Kurt watched in awe as contractors, carpenters, plumbers, and a full film crew made their way to the backyard toward his studio space. Nick apparently wasn't only a brilliant designer of his own, but he could be practical when he had the right motivation. Using his connections and Kurt's newly found mini-stardom, he got the producers of Extreme Makeover: Celebrity Home Edition to agree to do the renovations on Kurt's work space.

Kurt ecstatically tossed out his previous invoice - a bill for more money than he had ever seen in his whole life.

"I can't believe you were able to swing this, Nicky!" Kurt said with his arm around his beaming best friend.

"Oh, but you and your new-found fabulousness made it so easy." Nick squeezed Kurt against him. "All I had to do was mention how you and I were bestest best friends, and they pretty much fell over themselves to come out here."

Kurt looked at Nick with a raised eyebrow.

"You lie!" Kurt teased. Nick looked affronted.

"I do not!" Nick gasped. An unsuspecting Jeff walked past, following Finn, face buried in his iPhone. Nick grabbed his arm and yanked him over. Jeff tripped just a step, but managed to keep playing Candy Crush without missing a beat.

"Jeff," Nick consulted his boyfriend, face serious as he confronted Kurt. Kurt crossed his arms in front of his chest and smirked. "Tell Kurt how much the producers wanted to makeover his studio."

Jeff's eyes shot up, shifting quickly between the two men as if only now noticing that they were addressing him.

"Yup," Jeff said simply. "That guy who hosts...Ty or whatever...almost pissed himself when Nick mentioned he knew you."

Nick looked back at Kurt with a superior smug. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright, Duval," Kurt relented. "I guess you didn't lie. Now I suppose I owe you."

"Mmhmm," Nick hummed, letting go of Jeff and patting him on the ass, sending him on his way to where ever he was originally headed, face still buried in his game. "Yes, you do."

"So, what will it be this time?" Kurt asked. "The cupcakes or the crepes?"

This was how Kurt and Nick's arguments usually got settled. When Kurt won an argument, he made Nick take him shopping at Sears. The first few times, Nick literally went pale and hyperventilated. After a while, though, when money stopped being such an issue, shopping at Sears held no appeal for Kurt, and more times then not they ended up in the men's department at one of Nick's favorite swank boutiques, trying to find something new that might bring Blaine to his knees.

When Nick won an argument, he got to choose between Kurt's salted caramel and double fudge cupcakes, or his Nutella crepes.

The crepes almost always won out.

"The crepes, I think, my good man." Nick looped his arm through Kurt's as they trekked past the last few members of the crew carrying tools and heavy equipment. "Oh, and please tell me Barbra's here? I found the most adorable collection of Vera Wang dresses for her Midge doll."

"Midge?" Kurt asked, looking at Nick stunned. "When did Barbra inherit a Midge?"

"Well," Nick said, biting his lip and looking nervously around the outside of the house, "it might have been...you know...it might have been mine."

Kurt chuckled, a short burst of noise that he couldn't stop even if he had wanted to.

"Oh my God!" Kurt reached for the door knob, watching as an already flustered Nick turned bright pink.

"I went through a phase..."

"Went through, honey?" Kurt interrupted. "I think that phase has resurfaced with a vengeance."

"Well," Nick said in his own defense, "Jeff won't play dolls with me, and I don't have any other friends under the age of twelve..."

Kurt thought fondly of all the nights Nick spent with Barbra, doing her makeup, perusing the pages of Vogue, and, of course, all of the vintage Barbie clothing she had suddenly accumulated. This led to thoughts of Jeff and his late night Wii tournaments with Finn. Hunter had started taking a shine to little Elphaba, and finally, the now famous duo of Blaine and Eva, locked constantly in their own little world together that no one else seemed to understand. Funny enough, this strange universe where other's weren't invited had opened Eva up to everyone in the house. She occasionally played with Barbra. She tolerated Elphaba. Sometimes, she even let Finn read to her, all as long as she had her private play land with Blaine where she could escape.

Kurt reflected on them all fondly, usually gathered in his living room at night, spread around in specific stations: Jeff and Finn in front of the t.v., Nick and Barbra on the couch, Hunter with Elphaba in his lap while he worked with Eva, and Blaine right by her side.

