Kurt had officially made it through his first year at NYADA; there had been times when he definitely didnt think he was going to make it. NYADA courses were rigorous to say the least and the teachers all demanded that their class be the priority. It was a battle, but Kurt felt like hed gotten through the school year well.  

Of course school stress was just one stress out of many with everything else that had been going on for the past several months. Traveling with Cooper, Coopers growing fame, the Lifemate Registry breathing down their necks, Blaine moving out and moving back in again. Kurt had to admit he was more than ready for summer.

He and Blaine had originally planned on doing a lot of traveling this summer, but with everything that had happened with the Lifemate Registry investigation, they thought maybe they should play things a little quieter. At least Blaine was back living in their apartment again. though; Kurt knew it was a risk, but their whole relationship was a risk and if they werent together, then what was the risk even for?

They didnt know for sure if anyone was watching them like they had been with Brittany, but it seemed like maybe the Registry was satisfied with their interview. Kurt couldnt live like they were always under surveillance; he needed their apartment to be a place where he could just be himself and be with Blaine.

Cooper was back in L.A. for a few weeks, maybe even months, and Kurt knew he was going to have to go spend a couple of weeks out there with him; at least hed have a chance to see Rachel who had moved already. First though, he and Blaine were going to take one little trip together back to Ohio. He missed his dad like crazy and felt it was important to spend time with him and Carole, especially since they were all still recovering from the loss of Finn.

"Lima is going to be boring for you after the big city," Burt said over the phone.

"It will be slower, thats for sure, but that will be nice. I need a break," Kurt said wearily as he walked home with some groceries.

"You okay bud?" He must have heard the exhaustion in Kurts voice.

"Just tired. School did a number on me this year. And… everything with the Registry and just…" Kurt sighed. "Everything."

"Do you regret deciding to go for things with Blaine?" Burt asked seemingly out of the blue. "Im not saying you should, just wonder sometimes if I pointed you in the wrong direction."

Kurt froze where he stood on the sidewalk. "No. Never." He answered without even having to think about it. "Blaine isnt now and never will be a regret." Blaine made him happy; no one made him laugh as hard or feel as safe or comfortable in his own skin. Where Blaine was, that was his home.

"Good, Im glad to hear it." And Burt changed the subject as quickly as he had started it. "Carole and I are looking forward to seeing you both next week."

Kurt smiled and continued to his apartment. "I cant wait."

They finished the phone call with firming up their plans for the visit and Kurt walked upstairs to his apartment. Blaine would probably still be out handing in job applications; he had decided that getting a summer job would be a good way to stay busy. Kurt had been offered a job as a singing waiter at a little musical diner he liked to go to, and he thought he might take it. It would be fun and the hours were flexible.

He was just thinking that he was really too tired to want to make dinner even though hed just gotten everything theyd need for spaghetti and meatballs when he walked in his front door and then stopped. The lights were off but the entryway was lit up with candles. He toed off his shoes and followed the flickering light to the living room. 

The couch was scooted back, and so was the coffee table and in the middle of the room, a big blanket was spread on the floor with a basket and rose petals. Kurt blinked and looked up at Blaine who was standing nearby with a smile on his face. He was dressed casually but looked amazing in a dark green button down shirt that made his eyes pop and a pair of nice jeans.

"I…" Kurt looked around the room at all the candles Blaine had lit and back to what appeared to be a picnic laid out and ready. "What is this?" Kurt asked.

Blaine gestured to the room. "Oh this? I was walking home today and it was such a nice day, one of the few cooler days well have before the summer heat, and I thought, I want to go on a romantic picnic with Kurt. But since we cant actually go out and do that, I thought Id bring the romantic picnic here."

Kurt felt a laugh bubble out of him as he stood frozen in place. Blaine walked up to him and took the grocery bags from his hands. "Here, Ill go put these up." Kurt just nodded as Blaine walked away. Then he looked back to the living room, moving to sit down on the blanket Blaine had laid out and peeking in the basket to see what was for dinner.

Blaine came back in and sat down next to him. "Well, what do you think?"

"Its a lot of candles Blaine." That wasnt actually what Kurt wanted to say, but he felt the right words were hard to grasp right now.

Blaine laughed. "You know Rachel told me when you first auditioned for NYADA you almost sang a song from the Phantom of the Opera with a stage full of candles."

"That was to achieve the right effect."

"Mmm." Blaine leaned forward and kissed his lips. "So is this."

"Does the effect you are trying to achieve have anything to do with me wondering where we keep our fire extinguisher? Do we even have a fire extinguisher?"

Blaine scooted closer next to him so that their hips were touching. "Yes, in the kitchen under the sink."

Kurt grabbed Blaines hands and slotted their fingers together, noticing how good their rings looked and taking a deep breath as he looked around at the room. "What I mean to say is, this is lovely. Thank you, Blaine." He looked up at Blaines face so close and looking at him with deep golden eyes.

Blaine smiled a little. "Are you hungry?"

"God yes! And I didnt want to cook, so this is perfect."

