Chapter Twenty One

As far as Blaine was concerned, his first Monday back in Ohio was the worst one he'd experienced to date. Not only was Kurt not there beside him, but after his mom had woken him up (instead of his alarm), he discovered he had fallen asleep with his phone left on last night. A quick call to Kurt's home phone had revealed that his boyfriend had done the same thing. Which now meant that Blaine would have to prepare for the day without his morning phone-call with Kurt.

Blaine had been counting on him and Kurt resuming their everyday long distance relationship rituals to help him revert back to regular life. He had been up for barely fifteen minutes so far and he already missed getting Kurt's daily outfit photo, but at least he'd get to see it on Kurt in person later that afternoon. With that glimmer of hope to keep him going, Blaine headed off to school, taking both his car and outlet phone chargers along. During their quick talk a short while ago, they had agreed not to contact one another until Blaine's lunch break (and even then only sending a few texts). So that their phones wouldn't risk dying again, or rather Blaine's, since he had less charging time.

A much needed distraction came when Blaine arrived on campus and was greeted by his usual group of friends.

"Blaine! The man of the hour has returned!" Jeff shouted, waving him over.

"More like of the week!" Rodney added.

Blaine strolled over to the gang and smiled at the four of them. Judging by their matching grins, he got the feeling that they were going to tease him mercilessly. Oh well, those were the breaks and Blaine was well use to such treatment by this point.

"Hey guys, have a good vacation?" Blaine asked nonchalantly. He might be willing to answer any questions they planned to ask him but that didn't mean he was going to make it easy for them.

"What about your own vacation, Blaine? I'm surprised to see you actually came back," Trent countered in his usual sassy way.

Blaine rolled his eyes. "I was tempted, but as much as I would have liked to relocate to the Big Apple, I couldn't abandon the Warblers like that. It won't be so bad; and Kurt is spending his last week of vacation here in Ohio with me." Blaine paused as a warm smile spread across his face at the mention of Kurt. "So that should keep me going for a while."

"So should we expect you to be at an all-time low once he leaves for New York again?" asked Rodney, who smirked at Blaine to show he wasn't being totally serious with the question.

Blaine laughed, "I'll try to stay positive, but I make no promises there."

"Glad to hear it. Because we need our captain to remain his cheery optimistic self if he's to lead us to Regionals," Trent said.

"Fear not Trent, I'll keep it together, boyfriend or no boyfriend." Blaine suddenly realized he'd made it sound as if he expected Kurt and him to break up at some point. "I mean, whether Kurt is here visiting me or is back in New York!" Blaine let out an exasperated sigh; he'd better change the subject before his friend's made him live to regret those ill said words. "Speaking of Kurt; I was planning to show him around Dalton sometime this week."

"Make sure to show him the staircase, Blaine; it's pretty romantic," Nick suggested, winking.

"Oh, I intend to," Blaine said. "And I also hoped he could watch one of our Warbler rehearsals."

"I don't have a problem with it," Jeff said.

Blaine saw the others nodded in agreement, which was encouraging.

"I'd still run the idea by Hunter first though. Knowing him, he'll probably think that Kurt's a spy for his old Glee club," Trent warned.

"Kurt is not a spy!" Blaine snapped, offended by the very idea.

"We're not saying he is," Trent pointed out.

Blaine straightened his down turned eyebrows and forced himself to relax. "Right sorry."

Convincing Hunter that Kurt wasn't there to leak information to the New Directions wouldn't be so easy though. Before Blaine could think of a way to convince the difficult third council member to the Warblers, he heard the bell that signalled the start of class ring. Blaine sighed; he would let the matter drop for now, but when the moment came, he was determined to come out victorious.
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It felt very odd for Kurt to find himself back in Lima Ohio, even more so because thanks to falling asleep with his phone on, he'd barely spoken two words to Blaine so far. It almost felt as if the past year had never happened and Kurt was still in his senior year at William McKinley. Silently wishing to get accepted into NYADA and finally live in New York. But no matter how lonely Kurt had felt in the past, he still had fond memories of his hometown, and he hopefully was about to make some more.

Since Kurt needed something to do to pass time while Blaine was away at school, he had quickly devised a plan. Kurt was in search of his step-brother Finn, who was a big part of said plan. He found the man in question at his dad's tire shop and Kurt walked over to his half hidden figure.

"Hi, Finn. I thought I'd find you here," Kurt announced.

Finn came out from under the vehicle he had been working on to give Kurt a friendly smile. "Hey, Kurt." He quickly went back to the task at hand, making whatever finishing adjustments were needed. "I'm still just a volunteer for Glee club so I gotta do something that makes actual money," he explained.

Kurt nodded. "It's great that Mr. Schue kept you on and his second-in-command while he's back."

"Yeah. I mean, I know this can't be my life forever. I'm just glad I got the opportunity at all, it finally gave me some direction. I'm really starting to think that maybe teaching is the way for me to go," Finn said, wiping his greasy hands on a rag.

Kurt smiled. "I think so too."

Finn grinned widely at Kurt and cuffed him on the shoulder. "Just let me go clean up and change before we head off. Mr. Schue really excited about the song assignment you suggested for when you take over glee club for the week."

"I'll hardly be doing that, Finn," Kurt said, rolling his eyes with amusement. "I just thought I could lend my performing expertise during my stay here."

"Well whatever you end up doing, the change up will be good for everyone involved," Finn replied.

Kurt chuckled, "Your faith in my ability is touching." Now he only hoped he could live up to that expectation, but Kurt wasn't all that concerned. With three years of being in the New Directions under his belt, in addition to a Nationals win and one term as NYADA, Kurt had this in the bag.
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For the members of the New Directions, Glee club started out just as any other day; Mr. Schuester appeared first and Finn soon after. But neither one went on to call attention nor write the weekly assignment on the whiteboard like usual.

"Um, are we waiting for something, Mr. Schue?" Artie finally questioned.

"I'm glad you asked that Artie, no, we're not waiting for something..." Will replied.

"We're waiting for someone," Finn explained.

"That's right Finn, because we are lucky enough to have a special quest help us out with our assignment this week. A glee club alumni who really needs no introduction from me, so I'll let him do that himself," Will said just as Finn had started a drum roll to build up the excitement.

With perfect timing, Kurt made his grand entrance, wowing the crowd upon his arrival (or at least the half who knew his identity). He was dressed to perfection in a fitted black blazer jacket, and his light grey button up shirt was undone at the neck to show a purple coloured ascot peeking through. Pieced with a pair of snug fit black slacks, Kurt looked very dapper and professional.

"Hello all, I, of course am Kurt Hummel." Kurt grinned as his friends cheered in excitement. He quickly noted all of the new faces and linked them to the names Finn had told him earlier. "To those of you who aren't familiar with me already, I am the former senior class president of William McKinley as well as a founding member of the New Directions." Kurt knew he didn't need to add the president part but he couldn't help but brag a bit. "I've graciously been allow to offer my services to you all and I think I've come up with a good weekly assignment," he explained.

