Blaine hates his birthdays. Especially this one. He will be a year more older than Kurt and that for the next 9 months. He will be 5 years older than Kurt!

Such torture.

He wants to be 17 again, he wants to go to school with Kurt, not as his teacher but as his classmate and hopefully boyfriend? He wants to go to coffee dates after school and hold hands and sneak in his room at night when everyone is asleep to cuddle and.. do more and then make love for the first time under the stars when they drive to the lake in summer.

Timing wasn't Blaine's friend. That he knew or otherwise he could tell Kurt what he feels for him and not feel bad because it's not right for a teacher to be even friends with a student.

Back to the topic. It's January. Christmas and New Years are over and the next event for the two boys is Blaine's 22nd birthday. Kurt is finally back from his relatives and Blaine wears Kurt's ring ever since their christmas exchange. After he put the mood ring on, the black stone changed to a blue that reminded him of Kurt's eyes when he laughed about a really funy joke Blaine made that only Kurt understood.

When Kurt came to visit him after the holidays, his eyes fell in an instant on the ring, searching for the color. "You feel good today," Kurt noticed with a warm grin, eyes still on the stone. They went to the kitchen together to get drinks and snacks. "So what it is for today? Movies? Baking? Or just talking about Carole and Finn's  awful relatives? Oh that reminds me, granny loves the poster. Thank You."

Blaine got two glasses out from the kitchen cabinet and went over to the fridge, filling them with orange juice. He handed Kurt his glass, and they sat on the high chairs at the kitchen  island. "I don't really know what we could do. I am a bit depressed the last few days, really. You are the only thing that cheers me up in these cold days. Winter isn't really my season. To add my parents won't still be in Ohio for my birthday, so they missed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and now my birthday to add."

"Your birthday?" Kurt's face filled with surprise and he sat up straighter at the new information, looking directly at Blaine. "I didn't know. Is it soon?"

"Yes... It's not like, I like my birthday, so... To be honest," he shook his head, "I hate it! Every year the same..." Blaine stopped midsentence and sighed heavy.

"When is your birthday, Blaine?" Pressed Kurt.

"It doesn't matter, Kurt. Believe me. It's just a normal day. I-"

Kurt pursed his lips. "Blaine." He warned him with a glare. "When is your birthday. Tell me."

Blaine sighed again, this time a bit havier, and let his head fall. "It-It's the day after tomorrow."

Kurt nodded slowly, processing the new information and then smiled sweetly, glancing over at Blaine. He took his glass orange juice and walked over into the living room. "I want to play Super Mario, get the Wii out!" He shouted from the couch.

-

-Two days later-

Blaine was already waiting for Kurt's arrival. Normally his young friend would appear around 1 to 2 pm but not today, Blaine sat in his recliner, already waiting for some hours while he imagined his day with Kurt knocking on his door with a bottle champagne in one hand, then Kurt would jump him, kiss him, gratulate him in an extraordinary way to Blaine's liking and then they could... The door bell finally rang late afternoon and Blaine got up to open the door. No one was there. He stayed in the door frame, his head turning from right to left, searching for the guest in the empty hallway. A moment later his phone rang and he rushed back to the kitchen to get the call. 

"Hello?" He asked.

No answer. He looked at the bright display to see who called but the number was suppressed. Blaine stared at the, 'Caller Unknown'-sign on his phone a while longer, until he heared a rustle from somewhere outside his apartment, and went back to shut the door. Before he closed the entrance, he searched again for a visitor in the corridor and again didn't find anyone. What he found instead was a trace to the first part of his birthday adventure, a note on a signal red paper that waited on the floor for him. The color itself was a shout to pick it up already. Clearly Kurt.

'Come downstairs.' Said the note in a neat handwriting.

Blaine was surprised. Did Kurt plan something for him? Or why did he play cat and mouse. The doorbell, the empty hallway, the call, the red note, what will happen next and where is his champagne and birthday make out? 'Okay, be responsible, no drunken make out with your student!'

He took his jacket, put his shoes on, and hurried down the stairs instead of taking the elevator to get faster to Kurt. Out of the building, he saw Kurt's Navigator placed a bit away from the designated parking lot. Blaine could see a small bouquet of roses placed on the hood for him, he looked around but couldn't find Kurt anywhere near his car. He was clearly not on his seat, no where around and not to Blaine's left or right, so he had to be somewhere else.

For some unknown reason, he glanced down on his quest to find his friend and found a small, almost indistinguishable path of blue and green glass stones on the ground. Blaine remembered that he saw these stones at Sheets-N-Things on special offer some days ago and thought about buying them but couldn't think of any use for them. It seemed like Kurt hadn't the same problem.

Blaine followed the stones that shined in the light of dawn, they guided him behind the apartment building to the little park, and lead further to the playground that was build only for the children in this apartment complex.

There he was, Kurt sat on one of the too many swings, his feet dragged over the sand and he showed off his teethy smile. He looked so kissable.

"Took you long enough!" Kurt shouted when he saw Blaine's small form appear around a corner.

