"Kurt?"

He looks up from his task at hand and at Santana, her brows raised, towing behind her Brittany, who is looking around in child-like amazement.

"Kurt, Mercedes was outside and she sent us in here..." Santana puts her hands on her hips, now squinting around as well. "So does that mean we are doing the performance in here?"

At that Kurt stops pressing buttons on his boombox and faces her dryly. "Yeah, that was the plan."

He gestures around at his father's garage.

It is Sunday, so the work places are abandoned, but it makes for a rather... interesting setting, Kurt thinks. He tilts his head at Santana. "Why, is there a problem with it?"

"No, not at all." Her answer is a shrug.

Still Kurt can feel her scrutinizing eyes on him, looking him over from head to toes. He instinctively stands a bit straighter, since he is rather proud of his choice of outfit.

It is summer, so he's settled for a light grey shirt to his skin tight jeans, cuffs rolled up to his elbows. Clean cut and classy, but with a hint of simple sexy, he had thought.

Yet Santana looks quite unimpressed, as she brings up a finger to tap at her chin. "What?" Kurt glances down himself to check if every part of the ensemble still fits like it should. "What's wrong?" Santana raises her hands at his clipped tone. "No, no, you're fine, I just thought..." She trails, but Kurt's glare tells her to spit it out already, and so she does:

"I just thought it would have been great, when, with the setting and all, you could have gone for the dirty mechanic look, you know, splotchy tank shirt, sooty arms, grease stains on your cheek and forehead..."

A grin tugs at her features but Kurt's expression stays that trademark one of slight annoyance.

"And why would I ever do that?"

Santana's jaw drops and she gasps slightly. Then she shakes her head in disbelief: "Only because... it's hot?" Her hands have come up in a gesture like 'duh!'.

Now Kurt falters and his face displays his indignation: "Marring my perfect skin is hot? Santana, I am here for the acoustics... the acoustics, okay?" He shakes his head rather to himself for punctuation. Santana just lifts her shoulders and Kurt thinks he hears her muttering something along the lines of 'fine, your loss' under her breath. She pouts for a second, only to then have that sly grin spread on her face again.

Kurt ignores it, and skates over it with a slight grumble: "Well, since you won't find me in a church, especially not for that performance, I thought this would be the next best thing... for the acoustics."

Yes. That has been his idea. After all, the song they are going to do kind of demands that reverberating sound to emphasize its epic feel, and the garage with its high ceilings is actually the biggest room Kurt has at his disposal. And with Burt being out of town with Carole on a Sunday afternoon trip, this is just the perfect opportunity.

Kurt inwardly scoffs. Dirty mechanic look. The nerve of that girl. A suggestion like that can only come from someone who hasn't lived with cars and mechanics all their lives. Just try and get motor oil or grease stains out of countless heaps of laundry over and over again, and there goes the appeal. Like, really, come on.

"Kurt?" This new voice lets Kurt's irritation dissolve just as quickly as it has risen. He turns around to find Blaine standing in the door frame, with Mercedes behind him, lightly pushing at his boyfriend's shoulders with a huge grin.

Kurt cuts across the distance with bold strides, but then stops short in front of Blaine, to reach for his hands with a rather shy smile. Blaine lets his hands be taken, and presses Kurt's gently for way of greeting, eyes playfully alert and narrowing: "Kurt, what is this? Why did you want me to meet you here?" Blaine's look flickers away as some movement across the room diverts his attention. "And the girls..." Blaine flashes a smile at Brittany and Santana, who have stepped up to wave at him with knowing grins.

Kurt rocks a little on the balls of his feet in anticipation, and struggles to keep his features straight.

"Oh, you'll see soon enough." He tugs at their joined hands and leads Blaine to a camp chair he has put up in the middle of the room. There, he pushes his boyfriend down lightly with a wiggle of his eyebrows, and Blaine laughs, but it sounds a little strained, and he sits down rather stiffly searching Kurt's eyes, a glint of nervous in his own:

"Okay, I believe I can see where this is headed..."

And suddenly it dawns on Kurt, why Blaine's whole frame tenses up in the way it does. Something in his gut tingles, and he pats Blaine's shoulder in a mock soothing manner.

"Oh, don't worry, Blaine, relax, this will not be like that last performance... the one in my room." Kurt has to suppress a giggle at the way Blaine's eyes widen, and continues in good humour.

"No, really, that's not for them to see, so this here will not be like that..." Kurt hears a relieved breath escape Blaine's lips and watches his boyfriend actually ease back a bit into the chair.

"Not too much, at least." Kurt's tone is genial, with a nonchalant shrug. Oh, boy. This was just too good to resist.

He sees Blaine's mouth fall open, as if he wants to say something, but Kurt turns on his heel to hide his grin and walk over to the girls where they have assembled on their makeshift stage. When did he become such a tease? Poor Blaine. Kurt chuckles a little wickedly to himself, but when he reaches the boombox, and turns to check if everybody is ready, his features are smooth again. So is his voice when he lets it carry through the room:

"Ladies, gentlemen. The guest of honour has arrived, thus there is no need for us to delay this any further... So, here is a performance to pay tribute to a whole range of awe-inspiring awesomeness." He connects his eyes once more shortly with Blaine's, then presses the button for start. "Enjoy."