Kurt's lesson was momentarily interrupted as Tina, Brittany, and Sugar rushed up and greet him and offered him many hugs. He embraced them all obligingly before shooing them back to their seats so he could continue (but not before flashing a cute wink). "Now after some thinking, I decided that your topic will be what I think is one of the best tools you can use when you sing," he explained. "Does anyone have an idea what that could be?"

Brittany raised her hand almost immediately. "The economies crushing depression?"

"People who annoy us on a daily basis?" a blonde dressed in a Cheerios' uniform named Kitty answered.

While neither answer was remotely close to the actual one, Kurt was just happy that he seemed to have the room's full attention. "Um, no," Kurt muttered, deciding to skip the questionnaire portion of his lesson and just spell it out for them.

He picked up the sharpie pen on the edge of the whiteboard to write the word 'Inspiration' across it. Kurt then turned to face the room and saw many of the students in front of him frown in confusion. He had expected this would happen, and so had planned accordingly. "Inspiration: the very thing that urges us towards our many dreams. And if any of you are like me, many of those dreams include music and performing. Using whatever inspires us is one of the best ways to project real emotion while you sing. Lots of things can inspire us as well; be it people, a moment in our life, or anything that simply made you come to love the arts and all of its many forms," Kurt explained.

"So what inspires you then, Mr. Hummel?" Tina asked during Kurt's pause for effect.

Kurt knew exactly what she was up to, so he just smirked playfully at Tina's teasing little question. "Lots of things, Tina, and thank you for asking. As most of my friends here should know, I have a strong passion for musical theatre, which is why I chose it as my college major. There are lots of other things that can strike true inspiration in me though, like the many music icons I look up to, and then there's no forgetting my dad Burt Hummel. Really almost anything you experience in life can encourage you to strive and accomplish something special."

"Kurt's right about that; there's a whole ton of stuff that inspires me. Sometimes all it takes is hearing a new song that makes me go 'man, I gotta sing that'," Finn said.

"This is exactly the sort of assignment we need right now with Regionals coming up, guys. It should give us a bunch of ideas, and reach the right depth of emotion needed to secure our win," Will agreed.

Kurt spent an indulgent moment enjoying the wonderful satisfaction that came with hearing Finn and Mr. Schuester's praise (if their words could be called that) before moving things along. "So as you can probably guess, your assignment this week, New Directions, is to find a song that best represents what inspires you the most," he announced.

It soon became clear to Kurt that while some of the members seemed to be instantly on board with his idea, he hadn't fully won everyone over quite yet. Once again Kurt had something up his sleeve in case of such a scenario. If Kurt wanted to win over the glee club's new crop of talent, then would have to lead by example.

"Just in case any of you are still unclear about what I mean, I thought I could show you myself," Kurt said.

He glided over towards the piano, where Brad was silently sitting and whispered his song choice into the pianist's ear. Kurt felt like he was just another high school student in glee club fighting for his moment to shine. It was true that he'd had his share of the spotlight over the years, and a number of memorable solos in this very room, but there was always room for improvement.

Kurt turned around to face his audience as he switched into his performer mode. "So sit back, enjoy the experience and afterwards ask yourselves this; why do I like to sing?"
___________________________________________________________________________

The second Blaine was finished with his final class of the day, he brought out his now fully charged cell phone and was delighted to see a text from Kurt was already waiting for him.

Expect some company at our coffee date, Blaine. I had no choice.

Blaine chuckled as soon as he was done reading the message; he should have known that Kurt's friends in glee club would be there to meet him.

What sort of company? I just finished class, and am heading to join you now.

Some of my lady friends among the New Directions, who insisted on meeting you. Sorry.

Don't be sorry, Starlight, I want to meet your friends. Don't deny that you don't want to show me off to them also!

Oh, I totally do; you're very brag worthy, Honeybee.

Here's hoping I'll get the same chance.

When Blaine made it to the Lima Bean, he quickly found Kurt sitting at a table with three girls. A smile instantly spread across Blaine's face as he watched his boyfriend break into beautiful sounding laughter. He hadn't even gone twenty-four hours without seeing Kurt and yet just the sight of him made his heart ache with an intense yearning.

Kurt instantly rose from his seat, met Blaine a few steps away from the table, and hugged him in greeting. "Blaine! It's so great to see you!" Kurt held onto Blaine's shoulders for another moment before letting go. "Are you ready to make a good first impression?" he asked, nodding at his three friends who were grinning at the couple obnoxiously.

"I'm always ready to impress. I thought you would know that by now, Starlight," Blaine playfully replied, stating the obvious just for the fun of it.

Back together again and already basking in the glow of each other's company, Kurt led Blaine by the arm over to the table where his friends were waiting. Blaine saw the matching grins on the three women's faces and he put on his best smile for them all.

"Thanks for waiting ladies, as you can probably guess, this handsome young fellow is my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson," Kurt announced upon their return.

Blaine wasted no time in laying on the charm as he sat down next to Kurt. He even went so far as to flash the most swoon worthy grin conceivable their way. As if he needed to, but the smooth gesture did wipe the obnoxious grins off of the girl's faces. A fact that Kurt was quite glad for because their insistent teasing had been getting on his nerves a little.

"It's really nice to meet all of you," Blaine said.

"Blaine, these three lovely ladies are the senior members of the New Directions." Kurt decided to introduce them one at a time, starting first with Brittany, who was on his right. "This is Brittany, she was my loyal vice president last year and is the current captain of the Cheerios."

At first Blaine had a hard time hiding his reaction to learning her identity, but he managed after pretending to need a sip of his coffee. It still wasn't easy to finally come face to face with the girl Kurt had made out with during his drunken escapades and consequential strip show at Rachel's basement party. "Hi there," he said once he put his cup back down.

If Kurt noticed Blaine's momentary lapse then he had chosen to pretend otherwise and continued on to the next person. "Tina here is one of the original four members of the New Directions and the one who filmed your Sectionals performance for me."

"Hey, thanks for doing that," Blaine replied.

"And that just leaves us with Miss Sugar Motta, a new addition from last year who crept her away into glee club with the power of her charm," Kurt finished, leaving out the tempting 'in spite her less than desired singing voice' since he did consider her a friend now.

"Good to meet you," Blaine told her.

"So tell us about yourself, Blaine," Tina coaxed as soon as the introductions were done. "Kurt's been pretty tight lipped about you when he arrived at McKinley today."

"Did he now?" Blaine asked, smiling affectionately at his boyfriend. "Well I'm sure that's just because he was too focused on the lesson than to brag about me."