When did so many people fall in love with his kids, Kurt wondered. It seemed to happen so quickly, when he wasn't paying attention.

Kurt mixed up the crepe batter while Nick talked, an endless stream of conversation about things at work, the plans for Kurt's studio, and Jeff. Mostly Jeff. Nick was so head-over-heels in love, it was breathless. Kurt giggled quietly at Nick's heart eyes, shining brightly as he gazed longingly out the window where his boyfriend played catch with Finn.

"So, what is Blaine going to do?" Nick asked, displaying his rarely seen serious side. Blaine and Kurt had been discussing Blaine's options since Nick had leaked the photos, and the studio suddenly and mysteriously decided to start doing rewrites.

"He figures he'll finish out the season," Kurt said, with a small mixture of relief and pride, "and then say sayonara to Sing."

Nick's eyes went wide, his mouth dropped.

"Wow," Nick breathed, "I never thought he would actually do it. I mean, that show's been his whole life."

Kurt nodded as he carefully flipped the first crepe.

"Yup. He's going to talk with Thad this week to iron out a strategy. He'll probably have to pay a fine for breaking his contract, but he says it's not a big deal."

Kurt had hoped Blaine wasn't understating the issue. Then again, it was a problem that dealt with money. Money meant something different for people like Blaine who had so much of it than it did to Kurt who never seemed to have enough. He forced it to the back of his mind and let Blaine handle it.

"It's going to be so lonely on the lot without him to bother," Nick said, tracing an old spot of wax on the dining room table with his finger. "But, to tell you the truth, I'm really looking at the idea of doing something different myself."

Kurt turned to his friend, eyebrows raised.

"Really?" Kurt slid the crepe from the pan onto a plate and started a second one. "What did you have in mind?"

Nick looked thoughtful as he stood, going to the cabinet to look for some orange oil to remove the wax.

"I'm not sure." Nick took a clean white dish towel from Kurt, and started to soak the small glob of wax in the oil. "I could always do something in design, or be a private make-up artist. Heck, I could go somewhere else and be a personal shopper."

"Why do I hear a 'but' coming?" Kurt watched Nick with an amused smirk as Nick buffed the spot on the table, lifting away the wax.

"I don't know." Nick shook the towel out over the trash, and then handed it back to Kurt, who tossed it under the counter in a tiny pail for dirty towels. "I wish I could do something that would give me the opportunity to do something more worthwhile, like Jeff does, being a physical therapist. I feel like he thinks what I do is...fluffy."

Kurt knit his brow as he slid the second crepe onto the plate.

"I don't think that's true." Kurt turned off the burner and faced his friend. "Has he ever said that?"

Nick raised his left hand, wiggling his third finger.

"Do you see a ring on this finger?" Nick huffed.

'Not yet,' Kurt thought, trying to keep a straight and sympathetic face. 'But I've seen it in its Tiffany box.'

"Nick..." Kurt leaned over the table and took Nick's hands. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. That boy would love you even if you were mucking out stables."

Nick fixed Kurt with large, puppy dog eyes, brimming with emotion.

"Do you think so?"

Kurt smiled.

"Of course."

Nick gave his adorably clueless friend a kiss on the forehead.

Blaine walked into the kitchen just as Kurt plated the crepes. He crept up behind Kurt and wrapped his arms around his waist, kissing him gently on the neck. Kurt hummed as Blaine's lips traveled down his smooth skin. Kurt got lost in the feeling of Blaine's mouth, his warm tongue licking lightly up to his hair line, and then down to the nape of his neck. His eyelids fluttered closed, leaning his head back to rest against Blaine's shoulder.

Kurt barely registered when the plate of crepes was pulled from his hands. Nick, seeing that Kurt would probably be occupied a while longer, powdered the crepes with sugar, and started munching happily.

Kurt put his spatula down and turned in his boyfriend's arms, moving his head and exposing more of his neck for Blaine's hungry mouth. Blaine sucked a little more urgently, followed by a bite, letting it sting just a bit.

Kurt moaned, Nick and the crepes long forgotten.

Nick sighed as he watched them, not at all ashamed about staring, nibbling carefully at his chocolate filled breakfast. Once Kurt's mouth claimed Blaine's, Nick knew he had lost Kurt for the rest of the afternoon.