The room is filled by the intro and Brittany, Santana and Mercedes immediately start to harmonize perfectly in gentle oohs to the first sounds of the song.

Like a Prayer. By Madonna.

Kurt smiles at Blaine, whose chin has come up in anticipation. Then he steps up between the girls, while they assume their positions to his sides.

The first chord hits, and Kurt folds his hands before his chest in a nod to the original song, and he begins.

It is in a lower unagitated midrange of his voice, and for the first few lines, he does not yet sing out the notes, but almost speaks them at times:

"Upon that stairway that day, when I first laid eyes on you,

'I am new here' I did say,

but even then I... knew"

Kurt gives Blaine a look and a slow smile, that makes his boyfriend unable to do anything but return the stare.

Then the pause ends, and the girls join in for the chorus:

"And there's no doubt since then I've been in love with your design

Since that very first glimpse, I've longed to make you mine"

They've decided to revive the simple choreography they did last year, so now they've kicked it off in a set of turns and twists, bringing movement to the performance.

"It's been a roller coaster ride, my heart would stop at your mere sight

Yes, right from the start, you've owned my very heart..."

They halt again in their dancing, and Kurt takes the lead again, voice still low and velvety:

"And all that time, I wanted you upon my skin..."

Then he kicks it up an octave for the next line. And, oh yeah, now the acoustics of the room really pay off, the effect made all the more stunning by the contrast of alternating low with high pitch:

"Then you were mine, it felt divine...

I heard angels sing..."

And oh, how Kurt had hoped for that kind of reaction. Because by now, Blaine's pupils are blown up to have wide eyes look so much darker, even. His boyfriend sits straight but unmoving, and there is awe, but yet something more, as Blaine actually grips the chair a little.

Kurt smiles and continues in this powerful high range of his, letting the full impact of his voice unravel.

"But time went by, I found you were not for me...

Still you catch my eye, you take me high..."

Obviously, the mere force of Kurt's voice has held Blaine captured, because he seems to realize the lyrics only tardily, blinking a little puzzled at their echo.

Kurt goes on, stifling a grin, and the chorus hits again:

"I can't deny that:

Since that very first day, I've been in love with your design

Since that very first glimpse, I've thought you're mighty fine

It's been a roller coaster ride, my heart would stop at your mere sight

Right at the start, you just won my heart..."

This time, Kurt sings in the high range from the beginning on.

"But you're no longer mine, now that I've grown out of you

You're still damn fine, though you're not mine

I still adore you..."

And by now, Blaine's brow has definitely furrowed at the lyrics. Kurt tries to make his tone light, but hopes that his grin alone must signal to Blaine, that he is not in trouble, or has missed something about their relationship. He rushes into the next lines:

"It's just so true, you look sharp like a razor...

This song goes to... no, not to you, Blaine..."

Kurt has rather spoken Blaine's name, and now has to struggle hard to keep the chuckle out of his voice:

"It's for the blazer..."

Blaine is faced with a row of the widest grins, and they all prolong the pause for the fracture of a second, before they plunge into the chorus again:

"'Cause:

Since that very first day, I've been in love with its design

Since that very first glimpse, I've thought it mighty fine

It's been a roller coaster ride, my heart would stop at its mere sight

Right there at the start, it won my fashionable heart..."

By now, Blaine is mirroring their smiles broadly, and Kurt points a finger at him during the next lines, to emphasize that now he is actually the one addressed for the first time during the song.

"Since I saw you wearing it, I've been in love with that design

The way it looked on you, I've thought it mighty fine

It's been a roller coaster ride, my heart still stops at its mere sight

Right at the very start, there went my fashionable heart...

Ooh, ooh, ooh,..."

They gather in the middle of their stage, to laugh and draw the syllables from each other, and when Kurt steps forward again, hands folded once more, eyes raised upwards, the girls continue to back him up with oohs.

"Don't wanna miss you, oh, blazer sweet, now that the summer's come..."

Kurt points at Blaine again arm outstretched, eyes squinting playfully:

"Don't care if you will overheat, Blaine,

but that blazer stays on!"

The girls join in again, and by now they make it almost sound like a chant, dancing, gesturing and indicating fingers at Blaine, who by now fans his face with his hand against the flush from all the suppressed laughter.

"For sure the blazer rules, don't care that we're not in school

Far away from Dalton's dorms, put on your uniform

Dark red and navy blue, my heart belongs to you

I have seen the light, my heart beat speeds up at your sight..."

