Kathryn Woodrow tapped her pen against her desk, unsure where to begin her conversation. Facing her across the desk sat Kurt and Blaine. She took a deep breath, and then let it out as a sigh.

"I suppose I'm just... disappointed. Not angry, per se. This just isn't a good image for our charity." She said. "You might need to tell me the whole story of your blossoming romance." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands.

Kurt spoke up first. "Wait, image for your charity? You don't want the world to see that you support gay teenagers just the same as the straight ones? Or that you have a gay celebrity supporter? What's the real problem here?"

"I didn't mean that... I was meaning that we don't want the poor children who we support to think that this is a matchmaking service. That they are guaranteed a relationship if we set them up for a meeting with a supporter."

"Why would they think that? I have met up with a lot more teenagers than just Blaine, and I'm not dating all of them. And it isn't as if I'm cradle snatching- I'm not some thirty-six year old lulling teenagers into bed because I know they have schoolgirl crushes on me!"

"But Blaine is still in our system. What are you supposed to tell people when they ask how you met?" Blaine blushed, thinking about his Twitter Q and A, how he had made a comment regarding how they met- and said it was because of his cancer. He hadn't specifically said that they had met through a meeting set up by the Wish Factory.

"He ages out in less than two months, when he turns eighteen. Then this won't have anything to do with you. I don't think you have much right to be in our business anyway."

"I have one question for you two. One. Simple question, trust me. Answer it truthfully. Did you start dating as a result of your meeting?"

"No." Kurt said. Kathryn turned to Blaine.

"No." Blaine repeated.

"So why don't you tell me your whole charming little story?" Kathryn asked, forcing an overly sweet smile in their direction. Together they muddled through the details, explaining that yes, they had become friends as a result of their meeting, and that there had always been sort of a mutual crush- but they didn't date immediately after that. It took a few months to get there.

Kathryn shook her head. "Okay. We'll... let it pass. I can't do anything about it now. And this mess will tidy itself up when Blaine turns eighteen. At least, I hope so."

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand. The pair thanked her for her time and they left.

Back at the apartment they cuddled up on the couch, watching a movie. It was odd how they never tired of watching movies together. It was something about the wintery cuddle weather that meant they felt obliged to do it. "Do you really have to leave in a few days?" Kurt asked, and Blaine nodded.

"It sucks, I know. But I have school and you need to work- why aren't you working this week, anyway?"

"Because they lump all our holiday time together."

"Then why didn't you go to Lima?"

"And why didn't you come to New York over the summer?" Kurt teased. "I have other things to do. I'm making progress on my scripts and stuff. It's good for me. I don't need my family breathing down my neck while I'm trying to work." Kurt had been dreaming of the day he could write his own show, and he had been planning it out for a long time. He used to write in his breaks on set, but now he spent all that time texting or calling Blaine. He was finally being presented with the time to sit down and get somewhere with it.

"Will I ever get to read the elusive scripts?"

"Not until after my pilot gets filmed and we get picked up by a network."

"Meanie." Blaine pouted, and Kurt kissed his pout away.

"I'll be in Ohio for Christmas, though. I skipped Thanksgiving, we had a little cast party- but that's only a few weeks away. I don't want to go back to Ohio every other week. I love New York."

"I don't blame you." Blaine said, although he wished Kurt had been closer for Thanksgiving. That would have made his waiting to see him slightly easier. He couldn't help but think what it would have been like going shopping for Black Friday with Kurt.

"How's school?" Kurt asked, snuggling closer, as if it were possible.

"Good, good. Uneventful, at the moment."

"Do you know what's kind of cute? We're going to be graduating at about the same time. Well, Elliot will be, anyway. And then I'll be leaving Highlands behind, except for the odd reunion episode."

"Isn't the thought of the real world scary?" Blaine breathed, and Kurt pulled his arms tighter around him.

"Hey, for me this is the real world. I've lived by myself for more than a year now. I'm doing fine, and you will too."

"That wasn't a cue to make this a conversation about you." Blaine said, mocking upset, joking because he wasn't sure how else to cope with it. Kurt was there- he was okay. He had his doubts about the future, but the one thing he knew he wanted was to be in Kurt's arms.

"Sorry," Kurt said, "have you thought about what you want to do for college? Or... if you even want to go to college?"

"I want to be here," Blaine said quickly, "in New York. Either NYU or NYADA or, I don't know, maybe Juilliard? I think I want to do musical theatre more than anything else. It's where my heart is."

"I think you could really pull that off." Kurt imagined a Broadway stage with Blaine standing on it, a Fiyero or a Tony, singing as if his life depended on it, giving all his heart and soul in every performance, as he always seemed to do with his show choir.

