Half an hour later, Kurt and Blaine found themselves off the path and wondering through the freshly cut grass of Central Park. Their hands were still joined and their shoulders were glued together. Kurt had pointed out his favorite places in the park and Blaine gave his input on the different aspects.

Blaine finally stood still and pulled Kurt to a stop beside him. "Would you like to sit down?" he suggested."

"Here?" Kurt looked around took in the landscape that surrounded them—the trees were almost completely bare by mid-October, the bushes had lost their greenery, and the grass was slowly dying. However, Kurt still couldn't believe how beautiful the nature all around him was. "Sure." Blaine knelt down to sit on the ground and stretched his legs out in front of him. Kurt did the same and tucked his legs underneath him. "You're lucky I like you. This could give me grass stains and ruin my clothes."

Blaine turned his head towards Kurt. "You like me?" he said inquisitively.

Kurt blushed, but kept his eyes locked on Blaine's. "That's nothing you shouldn't have already known." He nervously plucked a few pieces of grass out of the ground and tossed them aside.

Blaine began to stare at him intently. "Can I ask you a question? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"I'll try my best."

Blaine took a deep breath and leaned back on his elbow. "Why did you decide to become a flight attendant? You seem like such an intelligent, likeable, motivated person. Why didn't you do something else with your life? Why do you like flying so much?"

Kurt leaned back into a laying position and stared up at the sky, remaining quiet. Blaine laid down beside him and rested his folded hands on his stomach, allowing Kurt the time he needed before answering. Kurt didn't know how to answer Blaine's question. There were so many aspects of his life and past that he hadn't been comfortable enough to share with anyone, not since they happened. He wanted to be honest with Blaine, but he wasn't ready to tell him everything. Kurt was afraid of opening himself up to the pain he'd experienced. He was afraid of breaking down in front of Blaine. But most of all, he was afraid he'd realize that if Blaine had been in his life when he was in high school, he wouldn't have allowed Kurt to give up everything he had left behind.

"Flying isn't something I'd always been accustomed to. When I was growing up, it was just my dad and I. He always had to be at the shop, even on his days off, so it didn't leave us with much time to travel. My mom died when I was younger. I don't remember much about her, but she would always tell me that no matter what, I should make sure I saw the beauty in life. She would tuck me in every night and tell me how much better her life was with me in it. One of the few things I still remember about her is the Fridays we'd spend together. She would pick me up from school and take me to the park. Even as a child, I didn't like to run around and get dirty, so instead of playing on the slide or her pushing me on the swing, we'd just walk. We'd walk up and down the paths that snaked through the park. Maybe that's where my love for nature began. She loved taking photographs of the flowers and trees, the birds in the sky, anything she saw as beautiful so that she could mark it in time. In her eyes, everything held some kind of beauty, even the things that people would normally turn away from. One of the days that stands out to me the most is one of the last Fridays I got to spend with her before she died. Looking back, I think she knew it was her time to go. She sat me down in the grass, kind of like we are now, and took me into her arms."

Blaine focused on Kurt attentively and noticed the first tear leak out of the corner of his eyes and fall down his cheek. Without thinking, he reached up and brushed it away before taking ahold of Kurt's hand. "S-she… she told me that no matter what I had to remember those moments. I had to remember what was important in life and the beauty that God had created. I-I'm not much of a religious person, but my mom was. She went to church every Sunday and Wednesday. She taught a Sunday School class and played hymns on the piano every night. That day in the park, she told me that I had to get out of Ohio one day and see the world in the way she was never able to. I promised her I would. That day, I made a promise to her as well as myself that I'd make it out of Lima. She wanted me to visit other countries and immerse myself in other cultures. My mom was the most important person in my life. She was my inspiration, the person I looked up to the most, and she was my best friend. I know that sounds crazy, but she was. I miss her so much, but when things get hard, I think about her. Maybe she's up there in Heaven looking down on me, or maybe Heaven doesn't even exist. I don't know. But wherever she is, I know she's looking down on me and she's happy with my life.

"Being a flight attendant allows me to travel. It allows me to experience parts of the world that she wasn't able to. I'm doing this not only for me, but for her. She's with me wherever I go; it's like I can feel her presence. I enjoy being free to go wherever I want. I'm not tied down to a city, sitting in an office all day doing paperwork or taking phone calls or answer emails. I'm living my life. Really living it, and I'm doing it all for her." Kurt felt Blaine squeeze his hand slid a little closer to him.

