It has been a long time since Kurt paid any attention to anything else but what he was doing while he was at his locker. It had been a long time since he'd shot a look down the hall, waiting for see someone specific, someone special coming down the hallway. But that was until he'd found himself looking nervously and excitedly down the crowded hallway hoping to catch sight of Blaine.

It had been two week since Blaine had left Kurt's house with a kiss goodnight and a promise to see each other in the morning. That promise had made ever cell in Kurt's body buzz with excitement. But Kurt had stopped Blaine before he crossed the threshold.

"Blaine, wait," Kurt said as Blaine turned back towards Kurt, "Do you think we could—I don't mean that we're going to hide whatever this is—but people—"

"You mean Rachel?" Blaine questioned.

Kurt sighed because, yes, that was part of it, maybe even most of it, "And Karofsky and Azimio and anyone else who will taunt or judge if they see two boys holding hands and kissing in the hallway," Kurt said, "I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself—to us."

While Rachel was part of it, the reaction of their peers played a pretty large part as well. The bullies were bad enough. Just that day, Blaine had spent two passing periods ignoring Azimio as the football player taunted Blaine. Granted most of what came out of Azimio's mouth didn't make sense, but it was still something they both had to deal with on a daily basis. Kissing Blaine in the middle of the hallway would only fuel their fire.

One of the things Kurt liked most about Blaine was that the curly haired, wide eyed boy understood him. Blaine understood what it was like to be Kurt (minus the whole abusive uncle thing). Blaine understood what it was like to be him, to be out in a high school where those around them didn't understand or accept them for who they were. Though Blaine never really spoke about his past, Kurt knew that he had been bullied before; so their fears about high school were the same. And Kurt knew that was the only reason that Blaine smiled and nodded, accepting Kurt's request.

"Let's get coffee after school tomorrow," Blaine suggested.

Kurt smiled and nodded slowly as the fear began to creep into his head. It happened every time he made plans with Blaine. The fear that Uncle Tim would somehow find out what Kurt had been up to followed him around, haunting him and he hated that. But he had to remind himself that Uncle Tim would never know; he would be home long before the older man. He reminded himself that Uncle Tim wasn't around to tower over him from a distance any longer, at least during the week. As long as Uncle Tim never found out Blaine had been in the house, Kurt had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Now, Kurt's heart stopped when he caught sight of Blaine's perfectly gelled hair coming down the hallway before a smile formed onto his lips and his heart began beating again, at a very rapid pace. Kurt watched as Blaine approached him with a smile of his own that reached his eyes and oh god, this was what he'd been wanting his entire life. Long before the death of his parents and the horrid presence of his uncle, Kurt had wanted to feel the rush of emotions when a boy would smile at him like that. A lopsided smile that set his body on fire and made his head dizzy with glee.

Blaine sauntered over next to Kurt, leaning in and pressing his warm lips to Kurt's cheek, "Good morning."

"Good morning, indeed," Kurt said the color rushing to his cheeks.

"That," Blaine said, his voice slightly shaking, "That was okay?"

Kurt smiled. It was more than okay. It was great. Perfect even. Kurt took his eyes away from Blaine for just a second to glance around him. No one had noticed. No one cared. His eyes returned to Blaine's before he nodded.

"What about," Blaine said stepping forward and claiming Kurt's left hand in his right, "this?"

Kurt didn't bother to glance around him; he couldn't if he wanted to. Because Blaine's hand was warm in his own. It was like that connection, just the touch of their hands, drew every single one of Kurt's senses towards Blaine. Kurt smiled and gave Blaine's hand a reassuring squeeze as he subtlety swung their conjoined hands in the space between them. Holding hands in public like that, with the entire student body swarming around them, was risky. But so was having Blaine to his house every night that Blaine didn't have glee rehearsal. Kurt was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, Blaine was worth all the risk.

"This?" Blaine said leaning forward and as Kurt watched Blaine's eyes flutter closed, his heart rate sped up again and then he realized there was one risk he wasn't willing to take just yet as he put his finger up to meet Blaine's lips.

"Let's not push our luck," Kurt said, "We can do plenty of that after school."

