Kurt was outside his building promptly at five to eight.  It was almost dark, and it was the kind of beautiful summer evening in New York that Kurt loved, filled with people relaxing in the warm air, not yet exhausted by the heat that would descend in July. Kurt was so glad that Blaine had suggested getting together tonight.  Their conversation earlier in the day had left him feeling untethered, and all he really wanted to do was snuggle into Blaine's arms and stay there for a while.

Kurt was picturing this very moment when Sam appeared, looking like he was about to burst with excitement.  “Kurt, hey!”  Sam grabbed Kurt in an enthusiastic hug, nearly knocking him over.  “I like your scarf, the butterflies are cool.  Here, let me fix it, I think I kind of messed it up.”

“It's okay, Sam, I've got it.”  Kurt straightened out the light blue scarf, tucking it back into place over his yellow short sleeved button-up, and smiled at Sam.  “And thanks, it's one of my favorites.”  Since when did Sam compliment men on their clothes, Kurt wondered, realizing almost instantly who must have encouraged this habit in Sam.  “Not that I'm not happy to see you, but where's Blaine?”

“I'm taking you to him.  It's not far, don't worry.”

Kurt refrained from asking Sam about their destination, not wanting to ruin what was obviously supposed to be a surprise.  Instead he asked Sam about NYU, and it turned out they had both taken similar courses on Shakespeare's comedies, which launched Sam into a series of quotes from Much Ado About Nothing, his favorite so far.

As they turned onto Tenth Street, Kurt's curiosity grew.  “Isabelle lives near here, I think,” he commented, looking around at the stately brownstones.  “Tell me we're not going to her house.”

“Nope, we're not,” Sam said, a mischievous look in his eyes.  “But you're on the right track.”  They stopped in front of one of the townhouses, and Sam took a key out of his pocket.  “How do you feel about blindfolds?”

“Um, not great?”  And it had nothing at all to do with the fact that it would mess up his hair, nothing at all.

“Okay, then just come inside, and put your hand over your eyes.  Don't peek.”  Sam waited for Kurt to cover his eyes, and then led him slowly ahead, through a cool hallway.  Kurt heard a door slide open.  “Step just a little bit here, and then forward a few more…”  Sam gave Kurt a pat on the shoulder and let go. “Have a good time.” 

“You can open your eyes now,” a familiar voice said from in front of him.  He did, and there was Blaine smiling broadly at him.  Kurt looked around in awe.  They were in a tiny garden, surrounded by leafy plants, ivy growing up the fences on either side.  There were hundreds of tiny white fairy lights in the trees and over the stone bench in front of him, and there were flowers everywhere.  He heard water running, and turned to see a fountain off to the side, set into the corner, the trickling sound delicately muting the hum of the city.  

“Blaine, this is beautiful!  What is this place?”  And you look lovely too, Kurt thought, admiring the way the short sleeves of Blaine's green and blue plaid shirt highlighted his tight biceps, the light pink of his bow tie contrasting smartly with the dark shirt.

Blaine took his hand and they sat down on the bench.  “One of my professors lives here.  He's away for the month and Sam comes over every day to water the plants and check on things.” 

“Please tell me he knows you're here.”

“Yes, silly, of course.  I have full permission to use his secret garden to woo you.”

Kurt blushed, wondering if his face had gone as pink as Blaine's bowtie.  “Is that what you're doing?” 

“It is.”  Blaine plucked a blossom off the fragrant honeysuckle vine next to them, and tucked it gently behind Kurt's ear.  Kurt could feel his heart racing, and he shivered despite the warm night.  “Is it working?”

“Yeah,” Kurt said breathlessly, gazing into Blaine's eyes, warm and inviting.  “It is.” 

“Good.”  Blaine reached over the arm of the bench to a small table.  “Can I interest you in some refreshments?  Sparkling cider, perhaps?”

“That sounds nice.”

Blaine handed Kurt a glass and then reached over again, returning with a plate that he balanced on his crossed legs as he settled himself on the bench facing Kurt. 

“What's that?”

