when Blaine was coming undone beneath his touch like this.

Kurt flexed his finger a little, brushing over Blaine's prostate unintentionally, but he didn't regret it. He brushed over it a few more times, enjoying the way Blaine was falling apart under him. He removed his finger out entirely then and Blaine moaned at the loss. Kurt quickly spread a little more lube, then went back to Blaine's opening. This time, he worked two fingers in and Blaine was cursing quietly, Kurt hushing him, telling him to relax and that he loved him. Sometimes Kurt tried to take authority, because he knew Blaine liked it, but when he was whining quietly and making those soft keening sounds, Kurt couldn't help becoming affectionate again.

"Almost there, baby," Kurt told him, pressing a hot kiss to Blaine's neck. "You're so good."

"Kurt.." Blaine's voice came out in a broken exhale. "Please."

"Shh," Kurt said, reaching around to touch Blaine's erection. "You're really tight. I don't want to hurt you. Just let me open you up a little more and then.."

Kurt licked his lips and slipped a third finger in and Blaine cried out, head dropping forward. Kurt pushed his fingers in and out slowly, deep inside, then back out through those rings of tight muscle and back over the rim. He continued brushing over that spot, sending Blaine into a slight frenzy, a mess of words slipping out of his mouth.

"Almost there," Kurt said again. "Just a little more. You're so perfect, Blaine."

Kurt kept fingering him, his other hand resting against his hip, stroking it soothingly, trying to keep him together. Blaine was bent over the counter now, his forehead pressed to the cool, dark marble. Small beads of sweat were slipping down the back of his neck and trailing down his spine, his olive skin glistening.

Kurt pressed another kiss to the side of Blaine's neck and Blaine moaned, throwing his head to the side.

"Kurt, just do it," Blaine said, sounding slightly desperate. "Please, Kurt. I can take it, I swear. Just please."

Kurt wavered. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I can just keep doing this for a little while until you're ready—"

"I'm ready," Blaine cut him off. "I'm so ready. Just please do this."

"Okay," Kurt said, pumping his fingers in and out a couple more times, just to be sure. Blaine groaned and Kurt removed his fingers and gave him a soothing pat on the thigh. "How do you want to do this?"

"Just like this," Blaine told him. "Right here."

Kurt swallowed hard. "Sure?"

"Kurt!"

"Okay, okay," he said, reaching down to unzip his pants..

Kurt pushed his pants down, then his briefs and shrugged them off his body until they were left in a pile on the cold, tiled floor. Kurt couldn't bring himself to care, not when Blaine was like this. He tugged his shirt off and threw it over a chair, then grabbed the lube again. He slicked himself up, then gave Blaine's thigh another pat, urging him to open his legs a little more. Blaine obliged instantly and Kurt reached down and pulled his cheeks apart. He pushed the head of his cock against Blaine's entrance, then reached down with one hand and held the base, then pushed very slowly inside. Blaine bent further forward to allow easier access and after a few moments, Kurt was all the way inside. He held Blaine's shoulders, stroking them gently.

"Okay?" he asked, quietly.

Blaine nodded. "Just..give me a second."

"You're really tight, Blaine," Kurt told him, stroking his arms. "I can open you up a little more if you need—"

"I don't," Blaine assured him. "I just need to get used to it for a minute. Please, just give me a minute."

Kurt nodded and pressed a light kiss to Blaine's neck. "Of course," he told him. Blaine only groaned. Kurt needed to move, because Blaine was so damned tight, but he'd wait for him.

"Sorry," Blaine said, after a long time. He was breathing heavily, eyes shut tight.

"What on earth are you apologising for?" Kurt asked, rubbing Blaine's back, gently. "Take as long as you need. I don't have class until 12.30 and you know I would wait for you forever."

Blaine laughed, weakly. "Only you could make a situation like this sound romantic."

Kurt chuckled and rested his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"I mean it," he told him, "take your time."

"Can you try sliding back a little? Slowly?"

