Burt Hummel was in the living room, going through his campaign notes, when he was suddenly met with a distraction in the form of his teenage son, who was barrelling down the stairs and towards the door like a man possessed.

He looked on in surprise, taking in his son's elaborate outfit and wide-eyed expression. "Hey Buddy, slow down!" He said, staring at his son in confusion. And he had every right to be confused: It wasn't like Kurt to behave like this, hurrying out the door and going out without a word – hell, it wasn't like him to go out at all! Especially not at four-thirty on a Friday evening. It might sound sad (and Burt hated himself that this was the case) but with most of Kurt's friends in New Directions, it wasn't exactly prudent of them to be hanging out together in public, lest someone put two and two together. The only reasons Kurt tended to leave the house were to go to school or go shopping for clothes or groceries. Or, as of this past week, to make frequent trips to the library.

Now, Burt couldn't be certain, but: a) he was pretty sure the mall was closed by this time; and b) although he was glad Kurt was taking his studies so seriously, to Burt spending one's Friday nights in the local library seemed a little excessive.

Especially (Burt noted Kurt's outfit once more) when dressed like that.

"Where ya off to, Kurt?" he said finally, looking the boy up and down.

Kurt seemed to just stare at him blankly for a moment, before catching himself and flashing a bright smile: "Just going to work on a project!" he said, "for English. With my English partner. From school."

Burt nodded critically. He was no mind reader – not like that Lopez girl – but he was a good enough father to know when his son was lying to him. This was one of those times. He made some quick calculations, trying to figure out what was going on:

He knew Kurt had been having a rough time lately; especially in light of his argument with Finn not a week ago. He got that Kurt was probably lonely; aside from the New Directions kids, he had to admit his son really didn't have any friends. Why he would lie about going out to see people, though? Burt couldn't be sure. He got that he could be really strict sometimes – it was his worst fear that Kurt should ever be found out and put in danger – and he wondered if perhaps that was what this was about.

He realised that Kurt could use some fun in his life He knew, despite his over protectiveness, that he could trust his son – after all, Finn managed to hang out with his jock friends and date cheerleaders without getting caught, so why shouldn't Burt let Kurt do the same? So long as he didn't get too emotionally attached to anyone, he would be safe. But Kurt was a smart kid, and Burt knew that he could be trusted.

"Well you have fun now," Burt said, coming to a conclusion, "and don't be home late; your curfew is till eleven." He realised belatedly that his son had never had a curfew before.

Kurt looked relieved, though, and made his way to the door. "Bye, dad!" he said, smile genuine now.

"Bye kiddo." Said Burt. "Oh, and Kurt!" he added.

His son paused and turned around to face him, hand on the doorknob.

"Be safe, okay?"

That was all he said, but at the fragile look on Kurt's face he knew his son had understood him.

"I..." he began, "sure dad." He said finally. He turned around and opened the door, hurrying out once more, with a troubled look his father didn't see.

Kurt's mind was a mess as he made his was to Dalton.

It wasn't that he wanted to lie to his dad – hell, he didn't want to lie to anyone, he really didn't – but what was he supposed to say: Hey, dad! I've fallen in love with our arch-rival's son! You know the one, right? The one that wants me dead? Yeah, it could make our wedding reception a bit awkward one day but I'm sure it won't be a problem! And I may have to admit to my ability to set things on fire at will, but I'm sure no one will mind, right Dad? Dad?

At this point, he could picture his dad lying comatose on the floor. So yeah ... no.

Kurt was sure his father had been suspicious of his sudden obsession with studying at the library, but it was the only excuse he had for his daily coffee dates with Blaine (and it was a far better lie than Blaine had come up with: that he was getting extra tutoring for Latin. He didn't even take Latin). They talked about everything on those dates though – even those little things they'd never told to their families or friends – like it was the most natural thing. It was just so easy, so so easy, to trust Blaine about everything.

Well.

Almost everything.