Kurt beamed at Blaine. "Blaine has it exactly right; I am a professional after-all. I'd honestly love nothing more than to gush about Blaine to anyone who would listen but what kind of mentor would I be then?"

"A very smitten one?" Blaine playfully offered.

"I'll give you that Kurt, but we still had to hear that you even had a boyfriend from Sam," Tina pointed out.

"I was a little preoccupied you know..." Kurt explained, blushing slightly. "With getting used the idea that I had a boyfriend to tell others about all of a sudden."

"You wouldn't believe how quickly the news spread around school," Sugar said.

"And I thought anything about me would be old news by now, since I have graduated," Kurt admitted.

"Wait. So does this mean the former president who suddenly has a boyfriend that everyone was talking about wasn't Clinton?" Brittany asked in puzzlement.

"No they were talking about me Britt, I was senior class president last year... and from what I've heard you're the one for this year." Kurt was glad that he'd already filled Blaine in on his friends still in Ohio, so Blaine knew all about Brittany's quirkiness. Though his confusion was still visible through his polite smile (the sweetheart). "Anyway, you were asking about Blaine, Tina..."

Blaine took Kurt's hint to steer the conversation back to what they were originally discussing; meaning himself. He tried his best to share any interesting details and to his relief everyone at the table (including Kurt, whose witty remarks were as entertaining as usual) took turns asking him various questions about his life. Time ended up running by way too quickly for Blaine's liking, but more so because he and Kurt would have to part ways for a bit.

He absentmindedly played with his disregarded stir stick on the table as he thought of the best way to break the news. "So um Kurt, I hate to say it but I haven't managed to convince the Warblers enough to have you join me for practice yet," Blaine finally admitted.

Kurt reached out to pat Blaine's hand. "Blaine, honey, it's okay. Go to practice without me. I'll managed on my own somehow."

"We'll totally keep Kurt company until you're free, Blaine," Sugar offered, and Brittany and Tina instantly nodding in agreement.

"You see, I'll be well looked after," Kurt said.

"It wouldn't be so hard to if it weren't for Hunter. He's the third co-captain to the Warblers and since his transfer... I swear he's been trying to knock me off of the top position. He really needs to realize that being a leader isn't about being the main focus. It's my duty to reach out to the others in the club and make sure they get their own moments to shine," Blaine explained.

"Maybe you should come and teach that same motto to the New Directions. It could have saved us a lot of grief over the years," Kurt joked.

"Hunter keeps bringing up the same old argument; how Kurt has to be a spy for you guys. I don't even know how he found out that you're helping coach at McKinley this week. He even knew how Kurt had Tina film us at Sectionals!" Blaine let out a frustrated sigh. And he have the nerve to call Kurt a spy when clearly Hunter had his own information network going on.

"So how does it feel to be dating a possible double agent, Blaine?" Tina asked with amusement.

"Pretty hot actually," Blaine admitted, grinning flirtatiously at his boyfriend.

"Why thank you Blaine..." Kurt squeezed Blaine's arm; wishing he could take that compliment and run with it. Alas, since they were neither alone nor in an appropriate place for such steamy subject matter, a simple arm squeeze would have to do. Blaine seemed happy enough with the gesture to claim Kurt's hand and laced their finger together also. "I'm flattered," he whispered in Blaine ear.

Brittany, who had her elbows on the table as she cradled her head in her hands, let out a heavy sigh. "You two are making me jealous. Santana and I used to tell each other how much we turned each other on all of the time."

While Kurt wasn't about to feel guilty about flaunting his and Blaine's affection for each other, he realized he should be more considerate in the future. He had almost forgotten that both Tina and Brittany had broken up with their significant others. In Tina's case, her breakup with Mike had taken place just before the start of the current school year and as for Brittany, Santana had called it quits for them in October. "Sorry Brittany, but Blaine and I seriously cannot help ourselves when it comes to playful banter."

"It's okay," Brittany said, shrugging. "I think you two are pretty cute and I know Santana and I broke up months ago. We're trying to stay friends – but I still miss our sweet lady kisses..."

"What about Sam?" Sugar asked.

"What about him?" Brittany frowned at her confusingly, until she seemed to get a sudden idea. "Wait, do you think he misses making out with Santana too?"

"Hold on a second. Are Brittany and Sam dating now?" Kurt watched as Brittany, Tina and Sugar all nodded at him. "Wow, I'm losing my touch when it comes to keeping up on gossip. I guess it's harder to do when it's no longer local for me..." Plus Kurt had been too wrapped up in his own new relationship status to have keep in the Lima Loop (for once).

"You did have your own reasons, Starlight," Blaine pointed out.

Kurt laughed, "I was just thinking that!" He noticed Blaine glance at his watch and sigh lightly. There wasn't much time left before Blaine would have to leave them for Warbler practice. "Blaine, I don't have to come to Warbler practice if it's proving too difficult. Just getting a tour of Dalton is enough, and I can still meet your friends too. I don't want to cause a rift among you and your teammates; especially with Regionals coming up."

"Any of us in Glee club would be willing to prove Kurt's innocence, but I doubt this Hunter guy would believe us," Tina said.

"It would probably just make things worse," added Sugar.

"Which is stupid because it's not like Kurt's even here most of the time to act as a spy for us!" Tina grumbled.

"That's just one of the many valid points I told Hunter and yet he had the nerve to challenge every single one of them! I just don't get him! He's like this diabolical super villain who has a shady hidden agenda. I cannot for the life of me understand why he's so opposed to letting Kurt watch one of our rehearsals." Blaine normally cheerful face was scrunched together in annoyance, and while he still looked adorable, it was a sad sight.

"Maybe he's jealous of me, since I'm your boyfriend and all," Kurt joked, hoping to cheer Blaine up with some good old fashioned humour.

Blaine only rolled his eyes in response though. "Except according to Hunter, he's completely straight and not even remotely bi-curious."

"Maybe he thinks Kurt is like a younger, gayer James Bond then? I could totally see that happening," Brittany suddenly announced.

That comment got a laugh out of Blaine finally and it made the tension drain out of his shoulders as well. "Hunter has managed to get a few of the Warblers on his side, but most of them agree that you won't spy on us. I'm almost there, I just need to plead one final case to the committee today and I know I'll make it happen," Blaine said with impressive determination.

"Sure you will, Honeybee," Kurt cooed.
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True to Blaine's word – which Kurt hadn't doubted for even a second – he did manage to sway the final vote to his advantage in the end. Yet when Blaine had finished telling him the full details later that same night, Kurt had been surprised to learn that the visit wouldn't take place for another two days. Kurt had wondered what was going on, until he'd noticed a certain glint in Blaine's eyes. Ah. Blaine had some fun in store for him then – so hopefully Kurt could endure the wait knowing that.

Somehow Kurt had managed to get through those two days without resorting to any drastic measures to coax the truth out of Blaine. By the time the wait was over, Kurt was nearly bursting at the seams with excitement. It proved how little happened in Lima; Kurt missed how there was always something going on back in New York (even if things felt kinda crazy busy at times).

