Kurt must admit, this has turned out to not have been an entirely bad idea, after all. He'd had his doubts, before they drove here, and even during the day he'd sometimes wonder, why again he had let himself be convinced by Finn.

But, mostly, with the way things have been going, this isn't all too bad, if he is honest.

He brings up his hands behind his head and stretches languidly on the blanket.

And who would have thought, when the idea began to take shape, some days ago... Camping. Kurt. Kurt and camping. Somehow that hadn't connected too easily in his head.

But then again, he can be practical, if he needs to be. For a day or two, at least.

Kurt lets out a long breath. Not a snort yet, but not too far from it, either.

And so this is it.

They are not really camping, though.

Kurt leans back against the bag he has stuffed behind his back, to make sitting on the uneven ground more comfortable.

No. No camping in the strict sense of sleeping in tents and living on canned food and without running water or electricity or ... whatever other horrible scenarios Kurt's TV-trained imagination provides him with.

Kurt huffs.

But somehow it feels close enough, still.

He lets his hand settle on the patch of grass next to the blanket and feels out its dry and smooth texture.

In fact, this is actually meant to be their chance to get a bit of holiday feeling, since no bigger trips are planned for this summer. They are still reeling in the aftermath of Dalton tuition a little, even if Burt won't speak about it to Kurt's face. But Kurt knows. It's not severe, though, they're fine and solvent, but Waikiki Beach still will have to wait until next year.

So they took up the offer of one of Burt's friends, who owns a small house - well, more of a cottage really - and some property at a lake site, a good hour outside of Lima.

And there you have it. Kurt smiles wrily. Abandoned lake in the woods, a cottage... Kurt doesn't even know what brings up the association, but somewhere in his head, that all just sounds close enough to camping.

He sighs.

At first, it had been only Burt and Carole who were to go, but Finn somehow got hooked on the idea, and threw in they could tag along as well.

Kurt for his part had rather liked the thought of having them all out of the house for a weekend, to be honest. And why Finn had been oblivious to that opportunity of a parent-free weekend in the first place, he can't really fathom.

Kurt shifts a little against his bag and crosses his ankles.

Well, Finn probably just forgot, over the prospect of reliving some cherished memories of past summer camp adventures.

Kurt chuckles silently.

Visualizing Finn's extensive collection of flannel shirts, he can see how that would fit the type just perfectly. And with the outfit rounded off by the right accessory, like, say, an axe to cut the fire wood...

Oh, well. But then, maybe, Finn just liked the thought of getting out of town a bit.

The rippling of the lake water hitting the shore lulls Kurt's thoughts into a lazy pace. He yawns.

Anyway, whatever Finn's motives had been, eventually Burt, Finn and Carole got so enthusiastic over the whole family trip aspect of them all going together, that Kurt really couldn't find it in his heart to say no.

And when Finn suggested they could take Rachel and Blaine as well, the idea almost got good.

Of course, the cottage wasn't built for six people, but since this was only meant to be a short trip, to get a sense of summer and vacation and outside fun at the beautiful lake site, they decided for one night it would do.

So they brought air mattresses, and put them all in the small living room.

It has a decided air of childhood sleepovers, and with Burt and Carole in the next room, Kurt assumes that this is exactly how it is going to be later, all giggles and shushes and more giggles. Well, he is fine with that. Probably. Yeah. Why not.

Kurt shrugs absently and for no one in particular to see.

That really hasn't been the problem.

But who would have thought they'd end up picking what would turn out to be one of the hottest days of this summer so far for their little trip?

Kurt catches himself fanning his face again with his hand, even if that doesn't bring the desired effect of refreshment. The air is mostly still warm, and just moving it around won't make it better. Much. Kurt grumbles his frustration to himself.

He's liked it well enough, all of it, actually, the day spent at the lake with picnics and card games and frolicking around like they were ten again. It was nice. He just isn't much of the summer type. Never was.

No big surprise there, just look at him.

So, yeah, he hasn't been too keen to dip more than his feet into the lake water, and the blistering heat's had him walking back to the shade every ten minutes, anyway.

And there he'd sit, covered in sunscreen, even if he never dared to face the sun without his white cotton shirt and his hat on to begin with.

