'Yes indeed.' Kurt nodded into the phone.' It was an intensely powerful experience. No-one could keep us from feeling the feelings that we ... felt.'

Blaine's laughter echoed into the room and Kurt grinned at no-one in particular, hitching his knees up to his chest as he sat in his favourite chair in the corner of his room.

'So come on then, Mister Sophisticated - who was your first crush?'

Blaine choked back the last of his giggles and cleared his throat. 'I don't wanna say.'

'What? So I get ridiculed and you get off scot-free?'

'Maybe ...?'

'Ohhh. Well this just will not stand.'

'Haha. What're you gonna do - send a hex down the phone?'

'Interesting concept, but not today.'

'Then what?'

'Well, I don't know ... maybe I'll just have to withold my punishment until I can see the consequences in person.'

'You wouldn't.'

'Try me. Bitch.'

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone.

'What did you just call me?'

Kurt couldn't tell if Blaine was smirking, frowning or just plain stunned by his reaction to that last comment. He wondered if he'd gone too far, but couldn't find the right words to test the waters. In fact, he was suddenly afraid to breathe. There was another few moments of silence.

'Kermit.' Blaine said in a low, steady voice.

'Huh?'

'The Frog.'

'Ummm - random Muppet characters we know and love?'

'Exactly.'

'You couldn't have me more confused right now. Seriously - I'm like George W. Bush on dope over here.'

Blaine snorted down the phone and Kurt smiled happily to himself.

Awww - he loves me again.

Blaine continued. 'Kermit - T. Frog, to give him his full title - was my first crush. Dude rocked my world.'

Kurt rolled his eyes and beamed an affectionate grin. 'But he loved Miss Piggy.'

'I didn't say it wasn't unrequited love.' Blaine mused. 'And besides, I could never have tied Kermy down to any kind of committed relationship any more than Piggy could.'

'Committed sounds about right.' Kurt chuckled under his breath.

'I heard that. Bitch.'

Kurt clutched a hand to his chest and gasped.

'And now we're even!'

The phoneline was filled with warm laughter again until Blaine suddenly stopped, unable to supress a yawn.

'I'm keeping you up, aren't I?'

'God, sorry ...' Blaine sighed, '... been another rough day. You know I'd talk to you for hours if I could though. I do it all day in my head.'

Kurt felt his heart swell a little in his chest. 'You do?'

'Of course. Unless that makes me sound like a freak who converses with the strange voices in his mind on a regular basis. 'Cos I don't do that any more.'

'Ha-ha, very funny. I knew what you meant. And I think it's very sweet.'

'I am sweet, aren't I.'

'The sweetest.'

'Yeah. Your boyfriend is ... the sweetest.' Blaine drawled lazily, yawning again.

Kurt's eyes widened, and he wondered just how much Blaine knew what he was saying. He searched for something to add.

'Kurt? Still there?'

'Of course. But I should let you go ... you sound seriously tired.'

'Yeah, I guess. Can I see you tomorrow?'

'Thought you'd never ask. What should we do?'

'Ummmmmm ...'

'We can decide tomorrow. OK?'

'Oh...kay.' Blaine yawned yet again. 'Jeez ... alright, I'm gonna go.'

'Sleep tight, Blaine.' Kurt smiled.

'G'night, Kurt.'

Kurt breathed a contented sigh as he hung up the call. He stretched his legs out in front of him and flexed his toes, all the while thinking about Blaine and the fact that he'd be seeing him again soon. He crossed the room and crawled under his bedclothes, imagining Blaine doing the same in his own apartment, or at least hoping so, rather than him just passing out on some uncomfortable item of furniture - or worse still, the floor.

He snuggled into his pillow and closed his eyes.

Did Blaine really just say he was my boyfriend?

***

Kurt couldn't contain his grin when he and Rachel met at the dining table in the morning. She wheedled his gossip out of him in a matter of seconds, and danced around in her seat as her mind went over all the possibilities that could come from Kurt and Blaine's blossoming relationship.