"I'm not good with words. I never have been. Maybe that's another reason why I like art, nature, the beauty of life so much. It's able to express what I'm not. What's inside of me, I can find in something as simple as a flower petal or as complex as the birds in the sky. I've never been one to be able to form the right words. I'm not some big, poetic speaker. When I speak, it's all jumbled up words. But life. Looking at everything around me, it's its own unique form of poetry. It's beautiful."

In that moment, after hearing Kurt say what he'd said and open up to him as much as he had, Blaine knew he was falling in love. Kurt was someone he could see himself with for the rest of his life, and the thought terrified him. He wasn't ready to love; he didn't know how to love. But loving Kurt seemed easy. It seemed effortless and a warm, comfortable feeling ran through his entire body.

Without giving it a second though, he leaned his head forward and gently placed his lips against Kurt's, lightly cupping his pale cheek. Kurt smiled into the kiss and wrapped an arm around Blaine's side. When they pulled away, neither of them said a word, but they both knew what was happening. Somehow, deep down, Kurt knew he was in love with Blaine and Blaine was in love with him in return. It wasn't his first kiss with a boy, but it was his first kiss with someone he cared deeply about. He knew that Blaine was in his life for good. Kurt wouldn't wake up in a week and walk away like he had with ever other man in the past. The connection he had with Blaine ran deeper than anything he'd ever had with anyone before. Even without words, they were each other's everything. Even their unspoken thoughts were known to each other the moment they locked eyes. Kurt nestled into Blaine's side and buried his face in his chest.

They laid in silence for a few minutes, Kurt taking in the sweet smell of Blaine's clothes as Blaine stared at the few stars in the sky that were bright enough to see through the lit up city. Blaine absentmindedly rubbed his hand up and down Kurt's arm and pulled him closer to keep the warmth between them. The cool October night wasn't unbearable if they were together, but alone, it could get a bit frigid. Blaine wanted to stay in that moment for the rest of the night. Although he knew he couldn't, he felt like he could fall asleep in the middle of Central Park with Kurt in his arms.

Eventually, Kurt shifted his head and rested his chin on Blaine's shoulder, looking up with his sparkling blue eyes. "Hey, Blaine?"

"Hm?" Blaine tilted his head to the side, only to be met with Kurt's face just mere inches from his.

"Would you like to come to my place tomorrow night? We can make dinner and hang out." His arm tightened around Blaine's torso. "You don't have to if you don't want to, I just thought maybe you would like to," he quickly added.

"How early can I get there?" Blaine grinned in response and Kurt relaxed. He tightly squeezed Blaine before standing and extending a hand to help him up as well. Blaine hesitantly glanced down at his watch and looked back at Kurt with a saddened smile. "I don't want to put an end to the night, but it's getting kind of late, and I have to work in the morning."

"Oh, y-yeah. Sure."

When Kurt looked towards the ground, Blaine placed a finger under his chin and forced them to lock eyes. "Can I walk you home and catch a cab from there?"

"I think I'll stay here a bit longer. It's peaceful at night without all of the tourists. I can walk you to the cab though."

"No, it's fine." Blaine's hand lowered and found Kurt's hand, lacing their fingers together. "I'll just see you tomorrow. I get off work at 4:00, so is 5:00 at your house okay?"

If Kurt had his way, he wouldn't even have to leave Blaine at all. "It's perfect."

"Great. I'll call you tomorrow before I head over and get the directions from you." Blaine leaned forward and placed a kiss on Kurt's cheek before giving his hand another squeeze and pulling away slightly. "Thank you for tonight; it's more fun than I've had in a long time."

"Me too. I can't remember the last time I was this happy."

"I'm glad. Be sure to let me know when you've made it home safely, okay?" Kurt nodded. "Goodnight, Kurt." He released Kurt's hand and walked to the path before disappearing from sight, leaving Kurt standing in the park, alone and speechless.

After a long day at work, Blaine finally found himself walking down the streets of New York making his way to Kurt's apartment. His directions were easy to follow and before he knew it, he was standing in front of apartment 218, unable to knock. His hands were balled, clenched so tight from his nerves that they were starting to lose feeling. He wanted to knock, but part of him was scared about what would happen once he did. He was scared of the possibility of losing the friendship he had with Kurt once he was on the other side of the door. Although he had experience, he felt like an amateur when it came to dates and love, and he didn't want to say the wrong thing or be too forward. It may not have even been a date at all. Kurt may have just wanted someone to hang out with so he wouldn't be spending the night alone, and Blaine happened to be the one person who didn't have much of a social life outside of work.