Kurt tilts up his chin.

Well, at least, this has been an opportunity to wear a hat.

At that thought, the fleeting tension eases out of Kurt's frame a bit.

Of course, the others have joined him often enough as well. So he hasn't had that much time over the day, to be grumpy, really.

And then, when Blaine took of his own shirt to go swimming with Finn, and Rachel sat down beside Kurt with a huge grin, to watch and cheer them on, the afternoon suddenly became... rather bearable, indeed.

Kurt finds a smile not unlike Rachel's earlier spreading on his face. He looks around him.

Now the evening has come and finally brought a milder breeze with it. Not much, but it is there. Kurt angles up his head to savour it.

It's just the four of them now, since Burt and Carole have taken the short stroll into town to have dinner at that small Italian restaurant they had seen when they'd driven past. They'll be back later that night.

That left the rest of them to another round of sandwiches and way too much snacks, sweets and potato chips for Kurt's usual liking, but then it somehow fit the mood just well. At least there were no cans.

Kurt eyes drop to the small flickering glow on the ground some steps away from him.

It isn't really dark yet, or so cold that they would need the warmth of a fire, god forbid, no. But they all agreed the trip wouldn't be complete without some campfire atmosphere.

Oh, and Finn wanted to roast some marshmallows, of course.

So, more carbs to come. At this hour. Kurt inwardly sighs.

He lets his eyes wander over the scene before him, and ends up staring into the low flare of flames again.

He wasn't feeling all too bad watching them work, while Finn and Blaine were building up what looked like a systematized...heap of wood pellets. Making fire. Kurt suppresses a giggle.

Well, let them, he had shrugged. If it made them feel all manly. Kurt struggles to smooth the grin out of his features now as he recalls the scene.

He had not been completely idle, of course, he had contributed as well. After all he'd prepared the sandwiches for their dinner. So, yeah, he had definitely earned his share of just observing.

Again, Kurt finds his teeth digging lightly into his lower lip in amusement.

Those focussed looks they had on their faces really were quite too precious.

Kurt had never pegged Blaine for the camping type either, and he probably isn't.

But watching Blaine stack up and minutely arrange dry twigs on top of the pellets they had brought, Kurt couldn't help vivid visions rising in his mind way too easily. Kurt grins. Visions of busy boy scouts in tiny uniforms.

Little boy scout Blaine Anderson. A soft snicker finally gets the better of Kurt.

Finn looks at him quizzically, but when Kurt just hurries to lower his eyes in another chuckle, Finn shrugs and reaches for the bag of chips at his feet again.

Kurt leans back and sighs.

So now at the end of a long day, they finally find themselves around and staring into the small fire in their midst, Kurt and Rachel on blankets, their bags and towels stuffed behind their backs.

Finn sits opposite of them on a cut down trunk of a tree, that the owners must have placed there, next to the gravel stone fire place.

Kurt's eyes flicker to his boyfriend. Blaine hasn't settled yet, putting away the bag of pellets. He meets Kurt's eyes for a fleeting instant, and then, with a sudden grin on his face, jogs off to his car once more.

Kurt and Rachel have barely had time to exchange suspicious looks, when he already comes back around the bend.

Kurt sits up straighter. Blaine is carrying his guitar.

At Kurt's side, Rachel claps in anticipation. "Oh, yes, romantic campfire love songs!"

Kurt shifts in his seat as well at the prospect and then spots something else in Blaine's other hand that looks like a ripped out page of a magazine, with hand written notes scribbled along the edges... Oh. So that's why Blaine asked for the crossword page out of Kurt's Vogue earlier.

Blaine just grins some more, and Finn moves to sit next to Rachel, who immediately snuggles against him, as he puts his arm around her.

That leaves the wooden trunk vacant and so Blaine sits down there and brings the guitar into his lap. He clears his throat:

"So. Kurt. Without wanting to make too long an opening speech...I thought this might bet the perfect setting to sing you one of the sweetest love songs I know..."

Kurt's gut starts to tingle already, but he raises his eyebrows:

"Baby got back?" He makes his tone dry, but can't hide that a hint of laughter underneath.