Blaine let go of his hand to open the basket; he pulled out plates and a few tupperware containers, "Oh the champagne! I forgot it, it is still in the kitchen." He hopped up and hurried away as Kurt opened the food, finding cold pasta salad, sandwiches and fruit and cheese. Perfect picnic foods. Blaine was a silly romantic sometimes and Kurt loved it.

Blaine got back and poured them some champagne. The tiredness of the day and the last few months started to melt from his shoulders as Kurt leaned against Blaine and they ate and talked. Blaine had a way of knowing when Kurt needed to unwind and somehow always made him feel secure and loved.

"Do you ever think of what life would have been like if Cooper got a different Lifemate?" Kurt asked, licking strawberry juice off of his fingers.

Blaine finished chewing his bite of sandwich. "Not really. I mean sometimes I think… I think about if I had been the one to get your name. But really, either way I have a hard time picturing my life without you."

"Im the same way," Kurt said. "I know I had a life before we met, I remember it." Kurt smiled and kissed the corner of Blaines mouth. "But looking back I feel like I was always meant to meet you."

"Like fate?"

"Yes. Like fate. Well, if fate has a wicked sense of humor, letting us meet but having me marry Cooper."

Blaine nodded seriously, "Marie is saying Cooper might be part of Peoples Sexiest Men issue. You're a lucky guy Cooper is a catch."

"Oh please." Kurt nudged him playfully.

"What? You love Cooper."

"I do. I adore Cooper. Like a brother. If he and I had to live like we were a couple wed probably kill each other eventually."

Blaine laughed.

"No, I take it back, Id kill him."

"Hes gotten better lately, not as… I hate to say self-centered, but self-centered."

"Mmm, maybe marriage has been good for him."

It was Blaines turn to nudge Kurt. "His marriage has been good for me, great way to pick up hot guys."

Kurt threw a grape at him.

Once most of the food was gone, they spread their legs out on the floor, leaning their backs against the couch as Blaine rested his head on Kurts shoulder.

"Ive been thinking about the Lottery," Kurt said during a lull in their conversation.

Blaine lifted his head and looked at him.

"I mean… theres a chance you wont ever get a letter, right? I mean some people dont," Kurt said hopefully. Hed thought about that a lot; it was the best case scenario really.

Blaine shook his head and looked down at his hands. "Lets not. Not tonight." He looked back up and there was something sad in his eyes for a moment. "With everything that has been going on, lets have one night where we dont talk about my Lottery letter or what we should do or if we think the Registry is still watching us. For tonight…" He placed his hands over Kurts. "For the rest of the night lets pretend that youre my Lifemate and I am yours."

Kurt smiled brightly, his chest feeling full at just the thought of that. Hed give anything to be Blaines Lifemate. Hed give up NYADA and New York and Broadway. "Yeah, okay," Kurt said. Blaine smiled and poured more champagne.

"My dad is looking forward to seeing us next week," Kurt said. "I cant wait to be back; its weird considering how much time I spent wanting to get away from Lima."

"Going home for a little while does sound really nice."

"We should stop by your house too. Its just been sitting there empty all this time."

"Yeah, Id like that." Blaine answered wistfully.

It didnt take long for their conversation to turn to soft kisses, and those kisses to grow into longer ones, until Kurt was on his back on the blanket with Blaine over him. Lips sliding against each other and hands roaming under clothes to feel each others skin.

"God you taste good," Kurt said, his lips tugging on Blaines.

Blaine laughed. "Well right now I taste like champagne and pasta salad."

"And strawberries," Kurt added, his hand under Blaines shirt and his thumb rubbing over a nipple.

"Kurt." Blaine moaned and blinked down at Kurt and then to the side, taking in the room. "Damn candles! We need to blow those out before we go any further."

Kurt laughed as Blaine rolled off of him. "So much for them creating a mood."

"Hey, they did their job up to this point," Blaine said, getting up and blowing out the candles nearest them. Kurt watched him for a moment, taking in the way he moved and how impossibly cute he was while blowing out all these candles he must have spent forever lighting. Then he got up and helped him; soon, they had them all out, even the ones in the entryway. Kurt didnt waste any time leading Blaine into their room and pushing him playfully down on the bed, crawling up next to him and kissing him again.

Blaines heart was pounding in his chest as Kurt made his way over him, hovering so that their bodies almost touched but didnt. Blaine reached up and held on to the back of Kurts neck, kissing him and easing him down until they were finally touching.

Kurt smiled as he kissed him and the sight made Blaines chest expand. He loved Kurt so much. Soon, Blaines hands were under Kurts shirt working it off of him, and Kurt paused in his kissing to sit up and help Blaine slip off his shirt and then his pants and then Blaine returned the favor.

"I love you." Blaine moaned as Kurt settled back down on him, warm skin pressed against warm skin as Blaines hands made their way down Kurts firm, pale back. His fingers pressed into Kurts ass and Kurt gasped a little. Blaines mouth moved down to Kurts neck, a spot he knew always made Kurt melt.

