On Monday, Kurt was stopped at his locker between classes by Santana, and their fellow Cheerio Nadia. Kurt and Nadia had never really gotten along. In fact, they hated each other.

"Hummel." Santana got Kurt's attention. "Why weren't you at my girl Nadia's party on Saturday night?"

Kurt sighed. He really didn't want to have to deal with Nadia right now.

"I had better things to do." He said simply.

"Better things to do than the best party of the year?" Santana scoffed. "I highly doubt that."

Nadia folded her arms across her chest, looking Kurt up and down with an icy glare before stating, "I saw that curly haired freak from Santana's little Glee Club leave a note in your locker on Friday, Hummel."

"Holy shit!" Santana shouted. "Are you sleeping with Anderson?"

"I knew you were desperate, but I never thought you'd stoop that low." Nadia rolled her eyes.

"I'm not fucking Anderson, alright?" Kurt spat.

"Oh yeah?" Asked Nadia. "Prove it."

"Fine. How?"

Nadia gave Santana a smirk, and Kurt could see the gears working in her head. This wasn't going to be good.

They waited until all of their classes were over, and got Blaine when he was stopped at his locker, on his way to Glee Club.

Kurt went up to him, and gave him a quick sad look before he started in on his rant. He'd had all day to plan this out, but there was no way he could convince the girls that he and Blaine weren't sleeping together without saying some really awful things to him.

"What gave you the idea you could leave little love notes in my locker, Anderson? God, you're a creepy fucking stalker, you know that? I thought we were through with this, but apparently not. Next time you come anywhere near me I'm telling a teacher, okay? Fucking weirdo." Kurt muttered under his breath, as he stepped out of the way.

And then it all happened at once. Nadia threw a giant ice cold grape slushie right in Blaine's face as Santana punched him hard in the shoulder. Kurt knew Santana punched harder than half of the guys on the football team. He really hoped Blaine wasn't too hurt.

"Creep!" Nadia shouted, as the three Cheerios walked away.

Kurt pulled out his phone, sending a quick text.

To Blaine: God, Blaine, I'm so sorry. I hate that I...I'm just so sorry. They saw you leaving that note in my locker on Friday, and...They were about to figure us out, Blaine. I just...I'm sorry. Please don't hate me. Come over tonight? We can talk. I love you.

To Kurt: Shh, Kurt baby, it's okay. We'll talk later. I love you.

Kurt wanted to cry. He never should have gone along with this. He should have just let Santana and Nadia think what they wanted. Fuck the consequences. But it was too late now...

Nadia veered off, going out to the parking lot to head home. Santana needed to get to Glee Club, but Kurt needed to tell her about he and Blaine. He had to.

"Hey, Santana?"

"You never call me Santana." She said. "What's wrong?"

"Can we...Can we talk privately?"

"Sure." Santana said, and she sounded sincerely concerned, which was a rarity coming from her.

They found an empty class room, and Kurt and Santana sat down on top of a couple of desks, facing each other.

"I wasn't lying earlier when I said I wasn't sleeping with Anderson."

"I know, Hummel. You made that pretty obvious just now."

"No. Let me finish, please."

Santana nodded, urging Kurt to continue.

"We're not just sleeping together. We're-" Kurt hesitated, wondering if he was making the right choice in telling Santana the truth, but there was no turning back now. "We're dating."

"I knew something was up." Santana said, with a satisfied smirk.

"Please don't tell anyone. Please. I...I can't drop down to the bottom of the food chain, Santana, I can't. Please keep this between us."

"Sure, Hummel. Sure. Who all knows about this?"

"Just, um. Just Blaine, you, me, and my dad."

"Got it. This stays between us." Santana said, getting up off the desk to head to Glee Club, which she was already late for. "And Hummel?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for trusting me with this. I know I'm sort of a bitch, but I care about you. And Anderson, too, believe it or not. He has that God damn affect on people."

Kurt chuckled. That he did.

"Thanks, Lopez. Now get to Glee Club before everyone throws a hissy fit and serenades you in the hall or something."

Santana smiled.

"That's not exactly what we do in there. But yeah, I'll get going."

Santana left the classroom. Kurt smiled to himself. It felt good to confide in someone his own age.

Blaine was stunned about what had just happened. Although he couldn't really say he was surprised. Kurt had to keep up appearances. He never should have left that stupid letter in his locker. God, he was such an idiot.

Luckily, after the last time he'd gotten slushied, he'd decided to start bringing a change of shirts to school, just in case. He went into the boys bathroom and got changed, heading over to Glee Club, and getting there just in time for it to start.

Santana wasn't there yet. Blaine wondered if she'd even show her face today. He thought she kind of got along with him, but I guess that was all blown to Hell if she thought he was just some pervert trying to get to Kurt.