Rachel snorts, and Finn suppresses a chuckle. Blaine's eyes narrow playfully, and another grin tugs at his features.

"No, the other one." His voice is just as wry as Kurt's was. Still Blaine inclines his head, eyes glinting with humour, and Kurt just returns the nod with a grin of his own: "Ah."

By now, the daylight is already fading, but the scattered stray rays that still find their way through the leaves of the trees, illuminate Blaine's face in the most flattering way. His eyes sparkle even more with the fire reflecting in them.

For a moment Kurt is sure he just stares, but then Blaine speaks again:

"So, anyway. I couldn't help but notice over the day, that summer is probably not your favourite season of all..."

Kurt opens his mouth as if to protest a little, but then he thinks again and just doesn't. Because that statement isn't really wrong after all. Blaine smiles and continues: "So hopefully, maybe, this'll make amends, a bit... Finn? Remember what I said earlier?"

Finn jerks a little out of his already dreamy mood of staring into the low flames to their middle, and reaches behind him, bringing some tupper ware boxes into his lap.

Kurt's brow furrows in question, and as an answer, Blaine immediately starts to hit the body of his guitar with his palm, giving a beat.

And Finn joins in, using the empty boxes in front of him as makeshift drums.

Kurt recognizes the significant rhythm at once: Ingrid Michaelson's The Way I am.

Blaine had mentioned that song to him once, and when he'd researched it, Kurt had fallen in love with it as well.

He sits up straighter, leaning forward, that tickling prickle in his gut rising higher to his chest.

Blaine smiles and locks eyes with him: "So, Kurt, this goes out to you." He strums the first chord, and Kurt feels the sound vibrating all along his skin already in a blissful shiver.

Then Blaine's voice joins in the mix:

"When a heat wave hits all you need to do is call

And I will find you, with a parasol..."

The smile spreads wider on both their faces:

"'Cause I feel like my world revolves around you

And you are like the sun to me..."

Blaine's voice is light and full of humour. But something in its depths, together with those lyrics, strikes a cord so deep inside, that it floods Kurt with the most agreeable welling up of warmth.

A moment ago, he'd said that with the lingering heat of the day, the last thing he wanted was to feel was warm from the inside, too. But now he is just sure as he ever is when the feeling hits, that he never, never wants to lose and miss it. Or the person who evokes it in him like no one else.

He can only beam at his boyfriend.

And Blaine mirrors Kurt's smile, which then turns into a playful grin, when he sings the next verse:

"When you get too hot, I will buy ice cream for you...

I'll get you sorbet, and frozen yogurt, too..."

Kurt laughs, and then his look is shortly diverted to Rachel, who starts to clap softly in time with the beat for the chorus, humming, harmonizing.

Kurt smiles at her. She's obviously not trying to steal Blaine's spotlight, but losing herself to the charm of the simple melody as well.

"'Cause I love how sweet your lips taste when I kiss them

And you, you make me melt away..."

At that, Blaine leans back a bit and cocks his head at Kurt's grin: "You see, I just can't seem to manage a single song in which I won't at least comment once on your lips..."

Kurt is sure he blushes, but his cheeks are already flushed from the heat of the fire, so no one will probably see the difference in the warm dim orange light. No one but Blaine, who can tell by now just from the way Kurt's lashes flutter down for a moment. He carries on with a knowing grin:

"When you shield your eyes, because the midday sun gets all too bright

I'll lend you my shades, against the UV light

'Cause I want to stare into your eyes until I'm blinded

And you shine like the sun for me..."

Blaine plucks at the strings of his guitar a little more leisurely, and then he actually halts in the movement, to raise his eyebrows innocently at the expectant faces that surround him:

"You want more?" Rachel' clapping loses rhythm for a moment, along with her cheer. Finn just keeps hitting the plastic boxes with a grin.

Blaine's look drops to Kurt with the most casual of sly smiles: "Because, I got more... if you're interested..."

Duh. Kurt can only squint narrowed eyes at Blaine, but it must be all in those eyes, because after another warm chuckle, Blaine continues with the next verse:

"When the summer sun feels hot and burning on your skin

Lay down in the shade, I'll rub some sunscreen in

'Cause I bet that in the sunlight you do surely sparkle

And your smile it puts the sun to shame."