Even if it was all he could think about doing at the moment.

Blaine pouted, "I have glee after school."

"Oh."

"I could come by afterward if Rachel lets us out on time," Blaine said, "Or you could come with me. I hear you sing like an angel."

Kurt had been waiting for that. For the moment Blaine would suggest that Kurt return to the things he'd once loved. It was a completely innocent suggestion, but it would start with glee club and only escalate from there.

"While that may be true, I don't think I could."

"Regionals aren't for another month," Blaine said, "There's plenty of time to get caught up."

"I don't think it's a good idea," Kurt said. He'd be lying if he hadn't thought about it. He finally had a chance to get some semblance of his old life back. He could join New Directions again, get his friends back and just be happy. But every time he thought about it, he thought about Rachel. He thought about the look on her face when she would see him in the hallway, when she had finally stopped nagging him and simply accepted the fact that their friendship was over, the wounded look in her eyes, her body slouched from her normally pristine posture. When Kurt remembered that look on her face, he remembered that he'd done that to every single person in that club. They were his family and, though he had his reasons, he'd turned his back on them all.

"I know you don't understand, but I pushed them away from a reason. I can't just let them back in."

"You let me in."

"Yes, well you kept popping your adorable little head in when I didn't want it there," Kurt said teasingly, "It was easier to give into your persistence rather than continue to dodge you every day until graduation."

"I'm honored," Blaine said squeezing Kurt's hand where they still hung conjoined between them, "But seriously, Kurt. I want to hear you sing."

"And maybe one day you will," Kurt said, "But my uncle will never allow me to go to any of the competitions so it's pointless to even participate.

"That's not true."

"I was in that club when there were only five of us. I know for a fact that you can't compete with any less than twelve members and it is true. It'll throw off the entire routine if you add me in it during rehearsal only to get rid of me for the competitions."

"You love it," Blaine said.

"What?"

"You love it. Performing, I mean," Blaine said, "I know fashion is your life but the way you talk about show choir. Your eyes have a fire to them."

"I barely said anything."

"I know, but I still saw it. It's still there."

"Oh."

"If I come over after glee will you sing for me?"

"Maybe," Kurt teased, "If you're lucky."

Blaine came over, but Kurt never got a chance to sing. In fact they didn't do much talking at all.

Though Kurt had gotten used to feeling free in his own house while Uncle Tim was at work, especially now that he was on winter break, Kurt had no qualms about hiding in his bedroom on Christmas while Uncle Tim sat in front of the television. It was just Kurt sitting in his bedroom, sketching and listening to Christmas music. Just like the last couple of years, Kurt had been alone, but this was the first year that Kurt didn't feel sad. Kurt tried his luck around noon to get something to eat, tip toeing towards the kitchen. Kurt made no eye contact with his uncle as he walked through the living room and the older man gave no inclination that he even saw Kurt. Kurt thought that maybe he could live with this as he snuck back into his room. If this was the way that they dealt with each other until Kurt left for New York, everything would just be fine.

And why wouldn't it be? Okay, maybe his living situation wasn't the best or even great. But on and off throughout Christmas he would receive text messages from Blaine, telling him stories about his crazy aunt and the hideous sweater that she'd given him. Kurt laughed quietly at his phone screen when Blaine sent a picture; it was absolutely terrible.

Blaine was having a classic TV movie Christmas With the unfortunate amount of family time, complete with relatives you only see once a year, who don't know you well enough to buy you something you'll actually like so they buy you hideous articles of clothing like sweaters and socks; but you smile and kiss their cheeks because it's what you're supposed to do. There had been a point where Kurt would hear about Blaine's seemingly normal family holiday and think that those things weren't something he would ever be able to experience. Instead, this year, as he received another text from Blaine about the punch on his cheek he received from his grandmother, Kurt couldn't help but slide into a wild daydream about one day being able to have something just like that; he saw it as a possibility rather than unattainable dream.

