Blaine was in a haze of comfort when Kurt went quiet. Blaine raised his head only to be shushed by Kurt's finger on his lips. He finally tuned in and heard a key turning in the lock, he sat up and became more alert. The door swung open with a load thud, followed by a familiar woman's voice calling out.

"Hummel, you'd better be decent! I am not dragging this luggage one more step." Kurt rolled his eyes affectionately and stood to help Mercedes through the door. Blaine ran a hand over his hair in an attempt to make sure it wasn't completely unruly. A nervous knot had settled in his stomach as he listened to Kurt argue light-heartedly with his friend.

"Not that you aren't always welcome 'Cedes, but is there any reason you're here with possibly the heaviest suitcase known to man?" Kurt hauled the purple and lime green monstrosity into the living room, flashing a quick smile at Blaine as he turned to hug his friend.

"Best friend privileges. You've been too quiet recently, so I thought I'd come make sure you aren't holed up with a room full of unfinished, but arguably fabulous designs – again!" She squeezed Kurt tightly.

"I may be responsible for that." Blaine stood, smoothing his clothes. Mercedes, obviously noticing him for the first time, raised her eyebrows so high Blaine thought they might disappear into her hairline. She ran a critical eye over Blaine, crossed her arms and pivoted to Kurt, who held his hands up and took a step back.

"You have been holding out on me, Boo." She jabbed an accusatory finger in Kurt's direction and continued." The only reason he's -" She jabbed a thumb at Blaine. "- still breathing is because I trust you and I know you're going to fill me in...now."

There was a threatening tone to her voice that made Blaine shiver. He thought Kurt must be made of iron to not be shaking in his high-end boots. Kurt simply cocked an eyebrow and placed an alabaster hand on his hip. He turned to face Blaine, expression softening considerably.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to get Mercedes settled in." He once again rolled his ocean deep eyes fondly and heaved the over-size suitcase into the bedroom, followed closely by a very suspicious looking Mercedes. Blaine slumped back into the sofa, now thoroughly awake and a little disgruntled that his quiet evening with Kurt had been derailed.

***

Kurt dropped the luggage unceremoniously next to the bed and spun around to Mercedes. He let out a resigned sigh.

"Close the door, I'm going to give you the short version. I am not hiding anything, but my boyfriend is sitting out there by himself, probably biting his nails into oblivion." He held a finger up to silence his friend when she tried to interrupt at the mention of 'boyfriend'.

"Get comfy, don't speak." Kurt folded his slender legs beneath him as Mercedes sat against the headboard, sarcastically zipping her lips. Kurt started talking, trying to compress the story as much as possible, holding his hand up every time she looked like she was about to speak. A myriad of expressions crossed Mercedes' beautiful face.

When Kurt finally stopped talking he was attacked with a warm, almost motherly hug, not the berating he had expected. He wrapped his arms firmly around her, inhaling the faint smell of J'Adore and what smelled suspiciously like bagels. He had really missed his friend.

***

Back in the living room, Blaine was now spread-eagled on the sofa, flicking through the channels. His left leg was flung on the back rest, his arm tucked under his head, playing absently with the curls at the base of his neck. His nervousness had long disappeared, replaced with boredom, when the click of the bedroom door jolted Blaine out of his stupor. He dangled his head awkwardly off the arm of the settee to see who had just vacated the bedroom. He found himself looking at an upside down Kurt, who was rather amused by the sight.

"I know I said make yourself comfortable, but this is a little extreme." The corner of his lips twitched with suppressed laughter as Blaine righted himself ungracefully.

"So, how bad is it? Is Mercedes going to come out here shaking her weave and threatening bodily harm?" He smiled to try and show Kurt he wasn't as nervous as he really felt. This was futile, however, as Kurt approached Blaine and ran a comforting hand through the rumpled curls.

