Everything seemed to fall into place after that day at the bookstore. Kurt was at Blaine's apartment more often then Blaine himself and he was beginning to wonder when he'd become a permanent resident in his humble abode. Blaine was still coming across items that Maggie had given him, letters and books and he would break out into tearful sniffles. It still ached to know that she wouldn't be there to greet him in the mornings with her tea of the week. It would always ache because he would always miss her, and although things didn't feel hopeless any longer, he was laden with the knowledge that she just wasn't there anymore. He was starting to focus on the good times and remember and cherish the love she had for the both of them.

Having Kurt by his side, constant and unwavering, gave him hope. Kurt was patient, understanding and missed Maggie just as much as Blaine did with every passing day.

It was on one of the rare days when Blaine didn't have class that he found it. He was emptying the waste paper basket under Kurts desk when an embossed piece of heavy card fell to the floor. Curious, he picked it up and could see that it was an invitation to another literary gala. Immediately he knew why the invitation had ended up in the trash, the last gala still brought a bitter lump to his throat. The evening hadn't been all bad however, Blaine couldn't recall a time he had ever felt as content and safe as he had felt in Kurt's arms as they danced all evening long. With a resolve to talk to Kurt about it later he attached it to the refrigerator door.

He completely forgot about it until Kurt came home from a meeting with his current editor. "Hi!" He called, taking off his coat  and hanging it on it's hook by the door before toeing off his shoes. He made his way into the kitchen and stopped dead his hand on the fridge door, "Blaine?" he called and Blaine dashed in from where hed been holed up on the couch, buried under books, sketches and a vast array of art materials. He slipped his arms around Kurt's waist and stood on tip toes in order to hook his chin over his shoulder.

"Hey handsome." He said cheerily kissing Kurt on the cheek.

"What's this?" Kurt muttered, trying to keep his tone light whilst staring apprehensively at the invitation as if the mere sight of it was offensive. "Oh..." Blaine whispered, having completely forgotten about his resolve to ask Kurt about the gala in the wake of his afternoon of shading and composition and Kurt's overcast expression. "I'm not going," Kurt added adamantly, "not after last time when-"

"Yeah but that was last time." Blaine interjected. "Things are different now. You have a different agent and you're running in different circles than you were several months ago, it's a chance to make new, less bittersweet memories-"

"And it just so happens that it's big band night at the ballroom at which the gala's being held." Kurt said shrewdly, turning around and wrapping his arms around Blaine's delectable waist with a grin.

"Okay so I may have an ulterior motive..." Blaine muttered bashfully, smiling that smile that made his cheeks puff out and his eyes crinkle at the corners. "I think we should go." Blaine whispered against Kurt's jaw, suddenly sultry. "Blaine." Kurt tried to sound stern but his eyes fluttered shut as Blaine placed a sucking kiss on his neck. "That's not fair, God you do this everytime."

"Please." He whined against Kurt's ear and Kurt conceded.

"Okay fine, any excuse to get dressed up and then undressed again afterwards. You better be on your best behaviour mister, using your wiles to get your own way, again."

"Yes!" Blaine cheered, clapping his hands and bouncing on his toes.

~*~

Nothing ever seemed to go as planned for Blaine Anderson. The morning of the gala saw everything going wrong. He'd woken up late for class and then forgotten his sketch book, resulting in him having to double back and pick it up. Luke, a guy in his class that he'd been on a few dates with had been making snide remarks about his pastel pieces and spreading the rumour that he had only gained the centre panel spot at the exhibition at NYU's Silver Center because Kurt had some kind of connection with the coordinator and their professor. How they even knew that he and Kurt were involved at the time was a mystery and on top of that Kurt didn't even know anyone at the gallery or any of his professors. He'd lost his favourite pen and the lense had fallen out of the right side of his glasses (he still couldn't find those contact lenses).

By the time he'd made it home at one o'clock he couldn't bring himself to do anything but fall face first into the couch cushions and just lie there for twenty more minutes. Eventually he gathered enough strength to shrug out of his coat, pull off his shoes and trudge to the bathroom to run himself a bath.