That was how Blaine made him feel. He made Kurt feel like there was so much possibility in his once very, now just mildly, fucked up world. With each day, each text message, each touch, each kiss, Kurt felt like he was becoming the person he used to be, that he could actually be the person he used to be again. He found himself humming quietly along to the music as it played, no longer did it only provide background noise against the silence of being alone. There was eagerness inside him that Kurt hadn't felt in so long. He was eager to go to school each day, to see Blaine waiting for him by their lockers, to come home with Blaine and just hang out with him, to just be a teenager.

Everything wasn't perfect, not at all. There was still a tiny bit of Kurt that was still absolutely petrified that one day he would walk through the front door with Blaine and Uncle Tim would be sitting there and the sight of them would set Uncle Tim off. It had been over a month since he'd last had a bad day, but Kurt knew there would be another eventually. So he enjoyed the moments he got cautiously, appreciating them.

Now that Christmas was over Uncle Tim returned to work, and Kurt hurried to straighten up the house because Blaine was on his way. It had been four days since Kurt had seen Blaine last and even though that they'd been texting most of the day, every day, Kurt was tingling with excitement to see Blaine. Blaine had hinted that he may or may not have gotten Kurt a Christmas present, so Kurt spent most of the morning trying to come up with something he could give Blaine that he could create from what was in his room. There hadn't been much to work with but he had enough old fabric lying around to create a charcoal colored scarf and he quickly burned the playlist Blaine created on Kurt's computer one day while they were working on homework, to a CD. He couldn't offer Blaine much, but what Kurt had learned about Blaine since they began dating (was it really dating? They never really went anywhere other than Kurt's living room and they saw each other at school, but that was pretty much it) was that he was very appreciative of everything. It had to come from the way he was raised because he always thanked Kurt for a bottle of water like Kurt had given him a fifty dollar bill. Kurt was pretty sure he could give Blaine a stick for Christmas and Blaine would thank him with a great deal of sincerity. Kurt found it absolutely adorable.

Straightening the maroon placemats on the kitchen table that hadn't been used by anyone other than Kurt and Blaine in a year, Kurt felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He didn't need to check to see who it was, he only had Blaine after all, but the Kurt had told Blaine that he should never knock or ring the doorbell when he came over, just to text him and he'd meet him at the door. The text that read: Here :), made Kurt's inside vibrate with excitement.

Kurt rushed to the door, pulled hard on the knob and when the door was open and he saw Blaine standing there, wrapped in his jacket and a scarf, he didn't resist the urge he had to throw himself into Blaine's arms, the winter cold going unnoticed in the warmth of Blaine's embrace as the other boy held him tight. If he could stay there, wrapped only in Blaine, he would. When he was with Blaine, he didn't have to think about his shitty life. He was just able to be. He felt Blaine laugh, the other boys breath tickling his ear making him hold on a little tighter. Here, he was safe.

Blaine pulled away slightly, only enough so that he could lean in and press his lips against Kurt's. They stayed like that for a moment, kissing slowly. Kurt expected Blaine's lips to be rough from the cold but they're smooth, covered in chapstick Blaine must have applied before he'd come to the door, as they slide along his own, making Kurt dizzy until Blaine pulled away.

"If you don't let me in, you're never going to get your present," Blaine whispered, his face still close to Kurt's.

"Oh, god," Kurt said pulling away but reaching down for Blaine's hand. He hadn't meant to keep them in the cold, "Yes, come in, it's freezing out there."

Kurt guided Blaine into the house and let go of Blaine's hand only long enough for Blaine to remove his coat and scarf and hang them up on the otherwise barren coat rack next to the door, before their fingers entwined against, squeezing together gently.

"Here," Blaine said extending the hand that wasn't conjoined with Kurt's which had a rather large plain green gift bag with red tissue paper coming from the top in it, "This is for you."

"Blaine," Kurt said taking the bag, "You really didn't have to get me anything."

"I know," Blaine said with a smile that set off the butterflies in Kurt's stomach, "But I wanted to. So open it."

Kurt walked over to the couch, pulling Blaine behind him, and sat down patting the spot next to him. Blaine sat down next to Kurt their hands no longer linked, but their knees touched as Kurt set the bag down on the coffee table in front of them. Kurt pulled the tissue paper from the bag then reached inside until his hand collided with something hard and wooden, pulled it from the bag and set it on his lap.