He finally sucked up the courage and quickly knocked on the door, knowing Kurt was waiting on him. Not even ten seconds had passed before Blaine was staring him in the face.

"Hi," Kurt spoke first. Blaine couldn't help looking him up and down, taking notice of the tight jeans he was wearing and the purple shirt which accented his arm muscles quite well. Blaine tried to tear his eyes away before he could notice he was staring. "Come in." Kurt opened the door even more and stepped aside.

His apartment was much different from what Blaine had expected. The living room was to the right and housed a single couch and a small entertainment center. Behind the living room, he could see what looked like a doorway to the kitchen. "Hey." Once he took everything in, he looked down at his hands.

"Are you ok?" Kurt asked, concerned.

"Yeah. I'm just nervous." Blaine decided being honest with him from the beginning was the best idea. After all, Kurt was fairly new to everything as well so he felt more comfortable sharing his nerves.

"Why are you nervous?" Kurt took a step forward, but still maintained his distance.

"It's been a long time since I've done this."

Kurt grabbed his hand. "Hey, relax. You're not going to mess anything up if that's what you're worried about." Blaine didn't understand how he could be so calm about everything. So comfortable. So good at this. "You hungry? I hope you didn't eat too much today."

"I'm starved, actually. I skipped lunch. I had a bunch of meetings and paperwork to get caught up on."

"Let's make dinner then. I've got every possible pizza topping you could ask for."

"Anchovies?" I joked.

"Um…let me just run to the store," he laughed, and his laugh was one of the most beautiful things Blaine had heard all day. Kurt's laugh was the sound that could instantly calm his nerves and make him forget about everything that had happened earlier in the day.

Blaine laughed along. "I really am glad to be here."

"Good. I'm glad you're here too." Kurt pulled on his hand. "Come on. Let's go to the kitchen. You can tell me all about your day at work while we attempt to make a pizza." They walked into the kitchen and Blaine situated himself against the counter near the edge of the room so he wouldn't be in the way. "Have you ever made pizza before?"

"Does frozen pizza count?" Blaine moved a few steps closer to Kurt.

"You're in for a fun time if you've never done this before. My dad was never one to cook, so I ended up making all of our meals growing up, and pizza was one of my go-to dinners. I've been making them for as long as I can remember. Do you wanna pass me the flour?" As Blaine handed him the container of flour, he noticed several bowls filled with toppings lined up in the center. "I didn't know what you liked on your pizza. I personally like green peppers and tomatoes. It may sound disgusting, but it's actually pretty delicious."

"Well maybe I should try that." Blaine watched as Kurt poured various ingredients onto a bowl, creating what was starting to resemble dough.

"Get over here and help me knead this. We're supposed to be making it together." Kurt nodded his head in Blaine's direction and motioned him over.

"Okay, but if the finished product is unrecognizable, don't say I didn't warn you!" Blaine closed the distance between them. He was standing so close that he could smell Kurt's cologne every time he moved and could feel his warm skin brush up against him several times. It was enough contact to send a wave of warmth through Blaine's entire body.

"You'll do great. Just hold your hands out." Blaine did as told and Kurt sprinkled a light layer of flour on each hand, rubbing his fingers through it to spread it evenly across Blaine's palm. "That'll keep the dough from sticking to your fingers."

Without giving much thought to the idea, Blaine placed his hands on each side of Kurt's face, hoping he wouldn't regret it. Kurt froze for a few seconds, standing in shock, before sticking his hand in the flour jar and flicking it in Blaine's face. "So this is how you like to play?" Blaine teased. He took Kurt's smile as permission to go on, so he grabbed a handful of cheese and dropped it above his head. Kurt returned the favor by dumping the entire bowl of olives on top of Blaine's curls.

For the next few minutes, they ran around the kitchen, throwing every topping they had at each other. Blaine finally managed to corner him, leaning his hands against the counter with one arm on each side of Kurt's body. He didn't know what he was going to do because neither one of them were armed, and if he moved Kurt was sure to make an escape. They stood inches apart, their bodies practically smashed together. Blaine reached his right hand down and poked Kurt in the side, testing to see how ticklish he was. Blaine soon realized just how ticklish Kurt was when he squirmed to the floor, landing on his butt. Just when Blaine thought he'd won the fight, he felt a hand impact the back of his knees and his legs gave out. He landed on the floor in between Kurt's legs and when he turned to look at him, his flour-streaked face was inches away from Blaine's.

He felt Kurt wrap his arms around Blaine's body and rest his clasped hands on his stomach. "I say we both give in and declare this a tie." He could feel Kurt's warm breath on his lips. "Would you still like to make a pizza? I've got more toppings." Blaine nodded, unable to speak with Kurt so close. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Kurt leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Blaine's lips.