Now, Kurt tardily arches his own brows at the lyrics, and he can see Rachel look up as well a little puzzled, but before he can go deeper into what has startled him, Blaine grins, and adds yet another verse.

"So, when in all this heat, you yearn for something cool

I'll find you a fan, and a swimming pool

Cause I still think that you're the coolest guy around here

Yet you, you set my heart aflame..."

Blaine repeats the last line, actually closing his eyes against the fire for a moment, then blinking dreamily at Kurt across it, drawing the syllables out, humming along in a smile:

"I'll say it again, you put the sun to shame, mmm...

I'm all on fire and no one but you to blame."

Blaine strums the last chord and searches out Kurt eyes.

Kurt only registers faintly, how Rachel and Finn start to clap and cheer softly.

All his attention pours into locking gazes with Blaine, and something wakes inside, as he mirrors that impossible glint in twinkling eyes, shining with the sparking light of the fire between them.

There's a smile twitching on his features and in his tone:

"So, now I'm a bit confused... according to that song... am I hot or am I cool?"

A grin flashes across Blaine's expression, but then he lowers his face. He takes a breath, as if in careful consideration, and puts his guitar aside. And with Kurt's soft bright eyes never leaving him, Blaine stands and takes the few steps around the fire, where he gets on his knees to actually move to sit beside Kurt in what looks like a slow casual crawling motion.

Something in Kurt hitches. Then Blaine tilts his head at him with a grin: "Oh, you unite both in your perfection..."

Kurt swallows, but otherwise doesn't stir, keeping up the pose a bit longer, features smooth as his voice, tone of slight mock disapproval, belying how inwardly, something keeps jumping up and down excitedly:

"That would actually make me... lukewarm." Kurt makes a show of narrowing his eyes and puts on a half-pout, and Blaine actually halts in his movement.

Blaine's eyebrows shoot up and he opens his mouth to say something, but before he can, Finn cuts him short, addressing Rachel a little gingerly, even if with a look to his brother and Blaine.

"Rachel, I, um...would you like to go for a little walk along the lake shore?"

Rachel is on her feet a little too quickly. "Yeah, let's."

She grabs Finn's hand and pulls him up, or tries to, since her clinging to his hand is probably hindering him more than helping, while he struggles to his feet, flailing around with his other arm to gain some balance.

Kurt's body tenses to suppress a chuckle at the sight and he senses the same in Blaine next to him.

Finally standing, Finn reaches for one of the flash lights then turns abruptly to the boys once more, whisper confidental: "Well, we... will be back for those marshmallows... in quite some time." He shrugs a little awkwardly and takes some steps after Rachel, then turns again in an impulse and grabs one of the blankets with a lopsided grin.

Kurt raises his eyebrows at that subtle move and sends a soft laugh after his stepbrother, but then he checks his expression, because, really, who's he to talk right now.

He hears the other two muttering to each other as they stalk away through the grass, Rachel impatiently whisper-shouting something along the lines of 'here, let me' and then she takes the flash light out of Finn's hands and marches ahead, Finn stumbling a little behind her.

Yeah, those two and subtlety, that trait never has been one of either one's strong suits.

Kurt heaves a small sigh. And if he doesn't take care, his own seems to become a little neglected as well. Can't let that happen. So composure, Kurt, composure.

He turns to find Blaine close to him, and his heart leaps in his chest just for that.

"Blaine." It comes out a little breathless, but still with a tinge of humour showing underneath. Blaine locks his eyes to Kurt's.

"Kurt." Well, so much for composure. Because, reliably, Kurt's coherent thoughts dissolve at that look and that voice, and he feels himself swallowed into their own little time, where nothing seems to matter but that space between them brimming with so, so much only waiting to close that distance in every way possible.

Yet tardily, from the edges of his mind, a question hits, one that Kurt recalls he wanted to address.

He takes a deep breath and cocks his head at his boyfriend, that slight sound of reprimand not yet all out of his tone:

"Blaine, somewhere along, did you just make a Twilight reference?" Blaine blinks, with the slightest start. If at the question, Kurt's tone or the general fact that Kurt is talking right now, Kurt can't really quite make out.