"Not that I don't love breakfast and a show," Nick said, swallowing a bite of his second crepe, "but why don't you guys move this party to the bedroom. I'm going to hunt down my playmate and get to starting on Midge's hair."

Blaine and Kurt chuckled into their kiss, breaking away and laughing whole-heartedly while a nonplussed Nick picked up his plate and headed for the living room.

"What?" he said as he left. "The girl's a red-head, and she has very specific hair needs."

Blaine took Kurt's hand and led him back through the house, down the hallway to Kurt's bedroom, walking backwards so he could look his beautiful boyfriend up and down. He knew the route to Kurt's room by heart; he could make it there in the dark if he had to.

Blaine was more at home with Kurt, Dave, and the kids than in his own house just a short distance away. Blaine knew it had nothing to do with the physical abode, and everything to do with the company.

Kurt could hear the show being filmed through his open windows. He smiled, toying with the idea of leaving the windows open, knowing he and Blaine would most likely get loud and everyone outside would hear. He tilted his head, biting his lip while he let dirty thoughts dance through his head, but in the end he decided against it. No need to let everyone in on what he and Blaine did in the bedroom.

The boudoir photograph of Blaine was enough of a taste. No reason to give them a free show.

Kurt closed the windows, hearing Blaine whine pitifully as he stepped up behind him. Blaine wrapped an arm around him and looked through the glass into the backyard.

"I know," Kurt purred soothingly, "I know. As much as I would enjoy hearing you cum on national television, let's just keep this to ourselves for now. Okay?"

Blaine reached around Kurt's chest, running his hands up and down the soft, purple material of his cashmere sweater. With firm fingers, Blaine massaged the muscles of Kurt's chest, enjoying the contrast of Kurt's hard pecs beneath the soft material. He hummed, content to hold his dom and rest his head against his back.

"How did this happen?" Blaine asked.

"Hmm?" Kurt murmured in response. "How did what happen, love?"

Blaine smiled, holding Kurt tight.

"How did I get everything I never knew I wanted?"

Kurt chuckled, putting his hands over Blaine's, bending his head to kiss Blaine's fingers lightly.

"You know, I was just thinking the same thing."

Blaine bit his lip, wanting to giggle, but he feared it might kill the mood. Blaine slipped his hands free of Kurt's grasp and slid them underneath Kurt's sweater, seeking out his nipples and circling them gently with his fingertips. Kurt rolled his head back onto Blaine's shoulder, closing his eyes to absorb the feeling of Blaine's rough fingertips on his sensitive skin. Kurt reached his arms around, grabbing Blaine's thighs and pulling him close.

"Do you like that?" Blaine whispered, pulling one hand at a time out from under Kurt's sweater, licking his index fingers, returning to the hard nubs, and circling around them again.

"Mmhm," Kurt hummed, squeezing Blaine's thighs with long fingers.

Blaine ran his fingernails down Kurt's chest, watching his lips part as he sucked in a gasp. Blaine's hands ran over Kurt's legs, just above his knees, and then back up his legs to his chest.

"How long do you think before they're going to do shots of the house?" Kurt asked, remembering that the host had mentioned wanting to do some interior shots of the main house, and possibly filming Kurt, Blaine, and Dave, along with the children.

"Oh, it could be hours," Blaine said, lifting up the hem of Kurt's sweater, pulling it carefully over Kurt's head, and laying it flat on the bed. "In fact, they might not do it until tomorrow." Blaine latched onto Kurt's shoulder and bit gently, leaving imprints along the line of his back.

"That's good." Kurt turned, immediately helping Blaine out of his Marc Jacobs shirt, slowly undoing every button, talented fingers slipping the tiny disks through the holes. "I can't remember the last time I had you."

Blaine rolled his eyes.

"If I remember correctly, it was about four this morning."

Kurt sucked a dark mark onto Blaine's neck, causing him to hiss at first, before the sting it mellowed into a crackle of electricity that traveled straight to his cock.

"I didn't ask if you remembered," Kurt said, his voice icy. He bit down hard. Blaine stepped back involuntarily, reaching out and grabbing hold of a bedside table, almost upsetting the lamp that sat on it. "I said I don't remember."