'Ooooh, we could all go on double dates - like, all the time!'

'Steady there, crazy stalker lady. I think I'd like some 'alone time' with my man from time to time if it's all the same to you.'

'Haha. Stalker lady.'

'Haha. My man.'

The pair looked at each other and were about bounce around a little more when Kurt's phone buzzed into life on the kitchen counter. He skipped over to it. 'Oooh - speak of the devil.' He grinned, putting the phone to his ear.

'Bondage Hotline.' Kurt sang breezily.

'Well, I was looking for this guy I like, but this is even better.'

'Ah, touche.' Kurt laughed. 'Hey, you.'

'Hey yourself. You OK?'

'I guess. Better now, of course. You?'

'Yeah ... um ... so-so, I think. Listen Kurt, I am so sorry for getting all exhausted on the phone last night.'

'Don't be - you do realise it was gone one-thirty?'

'Jesus, really? Man - we sure know how to talk the hind legs off a donkey when we get going.'

'This is very true. Anyway, you're just so-so? Still not over the tiredness thing?' Kurt frowned into the phone.

'Nah ... but please don't get all worried about me. If I tell you what the problem is, will you promise not to fuss?'

Kurt grabbed hold of the counter to steady himself, suddenly very afraid of what he was about to be told.

'You there?'

'Yuh ... um ... yes! Still here.' Kurt tried to control the mild shake in his voice.

'And you're not gonna freak out?'

'I may if you don't hurry up and tell me.' Kurt replied through mildly clenched teeth.

'OK, sorry. Alright, well ... I kind-of have this condition ... it runs in the family. It's nothing serious, but it just sort-of means that I get a little run down sometimes ...'

Kurt was holding his breath, and Rachel gave him a worried look from across the room.

'It's just a very mild form of anaemia. Absolutely nothing to worry about, and nothing that a little rest and improvement to my diet doesn't fix whenever it crops up.'

Kurt let out that held breath slowly. 'So you're OK? Is there anything I can do to help?'

'I'm fine. And no, I don't think so. I'm just not sure that I'm going to be feeling up to going out anywhere tonight.' Blaine sighed, before adding quietly 'And I feel like I've let you down. And I kinda miss you.'

'Aw, I kinda miss you too.' Kurt frowned. Suddenly a thought struck him. 'So come here! I mean ... if you're feeling well enough for that. I can cook for you.' He nodded enthusiastically into the phone.

'Now how did I know you'd be a gourmet chef?'

'Ha! Well, not quite ... but I'm not bad. And I'll make something extra healthy.'

'Ugh, do you have to?'

'Something tells me this is how you get yourself so run down, Mister Anderson.'

'OK, OK. Healthy it is. Just not too healthy, alright?'

'Deal.'

'So what time should I come over?'

'Seven-thirty? And we shall dine at eight.' Kurt put on a posh voice and Blaine laughed.

'Cool. It's a date. I'll see you then.'

Kurt finished up the call and explained to Rachel why everything had seemed so angst-ridden from their end, and she heaved a sigh of relief.

'Ohhh, is that all?! God, I thought the guy was dying or something!'

'Rachel!?! Don't ever say things like that about my ...'

'... Boyfriend?' Rachel raised her eyebrows knowingly.

'Shut up!' Kurt gasped and shoved Rachel boisterously on the side of the head, messing up her hair and making her squeal again. She ran to the couch and grabbed one of the cushions, throwing it spectacularly poorly in Kurt's general direction.

'Wow, Rach - you should try out for the Olympics with a throwing arm like that.'

'Haha ... screw you, Hummel. Oh, and at least there's one thing - with you by his side, Blaine is bound to make a speedy recovery and be back to perfect health in no time. And then you can fuck him senseless.' She ducked and ran into the bathroom, narrowly avoiding Kurt's outstretched hands as he attempted to catch her for a tickle fight. The door slammed behind her, and Kurt smirked to himself.

Like I'd do such a thing.