Blaine grinned at him and jogged over. He sat on the swing next to Kurt and turned his head in Kurt's direction. "Hi," Blaine said still grinning like an idiot.

"Hi," said Kurt, his smile getting warmer. His feet playfuly pitter-pattered over to Blaine's, nudging one of them with the toecap and the sound of the swing chains jangling between them. "Happy Birthday."

"So far I know the happiest," replied Blaine with shiny eyes. They found each others gaze and a small blush creeped up there faces. Kurt then jumped off the swing, twirled around and took hold of Blaine's hand, tugging him back to his Navigator.

Kurt guided Blaine to the passenger seat and hold the door open for him, "I hope you have some money on you because I spend the last of my allowance on these beautiful roses and gas." He said, fishing the roses from the hood and took place on the driver's seat, placing the boquet on the back row.

"Some," Blaine said slowly and nodded after his fingers traced over the purse in his jacket pocket. "Where are we going? You know it's no good when someone from school sees us together."

"Just a short trip. We won't even take 10 minutes and then we are driving back to your place. Promise." Kurt backed out, drove down the street and turned right at the next traffic light. Their short trip ended near a little shopping street. They parked and got out of the car.

Kurt took Blaine's hand, clasping his fingers and swinged their hands between them back and forth. Blaine looked over at him, a gentle smile was plastered on Kurt's face, showing again his tiny teeth while he hummed on his way.

Kurt was already a bit taller than Blaine. Okay, Blaine was a bit shorter than average but not much. He hoped. But Kurt was still growing. Maybe he will be even a head taller than him next year?

Kurt lead him to a small bakery that was located between a flower shop and a superette. They entered the shop and were greeted by a small, round woman.

"You are back!" Welcomed them the small lady that looked a lot like Ron Weasley's mother.

"Like I told you, I only needed money," Kurt patted Blaine's shoulder. "Money, go pay the lady or you won't get any cake."

"What. I am 'money'?" Blaine turned to Kurt in disbelief. He was clearly joking but what a nice way to pay for your own birthday cake.

"Should I better call you 'purse' or 'wallet'?" Kurt bit his bottom lip in this adorable way only Kurt could.

The woman laughed behind the counter and got a white box filled with birthday cake out of nowhere.

"Here is your cake, sweetie." She told Blaine when he put some cash on the counter and reached for the box. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank You." Blaine's cheeks turned slightly pink, avoiding in a shy gesture her eyes. The woman immediately swooned over his cuteness factor.

"You are welcome." She answered with a dreamy gaze.

"Goodbye," Kurt and Blaine departed with Kurt holding his hand again.

"Pretty boy," the woman sighed when she thought they were out of earshot.

Blaine flushed red. Kurt snickered.

They returned to Blaine's apartment. Blaine put the cake in the fridge and Kurt disappeared into the bathroom to fresh up.

Blaine sat down on the couch and waited for Kurt to come back. He turned the television on and switched to the news, when they began with the weather forecast, Kurt entered the living room and sat beside Blaine with a heavy sigh.

"What's up?" Blaine asked, being confused with his change in mood.

Kurt frowned but didn't answer Blaine's question.

So Blaine waved a hand in front of Kurt's face.

"Helloooo?"

The young man sighed again and his body slumped against Blaine's, resting his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"I have to tell you something."

"Okay." Blaine sat in silence and waited for Kurt to continue.

"I fucked up."

"And what?"

"You know 'what'."  Kurt straightened his back and shifted away from Blaine. "I was still at home and gettintg ready for today. My father came home from the garage and asked me where I am going and I told him, I am going over to Mercedes." Kurt clawed his fingers in his his knees, closing his eyes and continued, "Then Finn came in and he told dad that Rachel is meeting with Mercedes. I said, we have a diva date night but then Finn argued, he would know because 'Rachel wouldn't shut up about things like that'. So, dad and Finn tried forcing me into telling them where I am going if not to Rachel or Mercedes' and we had a fight, a really bad fight and," he inhaled deeply, "I left. I just left. Left the house, ran to my car, and drove away as fast as possible, so they couldn't follow me."

It went silent after Kurt's confession.

So, they were in deep shit.

Kurt moved back to his place against Blaine and sighed for what felt like the hundreds time that day.

"Kurt, that's horrible! Why didn't you told me earlier? My birthday isn't important, you should leave and go home and talk with your dad."

"No."

"Kurt-"

"No. That's why I didn't told you earlier. You would have forced me to go home and then I couldn't have surprised you and everything. I want today to be a good, a happy day for you, Blaine."

Blaine just looked at Kurt, his eyes staying on Kurt's face while thinking.

"Kurt."

"Blaine, I-"

"Kurt,  I am happy when you are happy. And I don't believe you, if you tell me that you are when you had a fight with your dad. I know you, Kurt, I know how important he is to you and you told me what you had to endure when your father was in a coma." Blaine put his arm around the boy's shoulder and Kurt grabbed for his other hand and laced their finger together. "You should go home now."

"Blaine. You don't understand." Kurt whispered.

"And what should that be?" Blaine made his teacher face. 'Really? You think me, a teacher doesn't understand?"'