Kurt wrapped a hand around the nape of Blaine's neck, holding him still as he bit. Blaine, caught in the rapture of Kurt's teeth sinking into his skin, ran his fingers down Kurt's chest, down his side, down his back, anywhere he could find skin to touch. Kurt moved away from Blaine's neck, admiring his handiwork, then leaned his own neck over, silently requesting that his sub do the same.

Kurt breathed in sharply when Blaine's teeth came in contact with his skin. Blaine's technique still needed a little refining, but Kurt didn't mind helping him figure things out. Kurt moaned as Blaine moved against his skin, readjusting his mouth on the column of Kurt's neck, finding the spot Kurt liked to have bitten the most. Once Blaine connected with it, Kurt's knees buckled. He sat back on the bed, pulling Blaine down on top of him, content to writhe beneath his sub while Blaine alternated between sucking and biting on his neck.

Blaine had to be careful. He had discovered recently that he could make Kurt cum just like this.

Somewhere in the vicinity of Blaine's pants, Kurt could hear Not the Boy Next Door playing.

"Mmm, Blaine?" Kurt said. "Blaine, I think your pants are ringing."

"Mmhmm." Blaine bite harder in the hopes of distracting Kurt.

Kurt arched his back and moaned.

"Blaine," Kurt whined, but made no move to push Blaine off as long as his mouth gnawed gently on his neck. "That might be the studio."

"Why do you think I'm not answering it." Blaine spoke the words against Kurt's skin so he could go back to what he was doing without losing this precious spot.

"Blaine...at least turn off your ringer."

"Wait," Blaine said, a smile growing on his lips. "Are you even sure that's my phone?"

Kurt groaned. Ever since Blaine had changed his ringtone to that song, it was the same corny joke every time.

"Kurt," Blaine sang, his lips ghosting over the stinging skin, little puffs of air tingling over the growing bruise, "you know it'll go quicker if you just say it and don't argue."

Kurt sighed.

"You're a horrible sub," Kurt dead panned. Then, with another loud groan, he said in his brightest possible voice, "But, Blaine, you know that I am not the boy next door."

Blaine giggled like an idiot, and Kurt rolled his sub off his body and onto the bed.

"You might as well get it now since I refuse to fuck you."

Blaine's face fell as he fished the phone out of his pocket.

"I don't care who you are, that's funny," he moped petulantly, looking at the screen. Blaine looked at the number twice to be sure he had seen it correctly.

"It's Kevin," Blaine said confused.

"Wow." Kurt looked over Blaine's shoulder to see the number. "We haven't heard from him in forever. I was beginning to wonder if the studio even remembered that your character and his character just got engaged. I mean, you guys are never around each other."

Blaine shrugged as he answered the phone and put the call on speaker.

"Hey, Kevin," Blaine said. "You're on speaker with me and Kurt."

"Hey, Kevin." Kurt switched to lay his stomach.

"Hey guys." Blaine could tell right away from the tone of Kevin's voice that something was wrong.

"What is it?" Blaine asked solemnly, cutting to the chase. "You sound like someone died."

"Uh, you could say that," Kevin said. "Have you read the new re-writes?"

"Uh..." Blaine looked up into the eyes of a bemused Kurt. "No. I wasn't aware that they were done."

"They're not," Kevin replied. "But my make-up girl is dating one of the writer's assistants, and she told me..."

"Kevin," Blaine said with a smile. "Don't tell me you're worried about some second-had gossip."

"Blaine, his assistant is Jake."

Blaine went cold. Jake was Brad's nephew. He was a good kid - hardworking and ambitious, honest almost to a fault, and Brad included the boy in on everything.

"They're writing me out," Kevin rushed out all at once.

"What!?" Kurt gasped before Blaine could respond.

"Yeah." Kevin's voice trembled, almost on the verge of tears. "Apparently, Blaine, your character is going to 'find himself'..."

Kurt could almost see the air quotes.

"What do you mean, find himself?"

When the words left his mouth, Blaine suddenly saw where this was all heading.

"You cheat on me and then dump me, Blaine..." Kevin swallowed loudly, "...for Mia's character."

Blaine's jaw dropped.

"What's going to happen to you, then?" Kurt asked, moving closer to the phone as he spoke.

