As Blaine and Kurt pulled into the Thai restaurant, he still couldn't believe his boyfriend had trekked in early from New York just to spend time with him for his birthday. He had the rest of the night to ingest the sweet gesture from his boyfriend but he still couldn't believe it.

He'd spent Birthday Eve at the movies with Kurt – after Kurt officially thanked New Directions for their help and said his hellos to everyone – and it felt great to share in a normal, coupley activity with his boyfriend at his side. They held hands the entire movie while the armrest was pushed back so they could enjoy each other's closeness, sneaking in a few kisses between scenes every now and then.

Though they spent the night apart, the fact that they were in the same area code was reassuring to both of them. He slept more soundly that night than he had in weeks.

The next morning Blaine awoke to Kurt bringing him pancake batter pancakes in bed, courtesy of his mom, and a kiss from his boyfriend. He definitely could get used to Kurt waking him up for every birthday if it was anything like this one was shaping up to be.

Kurt sat on the edge of the bed as Blaine dove into his breakfast. When Blaine took a break to breathe from inhaling his food, he glanced up and saw Kurt looking at him with glazed over eyes and a smile on his face.

"Wha?" Blaine asked as he swallowed his food. He cleared his throat, not wanting to appear as if he had no manners, and started again. "What is it?"

Kurt sighed and his smile grew broader. "Nothing really. I just love you."

Blaine beamed and his eyes conveyed the goo that his heart had turned into with the sweet words coming from his boyfriend. "I love you too," he said as he cut into his pancakes. "So, after I finish eating and getting ready, I don't think we have plans for the day until my party starts at 5:30. What do you want to do?"

Kurt laughed. "Didn't you have plans for what you wanted to do for your 18th birthday?"

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal," he said with a shrug. "I was happy with just dinner tonight. I probably would have ended up playing a little piano, maybe watching a movie… I probably would have spent a good amount of time on the phone with you, if I'm being honest."

"Well, I hope it's okay that I ruined your 'big plans' for your birthday," Kurt said with a giggle. "But I have an idea for what we can do today."

"What's that?" he asked as he shoveled the last bit of pancakes into his mouth.

"Well," Kurt said, "Why don't we do all of the things that you can as a right of passage when you turn 18? You're technically an adult for the first time and that comes with a lot of benefits."

"…and responsibilities," Blaine added as he dreaded the thought of becoming a full-fledged adult with – gasp – bills. Those are the things that high school doesn't prepare you for.

Kurt giggled. "Yes, that too. But think about it. You can vote – although it's a bit late for that now – and you can get into some clubs, and you can buy cigarettes…"

Blaine dropped his fork and looked at Kurt, shocked. "Kurt, you hate smoking. You think it's disgusting. Why would you suggest me buying cigarettes?"

He shrugged. "I know you wouldn't smoke them. You can just buy them because you can."

Blaine shook his head. "Nuh-uh, I'm not buying those things. I'll just get something else instead. Like maybe one of those magazines," Blaine added as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at his boyfriend, who turned beet red at the thought.

"Uh, sure. But you know your mom and dad would find it and do you really want that?" Kurt asked as his blush crept down his neck. Blaine knew Kurt would be embarrassed – even though they had sex, Kurt still wasn't fully comfortable with them talking about it out in the open. What they did behind closed doors stayed that way as far as he was concerned.

Blaine took Kurt's hand into his own and looked at him. "You know I'm kidding. I just wanted to get a rise out of you."

Kurt sighed. "I know. I feel like I shouldn't still be embarrassed about that kind of stuff since I'm older than you and the fact that we actually… you know… but it still feels weird to be so open about it."

"I don't think that's weird. It's just not something you want or need to talk about. I know what you think about sex and that's enough for me. The fact that you're not talking about this kind of stuff with other people – let alone other guys – just makes it easier on my jealous brain," Blaine said, adding a wink at the end.

Kurt rolled his eyes at his boyfriend and nudged his shoulder lightly. "Well thanks, Blaine." He paused before his eyes shot open as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. "I have the perfect idea! Why don't we buy lotto tickets? I actually haven't bought any before and it'd be a fun, potentially lucrative first for the both of us."

Blaine chuckled. "Sounds good to me. Why don't I finish getting ready and we'll go to the gas station and try to win millions?"

Kurt gave Blaine a light kiss on the lips before picking up Blaine's empty plate and heading toward the door. "Sounds perfect."