She ended up walking in about fifteen minutes late, ignoring everyone's stares and sitting down in the back row of chairs by herself.

Blaine felt Mike and Tina's stares on him through the whole class and tried to avoid making eye contact. He knew they must have gotten wind of what had happened just a few moments before, and wanted to talk to him about it. They weren't going to be happy. They didn't make their move until after class. They approached him slowly.

"Hey, Blaine." Tina started.

"Um, hey."

"Look, we heard about what happened in the hall, man. You okay?" Mike asked.

"M'fine. Why?" Blaine really didn't want to get in to this with them.

"Just, we heard Santana punched you. She punches like a guy, so we thought you might be hurt."

"I'm fine, guys. Thanks, though."

"Come on, Blaine. Talk to us." Tina urged. "I thought you were done pining after Kurt."

"I'm not pining after him, okay? I swear." Blaine said, getting slightly annoyed. He loved Tina, but what he did was his business.

"Blaine, we heard what Kurt said, and-"

"No. Look, guys. I'm not pining after Kurt. I promise you. I'm not. Now can we please-"

"Anderson!" Santana called, and Blaine was glad to have someone to drag him away from the horrible conversation, even if it was to yell at him for creeping on Kurt. "Walk with me."

Santana linked her arm with Blaine's and dragged him from the room.

"Look, Santana, you don't have to punch me again. I'm not gonna-"

"Shut up, Anderson." Santana said, and Blaine was confused, because she didn't sound angry at all. "I know about you and Hummel."

"You...know?"

"Yeah. Kurt told me. That's why I was late for Glee. Seemed really upset about what we did to you, and he explained your situation. Sorry about hitting you, by the way. I know I pack a mean punch. The whole thing was Nadia's idea. She just couldn't take Kurt's word for it that you two weren't sleeping together."

"It's okay, Santana. I knew what I was getting myself into when Kurt and I started dating." Blaine said.

"Still doesn't make it right. Listen, thank you."

"For?" Blaine urged.

"For makin' my boy Hummel a happier guy. I don't say this often, and if anyone asks, I'll deny it, but there are a couple of people in the world I actually care about. Hummel's one of 'em. You're another, but if you hurt Hummel, that all goes out the window, and you're going to have a nice long chat with your Auntie Tana, got it?"

Blaine nodded.

"And Anderson?"

"Mhhm?"

"I know what it's like, having to keep a relationship under wraps, for whatever reason. So...Good luck with it. I like you two together."

"Thank you, Santana. You're a good friend."

"Ugh. Don't ever direct those words at me again." Santana said, with a look of mock disgust. "But you're welcome."

Blaine smiled.

"I've gotta go. Kurt asked me to come over."

"Go get your man." Santana said, with a light smack on Blaine's ass.

"Hey, now!" Blaine called back, on his way out of the school.

Kurt was on his bed, crying softly, trying to control himself. Blaine had told him it was okay, in his text message. Told him he loved him, even. But he was still worried about the conversation that was about to come. Where was Blaine, anyway? Glee Club had to be long over by now. Maybe he'd decided not to come.

Just then, there was a light knock on his door. His dad wasn't home, so Blaine must have let himself in.

"Come in." He called softly, trying not to let his sadness show.

Blaine opened the door and came inside.

"Blaine, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to-"

Blaine had rushed over to kneel down on the floor next to Kurt's bed. He took Kurt's hands in his, running his thumbs over Kurt's knuckles.

"Hey. No. You don't have to apologize."

"Yes I do. What I did to you was awful, and I can't-" Kurt took a deep shuddering breath. "Blaine, I..."

Blaine kissed each of Kurt's knuckles, and Kurt fell silent.

"Kurt, I know you had to do it. I know. I'm not mad at you. I'm not upset with you. I love you."

"You shouldn't."

"Shouldn't love you?" Blaine asked, incredulously. "After all we've been through, how can you say that?"

Kurt tried to stop crying, but couldn't.

"Blaine, I let Santana punch you. I let Nadia put together that whole fucking awful plan in the first place. I should have just...I should have just let them find out. You can't tell me I'm not the worst boyfriend, because I know I am. I should be protecting you, not hurting you."

Blaine got up onto the bed, sitting next to Kurt, never letting go of his hands.

"We knew this would be hard from the start." Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand. "I'm fine, okay? And I love you. This isn't going to change that. I know this isn't who you really are, deep down. You're not a bad person, Kurt. This is your survival tactic. It would be wrong of me to ask you to give that up."

Kurt let himself smile a little bit. How had he managed to find someone like Blaine?

"Thank you."

"For what?" Blaine asked.