Then Kurt actually moves a step back, and let's the girls take the stage, showing off their voices, freely picking fragments of the background lyrics, that Kurt provides on repeat:

"I've seen the light, oh what a sight

My heart belongs to you

I've seen the light, oh what a sight

Dark red and navy blue (2x)"

Blaine whoops and cheers all along in his chair applauding at their marvellous performances. Then he grins as Kurt steps forward one more time shooing them away with mock impatience, and the girls fall to the back again, dancing and clapping in best gospel choir fashion.

"And so this song it was for you, since I quite delight, well, in your sight

(the blazer rules, oh yes, the blazer's cool)

But to be perfectly true...

(dark red and blue)"

And then Kurt brings his eyes down from where he had raised them reverently up at the ceiling to meet Blaine's with a smile.

"I fell in love with who's inside...

(ohhh-ohhh-ohhh-ohhh)"

Blaine's answering smile is the sweetest, and Kurt grins and assumes a pose of scrutiny for the next lines, brow furrowed, arms crossed before his chest with one finger tapping at his chin in mock scepticism:

"Because I must admit, you're not a perfect fit

(the blazer rules)

And at a second glance, the colour of those pants

(oh, yes the blazer's cool)

it does give pain to me, and you look rather plain, you see

(dark red and blue)

I guess, you look alright, but you're nothing without the man inside."

They all line up once more as the background lyrics take the front:

"The blazer rules, Blaine's blazer makes us drool..."

Then Kurt cuts in one final time, voice clear as crystal:

"I can't deny, you were what caught my eye...

(dark red and blue...)

Blazer, you look alright, but I fell in love with who's inside...

(ohhhh-ohhh-ohhh-oooh...)"

The song culminates in a breathtaking assembly of voices ringing out and filling the entire room.

Blaine jumps up from his seat and joins in with cheers and whistles, clapping with all that he has.

They end up in a kind of a group hug, patting at each other's shoulders and laughing.

"Guys, that was amazing!" Blaine beams at each of them respectively.

Then his look falls on Kurt, and something in it shifts. He reaches out for Kurt's hands.

"Oh, girls, that should be our cue..." Santana laughs, but Brittany jerks and immediately begins to back out of the room, waving, beckoning frantically for Mercedes and Santana to join her. The two girls shake their heads at her and grin some more at Blaine, but then comply and start walking as well to follow Brittany, who is standing at the door, hands on her hips and waiting for them.

Blaine looks a little puzzled at that sudden retreat, and Kurt glares after the girls half-heartedly for their subtlety. After all this had been part of the plan. Accomplish mission, then leave Kurt and Blaine alone for a more detailed and deeper discussion of the performance. That had been the assignment. 'Sure...' they had laughed and Santana had actually snorted at him, but they've kept to their word, and that is all that matters.

Kurt turns to meet Blaine's eyes and his heart jumps to find them sparkling. The same emotion reaches into Blaine's voice:

"So, shall I go get my blazer?"

Kurt laughs and leans back a little onto a car or a rack or whatever happens to be behind him, to pull Blaine closer to him, grabbing his black cotton shirt lightly.

"No, Blaine, I was being ironic." The glint in Blaine's eyes tells him his boyfriend already knew that, but he continues for good measure, tilting his head. "The blazer has its charm and I like a man in uniform just like the next guy, but... I think I was telling you that I probably like you just as much, if not even more without it on."

Blaine's smile grows wider at that, and Kurt makes a show of going on matter-of-factly: "Because really, what's the blazer without you but a piece of cloth, whereas you without the blazer..."

Their eyes lock. Blaine's voice is low, and Kurt's skin tingles where Blaine's breath touches it: "So, are you telling me to strip again?" Kurt blinks and Blaine draws back a little, the amusement in his tone taking over. "Because that seems to become a recurring theme in your songs for me..."

Kurt stifles a grin but never breaks the gaze. "No, Blaine, it's just what you're brain keeps making of it."

His tone is sweet and Blaine just nods at it, and Kurt grins and nods back, and they simply sink into each other's eyes losing themselves to the moment.

In an impulse, Kurt brings up his hand to brush his fingers over Blaine's cheek in a caress.

Then something that he leaves in he wake of his fingers gets his attention, and he lets his hand fall.

Kurt's eyebrows shoot up.

He doesn't know where he must have put his hand while supporting himself against the rack behind him, but he must have gotten a little motor oil on his fingers, or something.

And now there is a faint dark line smeared along his boyfriend's cheekbone.

An instant long, Kurt just stares. Then a thought hits that he should wipe it away, should clean his boyfriend up. But to his own surprise, his hand just doesn't move.

Instead his eyes widen as his mind tardily provides him with images he never knew he had in him, completing the picture before him in a way that makes him gasp softly. He shifts a little on his feet. Somehow...and he has no idea how... but somehow that... works. Huh. Dirty works.

Kurt feels how his gaze changes and he swallows, and Blaine must have noticed, because his voice cracks up a little, when he asks: "What?" But Kurt just shakes his head at him, bringing his hands up again to cup Blaine's face in them, voice not more than a breath. "Oh, nothing... Nothing." And then he just pulls his boyfriend in for a kiss.