Kurt half expected someone to comment on the fact that he’d spent the night in Blaine’s room, but no one did. Maybe it was the fact that Blaine had cried for nearly an hour before passing out, or that when they came out of the room, they both looked worse for wear (and not in a good way).

“Did you sleep okay, sweetie?” Grace asked when they took a seat at the table for breakfast. Carole was serving up omelets with all the trimmings.

“Sure,” Blaine muttered, picking up his fork and poking at the omelet Carole had just set in front of him. It was clear to everyone at the table that Blaine was lying. He’d slept restlessly, waking Kurt often with his constant movements.

Kurt made a decision. It was New Year’s Eve, the time of new beginnings. They were going to start the New Year off right and shed off the previous year’s baggage. He knew of only one way to do that. “Eat up,” he encouraged Blaine. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

Blaine gave him a questioning look. He knew they didn’t have anything planned until later this afternoon, when Blaine was scheduled for several interviews and then, of course, to perform for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

“Just eat,” Kurt replied to his look. As soon as breakfast was done, he sent Blaine off to shower and cornered Grace. “I want to do something nice for him today. It’s a big night for him and he needs to relax and take his mind off things.”

“What did you have in mind?” Grace asked.

“Can you get me a number for a day spa?” Kurt wanted to know. Grace laughed and then put an arm around his shoulder, squeezing him tightly. She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

“I don’t know what he ever did without you,” she murmured. “You just leave it all to me.”
He thanked her and then escaped to his room to plan his outfit for the day, ideas in full swing.

*

“You are the best boyfriend ever,” Blaine cooed, kissing Kurt in response to the spa news. Last night had been…. terrible. Gut wrenchingly awful. Words couldn’t actually adequately describe it. All he knew is that as bad as it had been, he would have been so much worse off if Kurt hadn’t been there for him.

“Your mother helped me set it up. Grab your coat and let’s go,” Kurt told him. “We have to be back here by three so we can be down for interviews at five, and then over to Times Square for a sound check around seven.”

Blaine followed Kurt out, waving to the photographers as they got into the car that was waiting for them. It was funny, but until he’d started dating Kurt, he’d never really interacted much with the paparazzi. He found them a lot less annoying if he made a point of letting them get their pictures.

They pulled up at the spa, linking hands as they went inside. Kurt spoke with the front desk and then they were ushered back and told to change into robes.

Kurt waved their itinerary in his face. “Your mother is amazing. She signed us up for couples massages and then a seaweed wrap and facials and God, my Christmas present to her was not good enough.”

Blaine laughed, feeling happy for the first time in hours.

*

“Kurt?” He heard Blaine whisper his name.

“Mmmm?” Kurt managed. The masseuse had just left, finished with him and Blaine, and Kurt was entirely sure he was never moving, not ever, ever again. He’d never felt so relaxed in his entire life.

“Thank you,” Blaine murmured. “I needed this.”

Kurt cracked an eyelid. “You can thank me later.”

“Oh?”

“My parents and your mom are dragging Finn to an after party, remember?”

It didn’t surprise Kurt that it had slipped Blaine’s mind, with everything else going on.

“So we’ll be alone once we get home?”

“Dad thought they’d be back around three or so,” Kurt replied, feeling a little more awake.
“What time do you think we’ll be back from Times Square?”

“One?” Blaine offered up. Kurt nodded. “Which would give us two hours alone…”

“It would,” Kurt smiled. It had been a long week in that sense – both of them had been so used to touching however they wanted because they were alone at Blaine’s. Keeping things PG in front of their families had proved to be a challenge.

Blaine grinned at him and Kurt laughed. A knock sounded on the door and one of the spa attendants poked her head in. “If you boys would put your robes back on and follow me, it’s time for your next appointment.”

*

“Thank you so much for this,” Blaine gushed as they headed back into the car to go back to the condo to get changed for Blaine’s interviews. Kurt was already making a mental list of everything they’d need. Julie was planning to meet them at the condo and she’d already called them twice to make sure they were on their way.

“You’re welcome,” Kurt replied, kissing him gently.

“It really helped take my mind off of… everything,” Blaine told him, speaking softly.

“I’m glad.” Kurt smiled. “Do you… want to talk about what he said?” Blaine shook his head, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly. “I’m here, if you want to tell me.”

“I know.”

They arrived back at the condo to find Julie in “spitfire mode,” something Kurt had only seen once, the night of the Emmys. She started barking orders at them the moment they walked in the door, sending them to change their clothes and approving final hairstyles. She rushed them out the door after quick goodbyes to their families and they headed to the designated meeting spot, which seemed pretty close to Times Square. She made sure their suits for later were hanging up in the limo.

Blaine went through the interviews while Kurt watched on, getting him an occasional bottle of water and talking quietly with Julie. He talked about upcoming events on Dalton as well as details about the spinoff he was filming; they asked him about his new ring (which prompted a blushing Blaine to recount Christmas morning at least once per different interviewer) and then of course, talked about him performing later that night.