Blaine wasn't entirely sure what they were. They had kissed, twice now. Kurt obviously trusted him enough to talk about his past, a part of his life that meant a lot to him. They flirted back and forth and enjoyed each other's company, but they had never talked about what was going on. They were friends, but hadn't even verbally acknowledged it. Blaine wanted more from Kurt, but he was terrified Kurt wasn't ready for a relationship.

"I'm still starving, by the way. We should make this quick." Blaine stood up, extending his hand out to help Kurt up. He took it and pulled him up but they didn't release hands. "I think our dough survived that little attack."

"You better watch out from now on. I'm going to get you back some time and it's going to be when you least expect it. Just wait." He placed Blaine's hand into the bowl and they started kneading the dough, their hands occasionally brushing against each other. "So how did your day at work go? You haven't told me what you actually do."

"My dad owns an insurance company. It's based in New York, but there's an office in LA as well. I'm actually at the head of the company along with him, which requires me to fly back and forth from New York to LA every week. I have to meet with customers, oversee the other employees, take care of major paperwork, and sign more papers than you could imagine. It's a decent job, I guess. It pays well and I have job stability. Everyone needs insurance and my dad isn't going to fire his son unless I do something to deserve it."

"But you aren't happy there." It wasn't a question.

Blaine shrugged. "Everyone thinks my dad is a bad guy. Everyone in the company, that is. They actually don't like working for him because he can be a hard ass, but that's what makes him respected in the industry. He doesn't take anyone's crap. I would've loved to go into teaching, but my dad said if I went to school to teach, I'd have to pay for it on my own, and I didn't have the money at the time. I was a poor high school graduate who had just applied for his first job. College wasn't an option at the time."

Kurt rolled the dough into a ball and placed it in the middle of the pan before spreading it out. "Why didn't he want you to teach? What's so bad about educating others?"

"He didn't think I would be reaching my full potential. He also believed it was a stupid profession to go into in this day and age. I would be competing with too many people for too little jobs. Schools are letting so many teachers go, and they don't get paid very well as it is." When Kurt was ready, Blaine poured the sauce onto the dough and began spreading it with a spoon.

"So, he wanted you to work for him instead?"

"I think it was always his plan. He worked for another insurance company until I was eight, when he broke off and started his own. He…uh…He was actually the guy on the plane the day we met. The rude businessman who was complaining about his coffee."

"You have got to be kidding me. "Kurt stood with his mouth gaping and eyes wide.

Blaine tossed some cheese on top of the pizza. "Yeah. He's really not a bad guy. I know it seems like it, but he looks out for me and that's what matters. He's there for his family. He just expects more from people than he should which leads to him coming off as a bit of a jerk.

"You speak highly of him and you seem to have good judgment. I trust you if you say he's a good guy."

"He would actually disapprove of you," Blaine admitted. "That's probably why he treated you so bad. He thinks people like you are those who failed in college or didn't have a job lined up for them once they graduated. He feels like what you do is a sign of failure in life and all you're good for is doing what other people ask of you."

Blaine placed the last bits of tomato on the pizza and Kurt slipped it into the oven. "But you don't think that?"

"I don't judge people. I get judged enough by being gay. It's not in my place to tell anyone else how to live their life or what will make them happy. You told me why you wanted to be a flight attendant. My dad may not be able to see that there are deeper things in life and happiness than money or success or status, but I do. I think what you're doing is great, Kurt."

Kurt moved closer and wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist, pulling him into a hug. "Thank you, Blaine. That means a lot. I- I don't usually talk about her. My mom. It hurts too much to go back to those times, but it's nice to talk to someone who understands."

"You should talk about her more often. Your face lights up when you're talking about her. It's obvious how happy she made you."

"I trust you. To be completely honest, I haven't told anyone about the conversations we had in the park, not even my dad. It's just not something I wanted to share with anyone."

Blaine's face was filled with regret. "Oh, Kurt. You know you didn't have to tell me about that. It was something private between the two of you and-"

Kurt placed a finger against Blaine's lips to silent him. "I wanted to. I wanted you to know about her. She would like you. She liked anyone who cared about her only son; anyone who made me smile."

Blaine began to blush and looked away. "I'm glad you told me about her. I wish I could've met her. She sounds like an incredible lady."

"She was." Kurt took a deep breath and pulled away from Blaine. "You ready to sit?"