"For loving me. For...For putting up with me."

"You don't have to thank me for that." Blaine said, looking into Kurt's eyes.

"Let me see where Santana punched you? Is it bruised?"

"I don't know. I haven't looked at it myself yet." Blaine said, before removing his shirt.

Kurt looked at Blaine's shoulder, where there was a purple mark forming.

"Oh, Blaine." Kurt shook his head. "I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"I've had worse." Blaine shrugged, giving Kurt a small smile.

Kurt leaned over, leaving feather-light kisses all along the bruised flesh. He looked up into Blaine's eyes and it took everything he had not to start crying again.

"I love you so much." He whispered.

"I know, Kurt. I know." Blaine said, taking Kurt in a tight embrace.

Kurt held onto him for a while, content just being held in Blaine's strong arms. But he needed more. Needed to kiss him. To show him how much he cared about him. He leaned up, kissing Blaine squarely on the mouth. It was a dry kiss, their lips not even moving against one another, just pressed together for a few moments.

"I told Santana about us." He whispered against Blaine's lips. "After we...After what happened."

"I know. We talked after Glee."

"Mm. Good." Kurt nodded. He leaned back in, kissing Blaine again, but this time he opened his mouth, inviting Blaine's tongue to come explore the inside of his mouth. And he did.

Blaine's tongue traced along the back of Kurt's teeth, and over the roof of his mouth, tickling Kurt, and making him giggle softly. Kurt sucked lightly on Blaine's tongue, eliciting a moan from the other boy. Kurt pulled back, quickly removing his shirt, and leaning back in, kissing Blaine once more.

Blaine pushed Kurt back onto the bed so he was lying on top of him, their bare chests flush against each other. Blaine removed his lips from Kurt's and connected them to the expanse of skin just above Kurt's collar bone, while simultaneously moving his hand to palm at Kurt's half hard cock through his pants.

"Mm. Blaine." Kurt hummed.

Blaine kissed down Kurt's chest, flicking his tongue out over one of Kurt's nipples, and Kurt took in a sharp breath. He tangled his fingers in Blaine's hair, dragging him back up so he could connect their lips again. He pushed his tongue past Blaine's lips and into his mouth, licking softly along Blaine's own tongue, breathing heavily out his nose. Blaine pulled back to catch his breath.

"Make love to me, Blaine." Kurt whispered. And the words felt strange and foreign on his tongue. So strange, in fact, that he almost cringed at how they sounded coming out of his mouth. He'd never had anyone to make love with. He'd only ever fucked and been fucked.

Blaine nodded, reaching into Kurt's bedside table and pulling out the lube, but forgoing the condom this time around. Kurt moaned softly when he noticed the fact.

Blaine swiftly removed his own pants and underwear, and Kurt did the same, getting into a comfortable position, and spreading his legs for Blaine.

Blaine squirted some lube onto his fingers, slicking them up before pressing one gently into Kurt's hole. Kurt held his breath, waiting for Blaine to start moving the digit in and out of him. He did so slowly, before adding another finger, and then another.

"I'm ready." Kurt whispered.

Blaine squirted some more lube into the palm of his hand, spreading it over his leaking erection, before lining himself up with Kurt's entrance. He pushed in slowly. So slowly, Kurt thought he might go insane. He finally bottomed out, and Kurt waited until he felt accustomed to the stretch.

"You can move." Kurt breathed out.

Blaine began to move in and out of Kurt gently. He went at a rather fast pace, but it all felt so gentle and loving. Kurt had never experienced anything like this before. He was used to fast, rough, and done. Even the two times he and Blaine had done this before had been nothing like this. Probably because Kurt had been in control, even if Blaine was doing most of the moving. Kurt had asked him to go faster, harder, because that's what he was used to. But this. This was a completely new experience for him. He must have zoned out, lost in thought for a moment, because the next thing he knew Blaine was saying, "Is this okay? Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Kurt nodded. "Yeah, amazing."

Blaine smiled and continued thrusting in and out of Kurt. Kurt ran his hands up and down Blaine's arms, looking into his eyes the whole time, and only braking the eye contact to blink.

"You're really beautiful, you know that?" Kurt told him, and he could see Blaine blushing.

"I don't think I'm the beautiful one in this relationship." Blaine replied, switching his angle just slightly so that he hit Kurt's prostate with each thrust.

They spent the rest of the time silent, aside from an occasional groan or whimper, neither one saying a word, and both of them just feeling. Kurt let his eyes flutter closed, and Blaine began peppering soft kisses all along his neck, and on his cheeks.

Kurt let out a particularly loud whimper, feeling his orgasm approaching him. Blaine apparently understood, because he wrapped his hand around Kurt's leaking erection, and began moving up and down in strong sure strokes.