That morning during their routine phone call, Blaine had asked if Kurt could meet him directly at Dalton instead of the Lima Bean. Which made sense since Blaine would need that extra time for the personally guided tour of Dalton Kurt had been promised. Kurt had spent the afternoon helping Finn at the tire shop just to pass time, and get a chance to spend some much missed quality time with his step-brother. Kurt would also be missing glee club today, but Mr. Schue had assured him they could do without him for one day during the week.

So Kurt had headed off to Dalton on his own, singing along to the radio as he tried to imagine what the private school might look like during the drive. The trip passed quickly for Kurt, who tried to keep his eyes on the road and not at the school building in the distance. Blaine naturally was already waiting for Kurt in the parking lot and had gone so far as to reserve him a spot to park Carole's car. As soon as Kurt turned off the engine he swung open the driver door so he could hurry over to where Blaine was standing a safe distance away.

Blaine's arms were spread out to his sides as they came together. "And here he is; my main squeeze, the light of my life, the most interesting person I have ever met." Blaine hugged Kurt tightly when he finally came within reach. "Not to mention the sexiest," he whispered seductively.

"Enough with the overzealous flattery Blaine; I'm already dating you!" Kurt giggled.

"Sorry, there's no off switch, baby," Blaine said, winking.

Kurt rolled his eyes and pushed at Blaine's shoulder to get him moving. "Just start the tour, you adorable goof." Kurt was still laughing when Blaine slipped out from his boyfriend's grasp so he could graciously offer his arm. Kurt took it immediately, and the happy couple strolled towards the building ahead.

Before he and Blaine had met, Kurt's curiosity towards Dalton Academy (which he didn't even know by name) was barely existent. The only reason he had been aware of the private school at all was because of Glee club. But even then Kurt had no desire to learn anything about the school; why bother when there was no reason to? That had all changed once a certain blazer clad boy had crashed into his world; changing it forever. Since then, Kurt had begun to wonder what Blaine's school looked like, though never to the point of checking it out himself (either in person or online).

The reward for Kurt's patience was finally about to be paid off, as he and Blaine stepped up to the front entrance of the Academy. The main door was made of glass and had a stylized red D painted on it.

"Why do I get the feeling that McKinley is going to look like a low run crack house compared to Dalton..." Kurt said ominously to Blaine, who just rolled his eyes in bemusement.

"It won't be that bad," Blaine said.

"I beg to differ... and this is just from seeing the outside so far."

"You got to admit it would be nice to make out somewhere this classy though."

Kurt laughed in surprise; he was caught off guard by Blaine's cheeky forwardness, but in a good sort of way. "Are you suggesting we make out somewhere on campus? Blaine Anderson, I am shocked, what would your fellow classmates have to say? Or your teachers? I thought you had a golden reputation to uphold here at all cost."

Dating Kurt for just over two months had made it so Blaine knew when his boyfriend was being purposely over dramatic. Though in this case, Kurt's act would have been obvious to anyone, but Blaine still played along of course. "Some things are worth the sacrifice Kurt, but I have no intentions of getting caught. I know all of the good hiding spots at Dalton, and I'll finally get to use one of them to their full advantage." Blaine flashed Kurt a sheepish grin. "If you're on board of course."

"I think I might be, if you play your cards right, Honeybee," Kurt replied, fluttering his eyelashes. "I am the dangerous one after-all, or according to Hunter anyway."

While flirting with Kurt was one of his favourite pastimes, Blaine reminded himself that he could do that almost anywhere. Kurt had come to see a part of Blaine's world that didn't include him, much like when Blaine had come to New York (only on a much smaller scale). Yet when Blaine turned to look at Kurt, he saw the same sense of wonder that must have gone through him at the NYC airport.

Kurt's mouth was hung open with surprise and his eyes darted everywhere, and they had only just stepped inside the building so far. It reminded Blaine of his first day at Dalton; how it felt so immense and other worldly -- or maybe that was just him.

"The tuition here much be pretty steep," Kurt muttered with awe.

With its clean hallways, fancy murals painted on the walls and its overall classy feel, it was as if Dalton's walls radiated wealth. To Kurt's shocked eyes, the scene around him looked more like a castle than a high school. He had no idea that such a high class school was located so close to McKinley and yet it felt as if they were in totally different worlds. Blaine was the prince and Kurt the pauper. Okay maybe that was going it a bit far but still. Kurt felt slightly intimidated by the differences between Dalton and his Alma mater.

"This place is incredible, Blaine," Kurt said.

"You haven't seen anything yet, Kurt. Come on, there's one spot I know you are going to love."

The spot in question turned out to be a staircase situated inside of Dalton and the second Kurt's eyes fell upon it, his breath was taken away. "Oh, Blaine, it's lovely!" Kurt whispered. The stairs were located under a striking circular shaped stain glass window, and the black railing was shaped into an intricate pattern. It cascaded downwards in a spiral shape and as Kurt began to descend it – ignoring the students that passed him and Blaine by – Kurt felt like he had walked into a living fairy tale.

"It's one of my favourite spots on campus," Blaine said.

"I can see why," Kurt and Blaine made their way down the staircase and when they were at the base Kurt turned around to gaze up at it. The sound of faint laughter brought his attention back to Blaine, who he discovered was chuckling at Kurt affectionately. Kurt raised a curious brow at his boyfriend's antics, signalling he was wondering what was up with him.

"It feels like I've gone back in time and I'm seeing the same reactions when I first came here, only on your face," Blaine explained.

"Imagine if we both went here and met by chance one day."

"Oh, if only, but all things considered, I'm happy with how my life has turned out since transferring here." Blaine took Kurt's hand for a moment and squeezed it. "Especially the part where I met you, Kurt."

The dreamy eyed couple were quickly reminded that they weren't the only two people at Dalton when Blaine was approached by two students. Warblers fans, Kurt quickly learned and both treated Blaine with such awe and respect. Kurt wasn't jealous of his boyfriend's star treatment though, because he honestly couldn't blame them. Though the idea that a school glee club could be held in such high esteem still seemed unimaginable to him. Yet as they continued on with Kurt's tour, more and more students approached Blaine and their reverence towards Blaine was pretty solid evidence.

The main reason Kurt didn't feel any resentment or anything beyond very mild envy, was because Blaine was the most humble person Kurt had ever met. It also helped that whenever someone did approach them, Blaine quickly introduced Kurt as his boyfriend. Boyfriend. A giddy smile crept across his face at the realization. 'Gosh that never gets old,' he thought happily.

Blaine had just finished telling Kurt another iconic moment in Dalton history when his speech was interrupted by someone calling out his name.

Both Kurt and Blaine's turned themselves around at the same time as four teens came hurrying towards them.