"Thanks. It would mean I'm a lot closer, huh?"

"Yeah," Kurt smiled, "I love you, Blaine."

"I love you too." Kurt yawned and nuzzled into Blaine. "Are you ready for bed then, Kurt?"

"Mm." Blaine shuffled along the sofa, prying Kurt off him in the process. Kurt whined at the loss of the human heat source and Blaine laughed softly. He reached for the remote and flipped the TV off. He stood up, and when Kurt didn't follow he stepped closer and scooped his boyfriend up from the sofa. Kurt looped his arms around Blaine's neck as he was carried through to his bedroom and placed safely on the bed.

Blaine decided that he wasn't going to sleep without changing at least a little bit. They had changed earlier at Kurt's insistence that what they were wearing wasn't fit for cuddling. Kurt had chosen to change into sweats and a t-shirt, so Blaine wasn't particularly worried about his comfort- but in the height of his laziness he hadn't done anything about his torso. He was still dressed in a shirt and vest alongside his sweats. He stripped off his top half, and decided that the bed looked too warm and inviting to bother finding anything to replace his shirt from his suitcase.

He slid into bed alongside Kurt, who automatically pressed into his side and started trailing his fingers along Blaine's chest in small swirling patterns. "You're so gorgeous, Blaine," Kurt said, "You should never wear a shirt ever again."

Blaine kissed Kurt's forehead. "Go to sleep, love, I'll still be here in the morning."

"Will you still be shirtless?"

Blaine chuckled. "If you like."

"Mkay." It wasn't long before they were both asleep. It was odd how much more comfortable it was to sleep curled around someone else.

Kurt woke up to find that Blaine wasn't in bed next to him. He slipped out of bed and rubbed his eyes as he passed through the living room to the kitchen. Blaine was there, shirtless as promised, leaning on the counter and waiting for the kettle. "Morning," Blaine said, lighting up when Kurt came in, "tea?"

"Sure," Kurt said, "thanks. Good morning." He crossed the kitchen to Blaine and kissed him softly before passing back to the table and sitting down, booting up his laptop. He finished doing the usual, clearing his email and the like, and then had a mug of tea placed in front of him. He thanked Blaine for it and closed his computer, choosing to warm his hands on the mug. They chatted about how they would spend the day, since Blaine would be leaving the day after. After reaching a mutual agreement that it didn't matter what they were doing so long as they were together they drained their mugs and headed back into Kurt's bedroom. They climbed back into Kurt's bed and snuggled together, enjoying the warmth.

"You can spare me for one night, can't you?" Blaine said, while snuggled up.

"Why would I need to do that?" Kurt questioned, figuring there was a reason Blaine asked.

"Liv asked me to be her date to James' wedding."

"James the-hot-brother James?" Blaine nodded. "James first-crush James?" Blaine nodded again. "Just to clarify- is he marrying a girl?" Blaine laughed.

"Yes. Sadly James is very much straight. I saw him for a minute when I was staying at Liv's place. He was drunk and he went upstairs with his fiancée and I'm ninety percent sure they had sex. While Liv and I were downstairs watching Disney movies in a blanket fort."

"Is he still hot?" Kurt asked, "I'm not being a jealous boyfriend, seriously. You can find other guys attractive... also you're blushing now. I'm only asking because you told me he was the first guy you ever liked." He teased lightly, and kissed Blaine on the cheek.

"Um, yes," Blaine responded, "but I don't like him, Kurt. I'm going so that Liv won't die of boredom."

"You don't like weddings?" Kurt wasn't going to admit to Blaine that he had fantasised about the day he could proudly kiss him at their ceremony, dance their first dance as a married couple, slide into bed next to him and call him his husband. Maybe he was being hopelessly romantic and his brain was moving too fast for the rest of him to catch up, but he liked the thought. He didn't even know if Blaine wanted to marry anyone, let alone him.

"No, I love weddings, believe me." Kurt exhaled in relief. He loved weddings. That was a start. They could talk about it all later. "But she doesn't really know any of James' friends well enough to hang out with them for an entire reception, you know? And she needs someone to dance with. I don't mean to brag, but I am an excellent dancer." Blaine flashed Kurt a grin.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. "

"You're all talk, Blaine Anderson. I don't believe you." Kurt teased.

"You've danced with me before!" Blaine argued.

"Not properly! We just kind of stood close to each other for a few songs." Blaine couldn't deny that that had been the case.

"Are you complaining about that?"

"Not at all, it was great. But I still don't think you can dance." Blaine slipped out of the bed and extended a hand to Kurt.

"Kurt Hummel, may I have this dance?" Kurt got out of the bed and stepped towards Blaine, taking his hand.

"There's no music."