"No," Kurt said, softly. "We'll wait. You don't have to do a thing until you're ready."

"But don't you need to move?"

"I can wait."

Blaine let out a long breath and reached around to take Kurt's hand. He entwined their fingers.

"I want you to move," he told Kurt. "Hard."

"I don't want to hurt you." Kurt shook his head.

"Hurt can be good sometimes."

"Blaine."

"It can," Blaine told him. "We've gone hard before."

"It's been a while since we did it like...like this."

"I want it."

Kurt sighed, unsure of what he should do. "Maybe I should get a condom, make the slide easier—"

"Kurt," Blaine said, firmly. "I appreciate the concern and I love you for it, but I just want to feel you right now. Just you."

Kurt thought about it, then exhaled. "Okay."

Blaine breathed out and stood up a little straighter. "Okay," Blaine said. "Ready when you are."

"You're sure about this?"

"I'm sure," Blaine assured him. "I would never do anything that I wasn't sure about."

That was true, at least. Kurt trusted him not to do anything stupid, just to make Kurt feel good. Kurt also knew that this was another one of those things that Blaine seemed to be bringing to their relationship more frequently. It had begun in Kurt's home in Ohio, that night after the wedding and since then, Blaine had been suggesting they do things differently in bed sometimes. Kurt was more than willing to try, because he loved Blaine and a lot of the time, Blaine's words went straight to his cock and he couldn't say no, didn't want to say no.

"Alright," Kurt said, then. "Tell me what you want."

"Hard," Blaine told him. "Make me scream."

Kurt swallowed, cock twitching inside his boyfriend's ass. "Okay," he said, but it came out as a faint breath. "Is this..?"

Another one of your things?

"You're my main thing," Blaine told him. "It's only ever good because it's with you. Now, please. Fuck me hard."

"I thought we didn't fuck," Kurt said, with a smirk.

"Call it rough love."

"You mean tough love."

"I meant what I said," Blaine informed him. "Please just fuck me over the kitchen counter."

Kurt couldn't form words after that. He simply placed his hands on either of Blaine's hips and pulled out of him, slowly. Blaine let out a choked "Fuck, baby," and Kurt shut his eyes and slipped back in, the slow drag inside the intense heat making his heart race in his chest.

"Harder," Blaine said. "Please."

Kurt obliged. He needed this as much as Blaine did. He began to thrust in and out of Blaine's warmth hard and fast and Blaine was keening under him, trying to keep a hold of the counter, but his fingers kept slipping.

"Do you..mm...want to take this some...somewhere else?" Kurt asked, because Blaine didn't look comfortable.

"No," Blaine hissed. "No, right here. Stay, don't go. Don't go, Kurt."

"I won't," Kurt told him, kissing his neck as he continued to slam in and out of him. "I'll always stay."

Blaine cried out and pushed his body back to meet Kurt's almost violent thrusts. Kurt kept watching for signs that Blaine didn't like it, but he seemed to be enjoying it.

"Mm, Kurt," he was crying out. "Kurt, you feel so..so big inside me." His words ended in soft whimpers.

"Love you," Kurt said, because other words escaped him.

"I love you, t—"

Blaine moaned high and loud and Kurt knew he had hit that spot, so he did it again and again, watching through half lidded eyes as Blaine went to pieces. He reached around and took Blaine's erection in his hand, the tip of it already spilling precum. Kurt wrapped his hand around him and began to pump on it in time with the thrust of his hips, bringing Blaine closer and closer with every movement. Blaine was falling apart, his words incoherent and coming out jerkily and shakily, because of the high moans and erratic whines.

Blaine came first. He shot across his own chest and Kurt's arm and onto the marble counter and the sight of that and the fact that his hole started to clench around his cock almost brought Kurt instantly. He removed his hand as Blaine's cock softened and instead, brought it around to pull his buttcheeks further apart.

"Don't stop," Blaine pleaded, even though he had to be sensitive now.