Kurt instantly noted their matching mischievous grins. Ah, these must be Blaine's four best friends among the Warblers. Kurt had been wondering when they would show.

"I knew none of you wouldn't be able to resist crashing the tour," Blaine told them teasingly. Just as before, he turned to Kurt so he could introduce everyone to one another. "Kurt, these are--"

Kurt held up his hand, cutting Blaine off. "Wait, I think I already know who's who and I want to see if my assumptions are correct." He waited until Blaine nodded his head forward towards them to show his willingness to let Kurt take a whack at it. "You, must be Jeff," Kurt began, pointing to the boy with blonde highlights on his left. "And this has to be Nick," Kurt said to the brunette next to Jeff, and since he seemed to be on a role, he pointed to the tallest of the four next. "Which would make you, Rodney..." That only left one final Warbler, whose sassy grin pretty much confirmed that Kurt was right on the mark. "And then that would make you, Trent."

Face beaming, Blaine placed a proud hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. "You are right on every account, Kurt." Just the fact that Kurt could tell his friend's identities from his descriptions of them alone meant so much to him. "As you all already know, this is my boyfriend, Kurt Hummel," Blaine said, finishing the introductions off.

"It's a real pleasure to finally meet each of you. I hope Blaine hasn't talked your ears off about me too much," Kurt told them.

"Oh, he does that all the time, but we've gotten used to it by now," Trent replied, ignoring Blaine's now blushing face.

"Even if he constantly goes overboard," added Rodney, who winked at Blaine.

There was only so much teasing Blaine could take though, so he quickly threw his hands up in the air as an act of mercy. He knew he deserved such treatment after how much he had gushed to his friends about Kurt over the past few months, but there was no telling what embarrassed torture they could put him through. To Blaine's relief, everyone -- including Kurt, who had finally stopped smirking, decided to take pity on him.

"So does Kurt have any idea what his appearance today has brought on?" Trent asked cryptically.

Blaine rolled his eyes at Trent's poor attempts at subtly. "No he doesn't, or he didn't, until you just said that. Way to spoil things, Trent."

Kurt glanced at Blaine and frowned in puzzlement. "What's going on?"

"Blaine came up with a brilliant way to get everyone on his side so you could watch one of our Warbler practices. It worked so well that not even Hunter could challenge it," Nick explained.

"Man that was a sight to see," Jeff said, chuckling.

"And how did my boyfriend do that exactly?" Kurt asked as he turned to look at Blaine for answers.

"All I did was point out that you are a former member of the New Directions who graduated as a National champion and who is now at NYADA. And since you aren't a spy as Hunter kept saying, your presence at Warbler rehearsals could give us the chance to get some fresh feedback from someone with real experience with show choir competitions." At the time Blaine wasn't sure if his idea would be enough to overrule Hunter, but amazingly, his rival had folded almost instantly.

However, Kurt, who was now staring at Blaine awkwardly, it seemed wasn't so easily sold on the idea. "Gee I dunno about that Blaine... coaching the Warblers might be crossing a line. I might not be an actual spy, but at the same time, I don't know if I should help one of the New Direction's biggest rivals. I'm also hardly qualified for anything like that as well..." Kurt sputtered off nervously.

Blaine smiled affectionately at Kurt; he'd expected his boyfriend to doubt his ability and while it was cute, he was being ridiculous. But his fears about whether he should help the Warblers were valid, or it would have been, if that was what Blaine was suggesting. "I'm not saying you should give us any sort of advice or tips, Kurt. All I was hoping for is your honest opinion about what you'll see from us. We never get a chance for people outside of Dalton to see us practice... since we don't perform off campus – aside from competitions."

"I think I could manage something like that," Kurt said.

"That's great! Because I kind of suggested that we could make a challenge out of it..." Blaine casually slipped in.

"Oh?"

"There are a number of Warblers who are up for the third free spot for Regionals -- Hunter and I have taken the other two. So after everyone agreed you could come to rehearsals today, I suggested we make it an audition of sorts. With only two days warning, having to sing in front of you should give us a good idea who is the best choice," Blaine explained.

"The council will have the final say of course, just whatever you have to tell us will be added to the mix," Trent clarified before Blaine could.

That didn't sound too bad to Kurt, and when Regionals was still months away, sitting down to watch a bunch of hopefuls give their all for a moment to shine sounded good to him. Just because the Warblers were considered rock stars didn't mean they didn't had their own fair share of underdogs.

"So what you're basically saying is that I'd be a neutral person to get feedback from?" Kurt asked.

"Exactly!" Jeff confirmed.

"Just as long as whatever I have to say is kept in strict confidence instead of having to tell my views in front of everyone." Kurt saw Blaine, Jeff, Nick, Rodney and Trent all nod at him in approval, and he smiled. "Then it would be my honour, Warblers."

"I knew I could count on you, Kurt!" Blaine gushed, resisting the urge to land a big kiss on his cheek. His friends probably wouldn't mind the display of affection, but Blaine knew he would pay for it later still. No amount of teasing would stop him from showing Kurt his appreciation though, so he spent a moment massaging Kurt's shoulders as he whispered his personal thanks into his ear instead. "Once the show is over, Hunter, Trent and I will call a private council member's meeting. That's where you can tell us what you thought of each performance -- though no pressure of course -- and we will take the rest from there."

"That sounds good to me," Kurt said, grinning widely at the four of them. How had Kurt gotten so lucky? Because getting to sit back and be serenaded by a bunch of cute guys in blazer sounded like a dream come true to him. Or it would be, as long as one boy in particular was also involved. "Will I get to hear Blaine sing too?"

Blaine nodded. "I'm setting the first example."

"That sells it then. Try to amaze me, Warbler boys: a capella style!"

Blaine let out a throaty laugh and he was soon joined by the others, who clearly saw why Kurt had won over their captain so zealously. Or that's what Blaine liked to think anyway and their amused chuckling seemed to prove this too. He always knew Kurt would get along with his friends, but he was very delighted to confirm that hunch finally.

"Oh, don't you worry yourself Kurt, because the Warblers know how to bring it," Blaine replied with sassy confidence. He couldn't wait until Hunter came face to face with Kurt; that should bring his high and mighty attitude down a peg or two (or twenty).
______________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Blaine's clever indignity – and his equally impressive ways of persuasion – Kurt was given the seat of honour in the Warbler's choir room. If it could even be called that, because Kurt thought that the room he was now in looked more like a lavish seating room in some courtly manor house. Talk about privileged; it was amazing what difference having excess money for school funding could make. Expensive brown leather couches, even more stunning painted murals, a piano and various desks and tables; the lavish space was the very picture of comfort.

Another big difference from the scene Kurt was used to back at McKinley was how students kept trying to sneak their way into the room. There had never been a reason to place guards at the door to the New Direction's choir room before; though they could have used one to ward off bullies.

