The summer ended, much to the disappointment of every high school student in Lima. For Kurt, the first day of school marked the beginning of his senior year; he was going to be class president, the lead in the musical, and get into the college of his dreams, all alongside his boyfriend and with the support of his best friends in the glee club, as well as the paradise that the unscathed by classmates LARP was.

Kurt H. Good morning :) well pick you up in about twenty minutes. Ready for your first day back at public school? Xx

Blaine A. Morning, sweetheart. Im as ready as Ill ever be- youll hold my hand, right? B) xoxo

Kurt H. Of course. You ARE willing to actually be my boyfriend within school grounds, right?

Blaine A. Duh. Theres no way Im taking a step back now. Love you xxx

Kurt grinned at his phone, setting down as he ate his breakfast. He and Finn would be picking up Rachel and Blaine on their way into school, since they lived so close to one another. After they were both ready to go, they drove to Rachels house, and she practically skipped out to meet them. She opened the door and slid to the middle of the back seat, so she poke her head into the front seat, kissing Finn in greeting.

"Kurt!" she said happily, "good morning, bestie!" she attempted to hug him, before settling on an awkward one armed reach to his shoulder. Since Nationals they had been best friends, according to Rachel, and Kurt was just glad that their personalities had stopped clashing quite so badly. He would take Rachel as a friend over a rival any day, though he knew where his real best friends lay- Blaine was so much more than just his boyfriend.

They drove to Blaines house, which was only down the road from Rachels, and Kurt hopped out of the car, giving Rachel permission to move into the front seat. He half-jogged up to the house, ringing the doorbell and waiting patiently. He heard some movement from behind the door, and soon it opened to reveal Blaine with a happy twinkle in his eye. "Hi," Blaine said, rearranging the strap of his bag on his shoulder.

"Hey. Nervous?" Kurt asked. Blaine nodded, and reached out his hand for Kurt to take. They swung their hands gently between them as they walked back out to the car and climbed into the backseat. Blaine rested his hand on Kurts face to gently guide their lips together, neither sure when the next kiss would really be.

"This year is going to be so good!" Rachel said, "I have an amazing boyfriend, and not one, but two gay best friends! Its going to be the best!" Blaine rolled his eyes, and Kurt nodded in agreement. Being Rachel Berrys token gays wasnt exactly in either of their plans, but they could let her have the moment.

Kurt walked Blaine to all of his classes that day, regardless of the fact he had been paired up with another buddy. His buddy seemed relieved to not be needed, anyway, and Kurt couldnt care less whether or not he was slightly late for his classes. He sat with the glee club kids at lunchtime, and Kurt was happy that for the most part they were happy to let him sit there. He didnt ignore the fact that Finn had intentionally sat at the other end of the table.

"The rumour mill is loving your transfer," Santana said, as she set her tray down next to them.

"Really? Why?" Blaine asked. Kurt smiled at him in his best effort of support, not ignoring how Blaine straightened his bowtie self-consciously.

"Because everyone thought that Kurt had made you up or something. Its one thing to be gay in theory and another in practice, you know?" Though he didnt know, he nodded, and Blaine did too.

The day went ahead as expected- Kurt walked Blaine from class to class, they kissed exactly once all day, at Blaines locker just before the end of lunch and with many onlookers, and when the day finally ended Kurt and Blaine met up with Marley and took the car (Finn walked home with Rachel) to Leos house, where the LARP was being hosted that day.

Blaine disappeared to change into his Nightbird spandex as Kurt made himself at home in the living room, sitting down beside Erica. She turned to him, finishing her sentence to Luke. "How did Blaines day go?" she asked.

"Good," Kurt answered, "we all avoided being slushied and we managed to kiss without any comment."

"Hes getting changed?"

"Yeah."

"So, we think that well join with the Soulsearcher guys on Friday night. Can you make it?"

"I dont have any other plans," Kurt said. He was looking forward to seeing how it would play out with the other group there. He knew ultimately there wasnt a whole lot to change, other than the addition of Sebastian and Rory, only one of whom he had met before. As much as he hated not knowing, he was okay with them doing their own thing, and he was willing to break the exclusion of the group for the newcomers whether or not one of them had hit on his boyfriend.

The LARP started, and Blaine was quick to lead him to an unoccupied corner of the room. He wrapped his arms around Kurts waist, resting his head on his shoulder. Something was wrong, Kurt could tell that much- and it was wrong enough to be infiltrating Blaines safe space.

"Are you okay, honey?" Kurt asked, kissing the top of Blaines head.