Blaine showered, dressed and was out the door within 20 minutes and was hand in hand with his boyfriend in line at the gas station 10 minutes after that. They approached the counter and looked at all of the options for lottery tickets.

"There are so many," Blaine said as he fingered through the different tickets, each one more colorful – with the potential to win more – than the last.

"Well, my dad gave me money to buy you a birthday present, so we'll just use what he gave me to buy however many you want," Kurt said as he pulled out the cash from his pocket.

Blaine looked at him surprised. "Why did your dad want to buy me a present? He didn't have to…"

"Blaine, you're my boyfriend and he really likes you. He wanted to get you something but knew that if he tried to buy you something himself, he'd end up buying you motor oil or something." Blaine snorted as Kurt continued. "So this can be his present to you. He also said that he could contribute to what I was getting you, but I had already bought it by that point."

Blaine's eyes shot open. "Kurt! You definitely didn't have to get me anything. You spent so much money to fly here, you certainly did not need to spend more on some gift."

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand and looked him in the eyes. "Blaine, I want to buy you things. I want to show you that I love you in as many ways as possible. And besides, you know I buy lovely gifts."

Blaine sighed with a nod, acknowledging that Kurt was right. "You don't have to," he added silently as he looked back at the tickets.

Kurt's hand found Blaine's cheek and he forced Blaine's eyes into his again. "Why do you think that way, Blaine? I want to do these things for you."

Blaine tried to shift his gaze elsewhere but Kurt's hands kept his face in place, forcing his honey eyes onto Kurt's blues. "I just… sometimes I feel like I don't deserve these things; like I don't deserve you. You make me so incredibly happy and when we broke up and I broke your heart…. I was sure that you would never forgive me or want to see me again. I just feel like you could do better than me. I'm in high school, I'm a mess, I worry too much, I…"

"Blaine, listen to me." Kurt's tone was still caring, but had the slightest forceful edge as if to ensure that his words would seep into Blaine's mind and heart. "What happened when we were in New York and the… events… leading up to it are in the past now. We are so much closer now than we ever were before." Kurt stopped and rubbed his thumb lightly on Blaine's cheek. "You are more than worthy, Blaine. Some nights I lay in bed just wondering what I did to have someone so wonderful in my life. How I ended up being lucky enough to fall for my best friend and for him to love me in return. You are so amazing and I love you so much, Blaine. No matter what, I will always love you."

Blaine couldn't help but beam. "You're the best," Blaine whispered as he squeezed Kurt's hand.

He rolled his eyes, "No, you are."

They settled into a comfortable silence as they looked again at the lottery tickets in front of them. "Okay, I think I want to try these. They're $5 a piece and I could win up to $10,000 dollars. That sounds good, right?" Blaine asked Kurt.

Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "Works for me. Grab ten and we'll check out."

Blaine picked ten from the roll and walked to the counter. The store clerk looked at the two boys as she popped her gum and rung up the tickets.

"Ahem," Kurt said, clearing his throat. "Aren't you going to check his ID?"

She rolled her eyes uninterested and gestured for Blaine to hand over the ID. He laughed a little as he handed it over and her eyes scanned over the date. "Happy birthday," she said monotonously as she handed him back the card and read the total off to Kurt. Kurt handed the money over before winking at Blaine, who blushed at Kurt's gesture. Leave it to Kurt's simple wink to make him feel like a schoolboy who has a crush… on the hottest guy on the planet, obviously.

Kurt handed the tickets over to Blaine and pulled a coin from his pocket. "Here you go, birthday boy. Let's see what you won."

Blaine scratched off the first ticket and won $1. "Big winner," he said with a laugh as he continued to scratch onto the next card.

After six tickets, Blaine handed two for Kurt to scratch off. "Remember, this is a first for both of us. Let's see what you've won," Blaine said as he extended Kurt's penny to him.

Kurt smiled and scratched the card, revealing that he had won $5. "Wow! I won!" he exclaimed.

Blaine pretended to be irritated. "Man, it's not even your birthday and you already won more money than me."

Kurt gave him a light kiss on the cheek before handing the penny back to Blaine. "Well, you still have two more left. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky."

He rolled his eyes and smiled as he scratched out the last two cards. When he scratched over the last card, his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and his mouth flopped open.

"Blaine… what is it?" Kurt asked, confused at Blaine's reaction.

"I won," he replied quietly.

Kurt still looked puzzled. "What you win?"

Blaine beamed at him and held the ticket in front of his face. "I won $5,000 dollars."