The interviews wrapped up and the boys found their way to Times Square, heading off to hair and makeup as directed.

“This is insane,” Kurt said, staring at the crowd as they made their way. “And it’s still early.”

“I know,” Blaine replied. “Just think, this time next year, we might be living here.”

Something in Kurt’s chest panged just a little. Everything for next year was so up in the air. He hadn’t heard back from NYADA yet. He hadn’t heard back from UDACA either. Blaine had no idea if his spinoff would be picked up.

The future was descending on them rapidly and he had no idea what they were going to do when it arrived.

*

“Good evening, Ladies and Gentleman,” Ryan Seacrest said into the microphone, looking at the TV camera. “Thanks for joining us here at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” Blaine listened as Ryan ran through what was scheduled for the two hour show, knowing he’d be up to perform in about a half hour. He and Kurt people watched while waiting for Blaine to be announced.

He couldn’t believe that the day had gone so well after the night he’d had.

“When we come back, we’ll be joined by Blaine Anderson from Dalton! Stay tuned,” Ryan finished up that segment, sending it to commercial break.

Someone gestured Blaine over to the piano, and Blaine got settled, pulling off his gloves and playing a few notes to make sure it was good to go.

In a few minutes, he would be singing for millions on live TV.

Sometimes he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

*

“And we’re back!” Kurt watched as Ryan talked, leaning against the piano Blaine was seated at. Blaine was going to play two songs and then sing again after the ball fell. There would be a small interview with Ryan after Blaine sang as well. “Here, live from Times Square, Blaine Anderson!”

Blaine started playing, his fingers dancing lightly over the keys as he started off by playing a stripped down version of “Teenage Dream.” The song had been his (and Dalton’s) first hit song, and he was most known for it. This version was slower and kind of raw; Kurt loved it.

He let Blaine’s voice drift over him, closing his eyes as he listened. When Blaine sang “Let’s go all the way tonight,” Kurt opened his eyes and met Blaine’s gaze. Heat jolted down his spine at the look Blaine gave him.

Yeah, okay. Maybe tonight was the night for that.

Blaine brought the song to a close. “How you guys doin’?” he egged on the crowd, who was screaming. “Happy New Year, everybody!”

He started playing his second song, a cover of “Better Days.” It hadn’t been done on the show, but Kurt knew that the lyrics had struck a chord with Blaine and that’s why he’d chosen to sing it.

“And you ask me what I want this year, and I try to make this kind and clear,” Blaine began, his voice soft. “Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days.” He glanced at Kurt, smiling before his eyes met the camera. “’Cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings, and desire and love and empty things. Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days.”

Kurt felt tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he watched Blaine, knowing that this song had to be more heart-wrenching after his fight with his father. He vowed to do what he could to make this coming year one of the best for him and Blaine, no matter what.

“I wish everyone was loved tonight and somehow stop this endless fight,” Blaine continued, winding the song down. “Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days.” He took his hands of the keys to sing the last bit, letting it ring out a capella. “So take these words and sing out loud. ‘Cause everyone is forgiven now, ‘cause tonight's the night the world begins again, ‘cause tonight's the night the world begins again.”

*

“Blaine, man, good to see you!” Ryan greeted him after his set. Blaine smiled, shaking Ryan’s hand. He steeled his emotions, the last song stirring up some feelings in him that he just didn’t want to deal with right then.

“It’s great to be here!” Blaine exclaimed, smiling.

Ryan led him into a few questions about the spinoff and then segued into bringing up Kurt. “Now, it’s no secret you’ve been dating Kurt Hummel for a while, right?” Ryan asked.

“That’s right,” Blaine confirmed.

“And he’s here with you tonight, right?”

“He is,” Blaine laughed, waving Kurt over. Kurt joined them, flushed and smiling as he shook Ryan’s hand.

“I understand you two had an exciting Christmas,” Ryan continued. “Or so the Twitter riot tells me.”

Blaine laughed. “We did,” he said. “We exchanged promise rings.”

“Who surprised who?”

“Blaine surprised me with it on Christmas morning,” Kurt answered. Kurt held out his hand, showing off the ring. Kurt held still while Ryan asked the camera to get a close up and then segued into something else before sending the show to commercial again.

Blaine was done for the moment so they stepped off to side and made small talk until midnight.

“Any resolutions for next year?” Blaine asked softly.

“To do whatever it takes to make our dreams come true,” Kurt murmured.

“I’ll agree to that one,” Blaine replied. The crowd started chanting in the background and Kurt looked up to see the countdown on the clock beneath the ball, make its slow descent down as it took them into the New Year.

He and Blaine shared a grin and joined in the countdown. “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…”

Blaine kissed him at the stroke of midnight and Kurt sighed against his lips. Happy New Year, indeed.