"Yeah, Im just tired," Blaine replied, "it was a long day." Kurt knew that it wasnt really Nightbird talking at all. For a mysterious nocturnal avenger, he sure was transparent.

"I get it. Did you hear about the superheroes that have popped up in Soulsearcher?" he asked, trying to steer their topic back onto a Darcy and Nightbird conversation. That was what was easy for Blaine, he knew. The whole reason they did what they did was to escape those long days.

"The next town over? Yeah, Id heard. Their big heroes have been talking with White Wings about how we can work together. Seems like we might be needed for back up over there. Think theres a story or two in it for you?"

"The Dreamweaver Chronicle always needs new stories. Thats sort of how newspapers work," Kurt teased, "dont they teach you these things at superhero school? Have you ever even read the Chronicle?"

"Please, my very attractive boyfriend has his name in there every day, often with a dashing picture. I practically hoard them." Blaine grinned, making Kurt smile back just as big. Something was working, and that was all he really needed to be assured that Blaine would be okay.

"Not just to see pictures of yourself?" he said.

"Well, those are always nice too. I like the attention."

"From the public?"

"From you," Blaine said, leaning up to meet Kurts lips, but Kurt pulled back slightly just to tease him. Blaine stayed close, but not quite close enough.

"You know you get that any time you want," he breathed, inching their mouths close together again.

"I do. Actually, that reminds me, Darcy…." Blaine pulled away completely, leaving Kurt completely without kisses. That was just unfair.

"What?"

"Nothing. Kiss me?" Blaine asked hopefully.

"Oh fine. Dont think that I like this teasing." He kissed him, proving Blaine to be utterly spoilt. It really wasnt fair of him to just pull away like that and then expect kisses anyway. The things he did for Blaine Anderson.

Friday finally came, and Blaine practically collapsed into the passenger seat of Kurts car after school. They had some time to kill before the LARP with Soulsearcher, and Blaine had decided that meant it was time for him to celebrate that he had survived a whole week at public school by cuddling with Kurt. Well, he had actually suggested that he should receive a sexual favour from his boyfriend as a reward, but Kurt had slapped him on the arm softly before he could finish his sentence.

"One whole week of public school," Kurt said, "congratulations." Blaine clipped in his seatbelt and grinned at Kurt.

"Im really doing it. I didnt think I was ever going to feel safe without Dalton tight policies ever again… but weve kissed in the hallways every day and we havent ended up in hospital yet."

"Drama queen." Kurt started the car, leaning across to kiss Blaine quickly before they left.

"Oh, look who is talking," Blaine teased, earning a fond eye roll from his boyfriend.

Out of some insane luck, they had managed to be at home all alone in Kurts house. It made a nice change from how they usually found all their quiet time at Blaines. They decide that they probably dont have enough time to even risk doing anything in Kurts room, door open or not, and settle for making out on the couch instead until they hear the front door open sometime later as Burt arrived home. Blaine climbed off of Kurt and reached for the remote, flicking the TV on as they both straightened themselves out.

"Hello, Kurt, Blaine," Burt called, before he had even stepped into the living room, "see! I knew it was you two," he said, leaning against the doorway.

"How?" Kurt asked, confused as to what his dad was suggesting.

"I came into a quiet house until suddenly there were TV noises. Finn and Rachel dont bother to turn the TV on and keep going, if it were Carole then she would actually be watching it. It had to be you boys." Blaine cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You two have your thing tonight?"

"The LARP? Yeah, we do," Blaine answered.

"And youre staying for dinner?" Burt said, as though Blaine actually had a choice in the matter. There hadnt been many Fridays over the summer that Blaine had missed the family dinners, and compulsory attendance had somehow extended to him. Kurts parents even sounded disappointed when Blaine couldnt make it, whereas they sounded quite the opposite when they knew Rachel wouldnt be in attendance.

"Yes sir."

"Great. Speaking of which, Kurt, would you mind setting the table?" He knew the signs well enough, and scurried out of the living room to give them time to talk. He was happy to be able to hear as much as he did, though.

"How has your week been?" he heard Burt ask. He could imagine the way that Blaine would be sitting up as straight as he could manage the way he almost always did in the presence of authority figures of any kind.

"Good, thanks," Blaine said. It was polite chit-chat, but Kurt knew that wasnt why he had been sent out of the room.

"And how is it being at a public school? I hope you dont mind that I know a little bit about your background," Burt said. Kurt had tried to get similar information out of Blaine all week. As nice as it was to know that he wasnt the only one who cared about his boyfriends week and school history, he doubted he was going to get any more than he had- comments about how it might not have a zero bullying tolerance policy, but that it was a lot more accepting than his first school, and that being shot judgemental looks in the hallway when he kissed his boyfriend was better than barely holding hands with a boy and ending up in hospital.