Blaine nodded. "I'm ready to sit." They joined hands and walked into the living room. While their pizza was cooking, Kurt continued to talk as Blaine listened attentively to the sound of Kurt's voice, wondering if there was any sound more beautiful than the one he was hearing.

"What would you like to do now? This night is just as much about you as it is about me." Kurt took a slice of pizza and bit into it. "You… are a fantastic pizza maker. Seriously. Try it."

Blaine grabbed a slice of his own and bit into it. They went with his signature green pepper and tomato pizza. "This is amazing. You have good taste."

"With the toppings? Told you. I knew you'd like it." Kurt opened his can of pop and sat the other next to Blaine. "? Game? Just talk? What would you like to do? We've got all night."

Blaine looked around the room as if it would somehow help him decide. That's when he noticed a stack of movies beside the TV stand. There were quite a few, but one particular series stood out. "What would you say if I told you I've never watched a single Harry Potter movie?" He grinned, knowing that to any Potterhead, that was some kind of cruel joke.

"You…never?" Blaine shook his head and Kurt stood up, making his way towards the stack. "You do realize that I never would've even talked to you if I had known you were a Harry Potter virgin." Panic streaked across Blaine's face and he worried he had already made a mistake. Kurt noticed his expression and smiled. "Hey, relax. I was kidding." After slipping the first movie into the DVD player, he returned to Blaine's side with two remotes in his hands. "You ready to go to Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Let's go," Blaine nodded. Once Kurt pressed play, his left hand found Blaine's right, their fingers intertwining. Halfway into the movie, Kurt wrapped his arms around him and pulled their bodies close. Blaine rested his head on his left shoulder and their free hands found each other.

Blaine had to admit, the movie was a lot better than he'd expected. The entire phenomenon seemed like a fad and he'd never been one to go along with what everyone else was doing, but he had a feeling if he hung out with Kurt long enough, that would slowly change. Not in a bad way of course, he just made him feel more comfortable being himself. The entire concept of the movie astounded Blaine, from the well-written storyline to the unique characters and the imaginative world that JK Rowling had created. When the credits began scrolling across the screen he was a bit disappointed.

"It's only 7:00." Blaine looked up at Kurt when he spoke. "You up for year two?" His voice sounded anxious.

"Yes. Absolutely!" Blaine sighed in relief, knowing he could stay cuddled on the floor with Kurt.

"You liked it?"

"Maybe…" he grinned guiltily.

Kurt shifted slightly but didn't let go of Blaine's hand or remove his arm from behind him. "I…have a suggestion. You don't have to accept my any means, but," he paused. "Would you…would you maybe want to stay here tonight?" Blaine took a deep breath and felt the air fill every square inch of his lungs. "I just thought we could watch the next three movies or so and you could go home tomorrow instead. We could plan another night to watch the rest." He looked away and Blaine saw his cheeks start to fill with color.

"I'd love to," Blaine said, squeezing his hand. Relief washed over his face and he pulled Blaine as close as possible.

"I guess I need to go put the next DVD in." Kurt stood up reluctantly and Blaine watched as the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets menu popped up on the screen. After returning to the floor and resuming their previous position, Kurt turned his head, his face so close it was almost touching Blaine's. "I'm really glad you agreed to stay tonight."

Blaine smiled, returning his attention to the screen and watched the movie begin.

When Blaine awoke the next morning he found himself sprawled across the couch with a fuzzy blanket draped over his body. It took him a few minutes to remember where he was and once he did, it took even longer to remember how exactly he'd ended up on the couch. Once Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ended, it was nearing 2:00 in the morning. They decided to call it a night, Kurt retreating to his rom and Blaine making himself comfortable on his couch. Regardless of how he ended up there, Blaine was happy to be waking up in Kurt's apartment and was eager to see the man again. He sat up, attempting to straighten out the mess his hair had become over the night and looked around the apartment.

"Hey!" He heard Kurt say from somewhere in the kitchen. A few seconds later he appeared in the doorway wearing an apron over a pair of Nike sweat pants and a light gray T-shirt. Blaine guessed this side of Kurt wasn't one people saw too often. "I hope I didn't wake you. I thought you might enjoy breakfast when you woke up."

"You're cooking?"

"Pancakes. I hope you like them. I don't know many people who turn down a good flapjack…"

Blaine laughed. "Oh, yeah. They're great. Can I help with something?" He pulled the blanket off his lap, tossed it aside, and began to stand up.