~*~

It was there, twenty minutes later, that Kurt found him. "Hi baby" he whispered smiling as he tip toed into the bathroom. Blaine looked up at him from the bath tub, his eyes heavy lidded and his eyelashes clumped with water. "Hi" he muttered just as quietly lifting his arm to wave before dropping it back into the water with a splash. He looked tired, his eyes blinking slowly open and closed. "Bad day?" Kurt said concernedly, kneeling on the tiled floor by the edge of the bath. He ran his fingers through Blaine's damp hair and delighted in the happy hum he received as thanks.

"It was... eventful," he said slowly, blinking up at Kurt with a small smile "better now though." He leant up for a kiss and Kurt met him halfway. It was sweet and languid and Kurt felt Blaine breathe a sigh against his lips and sink further into the water. Kurt pulled back and couldn't help but let his fingertips trail down his damp neck and across his collarbone. He heard his breath hitch and tore his gaze away from Blaine's smooth skin to look at him, his eyes a darkening hazel in the harsh light of the bathroom, pink lips parted ever so slightly.

"You make everything you do look so stunning you know that?" Kurt said breathlessly, trying hard not to overstep. Everything was still so new and even though they teased and flirted with each other, the most they had done this time around was a particularly heated make out session, though they had no qualms about being naked in each other's presence, it was a wonder how they'd managed to make it this far.

Flushing all the way down to his navel Blaine chuckled. "Alright smooth talker." He quipped giggling. "You got me." Kurt grinned "Have you done your hair?" Blaine shook his head no so Kurt set to it, working shampoo into Blaine's silky curls as he lamented his tiring and tedious day. Washed and rinsed Kurt stepped out of the bathroom as Blaine finished up and brought the suits he'd managed to acquire into Blaine's bedroom, excited to show him what they would be wearing that evening.

~*~

How Kurt managed to find Blaine's suit for the gala was a mystery to him. A vintage 1920s black classic tuxedo, complete with satin waistcoat and pocket square it must have cost a fortune to rent let alone buy, and Kurt had brought it of course. It was the first time that Blaine couldn't bring himself to protest over something Kurt had offered to purchase him, Kurt presented it to him with a general aura of terrified excitement, as if he was so proud he'd acquired such a find but was also cringing in wait of Blaine's outrage over Kurt ‘wasting' his money on him.

This time, however, Blaine found himself completely and utterly speechless. He had his hands firmly over his mouth and he was blinking rapidly.

"Please say something. Seriously please anything." Kurt said in a rush watching Blaine's every move. "It's- I um-" Blaine had to cough to subtly disguise the tremble in his voice "it's beautiful Kurt thank you so much." He flung his arms around him and kissed him deeply, approximately five times in quick succession. "It's gorgeous!" Blaine cried moving back and practically bouncing where he stood. "I can't wait to wear it gosh I've never worn anything so luxurious."

"Oh honey if I could afford it you'd be dressed in vintage couture, satin, silk and velvet everyday of the week." Kurt grinned now pulling out his own suit from the garment bag spread neatly on the other side of the bed. "Oh Kurt." Blaine gasped as he saw what Kurt would be wearing. It was more modern than Blaine's suit and in silver but just as fine quality wise. It was slim cut with a straight tie and Blaine could see it emphasising every curve and contour of his body. "You're going to look so handsome." He mumbled staring at the suit and Kurt laughed, coming up behind him and hugging him tightly. "Sometimes I think you must've stumbled right out of an old movie."

"Maggie always used to say..." Blaine said quietly, his heart clenching in his chest.

"Maggie always used to say you have an ‘old soul' yeah." Kurt added just as quietly hugging him a little tighter. They'd remember her tonight, and James, as they danced and sang and drank champagne, he thought to himself. But he still wished he could save a dance for Mags, just one last time.

~*~

Blaine's heart was beating fast as they approach the ball room. Kurt was holding his hand and he passed their invitation to the attendant and waited as the doors were opened and they were announced. "Misters Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson." They descended into the ballroom as the other attendees watched them in mild interest. Kurt, entirely confused by the formalness of the occasion chanced a glance at Blaine, who quickly but discreetly, pulled Kurt's elbow up so that their arms were interlinked and was smiling beatifically.