Kurt bit his lip, looking up into Blaine's eyes, and feeling a familiar heat bubbling in his stomach. Blaine began to stroke Kurt's cock slightly faster, but still just as gently, and then Kurt was coming, hot white streaks on his own stomach, and Blaine's hand, letting out a high whimper, his muscles clenching around Blaine. And then Blaine was coming, too. Coming inside him. And Kurt realized this was the first time anyone had ever been inside him without a condom. The first time he'd ever been comfortable enough with someone to allow that to happen. It was a strange feeling, but not entirely unpleasant. As Blaine pulled out, he could feel the come dripping out of him.

Blaine got up and got a wet cloth, he then came back and cleaned Kurt up gently. He laid down on the bed next to Kurt, and Kurt turned to face him.

"I've never...No one's ever..." He couldn't figure out a way to form the sentence he wanted, but it seemed as if Blaine understood.

"I know, baby. I know." Blaine said, wrapping his arms tightly around Kurt, and resting his chin on top of Kurt's head.

Kurt could feel his heart swelling in his chest at the term of endearment.

"I love you." He whispered.

"And I love you." Blaine told him.

"We'd better get dressed." Kurt said, pulling back. "My dad will be home soon. Do you want to, um. Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"Sure." Blaine said, nodding. "Sure."

After getting dressed, they headed downstairs. Kurt began making dinner, while Blaine watched TV. It was weird, being in Kurt's living room without Kurt.

A few minutes later, Burt walked through the front door.

"Oh. Hey, Blaine." He said upon seeing Blaine sitting on the couch.

"Hey." Blaine said with a smile.

"Where's Kurt?"

"In the kitchen, making dinner. He, um. He invited me to stay. I hope that's okay." Blaine said.

"Sure. I'm gonna go get cleaned up, and then I'll come keep you company while we wait for dinner to be ready.

Blaine turned his attention back to House, until Burt came down. He'd washed his face, and changed out of the clothes he'd worn to the shop. When he came in, Blaine turned the volume down, to make conversation easier. He felt a little awkward around Burt, without Kurt around. Especially since he hadn't seen Burt since Kurt had spent the night at his house.

"You know I like you, kid." Burt said. "But I gotta say, I'm not the happiest with you right now."

Blaine was silent. He hadn't expected Burt to be so forward about the whole thing.

"I don't appreciate you having my son spend the night at your house. 'Specially without callin' me first. I know he's almost eighteen, but I'm his father, and I worry."

"Yes, sir. I actually...I told him he should go home that night. But he...He really wanted to stay. I couldn't-" Blaine stopped talking, not sure how to validate himself.

"It's alright. Kurt explained the situation and promised me it'd never happen again." Burt said. "Can you make me the same promise?"

"Yes. Yeah. Absolutely."

"Then we're good here."

"Oh, okay." Blane was shocked. He'd expected worse than that. He decided he definitely liked Burt a lot. Maybe he could convince Kurt to let him come over more often.

Kurt popped his head into the living room.

"Hey, dad! Dinner's ready."

Burt and Blaine headed into the kitchen, and they all three sat down and had a nice dinner together. Conversation seemed to flow easily, between the three of them, and Blaine thought Kurt looked really happy.

After dinner, Kurt walked Blaine outside.

"Thanks for asking me to stay for dinner, Kurt." Blaine said. "Your dad's really cool."

"Thank you for staying." Kurt said with a smile. "And thank you for earlier. In my room."

Blaine blushed lightly, taking Kurt's hands in his.

"You really don't need to thank me for that. It was my pleasure." Blaine smiled.

"I know. But it meant a lot to me, the way you...I've just...I've never-" Kurt took a deep breath, and Blaine squeezed his hands gently. "No one's ever cared about me enough to...To be so gentle or do anything like...That." Kurt said, swallowing hard. "I guess maybe that's because I've never let anyone, but I don't think anyone would have. Anyone but you. So thank you."

Blaine could see a tear forming in Kurt's eye, and as it fell, he kissed it away gently.

"Honestly, Kurt. Any time. We can do that any time you want."

"Thank you." Kurt whispered.

"You've gotta stop thanking me for that." Blaine laughed. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Blaine." Kurt smiled. "Goodnight."

"'Night."

Kurt went back inside, and Blaine just stood there by himself on the porch for a moment, amazed at how far Kurt had come in their time together. Sure, there was that incident in the hall that afternoon, but he couldn't really control that. But the way Kurt was when they were alone together? Or even just with his father? That was the Kurt that Blaine had known was deep down inside from the very beginning. That was the Kurt that Blaine had been digging to find, and now he had him.