"No! Don't. I've got it. I'll be right back." With that, Kurt disappeared behind the wall, returning a few minutes later with a tray filled with various items. He placed the tray on the coffee table and sat down next to Blaine on the couch. "We've got pancakes, peanut butter, syrup, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, bacon, and orange juice. Take your pick." He handed me a plate.

"Wow. Once again. You've thought of everything." Blaine decided to go for strawberries as a pancake topping and spooned them onto his plate. "You really didn't have to go to all of this trouble, though. I'm content with living off of Captain Crunch and Rice Crispies."

"I know, but I wanted to. I enjoy cooking when I have the opportunity and I wanted you to have a proper breakfast for once," he said, referring to Blaine's cereal choices.

"Well, thank you. These pancakes are delicious," Blaine said, taking his third bite.

"Good. I'm glad you like them."

There were a few minutes of silence as they ate, stealing a glance when they thought the other wasn't looking and occasionally making eye contact and getting caught. "I'm really glad I came over yesterday. It was definitely one of the best nights I've had in a long time."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Blaine finished off his last bite of pancakes. "I don't want to, but I should probably be going now. I'm supposed to be at the office by 11:00.

"Oh, right. I forgot you had work. I'm sorry." Kurt stood up and started gathering the dishes, placing them back onto the tray.

"It's fine. We should-we should do this again… but I get to host next time." Blaine leaned forward and gave Kurt a quick kiss before heading towards the door. "Thanks again, Kurt," he said before shutting the door behind him.

Sitting in a taxi on Monday night wasn't what Blaine originally had in mind when Kurt had agreed to go to dinner at one of Blaine's favorite restaurants. What would've been no more than a ten minute drive in any average town took over half an hour due to the hectic traffic in the city. They didn't mind it much, though, because it allowed them to have time together, something they rarely got during the weekend. There wasn't much talking going on between the two of them, but the silence was far from awkward.

Kurt sat up a bit when the taxi finally came to a stop and groaned when Blaine removed his hand from his back. Blaine grabbed his wallet and pulled out a couple bills to hand to the cab driver. "Thanks," he said as he paid. He grabbed Kurt's hand and started to slide towards the door. "Come on. Let's eat." Kurt followed him out into the crowded streets of New York and they immediately walked through the massive front doors of the Italian restaurant in front of them. It was a pretty large place, dimply lit with candles burning at each table. Everything was very spaced out, allowing for intimacy between each party and the majority of guests spoke in hushed tones. It looked like something out of a romantic movie and based on the décor and waiters' attire, Kurt was pretty confident that the place wasn't all that affordable.

"How many in your party?" the greeter asked.

"Two," Blaine answered.

"Right this way." The young girl led them to a table against the wall, setting their menus on the table and filling their glasses with ice cold water. Kurt was surprised when Blaine pulled out his chair and waited for Kurt to sit down before taking his own seat. "Your waiter will be with you briefly," the greeter told them and returned to her position near the door.

"This place looks really nice," Kurt mentioned. "I don't know if I can aff-"

Blaine cut him off. "Don't even finish that sentence. Don't worry about anything. Get whatever you would like. It's on me. I'm just glad to have someone to come with me this time," he laughed.

Kurt opened the menu and took a look. He soon realized that they had just about anything you could ask for, from classic spaghetti to manicotti to lasagna. "Do you have any suggestions on what to get?" Kurt was overwhelmed by the variety of foods they had to offer.

"I'm an Alfredo person myself, but the tortellini is really good as well."

At that time, a slender man appeared at their table. "Hi. My name is Matt. I'll be your waiter tonight. Can I start you off with a drink?" They both ordered iced teas, and upon his return with their drinks, they ordered their dinner. They went with Kurt's suggestion of each getting something different and sharing—Kurt getting the tortellini and Blaine getting the Alfredo as always.

"So how was work this weekend? Any unbearable clients?"

"Oh, I don't know? Any unbearable passengers?" Blaine asked in return.

"There was this one. He kept demanding another cookie. Other than that, they were great," Kurt joked.

Blaine pretended to be offended, but quickly got over it. "LA is worse than New York. I think it's due to the fact that most of our clients in LA are private homeowners, the type who own expensive houses, whereas in New York, we deal more with small businesses. Struggling business owners don't seem to threaten you with money and status quite as often."

"You have status too. You're at the top of the company."

"Only because my father owns it." Blaine began playing with his straw.

"Don't say that." Kurt reached across the table to place a hand on top of Blaine's. "I'm fairly confident you would've made it up to that same position in time had you started working for a different company instead. Maybe not as quickly, but it would still happen."

"Thanks for the confidence, but if I wasn't working for my dad's company, I wouldn't be in the insurance industry at all."