"Undecided." Kurt knew Kevin had started crying. "But they're making sure I don't come back."

"Oh my God." Blaine finally spoke. "He's going to ruin the show, just to get back at me?"

"It would seem so." Kevin sniffled. "Way to go, Blaine."

Kurt smiled at the teasing sound in Kevin's voice, despite the horrible news. When Kurt and Blaine had started dating, Kevin was among one of their few staunch supporters at the studio.

"Don't worry about it," Blaine tried to reassure the man. "I'll talk to Brad and see what hoop they expect me to jump through this time, and maybe..."

"No," Kevin said firmly. "Don't bother. I don't want my job back."

"Why not?" Kurt asked, though the answer was obvious. All three of them knew.

"The reason I took this part was to be a role model for people in my community," Kevin explained. "I mean, I applaud you, Blaine, I really do, but I've been out and proud way longer than you..."

Blaine nodded as he listened.

"I can't stand behind any organization that would ruin a beautiful, healthy, diverse relationship like ours, for any reason. I'm sorry, Blaine. I just can't."

Blaine looked down at the phone, his expression soft but his eyes burning. Kurt could hear a voice behind Kevin, soothing him, most likely his partner, Sam.

"Besides," Kevin continued, "I think it's time to do something else with my life. I know you feel the same way."

"Yeah," Blaine said quietly. "You're right. I do."

Kurt put a hand on Blaine's shoulder, squeezing gently.

"What do you want to do?" Kurt asked. "If that's not too personal a question."

"Actually," Kevin said with a small laugh, "I want to be a writer. Children's stories. I've already written a manuscript. I just need to find someone to publish it."

"Or publish it yourself," Blaine offered. "No one's stopping you, Kevin."

"Yeah," Kevin returned. "No one's stopping you either, Blaine. You don't need this show to be a star."

Blaine bit his lip.

"I know, Kev."

"Sooner better than later, Blaine," Kevin said. "I just wanted to warn you, I'm quitting. I won't let them write me off into the sunset. My guy's going to break up with you."

"Not a chance," Blaine laughed. "We're going out of this together."

"Alrighty then!" Sam butted in. "The 'Thelma and Louise' ending it is!"

Kurt and Blaine laughed.

"That's it," Kevin said. "That's all I had to say. I'm really sorry it came to this, Blaine. You don't deserve to be treated like this."

"Neither do you, Kev."

"I gotta go call my agent," Kevin said, trying hard to avoid an awkward silence.

"Yeah." Blaine looked at Kurt who looked back with a meaningful gaze. "That sounds like a great idea."

"Good luck, Blaine. Kurt. I hope everything works out."

"Yeah," Sam added. "Remember us when you're both famous."

"Us, too," Kurt said.

Blaine sat and stared at Kurt's orchid colored wall long after Kevin hung up the phone. Kurt noticed that for a man who got what he just wanted, a quite obvious way out, he looked incredibly lost. Kurt pulled Blaine down on the bed between his legs and wrapped his arms around him.

"I don't like being an actor," Blaine said finally. "I want to do something else."

"You can do anything you want to, Blaine." Kurt kissed Blaine on the temple.

"Kevin was right." Blaine shook his head back and forth, as if he still couldn't fathom that Brad would go so far just to get back at him. "Our characters on the show were supposed to be role models. They were supposed to help people. But even at the best of times, that character, it wasn't me. This persona that the studio had me locked into...it wasn't me either." Blaine turned his head to look into Kurt's sapphire eyes. "The man I am when I'm with you...that's me. I like him. I want to be him, all of the time. And I can help people without being on that stupid show. Dave volunteered at that LGBTQ center for homeless youth in San Diego, and he wasn't an actor or a celebrity. I can do that, too."

"What do you want to do?"

"Well, technically I don't have to do anything." Blaine laced his fingers with Kurt's and looked at their joined hands. "Thad's dad was originally my agent, when I first got into the show out of school. He wrote me a contract that gives me control of my own merchandising, my p.r., all that hokey crap that makes all the real money. I'll keep making money off the show, even if I'm not on it, as well as the reruns, any syndication, and all the royalties from any album that has my voice on it. Even if I didn't have all of that, I still have the trust fund my grandparents left me. With all of that, I'm pretty much set for life."