"Who needs music?" Blaine twirled Kurt towards him, and they began to dance, slowly and softly. They twirled around the room until eventually Blaine steered them back towards the bed, pushing Kurt gently back on it and resting in a tangled heap on top of him. Their fingers laced together and Blaine kissed Kurt softly. "So?" Blaine asked, raising his eyebrows at him teasingly.

"Okay. You win this round."

"But...?"

"But you still haven't put a shirt on so I win too." Blaine laughed.

"Don't you think this is a little unfair? That I still haven't seen you shirtless at all? You keep teasing me about it, too." It was like there had been some unspoken agreement between Kurt and Olivia, to constantly point out to Blaine that there was such a lack of shirtless Kurt in the world.

"Maybe I'm just not as confident as you are. But think how rewarding it will be when you do see me shirtless, Blaine. Won't it have been worth the wait?" Kurt half-teased. He only said it to wind him up originally, but he wasn't particularly confident with his body.

"Kurt, it's just a bit of skin. I'm not going to pressure you into anything, you know that."

"Yeah, I do," Kurt said, "I trust you Blaine, really. I'm just... body sensitive. But the time will come, okay? I promise it will happen."

"Really?" Blaine sounded unrealistically hopeful to Kurt.

"Yes, silly!"

"I don't think you should be body sensitive, Kurt. You're beautiful. I know what you're like- I could tell you that I think you're hot as much as I like and I would never stir a reaction from you because it's like it doesn't count- but you need to know, Kurt, that you're so much more than that. You are stunning. Breathtaking." Kurt's cheeks began to flood red. "I only say it because I mean it, Kurt." Blaine kissed Kurt's neck lightly.

"I- thanks, Blaine."

"Just don't ever talk yourself down, please, Kurt. I could find you hundreds of people who agree with me, honestly." Kurt nudged Blaine lightly and he rolled off him, leaving their hands wound together.

"Come on; I have an idea. Put some more clothes on." Kurt put on his favourite hoodie- the Dalton one that had been a gift from Blaine, a souvenir of their ice cream trip- and put his shoes on. No one was going to see them, and he didn't need to worry about what anyone would think of the way they were dressed.

"I thought you never wanted me to wear a shirt again?" Blaine teased, although he did find more clothing anyway, as Kurt had told him to. Kurt kissed his cheek.

"You can take it all off again in a bit, if you really want." He grabbed Blaine's hand and pulled him from the bedroom through to the living room, and then out into the hallway. Kurt led Blaine to the barely used staircase and they climbed up a flight, stepping out onto the roof.

"This is one of my favourite places in the world," Kurt said, practically whispering as though it was his best kept secret, "I don't bring anyone up here. I'm not even sure if Leah knows that this is where I go when I just need to think."

"And you're sharing it with me?"

"Of course, Blaine, and there's such a great view of the city..." Kurt pulled Blaine over to the edge of the roof, resting the hand that was free on the ledge.

"New York is so pretty," Blaine said, "I will never get sick of this skyline."

"It's good that you'll be here for College next fall then, huh? Then you can come and visit up here as much as you like."

"Will you join me?"

"If that's what you want." Kurt smiled.

"It's freezing up here. I'm pleased you made me put on a shirt." Kurt moved over to wrap his arms around Blaine.

"Better?"

"Mm. But maybe we should go inside soon. Share more body warmth. You know, in the interest of our health." Kurt laughed and pressed a kiss to Blaine's cheek.

"There is no one I would rather share my heat with."

"I love you too."

"We can go inside now. The city will still be here another day." Kurt kept Blaine pulled close to him as they descended the stairs back to the apartment. He tried the door to find that they had locked themselves out, and knocked politely. They heard Leah approaching the door.

"Give me a second; I need to answer the door." They heard her say, although there was no clarity as to whom it was directed. She opened the door and rolled her eyes. She was speaking into her phone. "Your brother and the boyfriend locked themselves out of the apartment. I thought it might have been something exciting."

"Are you talking to Finn?" Kurt asked, stepping into the apartment.

"I'm not talking to Finn, Kurt. Why would I even do that?" Leah countered.

"I don't know, planning me a surprise party?"

"Finn's the only brother you have, right, Kurt?" Blaine questioned.

"Yeah, as far as I'm aware, anyway." Kurt said.

"So she's talking to my brother then."

Kurt stopped in his tracks, pulling Blaine to a stop with him. He spun them around to face Leah. "Oh," he said, "So the coffee date went well then?" Leah went bright red. She disappeared into her bedroom, giggling about something that Cooper had just said. "We will return to this once she gets off the phone. I really want her to talk about the date with us."