"Who's hosting the ball?" He muttered, his mouth barely moving out of his charming smile.

"Thomas, my new agent." Kurt said quickly, trying futilely to follow his lead.

"We'll speak to him first, walk us to him." Blaine added as he all but glided from the bottom step, his shoulders back, walking tall as Kurt lead them to a tall man with sandy hair at the centre of the room. "Kurt hello, wonderful to see you, and what an entrance your beau certainly does know his ballroom etiquette doesn't he?" Thomas, commented in his received pronunciation British accent. "You must be Mister Anderson," he added, shaking Blaine's hand and smiling like Christmas had come early. "Please, call me Blaine, mister..." Blaine replied politely with an easy smile as his body was vibrating with the urge to bow (as is customary in Victorian ballroom etiquette when greeting the director of ceremonies), "Deering, oh but do call me Tom. Kurt has told me so much about you." He laughed and Blaine smiled, elated that Thomas was a lot more kindly than Matthew ever was. Meanwhile, Kurt just stared on in awe, listening as Blaine conversed effortlessly with Thomas about art and literature and all manner of things until he excused himself to speak to the other guests.

After Thomas' departure he caught the attention of a waitress with a simple hand gesture and plucked two champagne flutes from a silver tray and thanked her, turning and inclining his head as he offered one to Kurt. "Have I just stepped into an alternate reality? What was-" he waved his hand vaguely in the air "all of that?" Blaine was smiling mischieviously as he took a sip of champagne. "My parent's are regulars at a country club, ridiculously rich and pretentious the lot of them. I grew up attending old time balls and cotillions, they were quite fun really considering most of us teenagers were only attending because our parent's insisted on it. Maggie also taught me some things when she told me about her trip to England to visit family with James when they were young. James' extended family came from a very old English aristocratic family. Obviously I have to adapt things a little now, I'm not escorting an adolescent debutante now am I?"

"Should've known." Kurt said simply, reaching for Blaine's hand again whilst Blaine snorted into his drink. "Everything makes sense now, that's why you're so old."

"I'm not old, I'm twenty, remember ‘cause you missed my-"

"Birthday, yes the second of November, again I'm sorry." Kurt cut him off.

"That's okay the suit can be my belated birthday present."

~*~

As the evening wore on the atmosphere became a little less formal. Blaine was in his element despite the formal setting being part of what he left behind when he left Ohio and his parents. He didn't seem resentful of them despite Kurt having gathered that they were cold and distant. Blaine assured them that he believed that they loved him, as they told him every year at Christmas eve and on his birthday, it's just that they had expected different things from him than what he had decided to pursue. Blaine's adamancy to pursue art and not join his father's medical practice probably still stung his father but despite his harsh words when Blaine left for New York and his stubbornness in his first year of college, they had a relationship that was far from perfect but worked for them at the very least.

Kurt and Blaine spent the evening conversing pleasantly with the other guests, drinking copious amounts of champagne and giggling wrapped up in each other in various corners of the ornate ballroom. Except from when the band played a song that Blaine loved, and they shimmied their way to the dancefloor.

Blaine could dance. It seemed that all those years at balls and bouncing around the shop with Maggie had given him plenty of practice and he was alight with it. He led Kurt in a simple waltz before a woman with shimmering blonde hair and a 1950s pale pink sweetheart dress asked him for a dance. Startled but still grinning Blaine looked at Kurt who nodded and then stepped back, Blaine agreed and then they were spinning away across the polished floor.

"Sorry to steal you from your beau," she said "but you're a magnificent dancer. I'm Tom's wife, Maddison Deering."

"Nice to meet you. I love your dress." Blaine said politely, trying hard to concentrate on dancing. He was starting to get a little dizzy and the champagne he'd consumed wasn't helping. "Thank you. I just wanted to say that you and Kurt make a lovely couple, he's been to our home a few times for meetings and things and he always mentions you. You're just as handsome as he said you were." She was very pretty and her smile was kind like Thomas'. Blaine suddenly wondered if they had any children and that if they did, they must be the most well-mannered children in the world. "Thank you." He said simply, his voice wobbling slightly. They stayed silent after that, content to focus on gliding effortlessly across the floor.

