“You know, I honestly thought that moving to Los Angeles might make you a little more optimistic, Summer.”

She laughs, and he notices guys walking around them turning their heads to watch. Objectively, Blaine’s always thought she was pretty, but between the fact that they were step-siblings (practically siblings – his dad married her mom when he was 5 – they’d been a family for 12 years) and the fact that he was gay, objectively pretty was all there would be.

“A change in location isn’t going to make me believe in the mythical creature known as love.”

There was also that. Summer didn’t believe in love. She hadn’t since her parents’ divorce – not to mention that the marriage that had brought Blaine and Summer together wasn’t rife with love to encourage her either.

Blaine sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that.”

They reached their apparent destination – a bench in the park with an excellent view – and she turned to look at him. “Who’s the lucky guy this time?”

Blushing, Blaine ducked his head. “Well, technically speaking, we’re not dating or anything… I mean, we got coffee together, but –“

“His name?”

“Jeremiah.” Blaine paused, smiling a little at the thought of him. “He works at the Gap back home.”

“What happened to that other guy?”

“Huh?” He looked back at his sister, his brow furrowed. What other guy? There was no other guy. Not that he had any feelings for anyways….

She looked down at her arm, and then back up at the skyline. “Wasn’t his name Kurt?”

“Oh! We’re friends. Just – just friends. He really needs a support system right now, and-“

“And you don’t have the confidence to not screw it up.”

He sighed again, looking down at his lap. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea. He’s great – more than great, really. But I just don’t think he’s it.”

“There is no such thing as It, Blaine.” She patted his firmly gelled curls. “I’ll never stop telling you that until you believe me.”

He finally looked out over the city at the incredible view Summer had promised him. “How did you find out about this place?”

Summer looked at him, a subtle smile on her face. “I met this guy at work – he brought me here. It’s great isn’t it?”

“You met someone?”

She laughed again. “I meet a lot of people, Blaine.”

“…Who’s the poor guy this time?”

A frown crossed her features. “What do you mean?”

He shook his head. “Just – Summer, you have a habit of leaving guys in a bad state. You know that.”

“We’re just friends.” He gave her a look. “Okay – friends that kiss. His name is Tom, and he’s very nice.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” he muttered.

---

Before his visit with Summer was up (he was only there for a long weekend break from Dalton), he met Tom. “Hey, you must be Blaine, right? Summer’s step-brother?”

He nodded and smiled. “Tom. I’ve heard quite a bit about you!” Quite a bit wasn’t a lie. He’d forced Summer into talking about him – that much was true – but maybe it would make the guy feel better, to know that Summer had been talking about him, even if Blaine lied a little by omission.

Summer smiled at both of them before going into the kitchen to get them drinks. “How much do you guys have in common?”

He’s been asked this before. It’s a guy’s way of knowing if the whole ‘love as a mythic concept’ thing runs in the family. “Well, I believe in love, if that’s what you’re asking. But I’m scared she never will.”

Tom being a nice guy was a fact. They talk more, and Blaine finds that he really likes Tom – he seems dedicated to changing Summer’s mind. As much as she hates that – it’s probably just what she needs.

“How long are you in town, Blaine?”

“Just for the weekend. But I’m glad I got to meet you while I was here.”

Tom sighed a little. “I’m probably not going to meet the rest of Summer’s family, am I?”

Blaine smiled at that. “Tom, not to get your hopes up, but even if the two of you got married, you might not even meet the rest of the family.”

They laugh, and when Summer finally comes back from getting drinks and stops eavesdropping, they all have a good time together. Blaine hates it when Tom has to leave, but hopes that maybe he’ll stick around until Blaine’s next visit.

---

When he kisses Kurt, he calls her that same day. “Summer, Summer, I know you won’t believe me, because you think I fall too fast, but I actually have a boyfriend. Or- I think I do. We didn’t really specify, yet, I guess, I should probably –“

“Kurt?”

He freezes. He hadn’t told her about Blackbird because he knew she’d make fun of him, and possibly talk him out of everything. “How did you know?”

“You two have been acting like a married couple on facebook for months, Blaine. I knew you had to start dating at some point.”

He grins and falls back onto his bed. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Someone sounds happy.”

“Of course I’m happy! I have a boyfriend, Summer. This is – I can’t believe this is actually happening.”

“Well, I’m happy for you.”

He notices something off in her voice, and it shakes him out of his Kurt-induced trance. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to –“

“You’re not gonna throw me off. I’m seeing Kurt again tomorrow, and we’re singing together and everything. What’s wrong?”

