Chapter 21:

"How can one person be so difficult to buy for?" Kurt groaned, as he and Blaine made their way down the street back to their apartment.

Blaine grabbed his hand, the one that wasn't holding several shopping bags.

"You should try shopping for you," he told Kurt.

Kurt smiled and elbowed him gently. "We're going to be late."

"Yes," Blaine said, "and fashionably so. It is you and I after all."

"We are rather fabulous, aren't we?" Kurt joked.

"Absolutely," Blaine agreed. "We should probably hurry back, though. Just in case she's turned our home into some kind of strip club. And I don't think Santana's idea of a good strip club would appeal to either of us."

Kurt shook his head. "I feel like the mother of a rebellious teenager," he said and Blaine laughed. "Do you ever think about the fact that you had girlfriends and laugh about it? I mean, you're pretty gay."

"I'm pretty and gay," Blaine teased. "I don't think about it that often. I think back to who I was before us and it's like I don't even know that kid, the kid that I was back then."

Kurt gave his hand a squeeze. "I don't think that kid was ever really you. This is the real you. You just didn't know you were allowed to be the real you, that's all."

"Sorry I ever hurt you." Blaine looked down.

"You honestly need to stop beating yourself up over that," Kurt told him, squeezing his hand. "We are absolutely fine now, right? Me graduated, you done with your freshman year, everything is pretty perfect right?"

Blaine smiled. He had finished with school the week previously and Kurt had graduated the same week. The time seemed to be flying by. It felt like not so long ago that they had returned to Ohio for Burt and Carole's wedding. Blaine could hardly believe it had been five months.

"Yes," he told Kurt. "Yes, everything is absolutely perfect."

Kurt grinned. "Good," he said. "Now let's hurry back before she does anything crazy."

"I'm going to kill her," Kurt exhaled when they walked through the door and found several people drinking and dancing. "She said a small thing. This is not small."

Blaine shook his head. "How does she even know so many people here?"

Kurt groaned and went off to find Santana. He pushed through the crowds and ignored the complaints. Santana didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. He did, however, spot Sebastian.

"Where's Santana?" he shouted over the loud music.

"What?" Sebastian asked.

"Where. Is. Santana?" he asked, louder this time.

Sebastian shrugged. "How the hell would I know?"

Kurt muttered under his breath, then went to her bedroom door. He banged on it loudly.

"Santana!"

He couldn't hear if anyone was inside, so he turned the door handle, but it was locked. He swore and banged on it again. A few seconds later, the door opened and Santana came out, laughing and adjusting her short dress. Kurt saw a glimpse of another girl before she shut the door over.

"Jeez, Hummel. I'm trying to get my mack on," she said. "What do you want?"

"A small gathering," he said. "This," he told her, gesturing to the party behind him, "is not a small gathering. Santana, it's not even 9 o' clock, yet!"

Santana rolled her eyes and walked towards the kitchen, so Kurt followed.

"Look," she said, opening the refrigerator, "nothing bad is going to happen. Just have some fun for a change, jeez. Where's Anderson? Did you guys get me a badass present?"

Kurt shook his head. "Of course we did," he told her. "If this gets too crazy I'm shutting it down, got it?"

"Whatever, Hummel," Santana said. "Now go get yourself a drink and calm the fuck down."

Kurt watched her go, then went to his and Blaine's bedroom. He went inside and shut the door behind him. Blaine was in there already, getting changed.

"Did you find her?" he asked Kurt.

"Yeah," he replied. "I told her if it goes nuts I'm ending it. Do you think it will?"

Blaine shrugged and started buttoning his shirt.

"I don't know," he said. "I guess we'll find out."

Kurt sighed.

Blaine pushed himself up off the couch and Kurt looked up at him quizzically.

"Bathroom," Blaine told him, before smiling and walking off.

Kurt sighed and sipped his drink. He wasn't even entirely sure what was in it. Santana had handed it to him. He could taste vodka, but he wasn't sure what else and he probably didn't want to know. He sat and watched people he didn't know dancing and laughing and talking. Rachel and Finn were here somewhere, but he hadn't seen them in a little while.

"Hey."

Kurt turned and saw Sebastian dropping down next to him.

"Hi," Kurt said. He was still wary of Sebastian. despite everything.

"Guess who I called on Thursday?"

"Who?" Kurt asked.

"Your favourite stalker, Colton."

Kurt raised an eyebrow at that.

"Why?" he asked.

"Wanted to talk," Sebastian smiled and continued drinking his drink.

"About?" Kurt enquired.

