The noise is frankly bordering on nerve-wracking and Kurt closes his eyes. His dad used to tell him he needed to count to ten if he didn't want to spend his life screaming at the world. Kurt is not the kid he used to be, he doesn't have to shout to be heard anymore. Still, in the middle of a dressing for the new Calvin Klein collection, with people flittering all around and fashion assistants screeching their opinions at Isabelle, that old trick might come in handy.

When he blinks them open again, Isabelle is looking at him pleadingly as two editors stand in front of her, holding objectively hideous combinations of clothes – and is that a knitted poncho? Kurt is about to go over and save her, when his phone vibrates in his pocket. A smile pulls at his lips, he knows who is writing. After "the first lovey-dovey date" - as Rachel dubbed it once Kurt told her about it, bribed with the promise of free rein over the kitchen for a week – he and Blaine have been texting each other every day.

Most of the time they exchange silly little comments – like Blaine sending pictures of the half-burnt pancakes he and Sam prepared on Sunday or a sequin suit Sebastian was forced to wear one day – but they light up Kurt's days. Like those Christmas lights Rachel's dads used to hang up along the upper floor corridor. Kurt remembers that the first time he saw them he felt as though he was walking across the stars. Small piece after small piece, the jigsaw that Blaine is becomes clearer, and bigger, and shinier. He is funny and smart and gentle as no one else Kurt has ever met.

I have just found a cat!

Kurt stares at the screen. Sometimes Blaine doesn't even feel real.

What do you mean "found"?

He was curled on the steps outside. He was freezing!

Kurt can easily picture Blaine as he steps out of the building and stops dead in his tracks at the sight of a ball of fur. He imagines him crouching down, reaching over carefully and holding the cat as though it is made of glass.

Is he (how do you even know he is a he?!) alright?

"Kurt, please..."

Isabelle looks an inch away from murdering someone, so Kurt pockets his phone and hurries over. Taking her elbow and flashing apologizing smiles at the assistants, he guides her to the door.

"Thank you. I swear another second in there and..."

"You know how everyone tends to get when the new collections arrive."

Isabelle passes a hand through her hair, it falls back on her shoulders softly.

"I can't wait to be lounging on the couch tonight."

Kurt grins at her, running a comforting hand down her arm.

"And Scott right there with you, uh?"

"Ah, I see you've learned well, baby."

"I had a good teacher."

His phone vibrates again and a knowing smirk pulls at Isabelle's lips.

"Oh, is someone looking for you?"

Kurt can feel the tips of his ears burning, but forces himself to stand his ground and tries to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"It's Blaine."

His voice ends up quivering on the "a", but Isabelle has the good grace to let it slip.

"I wouldn't want to keep you, then."

Before Kurt can reply she is already walking towards the kitchenette, surely to get some coffee and smoke a cigarette in peace. Kurt leans against the corridor's wall and fishes out his phone. There are three unanswered texts.

He is. I gave him some milk.

I need to name him! Help?

Naming a cat is serious business, Kurt!

Kurt shakes his head, happiness bubbling up along his veins. It is the first time he gets this – the easy joking, the almost effortless flirting. It is thrilling and Kurt wonders if it is possible to get high on happiness.

How am I supposed to name him without having seen it? ;)

Here you are:

[pic]

You are incredible, you know that? (He is pretty!)

Should I take that as a compliment or...I know, right? So, name!

Kurt debates whether to answer truthfully or not. It is true that Blaine is incredible, something completely new and fascinating. He bites his lower lip, trying to keep his thoughts in order. Flirting has always been something he felt a bit too clumsy at. With Chandler, back in high school, Kurt knows he handled it badly, but with Adam it wasn't much different either. Kurt hadn't realized on time where things were headed. He simply let himself be dragged forward. But now Kurt wants to have this with Blaine. Or at least he wants to try.

I wouldn't use the word for nothing :) What about Gene Kelly?

If Kurt has to be honest, Blaine reminds him of one of elegant actors or singers. The ones who existed inside black and white movies and whose smiles could make thousands of hearts flutter.

But he is a cat of the street, Kurt. What about Prince?

Kurt scrunches his nose, even though Blaine can't see him. He is about to reply that a cat needs proper names and not the ones of pop singers, it doesn't matter how good they are, when his phone buzzes with another incoming message. This time it is a picture of the cat with a piece of paper held in front of it. It reads: "Hi. I am Prince". A soft kind of warmth spreads through Kurt at the thought that now he knows what Blaine's handwriting looks like.

You are insane. But you win. Prince it is.

I knew I'd win! Also, I am sorry I'm bothering you like this. You must be at work.