When the song drew to a close they bowed and curtsied respectively and the small crowd that had gathered to watch them applauded.

~*~

"Now Kurt, tell me, what was the inspiration for this new book of yours. I loved it of course but it's so different from your other works, so um... gritty." Niall droned on in his nasally voice. Kurt wished desperately that he'd stop talking. Ever since Blaine had been whisked away from him by Maddison, Niall had been prattling on about not much in particular. "Thank you. I um met someone on my arrival back in New York and I just started writing." Kurt said with a small smile, forcing himself not to turn around and gaze longingly at Blaine's back.

"Ahh yes the infamous Blaine Anderson."

"I'm sorry?" Kurt said bemusedly.

"Oh we all know about you two Kurt. Darling, just darling, and I must say it's so noble of you," he continued in his abhorrently tinny voice, "to help a struggling artist get back on his feet."

"Is that what you think?" Kurt said enraged, "Is that the rumour going round? That Blaine is just some student down on his luck and I'm what? Being gracious by bringing him here, for loving him?" Niall drew back looking startled and indignant. He scoffed and lowered his voice, grabbing his elbow and trying to steer him away from the heads turning in their direction. "You don't expect us to believe you actually love that boy do you?" Niall snapped scornfully. Kurt drew himself to full height ready to tear the man in two when he noticed that the man's eyes were no longer on him but staring in apparent terror at someone behind him.

Kurt turned around and saw Blaine, eyes trained on the floor with two champagne flutes trembling in his hands. "Blaine I-" but before Kurt could finish his sentence, Blaine took a deep breath and turned. He walked away, chin up and posture perfect. He returned the glasses to the waiter's tray he'd taken them from and strode straight toward the exit.

"Fuck!" Kurt cursed under his breath, sprinting to the stage and grabbing a microphone. He tapped his glass to get everyone's attention but Blaine kept walking. "Ladies and gentlemen I'd like to say a few words..." His voice trembled as he spoke, heart pounding against his rib cage as he prayed for Blaine to stop walking. He rushed his words, not caring how desperate he sounded. "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the reason I'm even here tonight." Blaine was almost at the door, making his way up the marble steps. "The love of my life Blaine Devon Anderson." There were a dozen soft coos and finally Blaine stopped, back to him but he had stopped, frozen on the last step.

"I'm aware of the rumours thanks to Niall's complete lack of tact and I'd like to put some of them to rest. The man I brought with me tonight is my everything, I almost lost him and I'll be damned if anyone in this room thinks a stupid rumour that I saved him or whatever bullshit will pull us apart. I came here tonight because he persuaded me to come. I came here with him because I listened when he said that this gala would be different. It seems like we were both wrong. It has been filled with the same cool politeness and snide backhanded compliments that these things are always filled with. Many of you, I adore and am thankful for your support and friendship, but I'm afraid that I won't be attending the next gala, and neither will my boyfriend." Blaine turned and watched as Kurt poured his heart out on stage and all the anger and resentment that had built up from years of enduring the people before him.

"Blaine is my best friend, my lover, my boyfriend, my soulmate. He's extremely talented and I'm sure Maddison will agree, as handsome as a silver screen movie star. Many of you have his business card in your wallets because he's an artist and a damn fucking good one. I am so lucky to love him and have him love me back. He saved himself and that is why I will always love him, no matter what. It took me too long to say it. Embarrassingly, for a writer, it took me too long to find the words. Now I have them and I have just a few left. If you don't mind I'm going home, arm in arm with the man I love, thank you and goodnight."

A light smattering of applause followed them as they ran to each other. They met in an embrace and clung to each other, Blaine's face buried in the crook of Kurt's neck. Kurt pulled back and started placing kisses on every part of Blaine's face he could reach. It wasn't until that he could hear Blaine's quiet giggles that he stopped and just looked at him. He was smiling brightly, his face still damp with tears but his smile was beaming, his honeyed hazel eyes glowing in the gold light cast by the ornate chandeliers.

"Let's go home." He said and took Kurt's hand in his.