"Its… okay. McKinley is nothing like Dalton, but lets just say that McKinley is where my heart is."

"I know, son. Ive watched your twenty minute goodbyes on my porch enough times to know that." As much as he didnt like the thought of Burt watching their exchanges, really the most they ever said in those times was that they loved one another. It might be a lot for high schoolers, but Kurts dad never seemed to shrug their statements off.

"I… Im not brave for going to public school, Burt," Kurt didnt miss the use of his dads first name, "but I can be brave. For him." With nothing left to set the table with, he made his way slowly back to the living room, pretending not to have heard every word they had said. He made sure to squeeze Blaines hand extra tightly under the table at dinner anyway.

They got to Erica and Lukes house with plenty of time to spare before they were due to start. As it was almost a big event, having the Soulsearcher gang along to the session, everyone had gone all out. While most Fridays were much lower key sessions and didnt often involve costumes if they roleplayed at all, that night all the heroes were in their spandex and the civilians had on their best character identifiers.

Erica led them outside, to where the garden had been draped with fairy lights. They werent the first ones to arrive, but they expected a few more to turn up still, too. There were only a couple of roleplayers there who he hadnt met before.

"So you two met Sebastian at the wedding, right?" Erica asked them, gesturing over to where he sat, fiddling with his phone and looking thoroughly uncomfortable. They both nodded in agreement, and Kurt took a small step closer to his boyfriend, enough that Blaine almost instinctively wrapped his arm around his waist. "Wed better introduce you two to Rory."

"Yeah, youve mentioned him a few times, but-" Kurt said.

"Rory!" Erica called gently, and a girl who had been talking to Marley looked over. It looked like Rory wasnt the boy that Kurt had thought she was at every mention of her before then. You would think someone would have used some pronouns to change the masculine view he had had of her. Erica beckoned her over and as she got closer it became evident that she wasnt quiet as unknown to them as he thought.

"Maxwell and Harry!" she greeted, "well, isnt this a plot twist!"

"Kira!" Blaine said enthusiastically, all but hugging her, "its so good to see you. Small world, huh?"

"I never thought I would actually ever see either of you again. We didnt even talk out of character after you two died."

"Um, context?" Erica asked.

"We met at the single event LARP that happened right after I moved here."

"The one on prom night," Kurt supplied.

"Oh, youve already LARPed together? Thats crazy. Well, anyway, this Kurt and Blaine. Guys, this is Rory, my cousin," Erica introduced. Sebastian strode over, as though it had suddenly occurred to him who had arrived. He slid up next to Blaine and stood close- much, much too close for Kurts liking but just far enough away that Blaine didnt notice how close they had gotten.

"What do you want, Lorelai?" Sebastian said, "Ill have you know now that these two are gay, far more my league than yours." She scowled at him, folding her arms.

"Please, I knew they were together before you knew they existed," she defended.

"As if you arent interested. I suppose Kurt is more your type though, what with his gender fluidity and all." Kurts mouth fell open. He wasnt sure who it was that Sebastian was meant to be insulting anymore.

"Oh my gosh, you really dont grasp the concept of pansexuality, do you?"

"Can you two not fight for long enough for the Dreamweaver folks to get here?" Erica urged. Rory shrugged and walked away as it became obvious that it wouldnt be Sebastian who was leaving. Blaine, ever the polite gentleman, was happy to keep conversing with them, even as Erica left them to introduce Rory to some of the other LARPers. She stood behind Sebastian and mouthed thank you to Kurt, who only moved over slightly to pull Blaine in towards him. He wasnt even listening to the conversation that Sebastian and Blaine were having, something about Dalton and teachers, focussed entirely more on how easily Blaine settled against his body, accommodating his arm around his waist without hesitation.

"Im going to go and talk to Marley," Kurt said when there was a pause in the conversation, Blaine moving his arms from Kurt to let him step away.

"Okay." He leaned up slightly, the way he always did when he wanted Kurt to kiss him. Kurt met him with a soft peck, everything happening as though it was second nature to him. He barely processed what was going on as he did it, and again as Blaine said, "love you," when they broke apart.

"You too," Kurt said, squeezing his hand gently before walking away. He noticed how Blaine stepped further away from Sebastian without him there beside him and tried not to smile too much as he joined some of the others. It turned out none of them had missed that subtleties of their exchange either.