Conceited voices drift out from the fitting room Kurt has just left and he knows he is supposed to get back in there. He simply wishes he could be somewhere in the city walking with Blaine, talking or staying silent it wouldn't matter.

I'd rather be somewhere else. Today I might finally murder Alana.

The crazy assistant?

Kurt smiles. He loves that Blaine remembers these small details even though they have been writing to each other for barely a week and a half. It is as though that first beautiful date has opened a door they didn't even know existed. Now it feels right to reach for his phone and send a text, to tell Blaine how the day is going and to wish him goodnight. It is quiet and it is one of the nicest thing Kurt has ever experienced. Weird how, with the right person, you can feel perfectly happy with the smallest things and gestures. Maybe this is what his dad meant when he spoke about Kurt's mother, about the way a simple smile or a song hummed while she was cooking was enough to make a whole day happy.

Exactly her! Why is it still Wednesday?

I've got an idea. At what time will you be back at home?

Kurt's throat feels suddenly too tight. He has been wanting to see Blaine since they hugged on his doorstep after their dinner at the Greek restaurant. Sadly, work has been insanely busy and from what Blaine told him they were on the same boat. Kurt briefly wonders if it is normal to miss Blaine's gaze on him so much.

Around 7 I guess. Why?

I promised Santana I would stop by her pub. You could come? If you want of course :)

Kurt looks at the smiley. He knows that if Blaine were there he would smile at the end of the sentence, his head slightly ducked, his eyelashes impossibly dark against his cheeks. Kurt wishes he could say yes, but he doesn't know if he is ready to meet Blaine's friends yet. They are just starting to know each other and, yes, Kurt can't deny he already craves for more, but that doesn't change the fact that they aren't there yet. They might never get there, to be honest.

Thank you for the offer. But I think I'll pass. Early day tomorrow. I am sorry.

Oh don't be. Maybe next time? I kind of really want to see you again.

His head slightly spinning, Kurt closes his eyes against the hope and contentment. When it comes to Blaine sometimes feelings seem way more intense than what Kurt is used to.

Same. Maybe over the weekend? X

Kurt knows there's a Vogue Christmas party scheduled for the weekend, just a couple of days before he can finally fly back home to spend the holidays with his dad. Isabelle showed him the enormous list of guests, tapping the end of her pen on one single name, her grin almost wolfish: Blaine Anderson. From that day Kurt has been thinking about asking Blaine to go together. It couldn't be that hard, right? But every single time they wrote to each other and talked on the phone everything was still so soft and tender and tentative and Kurt never felt brave enough to bring it up.

Isabelle's heels click against the wooden floor.

"You know I'm not going back in there alone, right, baby?"
He has just pocketed his phone when Isabelle loops her arm around his and drags him back inside the fitting room.

~*~

It is 8 pm when Kurt stumbles into the apartment. The lights are off, Rachel is probably still at rehearsal. After having taken off his boots, he pads over to the kitchen and puts on the kettle, too tired to cook himself something to eat. Since he left the office, Kurt has had worry nagging at him. Blaine didn't reply to his last text, what if he got upset because Kurt didn't take him up on his offer? The last thing Kurt wants is for Blaine to think he doesn't want to see him. He truly does, just...

Huffing, he pours the hot water into a mug and plops down on the couch, switching the tv on. It doesn't make sense to dwell too much on it. Surely, Blaine understands. As time ticks by and his cell phone remains silent, the worry morphs into a small compact stone weighing down on Kurt's breastbone.

It is 10 pm when Rachel gets back home. When she realizes Kurt doesn't feel like talking, she simply makes herself a chamomile and curls up by his side. They watch all episodes of Project Runway in silence, Rachel's warmth by his side somehow comforting. His thoughts keep drifting back to Blaine, wondering what he is doing, what he is thinking. It is stupid to worry too much without knowing a thing about how Blaine truly reacted, but Kurt can't help it. Finally he has had enough of sitting on the couch, every muscle locked and strained.

"Hey, Rach. I think I'm going to bed."

Rachel blinks at him. She is wearing pigtails and she looks so much like the girl Kurt met in high school that he wants to hug her.

"Alright. Just...stop overthinking and worrying."

"I am not..."

"Of course you are."

Kurt nods and stands up. He is already reaching for the partition curtain when Rachel speaks again.

"He likes you, Kurt. He does."

Kurt allows himself to smile before slipping into his room. He doesn't know for how long he lies awake in bed. He hears Rachel switching off the tv and her bed creaking. Then there's only the humming of the old fridge and the sound of cars passing by outside.

The vibration is unexpected and Kurt almost yelps. His phone skitters on the nightstand and he clumsily reaches for it.