Blaine: sweet, innocent Blaine whom he'd only known for a week. Who it felt like he'd known his entire life.

For Kurt, this was his one regret: Kurt had secrets. More than anyone he knew. And yet when he was with Blaine, he felt so much like himself. No secrets, no lies. And while it was one thing to hide it from the world at large, hiding it from Blaine was entirely another.

It hurt. It hurt knowing that there would always be a part of him that Blaine would never know. That he could never be himself, wholly and truly, with Blaine, the way Blaine was with him.

It's almost like coming out, Kurt thought bleakly, except with a government warrant tacked on. Shaking his head, Kurt came back to his senses slowly and pulled into the Dalton parking lot. This was where he had promised to meet Blaine, yet as he parked and killed the engine, he found himself regretting the decision. He looked around and was struck by how many people there were here. He realised had no idea of his way around here, and was just starting to grow nervous of having to find Blaine in this crowd, when he heard a sharp tap on his window.

Jumping in fright, he spun around to see Blaine, peering through the glass at him with a bright, cheeky smile.

"Oh, did that amuse you?" Kurt asked witheringly as he got out of his car. Blaine merely hummed in response, his smile never dimming.

Instead, he linked Kurt's arm in his, kissed him on the cheek (an action that made Kurt's stomach flip) and said: "You look nice."

Kurt sniffed in acknowledgement before replying: "As do you. I see you're channelling some good-old-fashioned school spirit."

Indeed, Blaine seemed to have coordinated his outfit entirely of red, white, and navy. Even his smart black coat had been donned with a delicate blue and red brooch. Kurt was struck by how in-theme, and yet also dazzlingly stylish Blaine had managed to look. While he did manage to blend in with the excited people around them, he looked a far cry from the blue and red painted faces cavorting past them.

"I'm a very dedicated individual, Kurt." Blaine was saying, his expression solemn, "I take my school pride very seriously."

At this Kurt laughed, and allowed Blaine to lead him through the crowds. The stands surrounding the football field were full to the brim with students and parents alike, cheering and yelling in anticipation for the game. As they found their seats, Kurt kept himself as close to Blaine as possible, trying not to get lost in the ebb and flow of the crowd. If possible, the mood of the audience only heightened as the players filed out onto the field and the game began.

Although not much of a sports person, Kurt found that when one Blaine Anderson was beside him and hopping up and down like a puppy, even football could be entertaining. As the game wore on, Kurt found himself watching more and more of Blaine than of the players in front of him: his wide-eyed stare and glowing smile were, to Kurt, oddly fascinating. There was just something about Blaine being happy that made him happy. He couldn't quite explain it, but it seemed to him that when Blaine laughed and cheered for his team, the whole world should have joined in with him, spurred on by the sheer joy of his smile.

And so it was that by the end of the game Kurt was almost disappointed it was over, and that the spell might be broken. But thankfully, Blaine seemed as starry-eyed as ever as they made their way from the stands, glowing with the leftover excitement.

"C'mon, Kurt!" he said cheerfully, pulling the other boy along by the hand, "Everyone should be waiting by the front doors! Man, they're so excited to meet you, Kurt! I swear, you're gonna love them. This is going to be so much fun; we do this after every game and-"

As Blaine pulled him along, Kurt wondered faintly if he'd been that kid when he was little; the one that wouldn't shut up.

It was only when Blaine started dragging Kurt to a distinct group of people that he began to get butterflies. The group seemed to be made up entirely of teenagers their own age – Kurt guessed them to be some of the warblers and their girlfriends. Feeling suddenly shy, Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand a little tighter. From what he'd hear about them from Blaine they seemed a very close group, and he felt very much like the new kid. He tried not to consider the implications of the fact that Blaine actually wanted him to meet them, and (by the way they were now excitedly waving them over) that they seemed to want to meet him, too. Nevertheless, the idea made him blush furiously, and he hoped in vain that none of them would notice.