"I'm almost there, I promise," Kurt told him, shutting his eyes and resting his head on Blaine's shoulder.

He began to jar his hips forward faster and with more abandon, not caring about control or rhythm any more. he just needed to finish this and fast, because he really didn't want to hurt Blaine. On the other hand, the sounds Blaine was making right now were amazing and the idea of pushing so quickly in and out of him while he was softening and getting more and more sensitive was sort of thrilling and Kurt wasn't sure if he should curse himself for even thinking that, or embrace it, because this was hot.

Kurt quickened the pace and pressed sloppy kisses to Blaine's hot skin, hoping they were coming across as comforting.

"Come in me," Blaine croaked. "Please, I want it. Come inside me. Want you to."

Suddenly, the idea of coming inside Blaine was really, really appealing and Kurt wanted it more than he cared to admit. He was close, but he just needed something more..

"Shit, Blaine!" Kurt cried out, when he felt Blaine pulling off of him.

Kurt looked at him for an explanation, but Blaine didn't give him one, because he was turning to face Kurt. He leaned back against the counter and spread his legs, then eased back down on Kurt's cock and flung his head back and Kurt couldn't take his eyes off him, knowing that he was crying out like that, because he was still sensitive after coming. Kurt decided to finish it fast. He began to slip in and out harder this time, trying to get enough friction to come.

"I'm sorry," Kurt panted, when he hadn't come yet. "It's—mmph, it's not you, I swear. I can just pull ou—"

"Don't pull out," Blaine said, quickly. "It's okay. Just keep..doing that. I'll get you there."

Kurt tried to protest, but Blaine pulled him into a deep kiss and took a hold of Kurt's hips and slammed them forward, hitting his prostate again and again. Blaine made a muffled sound against his lips and then Kurt felt Blaine's hand trailing lower and then he was rubbing the pad of his first finger over Kurt's entrance and Kurt whined. The angle was difficult, but this was going to be enough, Kurt knew it.

"Don't stop," Kurt pleaded against Blaine's lips.

Blaine didn't stop. He rubbed harder, teasing Kurt's hole, while Kurt slammed in and out of him and when Blaine pressed the tip of his finger inside Kurt's rim, Kurt came, Blaine's name spilling from his lips. Blaine was whimpering quietly, as Kurt rode out the orgasm, shooting up inside his boyfriend. Finally, he pulled out and collapsed against Blaine.

"I love you so much," Kurt told him, breathlessly.

"I love you more," Blaine told him, pressing a lethargic kiss to his temple.

After a few moments, Kurt pulled back and stood up straight, legs wobbling. He looked down and saw the wet trail down Blaine's leg and shuddered. Blaine eyed him, then followed his line of sight.

"That's actually really hot," Blaine told him.

Kurt was half disgusted, half turned on, because yes, it was kind of hot, but it shouldn't have been, because that was his come and it was slipping out of Blaine's ass and coming down his legs.

Before Kurt could stop him, Blaine was reaching down behind him and taking some on the tip of his finger.

"Blaine, do not—"

Blaine licked it off.

Kurt tried to look disgusted, but failed, because all he could do was stand there with his mouth hanging open, watching as his boyfriend took his come from his own asshole and ate it, while making small mm sounds.

Blaine did it again, eyes locked on Kurt. He reached down again, then offered Kurt his finger and Kurt very nearly took it in his mouth, but he didn't.

"I can't believe you're doing that," he breathed out. "Jesus, Blaine."

"I can't tell if you hate it or love it."

"I..." Kurt paused. "I think we should go, um, shower. Yeah."

He held out a hand and Blaine took it with his clean hand and allowed Kurt to pull him to the shower. Kurt grimaced, noticing the wet streaks down both of his thighs. He switched the shower on, then shoved Blaine inside.

"You're not getting in?" Blaine asked, looking a little defeated.

"I'm letting you get cleaned up and I'm going to go clean the kitchen before someone sees all...that...there."