She sighed. “…I think I should break up with Tom.”

“I thought you were just friends or whatever.”

“He’s just…” She pauses to find the words. “He really seems to like me. And I don’t like him as much as he likes me. He’s madly in love, and I just think he’s… Nice. I don’t know.”

Panic drops like a cold stone in his stomach. What if Kurt just thinks he’s nice? What if Kurt and Summer have their disbelief in love in common – no. He knows Kurt. Kurt likes romance and Broadway musicals and the touch of the fingertips and all that. His first real relationship isn’t going to just fall apart like one of Summer’s. “Well, if you don’t feel that way about him, you probably are being a better person by breaking up with him. I don’t really approve, though, I must say. I really liked Tom.”

She sighs again. “I know you did. I’m sorry. I’ve just – I’ve been hearing you talk about the guys you fall for over the years, Blaine, and I haven’t felt like that once. Love isn’t real – at least, not for me.”

He looks over to the picture of Kurt that he has on his desk – they’d exchanged school pictures early on in their relationship. “Summer, you should break up with him. And that guy will come for you. Okay?”

“…Alright. Sure.”

She hangs up without saying goodbye. He immediately dials Kurt’s number.

“Hey, Kurt?”

“Well, if it isn’t Blaine Warbler. I was just thinking about you.”

A smile spreads across his face, and he forgets, for a moment, what he called for. “Really?”

“Yes, really. To what do I owe the honor?”

Oh. Right. “I – Look. I just wanted to make something clear – I… Will you be my boyfriend, Kurt? Officially?”

He can just picture Kurt’s blush. Or he hopes that Kurt’s blushing, and not freezing, about to say – “I would absolutely love that.”

Kurt sounds breathless, and Blaine thinks it might be possible that he’s never been happier in his entire life. “Well, great. I just – um. Just wanted to clarify that.”

“I’m happy to help.” Kurt sounds just as giddy as he feels – it’s hours later before they hang up, and he’s almost forgotten all about Summer and Tom.

---

It’s been 2 months and ten days since he and Kurt started dating. Kurt’s back home from New York, and they’re supposed to meet up for coffee today – Summer calls him as he’s pulling the car out of the driveway, and he stops to pick up her call.

“Blaine – I’m engaged.”

He freezes. He must have misheard. She’s been dating some new guy since shortly after she broke up with Tom – maybe about two months. And now – she’s engaged? “What?”

“I know it’s fast, but – But I’m in love, Blaine. I’m actually in love. He asked, and I just couldn’t say no.”

This is remarkable. Exceptional. “Seriously? This isn’t some kind of belated April Fool’s Day thing, is it?”

“No. I just… I just really love him.”

She sounds sincere, and suddenly, it hits him. Maybe she hasn’t know this guy very long – but he and Kurt have been dating for about the same amount of time, and he absolutely loves… He hasn’t told Kurt that he loves him yet. That needs to be fixed.

“Look, Summer, I’m so happy for you, but I actually have a date with Kurt, so I have to be at the Lima Bean –“

“Of course.” She giggles. She giggles. “Just – you’ll come to the wedding, right? Maybe you could even bring Kurt.”

He grins, picturing he and Kurt dancing at his sister’s wedding. “Of course I will. Just let me know when you set the date.”

“Right.”

She hangs up without saying goodbye again, but he doesn’t care in the slightest. He speeds all the way to the Lima Bean, orders coffee for himself and Kurt and waits at their usual table. When Kurt comes in, he looks stunning as always, and he has the sparkle of happiness in his eyes that speaks of places far more accepting than Lima, Ohio. Blaine knows that feeling from visiting his sister.

They talk for a while – mostly, Kurt talks about New York. Blaine can hardly focus, but he makes an effort just for Kurt. Finally, as he watches his boyfriend’s enthusiasm grow while he skims back over his favorite parts, Blaine can’t help it. He blurts it out, right there in the middle of The Lima Bean.

“I love you.”

He doesn’t regret it, though. And he doesn’t expect Kurt to say it back – he doesn’t have to. He just needed to say it. He watches as Kurt carefully swallows his coffee, and as his lips form those four beautiful words, even though they slur together a little in how quickly they’re spoken.

“I love you, too.”

There’s a moment’s pause, and Blaine moves Kurt becoming his boyfriend down a slot on the list of the best moments in his life to make room for this one.

“You know, when you think about it, Kurt Hummel’s had a pretty good year.”

Blaine grins. So have I, he thinks – and without even meaning to, he adds and apparently, so has Summer.