Indeed, as they got closer most of the group hurried forward to meet them, with excited hellos and handshakes and even hugs. Most of the guys immediately engulfed Blaine in excited football talk, whilst Kurt found himself bombarded with the names and faces of each of them. He tried not to look too bewildered by the sudden attention, but by the way Blaine came up and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, he evidently wasn't succeeding.

By the time they all collected themselves and made their ways to the parking lot, Kurt was sticking very closely to Blaine's side, who was now in the midst of a detailed game play-by-play with a boy Kurt guessed to be Nick.

"So," a voice shocked him and he turned around. "Kurt Hummel, huh? Son of Burt Hummel I presume?"

Kurt recognised the speaker as a girl named Else – Jeff's girlfriend. She and Trent were now walking beside him, with interested looks on their faces. He was immediately reminded of Tina and Mercedes when they were looking for gossip.

"Oh. Um, yes. That's me." he said, feeling rather confused. It struck him as odd to have people approach him and talk to him as friends. The only thing he was sought out for at school was slushies, and he'd never really had a choice but to be friends with everyone in New Directions. And yet here he now stood with Trent and Else, both of whom were looking at him with interest. Like he was their friend ... like he was normal.

"Wow, well that ought to make things interesting!" said Else with a smirk.

"Oh, well, you know," Kurt stammered, "we try not to talk about it. Leave the politics to the politicians and all that."

"Wow," said Else, "that's so crazy. Adorable, but crazy."

"But wouldn't your parents be unhappy about it?" Trent frowned, "I mean I know Blaine's dad's like, really strict..."

Kurt raised his eyebrows, "I don't know," he said honestly. "I've never really thought to ask."

"But does your family know?" Else pushed, her eyes gleaming at the drama.

"Well...no." Kurt admitted.

At this she squealed loudly. "That is so CUTE!" she said, grabbing Trent's arm, "It's like Romeo and Juliet!"

A few people turned to stare. A grizzly looking man with white hair even glared at them. Kurt shot Trent a bewildered look, who returned it with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," he said, prying off a grinning Else, "we're just curious. Blaine's never had a boyfriend before."

"Oh, it's quite alright," Kurt said before stopping. Did Trent just say what he'd thought he'd said?

Boyfriends.

Were they boyfriends?

While the conversation turned onto other topics, Kurt's mind continued spinning with Trent's words. It was only once they'd reached the parking lot that he was able to put it aside. Since not all of them had cars, Kurt had kindly agreed to donate his to the cause.

"So," said David, taking charge, "Who's going in which vehicle?"

In a move that brooked no objection, Blaine latched himself immediately to Kurt's side and yelled "Shotgun!" before anyone else had a chance to move. He was joined by Nick and Trent, and Nick's girlfriend Bernice. Else shot the group an almost longing look, before following Jeff to his car.

This was how Kurt ended up with a car full of people intent on singing loudly to any song Blaine could find on his iPod. Later, Kurt was not only proud that he'd survived the journey without getting lost (he was following Jeff's car to the lake), but he'd also managed to sit through an entire rendition of 'Check Yes Juliet' (courtesy of Blaine Anderson) without perishing from the cute. It was bad enough that Nick and Trent had sat in the backseat and grinned significantly at him; but they'd also provided the back-up vocals. Blaine, however, sat beside him bopping his head, with winks that were anything but subtle.

We're flying through the night,
We're flying through the night,
Way up high,
The view from here is getting better with,
You by my side...

"I'm trying to drive," Kurt muttered, beet red, as Blaine sang the words into his ear. The boy just grinned in response before falling back into the chorus: "Run baby run..."

It was well and truly dark by the time they turned off the highway and into the gravel parking lot of the lake. Kurt was glad for the cool air on his cheeks as he stepped out of the car, but it was short-lived. Despite the fact he was wearing a jacket just like everyone else, he had to keep himself from shivering with cold. He watched dully as Trent hurried over to meet Else, no doubt bursting to recount what had just happened. Indeed, the two immediately put their heads together, whispering and giggling, glancing Kurt's way as Blaine came up beside him.