Blaine smiled, tugged him forward and pecked him on the lips.

"It was okay, right?" he asked. "Was it too much?"

"No," Kurt apprised him. "It was good. I promise. I'm just not sure I can ever cook in there again, so we might have to have take-outs for the rest of our time here."

"I can deal with that."

"That's what I was afraid of," Kurt told him, smiling. "I didn't hurt you, right?"

"No," Blaine promised. "It's a good hurt."

"Alright," Kurt said, with a nod. "Get cleaned up and please brush your teeth."

Blaine grinned, ran a finger back behind him again and before he could repeat his earlier actions, Kurt left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, Blaine's laughter drifting out after him. Kurt couldn't help but smile.

"Well, well, Mr Hummel," Blaine said, when Kurt walked out of the bedroom a little while later. "I must say, your cleaning skills are impeccable. I could eat my dinner off of this counter."

"After what I saw you eating earlier, the surface off of which you eat your dinner would not surprise me," Kurt said, taking Blaine's outstretched hand.

Blaine smiled and kissed him gently.

"Just wanted to show you I appreciate all of you," Blaine informed him.

"Okay," Kurt said, kissing him again. "I'm dramatising it anyway. It's not like we've never, you know, tasted each other."

"Yeah, and believe me when I say you taste delicious," Blaine said, wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist. "Hey, it's only around 10, want to get some sleep before your class?"

"Mm, okay," Kurt said, smiling. "What time is yours?"

"1.15," Blaine told him.

"Okay," Kurt said, taking Blaine's hand in his own. "I'm tired, let's go sleep it off."

Kurt swore quietly as he and Rachel left the lecture hall, upon hearing that their class had been cancelled. He had left Blaine's warm arms when he could have stayed a little while longer. He was tired and cranky and images of his boyfriend licking his come off his fingers kept filling his mind and making him want to go home and do something about it, despite the fact that he was almost definitely far too exhausted.

"We've got an hour before our next class," Rachel said, looking at her watch. "We could grab some lunch?"

"I guess," Kurt said, sighing. "I can't believe they waited until the last minute to tell us that was cancelled."

"I know, I know, Kurt, you're mad," Rachel said rolling her dark eyes. "Honestly, what were you doing that was so fabulous that made you so made to be pulled away from?"

"Blaine, actually," Kurt told her. "No, sorry, wow. I'm tired. I didn't mean to say, um, that."

Rachel, however, was snorting a little. "Are you mad because you had to leave during sex?"

"No," Kurt told her. "I'm mad because I could have gotten more sleep."

"You could have slept instead of having sex, Kurt Hummel."

"No, I couldn't," Kurt informed her. "I can't say no when he's all hot and naked in the kitchen."

"The kitchen?" Rachel gasped. "I demand to hear this story!"

Kurt sighed. Why did he have to have such a big mouth?

"Fine," he told her. "But I need coffee first."

"So," Santana said, pulling a notepad from her bag. "What time did you get up?"

Blaine settled in his chair and opened to a fresh page. "Uh, around 9, but I went back to bed again."

Santana made a gagging sound. "I know what that means," she told him. "You woke up and had sex."

Blaine wrote the date at the top of the page and said nothing.

"You did, didn't you?"

"Maybe," Blaine told her.

"Ugh, I'll take that as a yes," she grimaced. "I suppose Hummel's still curled up nice and warm in bed, basking in the after glow, while we're stuck here listening to this guy going on and on about fucking slides."

She gestured to the lecturer who was at the front of the room, changing slides and talking.

"Actually, he had class today," Blaine told her. "And he was up, thank you very much. He even cleaned the kitchen."

"Thank heaven for little mercies," she said, rolling her eyes. "Cleaning the kitchen? Fuck, Anderson, tell me you didn't."

"We should probably pay attention."

"Blaine Anderson!" Santana said, a little too loudly. "I eat in that kitchen! I prepare food there!"