The box was made of pale wood and held no markings. Kurt found the clasp in front, flicking it open and lifting the lid. Inside were pencils, both regular and colored and an assortment of other tools used for drawing.

"I asked the associate at the craft store what the best thing to give an aspiring fashion designer who was accepted into the country's best school for fashion design and she had no idea," Blaine said laughing, "But she was nice enough to help me pick that out. There are a couple of sketch pads in there too."

"Blaine—"Kurt started though he was completely unsure what to say. It was too much.

"If you don't like them or they aren't right or whatever you can return them and get what you like or need. I just thought you could have some new supplies to take with you to school."

"Blaine," Kurt repeated, this time to get the other boy's attention.

"Yeah?"

"They're perfect," Kurt said removing the box from his lap and placing it on the coffee table, "Thank you."

And they were perfect. Kurt had found a similar set online a couple of weeks before and had made a note to check to see if these kinds of materials were going to be covered by his scholarship or he would have to find a job the moment he got to New York, or take out a student loan to pay for the required materials he would need for classes. But this, he would tuck this away and he would have one less thing he needed to worry about.

Kurt leaned forward and placed his lips against Blaine's in thanks, his hand coming up to cup Blaine's cheek deepening the kiss, making Kurt feel like he was flying. But Blaine's hand coming up and settling against Kurt's hip made every part of him soar all while keeping him grounded.

"Your gift is in my bedroom," Kurt said breathy when they pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other, "Wait right here."

Kurt stood up and Blaine reached out and grabbed hold of his wrist, "Do-Do you think I could come with you?"

"Blaine Anderson," Kurt said flirtatiously with a smirk to hide the fact that he was absolutely terrified that Blaine had just requested an invitation into his bedroom.

"Not like-oh wow. Uh, that's not what I meant," Blaine said absolutely flustered and his cheeks a bright red, "I just wanted to see your room. In a completely non-suggestive, non-creepy way."

Kurt shot Blaine a smile and turned the wrist Blaine had been holding until he could grab Blaine's hand and pull Blaine off the couch. Blaine bashfully ducked his head as Kurt led him down the hall, opening the first of two doors on the right.

"It's not much. But it does what I need it to do," Kurt said standing in the middle of his room before adding internally, "Like protect me from my abusive uncle."

"It's very you," Blaine said, "I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I think this was it."

"Here," Kurt said reaching for the scarf and CD that were sitting on his desk, "This is for you."

"Kurt," Blaine said holding the scarf in front of him, "This is beautiful. It's my very own Kurt Hummel original."

"If I get a thousand people who are as enthusiastic as you are about a Kurt Hummel original and are willing to pay, I may be able to die a happy man."

"A thousand?" Blaine questioned, "Kurt you will sell a million."

Kurt laughed because that was just ridiculous. Mostly because the scarf Blaine was holding was nothing more than scrap fabric that had been sitting in the bin he kept behind his easel for months.

"You really like it?" Kurt asked sheepishly.

"Yes," Blaine answered, "I really like it. And the CD too."

Blaine set his gifts back on the desk where Kurt had grabbed them from and walked until he stood in front of Kurt. Reaching out, Blaine looped his index finger through the empty belt loop of Kurt's black jeans and pulled Kurt closer before moving both hands until they wrapped tightly around Kurt's waist.

"Thank you," Blaine whispered before pressing his lips against Kurt's, "Merry Christmas, Kurt."

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck pressing himself closer to Blaine and further into the kiss. He hadn't really thought about what they would do while Blaine was here, but this, this was good. This he could live with.

"Merry Christmas, Blaine," Kurt said removing his hands from where they were tangled in the hair at the nape of Blaine's neck sliding down Blaine's shoulder over his sweater until he reached Blaine's left hand, entwining their fingers and pulling him toward the bed.

Blaine let Kurt drag him for a couple of steps but stopped himself right before the back of Kurt's knees hit the mattress sending Kurt an apprehensive glance.

"Completely non-suggestive and non-creepy," Kurt said with a smile repeating Blaine's words from earlier.