"Sorry about that," he said, putting an arm around Kurt's shoulders. His tone was sincere, but his mischievous grin gave him away.

"We are not speaking, Blaine Anderson." Kurt stepped away haughtily, out of Blaine's grasp. He regretted it instantly, though; Blaine was so warm.

Blaine's grin merely widened at Kurt's response, and he stepped closer once more. "You liked it!" He accused, grabbing Kurt's arm.

They both knew he was right, but Kurt saw no reason to admit it. He did allow himself a quick smile though, and Blaine joined him.

"C'mon," he said softly, taking Kurt's hand. Kurt realised that everyone was already making their way through the trees and towards the lake. Blaine was about to make his way when Kurt stopped him. As Blaine turned around, Kurt leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. When he pulled back, Blaine was staring at him with a look so loving he had to shift his gaze towards his feet.

"Okay, now we can go." He said, his voice shaking slightly. Blaine leaned forward to kiss his cheek, before they finally let themselves follow the others.

Despite the dark, they could make out the group's flashlights ahead of them on the path. They got quite a few looks – and even a saucy wink from Jeff – when they finally caught up. At this Blaine smiled shyly and ducked his head, while Kurt shot them all a fierce glare. Kurt was just beginning to wonder if his shoes were appropriate for walking through the forest when the trees finally cleared. Suddenly, he found himself walking not on gravel, but on the pebbly shore of the Westerville Lake.

The water stretched out ahead of them, surrounded by dark forestry on either side. In the darkness, the water stood like black marble. The moon reflected brightly on its still surface. Small waves lapped against the pebbly shore, and Kurt was surprised to find that they were not the only people here, and what he saw before him made his stomach flip:

Some of the Dalton boys cheered as they exited the forest, and their cheers were met by a group of teenagers not far away. They were crowded down further along the shore, sitting on logs or standing around a massive, blazing bonfire.

It wasn't that Kurt was scared. He wasn't nervous or fearful of being close to fire in any way, yet for some reason, the sight of such brightly burning flames had caught him off-guard.

For a moment he couldn't place it; figure out why he was reacting like this. Then he realised that it was shock: the shock of seeing something that so closely defined him, here of all places, with Blaine standing right next to him. Because when Blaine was with him, he never thought of fire.

"They're just some other Dalton boys." Blaine whispered in his ear, and it was then that Kurt realised he'd stopped walking. He realised that Blaine was referring to the extra people, and had assumed he was nervous. He shook his head slightly, like trying to ward off a fly, before looking at Blaine and smiling.

"That's okay," he said, playing along with the excuse, "The more the merrier!"

He supposed he'd sounded convincing, because Blaine looked relieved for a moment before leaning close and saying: "As long as I don't have to share you." And okay,now Kurt was nervous.

Blaine didn't seem to notice anything as they made their way towards the fire. He waved at a couple people and they waved back, but Kurt found himself drawn more towards the glowing flames than their company. They were greeted once again by another barrage of introductions and fist-bumping, before everyone was swept up by the excitement and promise of unearthed marshmallows. Treats in hand, everyone settled themselves on the logs around the bonfire. Kurt was glad when he managed to draw Blaine towards the closest spot to the fire; as they settled down beside each other, Kurt allowed himself to bask in the glowing heat. He still felt slightly cold, even as close as they were. Beside him, Blaine was already peeling off his coat and cardigan, as were most of the others. A little regretfully, Kurt did too, resting his jacket beside him like everyone else.

Somehow, Jeff had managed to conjure up a guitar from somewhere, and with much cheering and whooping from the others, he began to play. Blaine turned down Trent's demands for an encore of 'Check Yes Juliet' (much to Else's disappointment), instead opting for a playful rendition of "I'll Make a Man out Of You". Else was vindicated later though, when Blaine ended up sucked into a performance of "Can't Stand It" by Never Shout Never.