"Stuff."

Kurt groaned. "Sebastian."

Sebastian chuckled to himself. "I'm taking him out tomorrow night."

Kurt choked on his drink. It took him a moment to catch his breath. Sebastian watched with amusement in his eyes.

"Whoa," Kurt said. "For a second there I thought you said you were taking him out."

"That's because I am," Sebastian apprised him, still smiling.

Blaine returned then. "Hey," he said. "What are you guys talking about?" Blaine sat down in between them, next to Kurt.

"Sebastian is taking Colton out tomorrow," Kurt informed him.

Blaine looked at Sebastian in surprise.

"Thought I'd try it out," Sebastian said with a half shrug. "Dating, that is."

"But.." Kurt said. "Why him?"

"Oh, would you prefer it to be you?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

Sebastian sighed. "He's not all bad—a little loopy? Definitely. But not a bad person. He seems kind of desperate."

"So you're taking advantage of that," Kurt said, nodding.

"No," Sebastian retorted. "I'm taking him out. That's all."

"Is this about what you said on my birthday?" Blaine asked. "About maybe wanting to see what it's like to be with one person?"

Sebastian shrugged again. "Could be." He took another sip of his drink. "I called him because I was curious. He sounded like he could use a date, so I asked him out and he said yes."

Kurt shook his head, not for the first time that day. "Have you been abducted by aliens? Where is the real Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled, slowly. "Are you jealous, Kurtie?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Yes, I am totally jealous that you are taking out the guy who kept me in his bathroom for over an hour. Seriously, though. What's your angle?"

"I don't have one."

"If he's turning over a new leaf I say don't question it," Blaine said, smiling.

"You don't think this sounds at all suspicious?" Kurt asked.

Blaine shook his head. "Seems totally innocent to me."

"Maybe not so innocent if I play my cards right," Sebastian said.

Kurt grimaced. "Okay, ew," he said. "That was an image I completely didn't need."

At around midnight, Santana started to get restless, so she kicked everyone out, except for Rachel and Finn and Kurt and Blaine, obviously. Sebastian also insisted on staying, so she didn't put up too much of a fight. They sat on the floor in a sort of crooked circle, drinking and laughing and then Rachel decided they should play a game of some sort.

"Never Have I Ever!" she shouted happily after a long thinking process. "This game rocks," she stated.

Kurt rolled his eyes. This game was probably going to end up with him being embarrassed and horribly drunk, but Santana agreed, as did Sebastian. Blaine shrugged and Finn went along with it, because Rachel had suggested it, so Kurt just nodded, too.

"Okay!" Rachel said, a little too loudly, after they had assembled the drinking glasses in the centre of the kind-of circle. "I'll start! Let's seeeeeeee," she said, stretching out the 'e'. "Never have I ever...ate an entire cake to myself!"

"Lame!" Santana said, downing her drink.

Blaine shrugged and downed his, too. Kurt and Sebastian just sat there and waited for the next one.

"I'll go this time," Santana said. "Never have I ever," she said, eyes going to Kurt, "had sex in the kitchen."

"Totally unfair!" Blaine told her, but drank another shot.

Kurt glared at her and drank one, too. Sebastian, obviously, drank one, also. Kurt also noted that Santana drank one as well. He wondered if she was breaking rules, since she'd said she had never done it, but he disregarded that and hoped it wasn't in their kitchen.

"Who's next?" Rachel asked, grinning wildly. "Finn!" she decided.

Finn smiled, lopsidedly and said, "Never have I ever...um... gone skinny dipping!"

Kurt rolled his eyes. Santana and Sebastian both drank a shot.

"Okay, my turn," Sebastian said, grinning. "Never have I ever had sex with a girl."

Blaine groaned. "Damn," he said, quietly, grabbing a glass.

Kurt laughed and watched as Santana and Finn did, too. Blaine looked at him, then and gave him a nod, telling him to go next.

"Uh," he said. "Never have I ever..." He paused. "Never have I ever had sex with a complete stranger," he said, because he knew that at least two people in the room had.

Santana glared at him and grabbed a glass. Sebastian drank his down and grimaced a little at the taste.

"Okay," Blaine said, crossing his legs. "Never have I ever spent over an hour to get ready to go out."

All eyes went to Kurt.

"Okay, uncalled for," he said, picking up a glass and drinking it slowly.

"Me again!" Rachel exclaimed. "Never have I ever had sex in a public place!" She started giggling.

Kurt took another glass and drank it down without a word. Blaine, Sebastian and Santana drank, too.