“Fresh strawberries and whipped cream.  Because it's June, and it would be a sin not to eat strawberries.” 

“Of course,” Kurt breathed out.

Blaine picked up a petite berry and dipped it into the bowl of whipped cream, then held it towards Kurt.  He obediently opened his mouth, and Blaine placed the berry on his tongue, brushing his finger against Kurt's lip to catch a drop of the cream that had landed there.

Without speaking, Kurt took a berry from the dish, swiped it through the cream, and placed it in Blaines mouth, letting Blaine close his lips over his fingertips before slowly pulling his fingers back.  Then he dipped just a finger in the cream, stirred it around deliberately, held it up towards Blaine, and then quickly popped it in his own mouth, licking it clean.

"Oh my god, Kurt," Blaine groaned. 

"What, did you think that was for you?"  Kurt said, teasing.  He licked his finger again, as if there was still cream on it.  “Mmm, very nice.”  He tried to catch Blaine's eyes, but he seemed to have retreated, maybe a little flustered.  Kurt put a hand on Blaine's knee and squeezed.  “This is amazing, Blaine.  Thank you.”

“You like it?”

“It's one of the most beautiful spaces I've ever seen in the city, and I'd say that even if you weren't in it.”

Blaine blushed and grinned, looking down.  “I'm glad.”  He rubbed his face, then took a deep breath.  “Okay, ready for the next part?”

“Does it involve more wooing?  Because I'm all for that.”  Kurt took the plate of strawberries from Blaine and set it under the bench.

“Yes, definitely.”  Blaine uncrossed his legs and sat up straighter, his shirt stretching appealingly over his chest.  "You keep implying that I shouldnt give up on performing.  And I haven't, not completely.  But lately all I keep thinking about is how much I want to sing to you.  It doesnt make a lot of sense to me, since Im so out of practice, especially compared to you.”  Blaine shrugged. “Youd think I would be self-conscious about it, like I seem to be about everything else when it comes to me and you these days.  But its like that Tracy Chapman song, ‘I remember there was a time when I used to sing for you,'” Blaine sang it a little.  “I keep thinking about the times when I used to sing to you, and when wed sing together, and I dont think I ever felt more perfectly happy in my whole life.  So I hope youll bear with me, and let me sing to you."  Blaine smiled softly at Kurt as he pushed himself up off the bench. 

“I'd love that.”  Kurt watched, mesmerized, as Blaine carefully perched himself on the edge of the stone wall that ran along one side of the garden, and picked up a guitar that he had apparently left there in preparation.  Kurt couldn't help thinking, as he watched Blaine settle himself so deliberately, whether his leg was hurting him tonight.  He had no intention of mentioning it right now, however – even Kurt Hummel could learn from his mistakes.  He knew the topic shouldn't be taboo, but bringing it up in the middle of the beautiful scene Blaine had created was definitely a bad idea.

Blaine caught Kurt's eyes and continued with his introduction.  "So my senior year I helped Ryder work on this song, and it made me crazy, because I wanted to sing it to you so much it hurt.  Like, it physically pained me every time we ran through it.  I got past it, though, of course - I know he didnt use it up or anything by singing it - and I figured if I was patient, thered come a time when I could sing it to you, even though I couldnt then.  Of course things didnt go the way we had planned.”  Blaine smiled and bit his lip nervously.  "And now, well, I just feel so lucky that despite everything, life has brought us together again, and I can sing for you.  So here goes."

As soon as Blaine started the guitar intro, Kurt knew what was coming.  He loved this song, and Blaine was right.  It was perfect.

Its a little bit funny, this feeling inside

Im not one of those who can easily hide

I dont have much money, but boy if I did

Id buy a big house where we both could live

As Blaine sang, Kurt closed his eyes for a moment, transported back in time to when a dark haired stranger had serenaded a new kid.  Blaines voice had captivated him from the start.  He sounded a little different now, a bit rougher, more coffee-house and less polished.  But Kurt knew that this was the real Blaine, unshielded and vulnerable, opening himself up for him.

Kurt looked up and caught Blaines gaze.  He smiled, then, feeling it take over his face, his crazy big smile that came out when he was giddy beyond caring.