"Santana!" Blaine hissed. "People are staring—"

"What part of my face gave you the idea that I care?" she asked. "You fucked your boyfriend in our kitchen!"

Blaine groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"Santana," he said, quietly. "Please keep your voice down."

Santana sighed and sat back, arms folded across her chest. Blaine could feel his cheeks burning as people stared at them, some giggling quietly. Santana was silent for a few minutes, then she looked at Blaine.

"What?" he asked, carefully.

"You fucked your boyfriend in our kitchen," she said, quietly this time. "Did you fuck your boyfriend in our kitchen?"

"No," Blaine said, looking down at his notebook. "Kurt, um, topped."

Santana scowled and made a grunting sound. "So that's why you're walking funny."

"I am not—"

"You know, Anderson, I'm gonna high-five you now," she said, raising a hand. Blaine just stared blankly. "Well, don't leave me hanging, butt boy," she said. Blaine lifted his hand and allowed her to high-five him. "Hey, come on, it's no trick. You're getting laid, Anderson. Sure, you feel the need to get all kinky and do it where I eat my frosted flakes, but you're still getting some."

"Santana.."

"I overreacted," she told him, nibbling on the end of her pen. "Just keep it in the bedroom, because I am going to have all kinds of nightmares about the two of you humping microwaves, or whatever."

Blaine snorted. "How romantic."

"I'm glad it was Hummel who cleaned it up and not you," Santana went on. "You would have left your man juice all over the joint. Anyways," she said. "I gotta tell you something."

Blaine sat up and leaned towards her, so he could listen to her whispering.

"I got a call from Brittany last night."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," Santana confirmed. "She called all upset because Artie broke up with her. He called her stupid. I mean, I think wheel boy is an okay guy, but if I see him, I will go all Lima Heights on his well-rested ass."

Blaine rolled his eyes at her offensive talk, but listened as she went on.

"So, she was looking for me to console her," she told him. "And I did, y'know? I tried to tell her she didn't need him, that pushing that God-awful chair around would give her calluses, but she was sad and I wanted to be sad for her, but I couldn't be. I know I'm no saint, Anderson, but does that make me an awful person? That I was happy when she was crying over what he'd done?"

"Nah," Blaine said. "I mean, I get it. So, what's the plan?"

"The plan?" Santana asked, looking bewildered.

"Duh," Blaine said. "Come on, you're Santana Lopez, there's got to be a plan. Are you going to just let your girl slip away again?"

"Says the guy who wouldn't pick up his boyfriend's call for six months," Santana said, rolling her eyes again. "Seriously, I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Blaine reached over and gave her arm a squeeze. He smiled when she gave him a look.

"We'll figure something out."

"While very cute, I do think that's terribly unhygienic," Rachel told Kurt as they sipped coffee in the college canteen.

Kurt rolled his eyes and crossed his legs. He wished he hadn't told her.

"Oh, crap," Rachel said, her dark eyes wide and on something behind Kurt. "Don't look!" she said, kicking him hard under the table. "It's Crazy Colton!" she hissed.

Kurt sighed. "He does go to school here, Rachel. It shouldn't shock you when you see him."

"It shocks me that he is headed here!" she said. "What if he has a gun? Kurt, he is so the type of guy that would shoot everyone just for fun—"

"You're being dramatic again, Rachel," he said, but he wondered if she was right. "He's probably just passing through."

"Or not."

Kurt looked up and saw Colton standing there, looking down at him, with his cold, dark eyes. He was wearing an orange fleece style sweater and army green pants. His Croc-covered feet stuck out at the bottom.

"Um, did you need something?" Kurt asked.

Colton simply pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked from Kurt to Rachel and then back again.

"I wanted to apologise."

"For...?" Kurt trailed off. He felt like Colton had a lot to apologise for.

"For everything," he told him. "I was wondering if you would consider tutoring me again. My mom said if I fail she's making me join the army."

