Blaine shrugs. Kurt is expecting him to move or sit down, but he doesn't. Instead, his grip on Kurt's waist tightens and he closes his eyes, breath stuttering, lips quivering. Blaine joins their foreheads together, their heads still sharing the same pillow, bites his bottom lip as Kurt watches while it slowly slids back into place. "I want to be with you."

Kurt closes his eyes, breathes in. He doesn't even notice he is smiling until he hears the happiness on his own voice. "Me, too."

"But I-" Blaine's voice cracks and Kurt sees his throat bobbing while he swallows, closing his eyes again just to open them a few seconds later, huge and shiny, looking up at Kurt. "I can't-"

"Hey," Kurt moves his hand to cup Blaine's jaw, making him look directly into his eyes. "I know. You're not ready to come out."

"It's so messed up, Kurt. All of this, it's so..."

Kurt leans in and brushes a kiss to Blaine's lips, partly to shut him and partly just because he can. "I don't care. We can keep it a secret."

"I- I hate to bring you into all of this."

"Do you regret it?"

His answer comes instantly, almost before Kurt stops speaking. Blaine shakes his head, squeezing Kurt's waist. "No. Of course not."

"Then I don't care." 

They just lay there for a few long seconds, staring at each other, before Blaine mumbles in a small, weak voice, "I was out once, you know."

Well, Kurt didn't see that coming.

He runs his fingers through Blaine's hair, brings him closer. "What happened?"

"I got beaten up." It was just a whisper, a shamefaced admission. "It was on my old school. There was this- this dance, and for some reason I thought it would be okay to go with another boy. Long story short, we were waiting for his dad and there- there were those three guys. They saw us, and we were-" he pauses, swallows, blinks rapidly - sounding choked up. "We weren't doing anything. He was just holding my hand, and- those guys saw it. And they didn't exactly like it."

Kurt gasps, his hand stilling where it was caressing Blaine's hair. "Blaine..."

"I was in the hospital for three days. My mom was so worried that she wanted me to transfer to this fancy private school, but we didn't have the money. So I went to McKinley." Blaine shifts. "I didn't really plan anything. It just happened. I've always liked football, so I tried to get into the team and it kind of worked. Then I was suddenly being made captain and Rachel was kissing me in front of everybody and now I can't take it back."

"You-"

"It just happened so fast, Kurt." A pause. "I wish things were different."

"It's okay. We'll figure it out." Kurt is whispering, too, trying to believe the words himself.

"No, it's not okay. I'm lying to a girl who thinks I'm the perfect boyfriend and, yes, she can be a selfish and annoying bitch most of the time, but she has a good heart; and now I'm bringing you into all this and I shouldn't, Kurt. I shouldn't just throw you into my life like this, not when it's so fucked up I can't even figure out how to fix it myself." He breathes in. "But I- I. I have all of these feelings for you and- God, Kurt, I'm sorry."

"No, no, Blaine. Look at me. Don't apologize, okay? I want that. I want to be in your life, I don't care if it's messed up." He says. "If you just let me in, we can- we can try-" We can try to make it better. But Kurt doesn't say it, doesn't even know why his throat feels dry and weird, but for some reason he can't get the words out. So he lets the sentence trail, sinking his fingers further on Blaine's curls.

Blaine doesn't say anything. He just takes Kurt's free hand and places it on his chest, right where Kurt can feel Blaine's unsteady heartbeat. It's fast, so fast, and his fingers curl on Blaine's thin shirt without Kurt even realizing he's doing it.

"See?" Blaine grasps at the back of Kurt's hand, their fingers finding their ways between one another. "That happens everytime I'm near you. I've never felt like this."

Kurt melts.

"I want to be your boyfriend." He blurts out, and doesn't even have time to regret it because Blaine is giving him one of his full, huge smiles, the one where his eyes get all small and wrinkly.

"Boyfriend. I like that." Blaine traces the line of Kurt's bottom lip with his thumb. "Will you be my boyfriend, Kurt?"

Kurt smiles, kisses the pad of Blaine's finger. "Yes."

*  

Kurt and Blaine spend a lot of time of that week together. Hidden moments on empty classrooms, stolen kisses when there's no one near, hours and hours talking about anything and everything on Blaine's or Kurt's bedroom when their parents aren't home or, honestly, wherever they can sneak to. It works, even though they both wish they didn't have to hide. For the first time in a long time, things are fine and Kurt is happy.

They don't talk much at school, but they text a lot. Especially during lunch, when they can look at each other but can't be with each other -- which turns out to be way more frustrating than Kurt initially thought. It's mostly just silly stuff - a thought that crosses Kurt's mind, a stupid comment about a boring class. It's pointless and silly and Kurt loves it.

