Several things occurred to him at once:

He was not alone in his bed.

The sound did not come from him or Blaine.

His eyes shot open to meet the unhappy face of his father.

Oh, this would not go well.

*

“You have everything?” Kurt asked, as Blaine headed down the stairs, his bag slung over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Blaine said softly. “I’m sorry I can’t stay.”

“Don’t be,” Kurt muttered. “It’s probably better if I face the inquisition by myself.” He gestured to where his father was most likely waiting for him in the kitchen.

“I really didn’t mean to fall asleep,” Blaine murmured.

“It’s okay, Blaine,” Kurt told him. “We both screwed up.”

“But… no regrets about last night?” Blaine dropped his voice down low.

“No,” Kurt whispered. Blaine’s blinding smile was his reward, and he kissed him quickly.

“Good,” Blaine said once they’d parted. “I’ll call you when I land, okay?”

“Okay,” Kurt agreed, kissing him again. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Blaine replied, smiling again. “Bye.” He opened the front door and stepped out with a wave. Kurt waved back and tried not to cry as the door shut behind Blaine.

It never got any easier for him to go.

“Kurt,” his father called from the kitchen. Kurt sighed.

Time to face the music.

*

“How did it go?” Blaine asked, the phone pressed to his ear as he made his way through LAX and out to the car that was waiting for him.

“You should be extremely happy that you had to go board a plane,” Kurt said into the phone.

“It was that bad?” Blaine couldn’t believe that.

“He gave me the sex talk, Blaine,” Kurt told him. “It was mortifying.”

“I’m sure he just wanted to be sure that we’re being safe,” Blaine reassured him.

“He made a Brokeback Mountain reference,” Kurt replied. Blaine couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “Oh, my God, Blaine Anderson, are you laughing at me?”

“Of course not,” Blaine tried to hold in his laughter, but the image of the steadfast Burt Hummel sitting Kurt down to talk about sex and bringing up Brokeback Mountain was too much for him.

“I hate you so much right now,” Kurt huffed. “I should have made you stay and be humiliated with me.”

“Kurt, I’m sorry, I just…” Blaine calmed himself. “He wasn’t mad, was he?”

“I don’t think so,” Kurt answered. “Just… maybe disappointed that we didn’t obey his rules.” Kurt sighed. “He kept going on about how I matter and I shouldn’t throw myself at the first person I’ve dated.”

“Ouch.” Blaine winced. What had happened the night before had been his doing, and he felt completely responsible for getting Kurt into trouble. He knew how it was to be on the receiving end of a father’s disappointment. He didn’t wish that on anyone. “I’m sorry, Kurt.”

“Don’t, Blaine,” Kurt refused to hear it. “I don’t regret it, and sure, my father might have an idea that we’re doing more than kissing, but that’s all he knows.”

“Maybe… maybe we should slow down a little,” Blaine suggested. He admitted to himself that he was a little envious of Kurt’s relationship with his father. Kurt and Burt had a relationship that Blaine only dreamed of having with his own father. Blaine would do anything to protect that, even if it meant things wouldn’t be so serious between him and Kurt.

“What do you mean?” Kurt asked in a timid voice. “Do you – are you breaking up with me?” There was a quaver in Kurt’s voice and he felt bad for putting it there.

“No!” he exclaimed. “God, no. All of this has just happened so fast, and I don’t want you doing things you’re not comfortable with.” He paused. “I don’t want things between you and your dad to end up like things between me and my dad.”

“Blaine-"

“I’m serious, Kurt,” Blaine cut him off. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, or get in you in trouble with your dad. You mean too much to me.”

“I love you, too, Blaine. I-" Kurt stammered.

“Just think about it, okay?” Blaine requested, interrupting him.

“Okay,” Kurt murmured. “I should go, it’s almost dinner time.”

“I love you, Kurt.”

Blaine sighed as they hung up, promising to call the next day.

*

Kurt was lost in thought the rest of the night.

Why would Blaine want to slow down? He wished Blaine had elaborated more, because thinking about it was only driving him crazy. Blaine said he loved him, and that he didn’t regret anything…

Still, Kurt found himself doubting his boyfriend for the very first time, and he didn’t like it very much.

Biting his lip, he went over to his computer and logged into his email. He opened up a new email, and started typing.

Blaine –

I don’t want to slow down. I love you and I like our relationship the way it is… unless you want to slow things down?

Either way, I’d like to come out to see you for Valentine’s Day. I’ve already started working on my dad.

Love,
Kurt

*

Blaine checked his email before he crawled into bed that night. He wasn’t expecting much, maybe an MP3 or two of his recent recordings for the show, and some miscellaneous stuff from the rest of the cast. He was surprised to see one from Kurt, and he hurried to open it.

Blaine –

I don’t want to slow down. I love you and I like our relationship the way it is… unless you want to slow things down?

Either way, I’d like to come out to see you for Valentine’s Day. I’ve already started working on my dad.

Love,
Kurt

Blaine smiled. Maybe he’d overreacted earlier. He typed back a reply.

Kurt,

That sounds wonderful. I’m sure I’ll have to film that day, but we can work something out if it’s okay with your dad that you miss school.

There’s a great Italian place near here we could go if you wanted to go out… no one would expect to see me there, I don’t think. Or we could order in…

Let me know so we can arrange a plane ticket for you.

Love,
Blaine

*

Kurt was just finishing the last of his weekend reading when his email beeping, indicating a new email in his inbox. He closed the book he was reading and slid off his bed to sit in front of his computer. He saw the email was from Blaine and clicked on it.

He read it, and smiled.

He would go to LA for Valentine’s Day then.

He and Blaine would be fine.

He went downstairs to talk to his dad, humming under his breath.