"I know, and it was totally us that set them up. They wouldn't have done it without a subtle push from us." Kurt steered Blaine with his arm still firmly around his waist to the sofa, where they sat down in synchronisation. "And trust me, there is no point even trying to ask Coop."

"We will get answers from her at dinner. I have blackmail material otherwise."

"What kind of blackmail material? Like, nude photos you would leak or something slightly less villainous?"

"Contrary to popular belief, just because I'm not attracted to Leah- or women in general for that matter- she has never asked me to take pictures of her without her clothes," Kurt said, "however, I do have access to pictures of her in a duck costume I can threaten her with."

"Wait, a duck costume? That's your hype?"

"Oh, but you haven't seen the duck costume." Kurt found the picture on his phone to show Blaine, who promptly started laughing. The duck costume wasn't flattering in the slightest, and Leah looked positively trashed in the pictures. Blaine figured she had been drinking a fair bit that night.

"Halloween party?"

Kurt nodded. "Leah hasn't even touched alcohol since. She had no recollection of insisting to use my phone to take those selfies. I have them saved in several places because she keeps trying to delete them."

"Send them to me and then she will never be able to delete them. Saving copies in Ohio is pretty sneaky."

"You are an evil genius, Blaine Anderson. When you aren't too busy being an adorable baby cupcake, you can be pretty diabolical."

"Adorable baby cupcake?" Blaine laughed lightly.

"You seem surprised by that definition. How else would I describe you?"

"Charming? Sexy? Irresistible?" Kurt laughed. "Yeah, okay. Baby cupcake."

"Not that you aren't the other things too, but..."

"Oh, shut up, Kurt, now I'm going to get body sensitive." Kurt nuzzled against him.

"Noted." There was nothing Kurt wanted less than for Blaine to get body sensitive. A body sensitive Blaine wouldn't be okay with walking around shirtless. He much preferred this confident Blaine.

"Stop looking so upset, Kurt, I'm not going to get shy because of a thirty second conversation we had." Kurt hadn't realised that his face had fallen. He forced a smile.

"Oh."

"You know, I've warmed up a bit now, I could take my shirt off again..." Blaine said, and Kurt laughed. Leah picked that moment to walk into the living room, still with cell phone in hand.

"Was that my baby brother saying he could take his shirt off? Again?!" Cooper said, loud enough to be audible to Kurt and Blaine.

"NO SHIRTLESSNESS IN THE LIVING ROOM!" Leah exclaimed, and Blaine and Kurt couldn't contain their laughter.

"He has the Anderson gene. If he wasn't currently staying with his boyfriend of three months I would endorse his shirtlessness, really, because I'm positive he has a well formed adult body these days. If he follows after his extraordinarily attractive older brother at all, you probably do want to see him shirtless."

"I agree, Cooper!" Kurt said, loud enough that Cooper would be able to hear it on the other end of the phone. Leah left the room as quickly as she could manage.

"I'm so sorry, that was weird..." Leah said as she shuffled back to her bedroom.

"I don't think Leah is comfortable with me removing my shirt." Blaine said. Kurt started laughing again. He didn't get any further, as Kurt buried his face in Blaine's shoulder, trying to stop laughing and failing miserably.

"How much longer until you're in Ohio, again?" Blaine asked Kurt, as they stood at the departures at the airport, waiting to see Blaine off. Leah had long since gone to find coffee, knowing she couldn't possibly watch the others be sickeningly sappy as they said goodbye.

"Just a couple of weeks. I'm staying from before Christmas through to after New Year's, to avoid the travel glut."

"What's Leah up to?"

"She's going to come with me. Her parents are on a cruise or something." Kurt shrugged. Leah had always been a welcome extension to the Hudmel family, and there was no reason for her to have Christmas alone.

"Cooper promised to be home for Christmas this year. Do you think that both of you can sit through dinner with my parents?"

"Of course. If that makes things right for you, I'll do it."

"I know you don't like my dad, but really, if you give him a chance..."

"Blaine, you honestly have the biggest heart. You have forgiven him so much for all the shit he has put you through- and if you can forgive him for that, then I have to as well."

"Okay." There was an announcement for Blaine's flight to begin boarding. Blaine turned to Kurt and gave him an unsure smile. Kurt wound his arms around Blaine's neck and kissed him.

"I'll see you soon, Blaine," he whispered.

"I'll miss you."

"Call me when you get there."

"I promise." Blaine removed Kurt's arms from around his neck and held his hands, squeezing them lightly. He ran his fingers along the silver band of Kurt's watch, the one that had been their three month anniversary gift. He kissed Kurt again.

"I don't want to have to let you go."

"Neither, but I'll see you so soon, Kurt. So soon."

"I love you."

"I love you too." Kurt kissed Blaine one last time, before finally letting him slip through the gate and board the plane.