It took only a minute for Kurt to locate the infamous Hunter Clarington, who was sitting at the council table directly across from him. Even from this distance, Kurt instantly recognized just how ridiculously handsome the young man was. He now saw just how much Hunter could use his good looks to get his way, even if the club was full of nothing but boys. Kurt still secretly suspected that there had to be more gay members aside from Blaine. But such thoughts could wait for a better time (or never, since it was none of his business really), so he turned his attention back to the present and what excitement was about to happen.

As soon as Kurt assured he was comfortable in his chair located in the back middle of the room, Blaine set things in order. He paused to smile at Kurt before stepping into their impromptu stage area (which was really just a cleared space) so he could address the crowd.

"Fellow Warblers, as you all know, we have a special guest here with us today..." Blaine ignored the teasing chuckles coming from various members so and gestured to Kurt. "Please allow me introduce Kurt Hummel, who in addition to being my boyfriend, has graciously offered to be an observer to our performances today. Considering how his old Glee club, the New Directions, won Nationals last year, I think we can all agree that it would be in our best interest to hear what he has to say. But even when Kurt isn't here to spy on us..." Blaine couldn't help but to cast a cool glare right at Hunter before going on. "... that still doesn't mean we should expect him to full out coach on us on how to win at Regionals." Despite outward appearances, Blaine's confidence wasn't nearly so strong, on the inside he was growing increasingly nervous. He desperately wanted his plan to go well and for Kurt to be accepted among his teammates. At least Hunter was remaining civilized, though his silence was even more concerning. Blaine willed himself to go on, before his inner state could seep to the surface.

"That being said, none of this means that we still shouldn't put on a good show for our guest, am I right?" Blaine heard a number of cheers ring from the audience and his heart did a little triumphant somersault.

Blaine looked straight at Kurt, who was sitting elegantly in his chair as he listened intently. "Is there anything you wish to say, Kurt?" he asked, unintentionally turning on the charm in the process.

Kurt nodded and stood up; showing how he was no stranger to speaking in front of a crowd. "Thank you Blaine, and thank you Warblers, for allowing me the pleasure of sitting in on your rehearsal today. It should go without saying that anything I hear or see today will not leave this room. So I guess there's nothing left to say but; show me what you've got!"

"I couldn't have put it better myself, Kurt!" Blaine praised, clapping in approval. A subtle nod signalled for those involved with his number to get into formation.

The switch from regular Blaine to his performer mode was so seamless Kurt nearly missed it as he sat back down to enjoy the show. He had no idea what song Blaine was about to sing; he hadn't even known for sure if Blaine would sing actually. But seeing that Blaine was up first, he'd expected his boyfriend to begin serenading him with some emotionally moving love ballad. So when the seven Warblers surrounding Blaine started singing backup to something for more upbeat, Kurt was taken by surprise. Not that he felt disappointed for Blaine to go the catchier route; he actually preferred it because it meant there would be no fear of becoming teary eyed.

It only took Kurt a moment to recognize the song, which was none other than 'Get Out of My Dreams and Into my Car' by Billy Ocean!

Blaine smiled flirtatiously at Kurt before he finally strutted up to take the centre stage. He smoothly adjusted the lapel collar of his blazer as he waited for his musical cue. Just like the other times Kurt had the pleasure of hearing Blaine sing, his boyfriend did not disappoint.

The captain of the Warblers twirled around and with perfect timing, starting to sing his own a capella version of the iconic 80s song.

Hey (hey) you (you), get into my car
Who me?
Yes you, get into my car
Wooooooooooooooh. Wah! Yeah!

Who's that fella
Coming down the road
Who's that fella
Who's that hottie
Walking through my door
What's the score
I'll be the sun
Shining on you
Hey Cinderfella
Step in your shoe
I'll be your non-stop lover
Get it while you can
Your non-stop miracle
I'm your man

During Blaine's enjoyable performance, Kurt found himself switching back and forth between smiling and at laughing in delight. 'Pull yourself together Kurt, you need to remain professional as possible. Judges are supposed to be totally neutral,' Kurt chided himself.

But then, Kurt doubted that most show choir competition judges (or any actually) would have be up against their boyfriend singing personally to him. Because of course Blaine had gone so far to change the pronouns used in the song to male ones.

Get outta my dreams
Get into my car
Get outta my dreams
Get in the back seat baby
Get into my car
Beep beep, yeah
Get outta my mind
Get into my life
Oooooooooh
Oh I said hey (Hey) you (You)
Get into my car

Oh baby

Only after two full verses had been sung could Kurt tear his attention away from the dreamy sounds of Blaine's voice to study the song itself. The original melody had been slightly altered to fit the a capella rendition but Kurt sure thought that the Warbler's rendition was giving impressive results.

But going back to Blaine, because he was the entire reason Kurt was there, and boy was he ever making Kurt's visit worthwhile. Nor was he hiding the nature of their relationship; Blaine Anderson was publicly courting his boyfriend via song, and in the full presence of his teammates. It reminded Kurt all those times he'd had to sit through glee club and watch everyone but him sing their heart out to their significant other. After years of sitting on the sidelines, Kurt was finally able to enjoy the intoxicated feeling of being the centre of attention first hand -- and he was loving every minute of it.

Mister driver
Let me take your wheel
Smooth operator
Touch my bumper (Bumper)
Hey, let's make a deal
Make it real
Like a road runner
Coming after you
Just like a hero
Outta the blue
I'll be your non-stop lover
Get it while you can
Your non-stop miracle
I'm your man

Get outta my dreams
Get into my car
Get outta my dreams
Get in the back seat baby
Get into my car
Beep beep, yeah
Get outta my mind
Get into my life
Oooooooooh
Oh I said hey (Hey) you (You)
Get into my car

Oh baby, let's go

I said open the door
(Get in the back)
Tread on the floor
(Get on the track)

Blaine was pulling out all the stops and his eyes barely left Kurt's as he danced around the room. He was even playing up his usual exuberance for the sake of making Kurt crack, or that's sure what it felt like to Kurt. Either way, Kurt found it very challenging not to melt into a puddle of goo from just how swoon worthy Blaine's sweet moves were.

Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah) Yeah (Yeah)
Let's go

Oh baby
Ooooh, woooow, yeah

I'll be the sun
Shining on you
Hey Cinderfella
Step in your shoe
I'll be your non-stop lover
Get it while you can
Your non-stop miracle
I'm your man

Get outta my... Get outta my...
Get outta my dreams
Get into my car
Get outta my dreams
Get in the back seat baby
Get into my car
Beep beep, yeah
Get outta my mind
Get into my life
Oooooooooh
Oh I said hey (Hey) you (You)
Get into my, hey (Hey) you (You)
Get into my, hey (Hey) you (You)
Get into my car

By the time the song was over, Kurt felt no desire to hide his true opinion as he sprung from his chair and clapped vigorously in excitement. Blaine flashed him a shy smile in response, as if he hadn't expected such high acclaim – the cheeky devil.