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple but now that its done

I hope you dont mind, I hope you dont mind, that I put down in words

How wonderful life is, when youre in the world

Blaine was pouring himself into the music, as he always did, as if every muscle in his body had to participate.  But he kept his eyes on Kurt, hardly glancing at the strings, as if they were merely extensions of his fingers.  Kurt had always envied the way Blaine could play so many instruments so well, and not just the piano.  He remembered how surprised he had been the first time he came over to Blaine's house while he was practicing the violin, and how Blaine had nonchalantly breezed through some complicated classical piece.  When he had complimented him, Blaine had brushed it off.  "I never really got the hang of the violin," he had commented, looking embarrassed, which had made no sense at all given the technical prowess Kurt had just witnessed. Kurt had thought Sam had introduced Blaine to the guitar, but it turned out Blaine had just been too polite to tell Sam he already knew how to play.  Sam figured it out, of course, and was just as perplexed as Kurt.  "All those times in the choir room, man, why didnt you pick up a guitar?" Sam had asked.  "Because I like to hear you play," had been Blaines response. For all Blaine seemed to love the spotlight, Kurt had realized that it wasnt so straightforward for this boy, who somehow didnt believe in himself despite all he had accomplished. 

But here he was, singing his heart out for Kurt.  And Kurt was falling hard.  It wasnt as if there had ever really been a question in his mind about whether he still loved Blaine; he had simply never stopped.  But he hadnt meant to sink into it so completely again, not yet, before they had figured everything out.  Damn you and your love songs, Blaine Anderson, he thought.  Talk about kryptonite. 

Blaines voice grew softer as he neared the end, and his gaze became more intimate.  He sang slowly, seeming to linger over every phrase.

So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do

You see, Ive forgotten if theyre green, or theyre blue

Anyway, thing is, what I really mean

Yours are the sweetest eyes Ive ever seen.

Blaines focus on Kurt was no less intense as he sang the final verse, and Kurt inexplicably felt tears well up in his eyes.  He was overcome, in the best possible way, and there was no escape.

Kurt hardly realized that the song had ended until Blaine had put the guitar down and returned to his spot next to him, sitting close and taking Kurt in his arms.  Blaine held him gently for a minute, then rested a hand on Kurts cheek, brushing away a tear with his thumb.  "I didnt break you, did I?"

"No," Kurt said softly.  "Quite the opposite."  Blaine continued to stroke his cheek, and Kurt closed his eyes, giving himself over to the wonderful feeling of being cradled in Blaine's arms.  His put his arms around Blaine's shoulders and rested there for a moment, safe and loved.  He felt Blaine rub their noses together, and he smiled.

“Blaine?” he asked, opening his eyes and pulling back so he could see him.

“Yeah?”  Blaine blinked, his long eyelashes fluttering.

“Can we kiss now?”  Kurt hadn't wanted to move too fast, this time, didn't want to just hook up like they did last time they were broken up.  But this wasn't going to be a hook up, and he didn't see any point in waiting any longer.  He wasn't sure it was physically possible.

“Is that an invitation?”  Blaine's eyes were shining, clear and beautiful.

“It is.”

“Then I accept.”  They closed the space between them and kissed, finally.  It was familiar and brand new all at once, and it was wonderful.  Blaine's hands came to rest around Kurt's waist as Blaine slid closer to him, pressing his lips more firmly against Kurt's, and then opening his mouth, deepening the kiss.  Kurt felt like his heart was about to explode.  Finally they pulled apart, breathing heavily.  Blaine rested his head on Kurt's shoulder and sighed, his nose pressed into his neck, and Kurt snuggled closer, his arms wrapped around Blaine's shoulders, one of his hands weaving its way into Blaine's curls.

“So does this count as a first kiss?”  Blaine asked lazily, touching his lips to Kurt's neck.  “Or a third first kiss?”

“I don't know, but I think it's our best first kiss so far,”  Kurt said, pulling gently on Blaine's hair.  “Although as always, I do think we could use some more practice.”