Kurt raised a thin eyebrow. "I don't think it's a good idea, Colton. You aren't my favourite person right now and I can't have you in my home if you're going to just insult my boyfriend and say these really hurtful things that just aren't true."

"My house then!" Colton said, quickly. "Please. I need this. You're the only person I can ask."

Kurt shook his head and noticed Rachel watching Colton with wide, cautious eyes, like he was going to pounce at any moment. Kurt sighed.

"Colton, there are plenty of people you could ask."

"I'm not good with people," Colton said. "It took me weeks to ask you. I can't do it again."

"What about faculty? I'm sure the professors, or whatever would be happy to help."

"I feel like I'm wasting their time. I was doing better when you tutored me and then over the past few weeks, I've been doing awful again. My mom isn't happy."

Kurt sighed again. He felt sorry for Colton at times. If his mom was the one responsible for his dress sense, she was definitely a cruel woman. He wanted to help, but he couldn't really get past what Colton had done.

"Please, Kurt," Colton said, dark eyes wide and pleading. "I need to pass this semester. My dad hates that I'm even doing this programme. My mom was reluctant at first, then she got it into her head that I could be a star and now she's mad that I'm failing, because my dad will say he told her it was a bad idea. I need this. We don't even have to be friends. I just need help. I know I did and said some stupid stuff, but don't people deserve second chances?"

Why, oh, why did he have to pull the second chances thing?

When people talked about second chances, Kurt couldn't help thinking of Blaine and how he had given him a second chance. Blaine had done some awful things, but he turned out well and Kurt couldn't forget that.

"Fine," he said, finally and Rachel let her jaw drop.

"Kurt, I don't think this is a good id—"

"I've got this, Rachel. Don't worry," he told her. He looked back at Colton. "I need you to tell me you're done trying to do..whatever it is you tried to do to Blaine and I."

"I promise, that's all over. I'm over you."

"Okay," Kurt said. "When do you want to start?"

"Hold the elevator!" Blaine said, running forward and seeing the doors closing. They stopped closing and opened again and he saw Kurt and Rachel inside. "Oh, hey," he said, stepping inside. The doors closed.

"Hi," Kurt said, grinning and Blaine felt his heart contract. "How was your day?"

"Not bad," he told him. "Yours?"

"Our 12.30 got cancelled, but other than that, fine."

"Apart from the fact that he signed his own death warrant," Rachel huffed beside Kurt.

Kurt only rolled his eyes.

"What's she talking about?" Blaine asked.

"I'll tell you later—"

"Tell him!" Rachel said. "Tell him what you agreed to doing!"

Blaine felt his skin shuddering slightly. Death warrant? He knew that Rachel had a tendency to overreact, but it still scared him.

"What's going on?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing.

The elevator came to a stop. The doors opened with a small ringing sound.

"Come on," Kurt said with a sigh. He grabbed Blaine's hand. "We'll talk inside. Thank you, Rachel, for your kind words of encouragement and for scaring the crap out of my boyfriend. I'll see you later."

Blaine allowed Kurt to pull him outside and down the hall.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yes," Kurt said, simply.

They kept walking.

"Are you sure?" Blaine asked.

"Blaine," Kurt said, sighing again.

"What? I can't worry?"

"There isn't anything to worry about," Kurt told him.

They had reached their door now. Kurt opened it and they went inside. Blaine threw his bag down and flung his coat on the back of the couch.

"Tell me."

Kurt unbuttoned his jacket, slowly and rolled his eyes. "Where's Santana?"

"Work," Blaine told him. "Tell me what's going on."

"Okay, okay, just give me a minute," Kurt said, hanging both his and Blaine's coat up on the small rack.

Blaine watched him intently, looking for any inclination as to what was happening.

"Kurt," Blaine said, quietly, when Kurt didn't say anything.

Kurt shook his head and pulled Blaine to sit down on the couch.

"Okay," he said. "So, today, Colton talked to us."

"This can't be good," Blaine said.

