The semester was quickly coming to a close and with it came Christmas and travel plans and finals and projects and panic. The first college semester was always a scary experience, it seemed, since no one was used to the pressures of finals and the fear of having no opportunities to ‘redo' anything. Classes ended and that was that. College just wasn't as forgiving as high school.

Bas was handling the pressure much better than Kurt. Blaine was somewhere in the middle, worrying over everything but also focusing on being a calming force for his frazzled boyfriend. It was just that Kurt put so much pressure on himself. He was so determined to do well and prove himself that he had ridiculous standards that no one else would expect him to meet. He was focused so hard on getting the perfect stitching on his inside pocket in the suit jacket for his final design project that he'd stabbed his finger enough to soak a gauze pad with blood.

Even Santana took an interest in trying to calm Kurt down. “Hummel, seriously, you're starting to worry me. You're fingers are fucking bleeding. That's not normal, okay? You are going to do fine! I don't compliment people, Kurt, you know me. If I'm telling you your shit is good, your shit is good. Alright? Calm down and stop… hurting yourself. You're starting to freak me out.”

It was the genuine concern in the fiery female's tone that made Kurt stop and listen to reason. Instead of trying to ‘fix' parts of his project that were already solidly sewn, the countertenor focused on figuring out what he and the other inhabitants of the apartment were going to do for the holiday to come. Burt and Carole really wanted him to come home for Christmas, especially after he didn't come home for Thanksgiving, and they hoped he'd at least bring Blaine along as well even if they didn't stop and see the other boy's family.

The thing that worried Kurt, though, was what Bas and Santana would do. He wasn't sure if either of them planned to go home for Christmas, or if they even wanted to, and he didn't think they'd want him prying into their business… It was the odd day when Bas and Blaine were both on campus and Kurt had time to work at home (as Isabelle had told him he was not to work during finals time or she'd actually fire him) so he turned to Santana with concern in his crystal gaze.

“Santana? What are you doing for Christmas?” he asked, fingers playing with the bandage on his thumb. His hands were torn up and he knew his father would have words about how picky Kurt had always been about keeping his hands smooth and soft even when he worked in the garage. Such was the life of a designer, though.

The Latina flipped her hair behind her shoulder and smiled lazily, leaning back against the couch and humming to herself. “I'll probably just stay here, since I got a job yesterday. Working at that Spotlight Diner place where the waiters sing… People get discovered there all the time. Could be my ticket to fame.” Her tone was less than convincing, but Kurt didn't comment. “It isn't like I left home all that long ago. I'm not really ready to go back just yet, you know?”

There was a pain in her eyes that told of her heartache over whatever happened between her and Brittany, but again, Kurt didn't ask. She'd talk about it when she was ready. Just like she showed her true concern for Kurt when he needed it most, she'd open herself up when she needed it most. And Kurt would be there. It was the weird sort of friendship they had.

“I think Bas is probably staying here, too. Unless he really wants to deal with Finn and my dad for a week or so. His family is… well, they don't really get along. I think we should have a New Years party here, though. Maybe not invite Rachel and her Ken doll?” They shared a laugh and Kurt shook his head, leaning back with Santana and letting out a sigh. “Who knew college would be like this, huh? The four of us living together of all people, me and Rachel not getting along? I mean… you never know what life will throw at you.”

It was strange, but there was an understanding amongst them all that this was just… right. Somehow, the four of them together, as dysfunctional and odd as it was, it just felt good. They had things in common and they understood each other on some level and it wasn't like dealing with Rachel or Mercedes or any of the Dalton crowd. They were living like adults, dealing with life as it came at them, and they were doing a decent job of it.

Kurt found he was pretty happy with the twists and turns his life had taken. “You know, Satan… I'm glad you're here.”

____________________________________________________________________________

The day of Kurt's presentation of his final project came and Blaine and Sebastian were both there as promised. Santana had given her approval, admitting that she actually couldn't find anything to complain about, which was quite something. Kurt looked confident even as his hands shook slightly.

Modeling came naturally to Sebastian, but not at all to Blaine. Luckily, the dapper male made up for his flubs with his charm, and the teacher and students were all actually impressed with both the work presented and the assistance provided by Kurt's ‘friends'. By that point they all knew that Blaine was his boyfriend, but it was some silent agreement that no one acknowledge relationships when business was involved. Bas found it all pretentious, but held his tongue until they left the campus.

When they'd finished up at Kurt's school, they were all ready to celebrate the end of the semester. It had been the last final between the three of them, and they had a few more days in New York before Kurt and Blaine would head to Ohio for the holiday, so they planned to enjoy themselves for a bit.

“Santana's working at the diner for another… twenty minutes or so? You guys want to go get some food in her section and bug her until she gets off and can eat it with us?” Bas suggested, having grown closer to the sassy female over the last couple weeks. They'd all been bonding more thanks to common threads exposing themselves slowly but surely over time.

It seemed the fact that Bas and Santana were both more than their stand-offish attitudes would have people thing was a big factor in their bonding, not to mention how loyal they secretly were to their friends while pretending they weren't emotionally attached to anyone. It seemed both of them would take a punch for Finn Hudson for some reason, and that was definitely something.

The boys strolled over to the diner, Bas and Blaine underdressed since they had to leave the clothes Kurt had made with the teacher and hadn't thought to bring spares. The chill in the air was bothersome, but the actual clothing wasn't bad, as Bas rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt and popped the collar in a way that made Kurt cringe while Blaine just bounced along in his plain polo. Kurt kept grabbing both of them and pulling them close to share the warmth of his layers, though.