"Well, you would work your way up to the best paid teacher in the state." Kurt rolled his eyes and returned his hand to his lap when his phone beeped. He reached into his pocket to retrieve it and paused when he read the email on the screen. Taking a deep breath, he typed a couple lines in reply and shoved it back into his pocket.

"Everything okay?" Blaine asked when he noticed Kurt's face fall into a nervous expression.

"Yeah. Just… Rachel. Sending me a picture of the baby. She sends about five a day," he rolled his eyes again, trying to play off his anxiety over the email he'd just sent.

"Oh, can I see?" Blaine asked

Kurt couldn't tell if he had bought his excuse of the picture or if he was just playing along. Regardless, he pulled out his phone once again and opened up one of the emails Rachel had sent earlier that day before sliding it across the table. Blaine took a look at the sleeping baby with her light pink dress and freckled cheeks.

"She's adorable. So who does she look like the most? Her mom or dad?"

"A little of both, actually. Finn, my stepbrother, insists she looks like Rachel, but he's never been too bright when it comes to anything more than sports or food."

"Do you know when you're going to get to see her again?"

"No, I don't," Kurt said sadly. "Hopefully soon. I want her first words to be Uncle Kurt."

Blaine chuckled. "If she knows what's good for her, I'm sure they will be." He took a sip of his drink before proposing something to Kurt. "I have a question. What would you say to meeting my friends? They're all coming over on Wednesday for dinner and I was wondering if you might want to come along if you aren't busy."

"To meet your friends? Um, y-yeah. Sure. What time?"

"My dad actually gave me the day off, something about how he was glad I was actually going to be social for once, so I was thinking maybe you could come over around noon and we could go grocery shopping? You seem to know more about cooking than I do and I could use your help."

"Well, I'll never turn down a chance to impress anyone with my cooking. I'm in."

Their waiter arrived with their food and they began talking about friends, work, the minor details of their life, enjoying the time they had to get to know one another better. At the end of the night, Kurt insisted they get into separate cabs since they were going in opposite directions. Blaine kissed him on the cheek before climbing in the cab and taking off in the opposite direction than Kurt's.

Two days later, Kurt found himself scurrying around Blaine's kitchen, rushing to get the last dinner preparations done while Blaine tidied up the living room. Blaine's friends—the few co-workers he hung out with outside of work—were set to arrive within the next fifteen minutes. Kurt was anxious to become a part of Blaine's world, apart from work. He was nervous, but excited to establish a relationship with those Blaine had known prior to Kurt.

Kurt had just begun tossing the salad when he heard the doorbell ring and a knock on the door. Here we go, he thought. He placed the salad bowl in the center of the counter as Blaine walked in, flanked by two men, a woman, and a little girl, most likely around the age of three. The woman smiled kindly and the little girl nervously pulled on her pigtails. Kurt knelt down in front of her and she hid her face behind the lady's leg.

"Hey, Sweetie. I'm Kurt." He introduced himself to the bashful girl. "What's your name?"

She poked her head out from behind the leg and inched forward but still kept hold. "Carla," she said innocently.

"Well, hi, Carla. I'm glad you're here," he said sweetly and stood up as Blaine made his way to his side.

Blaine was impressed by how sweet Kurt was with Carla. Carla didn't take to anyone very easily, but after just a few seconds with Kurt, her shyness had disappeared. Seeing Kurt with Carla only helped to confirm that he was not only going to make a great uncle to Elizabeth, but a great dad someday as well.

"Kurt, this is Jonah and his wife, Stacy, and their little girl," Blaine introduced.

Kurt stepped forward slightly and shook their hands. "It's nice to meet you."

The other man spoke up. "I'm Luke. Blaine here doesn't like to introduce me, I guess." He reached out to shake Kurt's hand.

Blaine rolled his eyes. "I was getting there, Lucas." Kurt chuckled when he saw Luke grimace. "Guys, this is my boyfriend, Kurt."

Kurt instantly froze beside Blaine after hearing his introduction; after hearing the little nine-letter word that had just slipped out of his mouth. Boyfriend. They hadn't talked about their relationship, how they would introduce themselves, what they called what they had. It wasn't that Kurt didn't like the way the word sounded coming from Blaine's lips, but it was something completely new to him. He'd never referred to anyone as his boyfriend, and no one had cared enough about him to consider using that term.

Blaine didn't seem to notice Kurt's attention drift away. He continued talking and Kurt was pulled out of his trance when he felt Blaine's arm wrap around his waist and pull him across the kitchen floor. "Kurt made dinner. He's a much better chef than I will ever be." Blaine felt Kurt shift himself behind him to hide, much like Carla had done just a few minutes earlier.