Kurt had never hung out with so many people his own age like this before, but as the night wore on and the songs became progressively more ridiculous (the Spongebob 'Campfire Song' had been played more than once) he realised he'd never had so much fun in his life. And as the fire slowly died down, and the people began to mellow, he found himself with his head on Blaine's shoulder, a thick woollen blanket wrapped around them. As they stared peacefully into the low-burning coals, Blaine spoke:

"This has been the best day of my life," he muttered softly into Kurt's hair.

Kurt hummed, "mine too," smiling into Blaine's shoulder. They were silent for a time, watching as Jeff and Else ran round in the distance, laughing and holding hands.

"Hey, Blaine?" Kurt said, suddenly remembering something.

"Mhm?"

"Are we ... boyfriends?"

Blaine was silent for a moment, giving Kurt enough time to panic. "I kind of assumed so?" he said, and Kurt immediately calmed, "I mean: unless you didn't want us to be?"

"Of course I do." Kurt said quickly, sitting up to look at Blaine. The other boy smiled.

"Good." Kurt rested his head on Blaine's shoulder once more, and they fell quiet.

"Hey, Blaine?" Kurt said again, a short time later.

"Yeah?"

"Have you told anyone in your family about us?"

Silence. Then: "No." Blaine said. "You?"

"No. I don't think they'd understand."

"Me neither." Blaine said. "Hey, Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"If this was the best day of your life, what was your worst?"

Kurt looked up at him again, confused. "The worst day of my life?"

Blaine nodded. "If it's not too personal."

Kurt shifted slightly, uncomfortable. "I don't know," he hedged. "What's yours?"

"I asked you first!"

"I asked you second."

Blaine sighed and shook his head with a smile, before resting his cheek against Kurt's hair. "Sadie Hawkins Dance." He said softly. "I'd just come out, and I went to the dance with the only other out kid at my school. These three guys came out of nowhere while we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, and..."

Kurt shuddered and wrapped his arms tight around Blaine's waist. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"It's okay," Blaine said. He chuckled slightly, "I think my mom took it harder than I did. She hates hospitals. She doesn't let me visit them at the best of times, and back then she was convinced that if I stayed there too long with the other patients I'd catch some sort of deadly virus from them. She's really germ phobic."

Kurt laughed at that and Blaine did too. When they fell silent again, he spoke: "The day my mom died."

"Hm?"

"The day my mom died," Kurt repeated. "That was my worst day. I was eight years old."

"Oh," said Blaine, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Nobody's ever really asked before."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Kurt looked thoughtful, "I don't know."

"Would it be forward of me to ask how she died, then?"

Kurt smiled a little and shook his head. He stared out across the lake, at where the glow of the coals reached the edge of the water. The water was clear where the light hit it, revealing the shining pebbles beneath the surface. The rest of the water was black and smooth as ice, except that part. Slowly, as though testing the words, he spoke:

"She died in a housefire."

As though caught by a sudden wind, the remains of the bonfire stuttered out in a puff of smoke, leaving them all in darkness.

"Come on, Else, Its getting cold!"

Else laughed as the water lapped round her ankles, turning and smiling towards a waiting Jeff.

"A few more minutes!" she called, spinning around. Jeff gave a huff, and seemed to acquiesce, until suddenly he ran forward and grabbed her round the waist.

"Stop!" She shrieked - more laughter than anything - as Jeff dragged her from the water and back onto shore. Jeff ignored her, spinning her around for a moment before letting her go.

"Jeff -" she giggled, looking up at him. She froze.

"What?" Jeff said, frowning.

"N-nothing." She said, staring toward the trees. "I just thought I saw something."

He turned to look around at the trees behind him; to see what Else had seen. But there was nothing.

"Let's head back," he said finally, and Else nodded, taking his hand.

The two made their way back to the others, unaware that they were being watched. Unaware that they were all being watched, and had been the whole evening.

Amidst the trees and clothed in shadows, a grizzly looking man with white hair glared at them, before disappearing once more into the darkness of the night.