"Kurt!" Rachel said. "You had public sex?"

Kurt shrugged. He knew this game was going to be embarrassing.

"Spill," Santana ordered.

Kurt flung his head back on the couch seat.

"Kurt and I used to have sex in this field," Blaine explained.

Kurt groaned. "Over sharing," he told Blaine.

"I miss our field," he told Kurt. "I wish we'd made time to go back at Christmas."

Kurt rolled his eyes, but took Blaine's hand.

"Never have I ever had sex with my bully."

"Santana," Kurt said, "are you trying to get me wasted?"

Blaine's hand tightened a little. Kurt looked up at him.

"Stop," he said, quietly, knowing exactly what Blaine was thinking. "I love you," he told him, taking another shot.

"Does it count that Finn slushied me way back before glee club existed?" Rachel asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Drink up, Yentl," Santana said, shoving a glass towards her.

"Is it me now?" Finn asked and when everyone nodded, he went on. "Never have I ever had sex in a car!"

It amused Kurt that Finn thought he was being clever. Sebastian and Santana drank another shot each and then Santana's eyes were on Kurt and then Blaine.

"What?" Blaine asked.

"You guys have totally had car sex."

"We have not," Kurt told her.

"We seriously haven't," Blaine said.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Please," she said. "All you guys do is have sex. There is no way you went an entire car journey without doing the deed."

"We haven't had car sex, Santana," Kurt told her, folding his arms over his chest Blow jobs didn't count, right?

"Fine," she said. "Your turn, Smythe."

"There's not much I haven't done," Sebastian declared. "Never have I ever...swapped cute, little, love bracelets with my sweetheart."

"They're out to get us," Blaine said, grabbing two glasses and handing one to Kurt.

Santana was laughing and clapping her hands like a trained seal. Two could play at this game.

"Never have I ever been a Cheerio," Kurt said, smiling sweetly.

Blaine and Rachel laughed loudly and Finn chuckled. Santana flashed Kurt her middle finger and Sebastian just looked confused. After that, Santana and Kurt continued to try to get to each other.

Never have I ever been shoved in a garbage can.

Never have I ever smoked a cigar.

...cried after sex.

...sang an Amy Winehouse song in front of an audience.

...been given a blow job on school grounds.

...threatened a teacher.

...been voted prom queen.

By the end of it, Kurt and Santana were almost passing out. Blaine held Kurt in his lap and eventually, Kurt fell asleep still wearing his clothes. Blaine didn't try to wake him up, instead, he lay down next to him and closed his eyes.

The next morning Kurt woke up and found himself still in the living room. Blaine was draped across him, mouth open, eyes closed. Santana was curled up in the arm chair. Finn and Rachel had fallen asleep on the floor and Sebastian was...

Not there.

Kurt pushed himself up, blinking, careful not to wake Blaine. He heard a sound in the kitchen.

"Sebastian?" he said, with a yawn.

"Ah, sleeping beauty has woken from her slumber," Sebastian said, looking over the couch at him.

"Asshole," Kurt said. "Fuck, my head really hurts. What are you doing to my kitchen?"

"Eating your cereal," he told Kurt.

Kurt shook his head. That was a mistake, because now it was pounding.

"Shit," he said, quietly. "What time is it? And why are you up already?"

"Around 9," Sebastian informed him. "I have a hot date tonight, remember?"

Kurt rolled his eyes, which also hurt. "Hot date," he said. "With Colton."

"Yes," Sebastian said. "You don't think he's hot?"

Sebastian went and sat back down on the floor, cereal bowl in his hand.

"I think he has the potential to be kind of okay," Kurt said. "Bad haircut. Terrible dress sense. A little nuts. I think they all sort of cancel out the possibility."

Sebastian nodded and continued eating. Kurt eyed him for a long time.

"So, you're taking him out."

"That's the plan," Sebastian said.

"Is there a reason?"

"He sounded upset," Sebastian said.

Kurt nodded. "So, why do you care?"

"What is with the interrogation?" Sebastian asked. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with him."

"I don't," Kurt confirmed. "I'm just curious as to why you of all people would take pity on him."

"He could use a date, I could use a date, it works," Sebastian told him.

Kurt studied him. He knew there was something more, because Sebastian wasn't making eye contact.

"Okay," Sebastian said, finally. "He cried and said he wanted someone to love him, okay? He's totally depressed because you don't want him. Which is ridiculous. You're so not worth getting crazy over."

Kurt rolled his eyes.