"It smells delicious," Stacy complimented. She picked Carla up and smacked her hand away when she reached for the bowl of strawberries. "Not yet, Carla."

Kurt smiled towards the mother and daughter. He had always enjoyed kids and the wonderful life they had. They were all so innocent; didn't have a care in the world. They saw the good in everyone else. He loved the imagination young kids seemed to have, something that seemed to dwindle with age. If there was anything Kurt worried about, it was that he'd never have a child of his own. A little girl with blonde curls and rosy cheeks or a dark-haired boy with dusty hands and grass-stained knees. He wanted a child he could raise with absolutely no judgment towards other, much like the way his own mother had raised him. He wanted to raise a child to notice the small, wonderful things in life rather than the much bigger materialistic parts.

The six of them filled their places, Stacy helping Carla with the toddler-likeable food, and made their way to the dinner table. Blaine's dining room wasn't used too often. When it was just him, there was no need to sit down at the table and eat his dinner. It was much easier to stick his microwaveable meal on a paper plate or take the carry out containers to his coffee table where he could sit on his couch and eat. A couple nights a month, he found himself locked away in his office, not even coming out for dinner, but that wasn't too often.

"So, Kurt, you treating my man here alright?" Luke slapped Blaine on the back and shoved a piece of chicken in his mouth.

"I-I…" Kurt began stuttering, whether over Luke calling Blaine "his man" or because he was still trying to process that Blaine thought they were a couple, he wasn't sure.

"You'll have to excuse him," Blaine leaned over and whispered to Kurt. "He's a little blunt sometimes." Blaine looked over to his friend's barbeque-coated lips. "And a bit of a slob," he added as an afterthought. He briefly rubbed the top of Kurt's leg to try to calm his nerves.

"I can't help it. You've met your dad. If I were to act like this at the office, he'd have me fired. I have to let my true self come out at some point," Luke defended, but wiped away the sauce with his napkin.

"So, Kurt, what is it you do again?" Stacy changed the subject and Kurt gave her a thankful glance.

"I, um…" He suddenly remembered his conversation with Blaine the previous week when he said his father would disapprove of Kurt's profession, and hesitated to answer. But these were Blaine's friends. They may work for the same company as Blaine's dad, but that doesn't mean they share the same opinions. "I'm a flight attendant. That's actually how Blaine and I met."

"That's probably exciting," Johan said, doing his best to make Kurt feel included in their group. "Do you enjoy it?"

"The people aren't always the nicest and I get tired of always seeing the same thing—LAX—but it's a nice job. It's always a pleasant surprise when they send me somewhere new, though."

"Do they ever switch you for good?" Stacy asked.

"Not usually, but they…" Kurt looked towards Blaine. "They, uh, the airline actually asked if I wanted to fly back and forth to Ohio instead, but I turned them down." Kurt hid his face from Blaine and nonchalantly took a bite of his potatoes.

"Why did you turn it down?" Blaine finally asked after a long moment of silence.

Kurt shrugged. "The pay raise wasn't that great. I-I like LA and-"

"There was a pay raise?" Blaine interrupted, dropping his spoon and creating a loud clashing sound when it hit his plate. "Your family is in Ohio!" Their voices were beginning to raise.

"Oh, your family? Tell us about your family!" Stacy tried changing the subject, feeling awful for brining the current one up in the first place.

"I still wouldn't be able to see them. I barely have any time to grab lunch between flights."

"Is this what that email was about the other day? I knew something was wrong and you lied and said it was a picture from Rachel, didn't you? You didn't want me to know what was going on. What's the real reason you refused to change flights, Kurt? Ohio is closer and there's nothing special about LA. Please tell me it wasn't because of me."

"You switched flight times because of me!" Kurt argued.

"Yes, but that didn't prevent me from making more money or make me lose out on an opportunity to see my family. Kurt, you shouldn't have done that when you don't even know if we-"

"What? Won't work out? Won't be together for long? This was my decision, Blaine, and I did what I wanted to do. I'm happy with my schedule and the way things are."

"You can't be happy! You're never able to spend time with your family. And you would have more money to do what you want."

"I thought you said not everything in life was about money!"

"It's not, but-"

"No. No but's. I need some air. Excuse me." Kurt stood up and pushed his chair back under the table. "It was nice meeting you guys," he said to the three stunned faces staring back at him, before running to the balcony and closing the door behind him.