“Santaaaana, your boys are here,” a voice called before a blonde girl with blue tips in her hair wandered over to the three of them and led them to a booth. “Finally out of classes for the semester? That should mean some celebration food and songs. You know I want a repeat of that drunken night last week, right? I've got it on good authority that somebody can hit a high F!” Her eyes lit up on Kurt, who blushed and giggled.

Blaine was already looking at the menu while Bas searched the diner for their dark-haired harpy. “Oh, Dani, hush. You might get a duet later if you promise to sing with me and you keep the diet coke flowing, though,” Kurt said with a wink. The girl grinned and went to fill their usual drinks, even though they were in Santana's section.

Instead of the same blonde returning with the beverages they didn't even need to order, Santana showed up, passing Kurt a diet coke, Blaine a banana shake that Santana curled her lip at, and Bas a water with some lemon and a strange look. “Why are you smirking at me, Meerkat?” she asked, popping a hip while Kurt muttered something about everybody stealing his nicknames.

Sebastian squeezed the lemon into his water and stirred it with a straw, narrowing his eyes on her before he answered. “You haven't asked her out yet. I can't believe you, Lopez. You have zero game. No game at all. I mean, seriously. You were supposed to ask her out last weekend and what? Your balls fell out your ass and scurried off home to Lima? Come on, devil woman! Hit that!” He was hissing but Santana still kept mumbling about him being too loud and Dani overhearing.

Kurt and Blaine shared a look and rolled their eyes. The playboy and sex fiend were having a secret conversation about wooing someone. Really? “This is insane. Look, you want to go out with her, Santana?” Kurt asked, standing as best he could in the booth and motioning to the girl in question. “Hey Dani! What are you doing for New Years?”

While Santana's face grew redder and redder, Kurt proceeded to invite Dani to their party, mentioning that Santana would probably be bored without him and Blaine around and maybe Dani would want to check to make sure there weren't any dead meerkats in the apartment while they were gone. The look the ex-Cheerio shot him promised pain, but it was worth it when her eyes lit up as Dani mentioned taking Santana out for a night while they were away, just to keep Sebastian safe, of course.

Their food came just as Santana got off the clock, so they all sat in the booth and munched on french fries and chicken strips and other fried foods that were not even close to healthy but perfect for celebrating a successful first semester of college. Dani took over their section, so she sneaked a fry and a comment every now and again until Kurt finally decided to take her up on that promised duet.

With a nod, Dani started the music and plucked up her guitar, hopping up on the makeshift stage as Kurt started the song.

“So tell me what are we living for?

I say we chuck inhibitions

And sell our souls to rock and roll,

I need to know what I'm missin…”

Kurt stood on the seat of the booth, grinning as Blaine grinned up at him, then skipping along the path above the booths made just for the performing wait staff. He swung around a support beam close to the stage as Dani took the next verse, finally letting himself relax like he hadn't since the semester got trying.

“So turn it up on the stereo!

Somebody light the ignition,

What the hell are you waiting for?

It's time to make a decision!”

They harmonized then, dancing together back to back, Kurt shimmying even as Dani strummed her guitar, Santana, Bas, and Blaine providing backup vocals.

“Im feeling the world go round,

Its spinning me upside down,

Im finally homeward bound.

Im not giving up,

Its crawling under my skin

And I dont care if I sin,

I really want it,

I really want it,

I really want it right now!

I really want it right now!”

They kept singing, Dani leaning in to Santana flirtatiously as Kurt sang a line to Bas: “You show me hate and I'll show you love,” which made the brunette laugh and scruff up Kurt's hair. They'd already gotten far past that whole issue after all.

The blonde girl promised Blaine that “All you need is inside yourself,” which made him smile rather happily. The whole song went over well, ending in a round of ‘nah-oooh's and a lot of laughter. “Oh, that was fun. Glad you finally loosened up a little, Kurt,” Dani said with a wink before getting back to her work. Santana watched her leave with a longing look in her dark eyes that had Sebastian focusing intently on something in his own mind…

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Hey Bas, are you sure you're gonna be alright without us for a whole week?” It was the last day to schedule their flight and Kurt had put it off until the very last minute. It was time to commit, but he was nervous about leaving the ex-Warbler alone with Santana in their apartment. It was just… odd to not have the three of them together at any given time by then.

For his part, Sebastian just acted like Kurt was being ridiculous worrying about nothing. “Relax, Princess. I'll be fine and I'll play nice with the she-devil and I'll even play match-maker a little if she lets me. Not that the two of them really need much more pushing, mind you…” He grinned and Kurt fake-punched his shoulder.

“That means you can click the ‘buy' button, babe,” Blaine said with a laugh, peering over Kurt's shoulder at their online shopping cart. “My mom and dad are going to be out of town, surprise surprise, but Coop's coming home just to visit us. I think he's been talking to your dad. Or Carole. I'd say Finn since we know they've been bonding or whatever, but I doubt the two of them would ever figure out actual plans if left to just them.”

All three of them laughed at that, then the tickets were purchased and Kurt and Blaine were set to be in Ohio from the twenty-second until early on the twenty-seventh. It wasn't exactly a week, but it was close enough, so Burt was happy with it and Kurt was okay with being away.

For the time being, they had a few days left before it was time to go and Santana had long shifts at the diner so… “You know, you're gonna miss us when we're away, Bas,” Kurt murmured and Blaine moved the laptop out of his way so he could stretch out over both boy's laps. “Gonna be in that big bed all alone…”

Blaine groaned and shifted in their laps while Bas licked his lips. “You two are going to be the death of me…” Sebastian muttered, shoving Blaine out of his lap only to stand up and lead them both to the master bedroom.

“It will be the most amazing death ever, though,” Blaine answered, closing and locking the door behind them.