Probably the latter, though, because his boyfriend's answer leads Kurt to suspect that Blaine's usual capacity of articulate speech seems to be otherwise occupied at the moment as well:

"What, me?" Kurt snickers a little, but then resumes the tone of scrutiny again.

"Yeah, you. Did you just compare me to a vampire?" At that Blaine draws back a little:

"You mean with the sparkling line?" Kurt inclines his head in a nod, never breaking their eye contact. Blaine tilts his head to the side:

"No, not really... well, maybe a little. But then I would bet I actually saw you sparkle earlier... "

Kurt's eyes narrow dangerously at that and Blaine hurries to continue:

"Anyway, but then, you have to admit, it actually really fits..." Kurt just keeps up his amused half-glare and Blaine almost squirms a bit under it: "Come on you must see where it's coming from, there's certain traits and tendencies about you..."

"I have vampire tendencies...?.!" Kurt's cut Blaine short with an indignant gasp, but he doesn't miss Blaine's involuntary glance to his mouth, before his boyfriend checks himself and raises his eyebrows innocently at Kurt again. Wait a minute, what was that about just now? Kurt purses his lips in a suspicious half-pout, and Blaine's look drops again. Huh.

Then, again, that doesn't have to mean too much, really, because Blaine does that quite often. Look at Kurt's lips. Everytime before they're about to kiss, actually, Kurt muses. But together with the way he actually starts to stammer...:

"I... I mean your pale skin, you avoid the sun because you don't tan, all you do in the sun is get sun burnt..." At that Kurt forgets his former train of thoughts and crosses his arms defiantly in front of his chest:.

"I am not a vampire. And I don't sparkle."

The dramatic force of Kurt's posture makes Blaine's eyebrows shoot up, eyes twinkling with suppressed laughter. He huffs, then joins in on the game, and gives an all to slow unconvinced shrug himself, eyes narrowing playfully.

Kurt has to stifle a grin but the mock reprimand in his tone becomes decidedly defensive:

"Blaine, come on, I don't sparkle!" He tilts his chin up and after a pause for emphasis wrings out with offended dignity:

"I shimmer."

Kurt checks Blaine's reaction in a side glance, and it takes his all not to crack up. Oh, my. Just when you thought Blaine's eyebrows couldn't rise any higher... Well, they just did.

Kurt straightens out his features the best way he can manage and elaborates matter-of-factly with a quite regal nod:

"I shimmer. There's particles in my skin care, to give the complexion that certain radiant gleam, that...illuminated shine..." He squints his eyes tartly at Blaine, voice utterly final:

"But I don't sparkle."

The moment stretches and they just stare, the flickering glow of the fire painting shapes of shadow and light across their faces.

Then Blaine blinks. And they finally let go and burst out into soft ripples of laughter.

It ebbs away as their eyes find each other without pretence this time.

Kurt swallows and marvels at the sheer magnetism of their connection, and he finds himself moving in closer to Blaine already.

Blaine's look flickers across Kurt's face, and he reasons with a relenting chuckle, inching closer as well:

"Well, just to be safe, we'll need to be extra-careful that none of us catches fire... for real, I mean."

"Yeah, sure..." Kurt doesn't add 'whatever', but he's not really paying attention to the words too much anymore. They drift towards each other, at last leaning in.

Kurt takes a slow breath, and immediately falls in love with how Blaine's skin smells of sun lotion and outside air and lake water. He bumps his nose gently against his boyfriend's.

But just as their lips are about to make contact, an idea hits and Kurt changes his course with a low snickering sound deep in his throat, leaving Blaine to a soft gasp of surprise.

Kurt's mouth and cheek brush along Blaine's jaw to caress a fluttering line of kisses down his boyfriend's neck, savouring the salty tinge. The taut tendons and muscles there vibrate in anticipation beneath Kurt's touch.

Kurt chuckles inwardly. Well, with all this talk, his boyfriend had it coming, really.

And then Kurt sinks into the hollow of Blaine's throat, placing a grin there first, and next a kiss, in which he uses his teeth a little more than need be.