"I didn't want him to do anything crazy," Sebastian said. "So I asked him out. He's kind of cute in a strange...way..."

"Really," Kurt said, simply.

Sebastian liked Colton.

"Look, it's just a date, so you can get rid of whatever stupid, romantic ideas that are swimming around in that gay, little head of yours," Sebastian said.

Kurt smiled. "I hope it works out."

Sebastian just stared at him. "Right," he said after a while. "I'm going home to get some sleep."

Kurt watched him stand up. He left the bowl on the ground.

"Later, fairy," he said, before leaving the apartment.

Kurt sat there in the silence for another few minutes. He was enjoying the soft purr of the traffic outside when Blaine shifted in his lap. Kurt looked down and watched as Blaine opened his eyes and tried to blink himself awake, groaning a little. Kurt smiled down at him.

"Hey, you," he whispered.

Blaine's honey coloured eyes rested on Kurt. He smiled. "Hi," he said. "Your hair is sticking up. You look cute."

Kurt reached up and patted down his hair. "Thanks," he said. "You look tired."

"We should go to the bedroom," Blaine said. "It's still morning, right? Ugh, I don't think I can move."

"It's around 9, I think," Kurt told him. "Here, take my arm, we'll drag ourselves back to the bedroom."

Kurt pushed himself up, trying his best to ignore the dull throbbing in his head. He offered Blaine an arm, which he took, then proceeded to pull him to his feet. They wobbled there for a minute, then tip toed (as best as they could) to their bedroom. They slowly took off their clothes and climbed under the sheets.

"My body aches," Kurt said.

"Mine, too," Blaine told him, coming up close to him. "Ugh, you feel so good."

Kurt hummed and eased into Blaine's arms. He yawned and pressed a lazy kiss to Blaine's bare shoulder.

"Love you," Kurt whispered.

"Love you, too," Blaine said, quietly. "You make me happy, Kurt."

Kurt felt his heart flipping in his chest. "You make me happy, too," he replied. "I've never been happier."

"Hmm, me neither," Blaine told him. "I'm glad I make you happy."

"I'm glad I make you happy, too."

"Go to sleep, beautiful."

Blaine didn't have to tell him twice.

Blaine woke up and kept his eyes closed, his head thumping. He didn't want to have to look at the light when his head was hurting so badly. He sighed and reached across the bed, but felt nothing. He opened his eyes then. Kurt wasn't there.

Blaine got out of the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans, then left the bedroom. Kurt was sitting on the couch, phone pressed to is ear. Finn and Rachel were gone. Blaine yawned and went and sat next to him. Kurt's blue eyes went to him. They were wide and sad and filled with fear. Blaine's heart dipped in his chest.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Kurt shook his head and dropped the phone into his lap. He looked dazed and lost. Blaine reached out for his hand.

"Baby," he uttered.

Kurt just shook his head again. Blaine eyed him for another moment, then took the phone from his lap and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello?" he said.

"Blaine, is that you?"

"Carole?"

"Oh, Blaine," she said. She sounded distressed. "Where's Kurt?"

"He's here," he said, looking at his boyfriend, whose eyes were still wide. "What's going on?"

"Blaine," she said, again. "It's Burt. He's had another heart attack."

Blaine felt sick, his blood ran cold in his veins

"Is he..okay?"

"They haven't said much, just that he had one," she said, voice high. "I called straight away and I'm at the hospital, but I don't know what's happening. No one's said anything in a while."

"Okay," Blaine said, trying to remain calm, because Carole was clearly freaking out. Kurt stood up and ran into the bedroom. "Okay, um, will you call us? I just.. Kurt just ran out and I.. You'll call if anything...right? I.. We'll get a flight back. We.. Yeah, look, Carole, can I call you back in a little bit? I'll book a flight and.. I'm just going to check on Kurt. I'll call you right back. It'll be okay."

He wasn't sure it would be okay, but he didn't know what else to say. Carole said something then hung up and Blaine went into the bedroom. He found Kurt in the bathroom, throwing up. Blaine went and rubbed circles over his back, whispering to him that it would be okay.

He continued to vomit for a long time and when he didn't seem to have any more to give, he turned around and just looked at Blaine. He was paler than ever, eyes red rimmed and shining. Blaine opened his arms and he fell into them and only then did he cry. Kurt clung to him and he felt as if he was breaking in his arms and because of that, Blaine felt his own heart breaking.

Blaine held him there on the bathroom floor for a long time, until Rachel and Finn burst in and they talked about what to do next. By the end of it all, only one thing was certain; They were going to Ohio.