"Blaine," Kurt murmured, and Blaine couldnt help but smile at the feeling his name on Kurts lips gave him. Everything this evening had been was so perfect and so was this moment. He kept hold of Kurt with one hand as he scooted over a little to open the drawer of the nightstand; he grabbed some lube and a condom and then scooted back under Kurt as he ripped the condom package open with his teeth.

"What do you want baby?” Blaine asked and Kurt planted another kiss to his lips.

"I want you," he said simply.

Blaine had to hold back his tears. He worked his hands down to Kurts ass and Kurt shuddered at the touch. Kurt kissed Blaines neck and then rolled off of him and lay on the bed face down. Kurt grabbed a pillow and hugged it under his chin as Blaine turned onto his side and kept one hand running up and down the length of Kurt from thigh to shoulder.

Once Kurt seemed relaxed and comfortable, Blaine opened the lube and squirted some on his fingers, rubbing them together to warm it before reaching down to work Kurt open. Kurt hummed and lifted his hips a little, his movements guiding Blaine's fingers in stretching him.

Blaine traced Kurts shoulders with sweet kisses as his fingers worked, Kurt moaning and wriggling under his touch. Blaine moved slowly, drawing every moment out until he had three fingers in Kurt, pumping and moving, and Kurt was writhing on the bed and bucking his hips up.

"B-Blaine. Please," he cried and Blaine felt warm all over, his body responsive to Kurts cries.

Blaine pulled his fingers out and then rolled on a condom and slicked himself up.

"Baby?" He called and kissed Kurts neck. Kurt turned his head to the side to look at him and then sat up until they were facing each other. Kurt gently pushed against Blaines chest until he was lying flat on his back. Kurt then moved so that he was straddled over Blaine and Blaine watched him intently.

His hair was a little messed up, his rosy lips parted with his even breaths, and his eyes were blown so dark you could only see the slightest circle of his blue irises. Kurt reached for Blaine and then started to lower himself down on to him. Blaines eyes snapped shut for a moment, the feeling of Kurt all around him almost overwhelming. Then, he forced himself to open his eyes. He didnt want to miss a moment of watching Kurt.

Kurts head was tilted back and his mouth parted as he buried Blaine inside of himself, lowering his ass down until Blaine was snugly inside. Blaine reached for Kurts hips to steady him as Kurt started to rock his hips, moaning and gasping as one of his hands slowly smoothed over his own chest..

It was the most beautiful and perfect sight Blaine had ever seen. Kurt riding him as he groaned and touched his own heated skin. Blaines grip on Kurts hips tightened as he started moving with Kurt, thrusting into him as Kurt rolled on top of him.

They both seemed to want to make it last and Kurt didnt touch his own erection. Eventually, though, they couldnt wait any longer; Kurts movements became desperate and his cries were mingled with Blaines own as they moved together. Blaine came first, the heat that had been growing and growing finally tipping him over the edge, and he shouted Kurts name as he came and pleasure prickled over every inch of his body.

Kurt came shortly after when Blaine reached up and fisted his cock. It only took a couple of strokes and Kurt came over them both, panting and laughing, his face bright and happy. Blaine wished he could freeze this moment and keep it forever.

They got cleaned up sleepily and with a few giggles. Champagne had that effect on both of them. Then, they snuggled back into bed, so close it was hard to tell where Blaine ended and Kurt began. Blaine held Kurt tightly, feeling his heartbeat against his chest, knowing how important this moment was.

Kurt woke up from a heavy sleep, feeling content and complete. He turned on his side to look at Blaine. He was fast asleep, his eyelashes fanned over his smooth skin and his lips parted a bit as he breathed, making his chest rise and fall. Kurt closed his eyes, his happiness almost unbearable for a moment. He felt jittery and full of energy; he turned his head to see the clock. 4:00am. It was a little early to get up and make coffee, but still he couldnt manage to make himself stay in bed. Maybe hed warm some milk.

He got up and stretched his muscles. He grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the dresser and slipped them on, not caring if they were his or Blaines, and padded quietly down the hall. He flipped on the light when he got to the living room, not wanting to stub his toe on anything or trip over a candle. He passed the entryway and saw Blaines messenger bag hanging on one of the pegs on the wall. He wasnt sure what it was, but something made him stop and take a closer look.

He walked up to the bag, yawning and rubbing his neck, when he froze, body running cold. There, sticking out of the small front pocket of Blaines bag, was what looked like the bright blue corner of an envelope. Kurts mouth went dry. No. It couldnt be what it looked like. Blaine would have told him if hed received his letter

Then, Kurt thought back to their evening together. Roses and candles and dinner and pretending it would last forever, everything so planned and so perfect.

No. It was almost as if… Kurt shuddered. If looked at in the right light, the whole evening almost seemed… like a goodbye. No. No. Kurt shook his head even as his hand reached out unsteadily to tug on the corner of the blue paper and pull it out.

It was an envelope.

Kurt felt dizzy, his mind swimming as he saw the round embossed seal of the Lifemate Lottery. No. He slowly turned the unopened envelope over, his movements feeling labored and sluggish. It was addressed to Mr. Blaine Anderson.

No.