It is on one of those nights where they are laying around on Blaine's bed doing nothing when Kurt sees it. Just behind Blaine's desk rests a beautiful acoustic guitar, and Kurt stands up to run his curious fingers through it. 

"I didn't know you played."

"What?" Blaine looks away from the magazine he's reading to look up at Kurt. "Oh. That. It's just... I haven't played in a long time."

"Play me something?"

"I just told you-"

"Please? You know I love music! Just- something you're used to, something you like." Kurt is already grabbing the guitar and handing it to Blaine. "Pleeease, Blaine?"

"Oh, okay, that is not fair." Blaine places the guitar on his lap, making himself comfortable on the bed. Kurt sits on the empty chair near the desk and rests his chin on his palm, smiling lightly. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

Blaine shakes his head. "I-" he swallows, strums something on the strings, like he's testing them. "Okay. Okay, just- listen. Alright?"

Kurt nods, grins. And then Blaine starts playing. It's a tune Kurt doesn't know, but it's slow and calm and beautiful and he already loves it; so when Blaine opens his mouth and suddenly starts singing, well. Kurt is perplexed.

"Eyes on the prize, and I can't capsize this time; 'cause there's somebody else in my boat," Blaine is looking down at his own moving fingers, looking concentrated, voice rough and gorgeous. "Used to live alone in a tomb I made my own; but now I've gone and given up my coat." 

The song goes on, the lyrics hitting home a bit too hard for Kurt to keep a straight face. 

"And it's cold outside but I'm just fine; you are mine to keep warm," Blaine looks up, then, looking right at Kurt and singing the lyrics at him, mouth curving up at the corners. "Some things you cannot plan, like your hand in mine; just put your hand in mine." 

Kurt can feel his cheeks heating, blushing all the way to his ears.

"Sables and wine, till the end of time, you give me much more than that; Diamond rings and beautiful things, oh, you give me much more than that when you smile."

Kurt's smile widens, which makes Blaine's smile widen while he just keeps singing, strumming the guitar. "You are mine to keep warm; and it's cold outside but I'm just fine; you are mine to keep warm." 

He finishes the song with a sheepish shrug of his shoulders, his eyes leaving Kurt's face.

"I told you it's been-"

"Blaine." Kurt interrupts, stands and kneels in front of Blaine, taking both of his -- cold, shaking -- hands between his. "You..."

"I, what?"

"You're amazing." Blaine starts shaking his head, but Kurt doesn't let him start talking. "No, don't even think about saying otherwise. Your voice... Really, Blaine, how have you been hiding that?"

"I... I've always loved singing, ever since I can remember. It's just- not something a lot of people know I do."

Then a thought crosses Kurt mind and before he knows it, he's blurting out, "you should join glee club."

"What? Kurt-"

"I know, I know, but Quinn and Santana and Brittany are in the group, too! I mean, if people don't make fun of them they surely won't make fun of you and it would be so good for you, Blaine." He says it all in a single breath, chest heavy. "Just think about it, okay?"

But Blaine is grinning, looking way too pleased with himself. "Of course. I mean, yeah, I'll think about it."

Kurt stands on his feet and leans down, placing a kiss on Blaine's cheek.

*

Two days after that, Kurt gets a text.

From Blaine: Kurt?
From Kurt: Yes, Blaine.
From Blaine: Remember when you told me I should join glee club?
From Kurt: Of course I do.
From Blaine: Remember how I said I'd think about it?
From Kurt: Yes?
From Kurt: ...Blaine?
From Blaine: I thought about it.
From Kurt: AND?!
From Blaine: And I will join glee club.
From Kurt: Wait. Waitwaitwait.
From Kurt: Are you sure?
From Kurt: Blaine!!!
From Blaine: Yes! Yes, I'm sure.
From Blaine: I miss singing.
From Blaine: So. Much. Seriously, you have no idea how I used to be. There are some videos...
From Blaine: Videos I will never, ever let you see, by the way. So don't even try.
From Kurt: Oh, come on!
From Kurt: ...Not even if I grant you with kisses?
From Blaine: Not even your sweet, sweet kisses would make me show you those.
From Blaine: ...Ok, no. That's not true. I'm pretty sure your kisses could make me do anything.
From Blaine: Kurt? Are you still there?
From Kurt: Yes.
From Kurt: It's... good to know that.
From Kurt: Do you really like my kisses that much?
From Blaine: Are you kidding me? Your kisses are like...Warmth and sweetness and they always taste like coffee and coming home.
From Blaine: ...Too much?
From Kurt: No. Not too much, not at all.
From Kurt: I'm really glad you're my boyfriend, Blaine.
From Blaine: Me, too, Kurt.