Kurt is sitting on the folding chair under the big rainbow umbrella that he found stashed away in his garage and had insisted that he bring along if Blaine was going to force him to go to the beach. Meanwhile, said boyfriend is busy perfecting his sand castle made of mud pies that he’s been working on with the little boy he met half an hour ago. Blaine had seen the kid struggling to work with his sand-castle-mold-bucket and offered to give him a hand. The two seemed to strike up an odd friendship right away. Kurt simply eyed them from afar and giggled at how well they got along, not willing to overtly admit just how much it warmed his heart that Blaine was so great with children. 

“Honey, c’mere. Can you help me with something?” Kurt calls out to Blaine, interrupting him from his sand-castle-building shenanigans. He sees Blaine look up and acknowledge him, and then nod to the little boy before wiping his hands off on his swim trunks and come jogging over. 

“Of course. What do you need?” Blaine flashes a happy grin and rests a hand on his hip, his other hand going up to shield his eyes from the sun.

“Sunscreen. I don’t wanna turn into a tomato. You know how easily I burn. I can’t reach my back. Help me?” Kurt leans over his folding chair and fumbles through his tote bag until he successfully pulls out a bottle of SPF 50. 

“I would’ve brought SPF 600 if such a thing existed. Coppertone really needs to better cater to those who are practically allergic to the sun,” Kurt huffs before standing up and shaking out the towel hanging off the back of his folding chair. 

Blaine just chuckles and shakes his head, taking the sunscreen from Kurt, and waits until he sits down and situates himself on the towel. “Oh, shush. I love your skin tone. It’s wonderful. Don’t be silly,” Blaine replies, his voice genuine and caring. 

Kurt can’t help but smile to himself and bites his tongue, forcing himself not to make a quip about being half snowman, half Wonder Bread. He takes his sunglasses and hat off and sets them aside on the towel, then pulls his tank top off and folds it in his lap. “Make sure you spread it evenly,” he quickly adds, glancing over his shoulder at Blaine and giving him a small smile. 

Blaine nods and returns his smile and then kneels down behind Kurt, popping the cap of the sunscreen open and squirting some of the lotion onto his hand. He glances up at Kurt’s back and pauses for a moment before slowly smiling to himself. He notices a light dusting of freckles scattered across Kurt’s shoulders and right below the back of his neck. 

“…Blaine? You still there?” Kurt asks after a moment of silence and still no sunscreen being applied on Blaine’s behalf. “Blaine?” Kurt glances back over his shoulder to see Blaine smiling softly. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“Your freckles,” is all Blaine says before meeting Kurt’s eyes and smiling even wider. 

“Wh-? …Oh. Um…” Kurt blushes slightly and lifts a hand to reach back over his shoulder, rubbing self-consciously. “Yeah… I guess the sun and being out in this heat in general makes them more visible…” Kurt shrugs to himself and turns back around. 

Blaine notices Kurt shrink into himself slightly and then reaches out to rest a hand on his shoulder. “I think they’re cute,” he says softly, gently rubbing with his thumb and feeling Kurt immediately relax under his touch. 

“You do?…” Kurt whispers back. Blaine meets his eyes when he turns back to glance at his boyfriend. 

Blaine simply nods and smiles warmly. “Yeah, I do.” He looks back down at the freckles on Kurt’s shoulders and then scoots closer, still sitting on his knees, and leans down to press a few soft kisses to the skin there, grazing across the light markings. 

Kurt smiles when he feels Blaine’s lips on his back and blushes slightly when he feels Blaine kiss his way up to the nape of his neck. “Blaine…” he giggles softly before Blaine pulls away. 

“Sorry…I just really like them. They look good on you. As does pretty much everything.” Blaine laughs softly and then finally squirts some more sunscreen onto his palms before rubbing the lotion smoothly across Kurt’s shoulders and back. 

Once he’s finished, they switch spots and Kurt helps Blaine with his shoulders. Kurt pauses when his eyes find the small, familiar birthmark placed right below Blaine’s neck between his shoulder blades. Blaine feels him stop and then speaks without turning around. “…Kurt?” 

“You know, I think your birthmark is cute.” Kurt grins and leans forward, tilting his head around to kiss Blaine’s cheek. He sees Blaine’s lips tilt upwards and the corners of his eyes scrunch up slightly as he smiles. 

“Well, I think you’re cute,” Blaine chuckles. His remark elicits another giggle from Kurt and, this time, a warm kiss against the back of his neck. 

“Always the sweet talker, huh?” Kurt bites his bottom lip and smiles to himself, finishing with the sunscreen, and then wraps his arms around Blaine’s neck from behind, dangling his hands over his boyfriend’s shoulders. 

“Always,” Blaine replies and playfully pecks Kurt on the nose. “Now, I’ve got a very important sand castle to return to, and Little Sir Lancelot and I could use your help.” 

Kurt quirks an eyebrow and gives Blaine a sarcastic look. “Little Sir Lancelot? Really, Blaine?” 

Blaine simply shrugs and grins before suddenly jumping up and swiftly pulling Kurt up onto his shoulders, wrapping his boyfriend’s legs around his waist and grabbing onto his wrists for support.  ”And I am your trusty steed! Come away with me, good sir! Your castle awaits!” 

Kurt can only squeal and snort and laugh as Blaine gallops back over to his new little friend and their architectural sand masterpiece with him securely in tow.