This was another one of those normal teenager things that Kurt could get used to; making out with a boy on his bed. Granted the door was open, but there was no one home and no one would be home for hours. So the lay on the bed and when their lips weren't attached to each other, they would just lie there, wrapped up in each other talking about various things. Mostly Blaine talked about New Directions or something in the classes Kurt and Blaine didn't share.

"Does it make you feel uncomfortable when I talk about them?" Blaine asked.

"The New Directions? No, not really," Kurt said, "You shouldn't have to pretend you aren't part of that group just because they used to be my friends."

"Just say the word and I won't speak another word about them or regionals or anything. But can I ask you something?"

"I'm not rejoining New Directions, Blaine," Kurt said.

"That's not what I was going to ask," Blaine said, "Not really anyway."

Kurt eyed him suspiciously, "Go on."

"What would you say about going to Rachel's New Year's Eve party with me? I know you said we weren't hiding us and I thought maybe you'd want to be my date. Rachel already told me I could bring someone since everyone else is already kind of coupled off. And I can't imagine bringing anyone but you."

That sounded great to Kurt except, "Rachel won't want me there."

"Kurt, I really think she'll be okay with it. If you're willing to make the first move, I know that she'd forgive you and open her arms to you."

"You really think it's that easy?" Kurt questioned, suddenly hopeful. He'd thought about talking to her on numerous occasions, but had decided against it because he rather not have her turn the tables and push him away. They'd both been hurt enough by all of this, he didn't want to open old wounds.

"Yeah, I do. "

There was the feeling of possibility again. The possibility that he could have friends again. That he could regain the family he'd lost, the one he'd pushed away.

"She'll want an explanation. I-I can't give her that. I can't tell her."

"Why not?"

While they'd mentioned Kurt's previous relationship with New Directions before, specifically with Rachel, Blaine hadn't really questioned why Kurt had pushed away everyone that loved him since they began hanging out regularly.

"B-because I just can't," Kurt said, "Maybe one day. Just not now."

"You could try starting there. It's possible she'll take it."

Possible, yes. Likely, maybe. But Kurt was on a roll when it came to making things he once thought impossible possible, so it might be worth a shot. A day away from home with people who could be his friends (again). A New Year's Eve where he could kiss Blaine at midnight and start fresh. A New Year, full of graduation and New York and escaping Lima and Uncle Tim forever.

The thought of Uncle Tim cut off the thoughts that had been bouncing excitedly through Kurt's head a moment before. He had no idea what Uncle Tim's plans were for New Years. He had no idea if he'd be home or out with friends, but either way he could count on Uncle Tim being completely wasted. Kurt was all about taking risks, but risking Uncle Tim coming home to find him not there or if he came home to a drunken Uncle Tim waiting for him that was a risk he wasn't willing to take. It reminded him that all of the freedom that he'd been given still came with rules that he needed to follow.

"I-I can't," Kurt said, "I, uh, I just can't, Blaine. I'm sorry."

It was a terrible answer. If he had been Blaine he would have responded to himself with a million questions because it was the vaguest answer he could come up with on the spot. Blaine had been asking him on a date, a real date and he'd practically shut him down without giving him an honest reason. But he couldn't tell him the truth could he?

"Hey," Blaine said rubbing his hand along Kurt's upper arm, "it's okay. Can I call you at midnight?"

"Absolutely," Kurt said smiling and leaning forward to capture Blaine's lips with his own.

Kurt spent New Year's Eve by himself on the couch, listening closely for the sound of Uncle Tim's car pulling into the driveway. He ate popcorn and watched New Year's Rockin' Eve curled up under a blanket. He watched the ball drop and almost instantly his phone vibrated on the table in front of him. He answered without looking because he knew who it was.

"Happy New Year, Kurt," Blaine's voice came through the phone.

"Happy New Year, Blaine." Kurt said.

Kurt sank further into the couch, smiling as Blaine began telling him how Tina was absolutely wasted and passed out an hour before midnight. He felt it then. He felt that everything may not be perfect, but maybe, just maybe, it could still be a happy new year.