"Bravo, Warblers," Kurt cheered, not referring to Blaine by name even when everyone in room knew he had been the mastermind behind the number. "I think Blaine here has shown us exactly how to turn a crowd, even I'm already quite bias when it comes to your talented captain..." Kurt's cheeks grew warm in embarrassment when he realized what he was saying. "But Blaine's moment to shine is over, so let's see who else is ready to step into the spotlight."

Much to Kurt's relief, his moment of mortification passed as quickly as it had come and if the determination on the faces of the young men who started to line up in the right corner was any clue, then Kurt was in for a show of a lifetime -- or at least an afternoon.
_______________________________________________________________________________

"So tell me Kurt, what did you think? Do the Warblers have a chance against your New Direction chums?" Hunter asked.

If Kurt hadn't been well informed about Hunter's true nature from Blaine, then he could have seen himself falling for his pseudo charm. Kurt had to hand it to him, Hunter's act was flawless; he was quite the manipulated genius. 'I bet he thought replacing Blaine as captain was going to be easy,' Kurt thought. Blaine might be so trusting he could be considered naive at times, but Blaine's drive to excel -- armed with his own inexplicable charisma -- was a true match for Hunter, who seemed to be starting to realize the fact.

From his spot seated in front of the Warbler's large council desk, Kurt's calm smile didn't waver as he address Hunter. "Oh, I thought the performances were good, but as far as answering your question goes Hunter, I'm afraid that would be crossing a line, don't you think?" Kurt countered with matching cleverness.

"He's got you there, Hunter," Trent dared to point out as he grinned with amusement.

As for Blaine, his smile in response was far more subdued but on the inside he was bursting at the seams with joy. He knew that right from the start that Kurt would be able to handle himself around Hunter, but seeing it for his own eyes still was a sight to behold. Even Kurt's relaxed stance as he sat crossed legged on his chair with perfect posture, projected a true air of confidence. Kurt had already proved he had a talent for observation after giving detailed reports on each of the separate numbers. Blaine swore that Hunter was seething on the inside, but he could have just as easily been sizing up this new opponent.

"Thank so much for taking the time to come here today Kurt. I really think the feedback you've given us will help our chances at Regionals all the same," Blaine said.

"It was my pleasure, Warblers," Kurt graciously replied.

"Since it seems like we're all good and done here, I believe we can call this council meeting adjourned," Trent said as he stood up to take his leave.

At first Hunter made no words of protest, but instead of standing to go, he suddenly turned his attention back to Kurt. But Kurt took his time returning Hunter's gaze, just to show him how little he was faced by the attention. "May I help you with something, Hunter?" Kurt asked innocently.

The building tension between Hunter and Kurt could have grown quite awkward, if the two men had been unaccustomed to people such as themselves. Blaine however, had to stop himself from nervously fidgeting as he watch the pair silently eye one another down. Seconds felt like minutes and just when Blaine was about to say something to avoid whatever was about to go down, Hunter's demeanour changed from charming to something far more sinister in nature.

"I'm just trying to figure out what your angle is, Kurt Hummel," Hunter answered.

Blaine threw his hands up in disbelief; he could barely belief Hunter's nerve and it was too much for him to take. "I've told you a hundred times Hunter; Kurt is not a spy!"

Before Blaine could get really going – though Kurt was touched by his boyfriend rising to protect his honour – Kurt held up his hand to stop his valiant efforts. "No it's all right Blaine, I understand where Hunter is coming from. I mean, the New Directions have had their share of spies over the years. I'm more than willing to prove my innocence, and since we're all mature adults here, I'm sure we can keep things civil."

All of a sudden, Trent, who apparently hadn't left yet, went over to Blaine and tapped him on the shoulder. "Come on Blaine, let's leave these two alone to sort things out for a second."

As much as Blaine knew Kurt could take care of himself, he still felt guilty about leaving him alone with Hunter, but then he saw Kurt mouth 'Go, I got this' to him. Blaine sighed. He supposed it would serve Hunter right to see that not everyone was susceptible to his mind games. "I'll go... just... be nice," Blaine said, more to Hunter than Kurt.

"Always," Hunter assured.

Kurt's first impulse was to roll his eyes but since he and Hunter had just met, he decided against it. Not that he didn't believe everything Blaine had told him about the man. According to Blaine, Hunter had been offered a special scholarship in return for transferring to Dalton. Once there he had immediately secured himself a spot within the Warblers. But apparently when he had been drafted into their ranks, he hadn't expected the Warblers to have a captain already.

While Blaine had tried his best to be a good sport about his sudden competition, and attempt to welcome their new member. Hunter had wasted no time in trying to undermine his authority, but in such a way that it hard to realize. Which made it difficult for Kurt to keep his act of mild indifference going, but it wouldn't do him any good to lay any accusations. How to go about this? The answer came back at Kurt instantly; he should be honest and to the point.


Kurt leaned back in his desk and he casually tapped his fingertips on the arms of his chair. "Before you accuse me of anything Hunter, let me save you the trouble. I am here because Blaine invited me; nothing more, nothing less."

"You must forgive my suspicions about you Kurt, sometimes I feel like Blaine's trusting nature could lead others to take advantage of him," Hunter explained.

"Luckily for us, it's nothing like that -- at all." Boy did Kurt ever want to give Hunter a piece of his mind. How dare he accuse Kurt of taking advantage of Blaine! Where would he even get such an idea from in the first place? They had never met before; Kurt's association with Dalton began and ended with Blaine. Perhaps Hunter saw Kurt as a way to lower Blaine's esteem position among the Warblers? 'As if!' Kurt thought with disgust. It was such a shame that someone so gorgeous could conduct himself so shamefully.

"So you don't plan to show Blaine around your school as well then?"

"I've done that already actually, but in New York, where my school is located. Surely you're aware of NYADA, as in the New York Academy of the Dramatic arts?" Now this was a way to make his correspondence with Hunter far more enjoyable. Kurt rarely got a chance to let his snarky side out these days. He loved the playfulness he shared with Blaine during their banter of course, but there was nothing like the rush of getting the upper hand when it came to the less civilized. Still, Kurt was glad his encounters with the like were few and far between now.

If things weren't going well enough, Blaine chose that exact moment to return, thus robbing Hunter the chance to make any sort of witty comeback. Kurt could have kissed him, and he made a mental note to once he finished dealing with Hunter.

"Blaine, perfect timing. Hunter and I were just finishing up our little chat," Kurt said as Blaine walked over to them. "Isn't that right?"

Hunter nodded as he stood up and shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "You should come see us perform at Nationals Kurt. I'll even buy your plane ticket to LA if you're short on funds. It would be a shame for you to miss us winning," he said smugly before passing the couple by to stroll out of the room.