"Let me finish?" Kurt asked.

"Sorry."

Kurt smiled and rubbed a thumb across Blaine's knuckles and then over his ring.

"Kurt," Blaine said.

"Right," Kurt shook his head and looked up at Blaine again. "So, he apologised and asked if I'd tutor him again."

Blaine knew exactly where this was going.

"And you agreed to it," Blaine said. Kurt stayed quiet. "Kurt," Blaine groaned.

"Babe, it's not that big of a deal! Honestly, it's just tutoring. You won't even have to see him! We're doing it at his place, so—"

"Oh my God, you've gone insane—"

"Blaine," Kurt said, calmly. "It's going to be fine."

"I don't know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." Blaine shook his head. Was Kurt nuts? High? Losing his mind?

"Baby—"

"He's insane, you know that, right? He's got a screw loose and he's probably capable of anything, yet you're going to go to his house. Alone."

"You're overreacting," Kurt told him.

"Oh, excuse me for caring about your safety—"

"Blaine, I know how to take care of myself, okay?"

"I don't trust him."

"Then trust me."

"You think I'm worried about cheating?" Blaine asked. "I'm not. I'm worried about him taking out his..his...butcher knife! And putting it to good use!"

Kurt looked away, groaning quietly. "This is ridiculous, Blaine. I can handle myself."

"Take someone with you. Rachel! Take Rachel! Or Finn! Or anyone, just please don't go there by yourself."

"You're implying that I can't do this by myself!"

"I know you can," Blaine said. "I do. I know that," he assured him.

Kurt just sighed, tiredly.

"Kurt," Blaine said, grabbing both of his hands. "Listen. I love you, okay? I love you so much that it hurts. I feel a physical ache in my chest sometimes. That's how much I love you. And I would go to the ends of the earth for you. I would. I'd do anything for you and I want you to be happy and to do the things that make you feel good. I want you safe. I would never, ever stop you from doing the things you want to do, but I'm asking you to not do this. Please. Invite him here, do it in a public library, just please don't go there by yourself. Please, baby, I just want you to be saf—"

Blaine stopped talking then because Kurt kissed him. He tried to protest at first, but gave in eventually, because Kurt's mouth did things to him. Kurt eased him back on the sofa, so that he was kind of on top of him. Blaine kissed him back gently, body going limp under Kurt's and then Kurt broke the kiss. He was smiling down at him, eyes half-lidded. He lifted his hand and pressed his palm to the side of Blaine's cheek.

"I'm just worried about you," Blaine told him, in a whisper.

"I know," Kurt said. "I'm going to be fine."

"I don't like this," Blaine exhaled.

"I know that, too," Kurt replied. "I promise to call you and let you know what's happening, but I need you to trust me. I can take care of myself. I can handle a badly dressed kid. I can do this."

"Why?" Blaine asked. "Why are you doing it?"

"Because he said people deserved second chances, Blaine and it's true. If you hadn't been given second chances, what would have happened? I know it's different. I know you're different, but it's the same sentiment. I feel bad for him. He's having a hard time with his parents and okay, yeah, he did some stupid things, but we all do at some point. Doing stupid things doesn't make you a bad person, we both know that."

Blaine sighed. Kurt had a point. "We're going to spend the rest of our lives trying to help people get through the bad stuff, aren't we?" he asked, entwining their fingers.

Kurt chuckled. "Probably."

"I do trust you, you know," Blaine assured him. "I know you know what you're doing, but that doesn't mean I don't worry. I love you so much. The thought of anything happening to you scares the crap out of me."

"It's going to be okay," Kurt said, pressing a kiss to Blaine's lips. "Do you really get n ache in your chest because you love me so much?"

"Yeah," Blaine affirmed. "It's the best feeling in the world."

"I know," Kurt told him.

"You know?"

"Yes," Kurt said, smiling brightly. "Because I'm feeling it right now."

Kurt kissed him again and his anxieties were forgotten, along with his own name.