"Blaine, she hasn't had a weave since college – and she's not angry, worried possibly, but she just wants to make sure I'm not going to get hurt." Blaine's heart sank a little at just the knowledge that he had caused enough damage previously that anyone could think he would willingly hurt Kurt again. The old feelings of inadequacy, regret and remorse flooded his system. A soft hand gently turned his head so he was looking directly at Kurt.

"Hey, I know that look. Stop it. It's all in the past, I know the full story now, and you have nothing to feel bad about. I know you won't leave. I trust you, Blaine... OK?" Kurt's face was set determinately, unflinchingly watching Blaine, who brought his honeyed eyes up to meet Kurt's. The sincerity he found there filled him with much warmer feelings. Kurt trusted him. That alone lifted his mood.

He leaned over, catching Kurt's lips in a gentle kiss before tilting his head and deepening it. He ran his tongue lightly along Kurt's bottom lip, moaning quietly as his boyfriend's mouth opened for him. A firm hand cupped the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Kurt shuffled slightly awkwardly until he was sitting in Blaine's lap, granting him access to much more skin. Blaine's head fell back while Kurt kissed a feather light trail down the column of his neck.

"Don't you boys think I saw enough of this in school?" Kurt pulled off Blaine with a faint 'pop', eyeing his friend exasperatedly.

"I am allowed to kiss my boyfriend in my own home 'Cedes!" Kurt kept his hands pressed against Blaine's chest, heat radiating between them.

"You can get your mack on in a minute, I just wanted a drink." She was still watching Blaine somewhat apprehensively, but the venom from earlier had left her voice. They listened to her move around the kitchen, all the while Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear. Blaine felt himself flush red at Kurt's words, knowing Mercedes was only a room away.

He tried to send a pointed look at Kurt, but he just received a smouldering look in return, and damn if Kurt wasn't ridiculously sexy like that. He attempted to remain semi-coherent as Mercedes bade them goodnight, gently closing the door behind her.

Kurt instantly re – attached himself to Blaine's jaw, his fingers smoothly working their way under the sleeve of his t-shirt. A gasp escaped Blaine's parted lips while he held onto Kurt's hips in desperation. God he had missed this. It had taken him a long time to get used to the idea of ever being intimate with someone after the attack. Being with Kurt just felt right, he didn't feel dirty or used or broken. He just felt complete.

He was distracted from Kurt's attentions by Kurt's phone, which was currently doing a very good Barbra Streisand impression. Kurt rested his forehead against Blaine's shoulder, trying to calm his breathing before reaching for his phone. It went quiet almost the minute he touched it and a little symbol appeared in the top left hand corner indicating he had a message. Blaine rubbed little semi-circles into Kurt's hip with his thumbs while Kurt listened to the message. His face turned from surprised to confused to annoyed in record time. He met Blaine's concerned gaze before turning the phone on loudspeaker and replaying the message.

"Hello, Kurt is it? I assume I have the correct number. If Blaine is with you would you ask him to stop being so churlish and answer my calls. I wish to speak with him, honestly, you'd think he was a child again. I shall be leaving for Washington on Tuesday, and I'd really rather not prolong this. He knows my number."

The automated voice cut in, ending Blaine's mother's message, but Blaine wasn't paying attention, he looked up at Kurt incredulously.

"She is unbelievable." He shook his head as if trying to dislodge the message from his brain.

"Do I even want to know how she got my number?" Kurt scanned Blaine's tan face carefully, the relaxed atmosphere from before having been sapped by one of the smallest women Kurt knew... and she wasn't even here. Blaine snorted quietly.

"Probably not. What doesn't she get? I don't want to speak to her." Blaine's cheeks reddened slightly with his rising anger. Kurt waited a moment before speaking again, taking Blaine's warm hand and caressing it calmly.

"What do you want to do? Can I help?" Blaine flashed a look of gratitude to Kurt in response.

"I don't know. I don't want to deal with her right now." Blaine caught the look Kurt was sending him. "I know, just not tonight OK?"

Blaine made a very convincing case. With his tongue. On Kurt's neck.