Blaine waited until he was sure Hunter was really gone before he turned to face Kurt, who seemed to be fine. "Is everything okay?" he asked anyway, just to be sure.

"Of course, Honeybee." The use of Kurt's pet-name for Blaine, along with his blazing heart eyes, was all the convincing Blaine needed. "Everything went fine; Hunter wasn't rude to me or anything like that. I'm really enjoying my visit here." The affection on Kurt's handsome face changed to something more mischievous as he continued to grin at his boyfriend. He fluttered his eyelashes at him provocatively. "In fact... I think I'm in a mood to get a little... impulsive." There was no mistaking what Kurt was alluding to, not with how he was speaking in his sexy lower register.

A giddy grin spread across Blaine's face the second he realized what Kurt was suggesting; he'd nearly forgotten about his hopes that they could make out somewhere at Dalton. It looked like he was about to cross one item off his bucket list. Instead of telling Kurt how willing he was, Blaine decided to show him by kissing him full on the lips. The Warbler's choir room was a good a place as any to kiss Kurt to his heart's content, Blaine figured. Kurt seemed fully on board for the location choice as well, and they both soon learned just how comfortable the couches were there – all of them.
________________________________________________________________________________

'Life sure had a way of surprising you,' Kurt thought to himself as he considered his current whereabouts. He didn't think he could find so many things to occupy his time while Blaine was in class. Between dance practices with Rachel, working at the tire shop to earn a bit of cash, and then his mentoring at McKinley, Kurt was enjoying his stay in Lima a great deal.

"If anyone had asked me a few months ago if I'd find myself sitting in the teacher's lounge at McKinley drinking a cup of coffee, I would have laughed in their face," Kurt said to those seated around him.

On his right was Finn and to the left of his step-brother, Mr. Schuester. A rare moment of boredom had led Kurt to joining them both for an afternoon hobnobbing with school faculty. In truth all that was going on was the three of them quietly sitting as they sipped at their mugs.

"At least you're actually drinking coffee, I smuggled in hot chocolate for my mug," Finn admitted.

While Kurt was happy to be back, he was still no longer considered Lima his true home. He missed New York and the life he had there, even if it was lacking Blaine. New York was where he belonged; it where his future was. He would always think fondly of the few good things in Ohio, such as his family, friends and glee club of course. Nor did he think that anyone who had stuck around, such as Finn, were a failure by any means. After-all, not everyone was suited for the fast paced world of Manhattan.

"I really appreciated how many of last year's graduates have come back to help us out this year. I thought I wouldn't see any of your faces until this February," Will said.

Kurt quickly swallowed his mouthful of coffee and frowned in puzzlement. "What's happening in February?"

"Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury are getting married, remember," Finn whispered to Kurt.

A metaphorical switch flipped on in Kurt's brain and the information he had managed to forget somehow flooded back to him. Mr. Schuester's marriage to Emma Pillsbury was taking place on February 14th, aka Valentine's day, and Kurt was naturally on the guest list. He and Rachel had quickly agreed to be each other's plus one, but since then the upcoming event had been pushed to the back of Kurt's mind.

"Oh, my god I totally forgot about that!" Kurt blurted out merrily, but his delight was more about himself than his former teachers. This was exactly the sort of thing he and Blaine had been hoping for: a reason to see one another again! "Um, say... you don't suppose I could add a plus one to my RSVP? If it's not too short of notice..." Kurt asked with big wishful eyes.

"Is there someone special you want to bring along, Kurt?" Will asked.

Kurt nodded. "My boyfriend Blaine, who is also musically talented and if the fact that he's in a rival glee club isn't an issue, I know he would be more than happy to lend his voice during the reception."

"I'll have to check with Emma first, but I think we can fit him in," Will replied.

"Oh, there's no need! I'll go see her myself right now," Kurt exclaimed as he sat up and raced out of the room.

"I'm glad he's finally found someone to get excited over," Will said once Kurt was gone.

"About time huh?" Finn agreed, grinning.
______________________________________________________________________________

Warbler practice ended up taking longer than normal, since the council members had needed to announce the winner for the coveted third spot. By the time Blaine had gone off to meet up with Kurt, he was surprised to find his boyfriend waiting by his car in Dalton's parking lot. At first Blaine was worried that something was wrong, but then he saw how he was practically bursting with excitement.

Blaine shook his head at Kurt's bounciness and just laughed in amusement. "Okay Starlight, just how much coffee did you end up having in the faculty room?" he asked teasingly.

Kurt appeared to be too over the moon about what he was dying to tell Blaine to play into their usual flirtatious banter. "My current excitement has nothing to do with caffeine! But it has everything to do with an upcoming event I had forgotten all about! Until now that is!"

"Don't hold it in any longer, because I doubt your body could take it!" Blaine urged.

"Mr Schuester is getting married to Miss Pillsbury -- she's the school's guidance counsellor -- on February 14th! All of the kids from glee club are coming back for their wedding: myself included. And here we thought we wouldn't get to see each other until spring break, when all along I already had a commitment to bring me back much sooner! Looks like we finally caught ourselves a break for once, Honeybee."

At the news that Blaine would get to spend the most romantic day of the year with Kurt in person, he joined in on his boyfriend's excitement, and let out a loud hooted cheer. He spun Kurt around by the shoulders until dizziness compelled him to stop. His mind was still spinning but he hardly cared; Kurt would be back in a little more than a month! "Kurt, that's incredible! We are so lucky; most long distance couples have to wait months to see each other!"

Without a moment's warning, Blaine suddenly threw himself into Kurt's open arms and the couple shared a much needed hug of celebration. Kurt squeezed his arms tightly around his waist, and while he enjoyed the contact, he was in too hyped of a state to linger there. So Kurt pulled back, but not before giving Blaine a quick peck on lips to appease him.

"I'm not even done yet Blaine, I talked to the bride and I'm allowed to bring you as my date!"

Blaine's eyes grew wide with excitement. "I am so there, Kurt, and I'll be the best arm candy for the big day." Now that the cat was finally out of the bang, all Kurt had to do was flash Blaine his come hither look and they kissed again. After making out a bit while they leaned on the hood of Blaine's car, Kurt and Blaine eventually remembered how they were in a public place and pulled apart.

"You know this really make you leaving in two days easier for me to live with," Blaine said as he piled into the driver's seat.

The joy that they were currently feeling would surely help both of them through the next month, especially for Blaine, who still wished he could go back with Kurt to New York.

Kurt seemed to sense this and patted Blaine's hand lightly before doing up his seat belt. An unspoken moment passed between them, where the love they felt for one another, which so far had yet to be confessed with words, was mutually felt and instantly treasured.

Eyes sparkling and brimming with tears of joy, Kurt took a deep breath and then replied, "It really will."