Kurt's heart almost stopped. He couldn't even imagine that kind of money.

"Well, la-de-da," Kurt said with a smirk, rolling his eyes away from Blaine. Blaine smiled.

"You know, I wasn't lying when I said that I wanted to write music." Blaine turned to face Kurt and knelt between his legs, facing him while he spoke. "Working on the show, I sang everyone else's stuff. I want to write and perform my own stuff. Maybe start a band..." Blaine took Kurt's hand in his, kissing across Kurt's knuckles. "Travel around the country...in a big, ugly RV...with my new little family...and Dave..."

Kurt giggled, pulling Blaine down until his body pressed flush against him. Kurt kissed Blaine deeply, enjoying the taste of peppermint and coffee that was Blaine's flavor for the day. Kurt released Blaine with a nibble to his lower lip. Blaine had a strange, determined look on his face.

Blaine grabbed his iPhone, and tapped out a quick text message. Kurt, feeling like he wanted to pick up again where they left off, started removing his pants, and then Blaine's.

After sending his text, he dialed a number and put the phone to his ear. Kurt pulled Blaine beneath the covers of the bed.

Kurt could hear the phone ring as he began kissing along Blaine's muscular chest.

"Hey, Blaine!" the voice on the other side of the phone said. "How are you doing? I was just about to call Thad and set up a meeting for us. You know, there was a meet and greet for the new DVD last night. Did you forget. Mia sure missed you."

"Yeah, sure," Blaine responded rather flippantly. "I was spending some time with my boyfriend and his kids, and then I spent the rest of the night in bed fucking him."

Kurt could hear a loud click. For a moment, Kurt thought Brad had hung up on Blaine, but he had only switched him off speaker phone.

"Don't say things like that out loud!" Brad's voice hissed.

"Whatever," Blaine interrupted. "Look, I'm quitting."

The other end of the line went silent.

"What do you mean quitting?" Brad said after a long pause. The man spoke slowly, barely containing his rage.

"I mean as in I am no longer on Sing. I'm breaking my contract."

Another silence.

Then a harsh, strained bark of laughter.

"This is a joke, right?" Brad said. "You're kidding, right?"

Blaine shook his head and sighed.

"Look..." Blaine sat up, dragging Kurt up with him, "I don't want to talk to you. I hate you. You're toxic. So is Sebastian. So is Mia. So is that show. You have us all lying, and I'm not going to do it anymore. I'm going to start writing my own music. I'm going to put out a CD. Then, in about a year, I'm going to rent an RV, pack it with my guitar and the people that I love, and I'm going to tour the country playing music outside of coffee houses and shopping malls, and I'm going to be happy for once."

More silence.

"Okay..." Brad's tone changed. He tried to sound upbeat and friendly, "you're finding yourself, and that's great. Good for you! You're gay! That's great! Come out. It'll be amazing for your image, for the show's image. We'll dump Mia. You'll date Sebastian. You guys always look so good together. We'll do a PSA..."

Blaine dropped his iPhone when Kurt slipped beneath the covers of the bed, wrapped his lips around Blaine's erection, and started sucking slowly. Blaine tilted his head against the pillows and gasped as the tight, silky heat of Kurt's mouth engulfed him. The distant sound of Brad's voice, still buzzing from the phone like an angry bee about to sting was starting to kill his hard-on. Blaine shoved the phone under a pillow...and then piled three more pillows on top of it. Before long, it didn't matter, because the wet heat of Kurt's mouth was everywhere, and Blaine was so close, he could barely even register the existence of his iPhone anywhere in the room.

Brad heard Blaine moaning through the phone, cutting him off mid-sentence. He angrily switched off his phone, throwing it across the room. Writers and assistants seated around the conference table in front of him scattered, grabbing their laptops and bustling quickly from the room. Brad stared at the wall where his phone had struck, panting heavily, a thoughtful look on his face as he contemplated his next move. First Kevin, and now Blaine. Brad didn't have anything on Kevin, but that didn't matter. He didn't want Kevin. He didn't need Kevin. Kevin was expendable, but Brad had put too much time and effort into making Blaine Anderson a star. He wasn't going to give him up so easily.