Incoming call from Blaine

"Hey."

There's no answer, just the strumming of a guitar. Then Blaine's voice joins in and Kurt's breath hitches.

little child, be not afraid
though rain pounds harshly against the glass
like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger
I am here tonight

Kurt blinks in the half-light of his room, his fingers gripping the covers.

and someday you'll know
that nature is so
the same rain that draws you near me
falls on rivers and land
on forests and sand
makes the beautiful world that you'll see
in the morning

Blaine sings as beautifully as Kurt remembered. His voice is strong and gentle at the same time – it holds the kindness of a caress and the power of a hug. And Kurt listens, heart thumping wildly and eyes watering. No one has ever done something like this for him. Just...singing for him.

everything's fine in the morning
the rain'll be gone in the morning
but I'll still be here in the morning

On the other end of the line, the guitar falls silent and Kurt gulps down air.

"I...uhm...I hope that was alright."

Blaine's voice is lower now, uncertain and Kurt wishes he were there to hug him close and whisper to him that he was perfect.

"That was...thank you."

Kurt can hear the smile in Blaine's next words.

"I'm so happy you liked it. I just thought...you sounded stressed today and I hope this helped?"

"Blaine, that's one of the most...no one has ever done something like that for me."

Kurt holds his breath, heart stuttering.

"I'm glad I was the first one."

His voice is slightly breathless and Kurt cradles the phone closer. He wants to see Blaine so much that his very bones burn with it and this time he doesn't even wonder if it makes sense or not. It just is.

"I...I really want to see you."

Kurt knows it is daring and risky, but he has learned that sometimes being brave and showing other people how you feel is the most important thing. So he takes a deep breath and goes on.

"There's this Vogue party this Saturday and... would you like to...come with me?"

Blaine huffs out a breath and it echoes in Kurt's ear.

"I...of course."

Kurt grins at his empty room and lets his head fall back against the pillow.

"That's...great."

Blaine giggles and Kurt doesn't feel too embarrassed about his lacking eloquence.

"It is."

They remain silent for a little, Kurt simply listening to Blaine's breathing, his heart unbelievably light.

"Well, you said you had an early morning tomorrow. I don't want to keep you up."

"You know you didn't disturb me at all, right?"

"I'm glad to hear that. Sleep well, Kurt."

Kurt shifts on his side, the pillow cool against his cheek. He wonders what it would be like to have Blaine here, in his bed.

"Good night, Blaine. And thank you."

"Always."

~*~

Three days. Three days and he'll be standing among elegant and snotty people under pretty lights with Blaine by his side. The mere thought makes Kurt's breath hitch. He has gone to parties and dinners with the guys he was dating, but it has never set his nerves on fire like this, anticipation sweet and thrilling on his tongue.

"I don't even know what to wear."

Rachel looks up at him from where she is sitting on the living room floor. She quirks an eyebrow, hands splayed on the music sheets she was going over.

"Are you being serious? Your wardrobe is like the dream of every fashionable man in New York."

Kurt bites his lower lip and leans back against the couch. He knows he is being silly, but he needs to be perfect for this.

"Maybe we should go shopping?"

Rachel shakes her head, bangs falling in front of her eyes.

"Oh no no, I don't have enough strength for a shopping marathon. I'm sure you have the perfect outfit right there in your room."

Kurt shrugs and hopes she is right.

+++

"Vogue party, uh? Kinky!"

Blaine laughs and Santana winks from where she is sprawled on his couch. She looks like a model, Blaine has told her as much many times, but she has always laughed in his face. "I am too much of a bitch to do that job, you know that, hobbit!" She was too honest and true for that world, that's what Blaine thought.

"I wouldn't say kinky."

She pouts, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"Oh c'mon, it's the best occasion to finally get dirty."

Blaine's heart kind of flips - if that's even an anatomical possibility. He always feels a bit uncomfortable in his own skin when people bring up this topic. He can't deny the way the porcelain line of Kurt's neck or the firmness of his long legs make heat pool liquid at the bottom of his stomach. Blaine wants and wishes and desires, but he doesn't really know how to proceed from there. When he thinks about Kurt - about his beauty and his kindness, his brightness – he knows deep inside that he would want to go all the way with him, but he also is afraid of floundering around.

He shakes his head and Santana's smirk softens.

"Don't worry, hobbit. If he is the right one, it will be okay."

Blaine has known Santana for a long time, he knows she cares about him like an older sister. Still, it is rare for her to show it so openly. Blaine think she is even more beautiful when she smiles like that.

"Thank you, San."

She waves her hand dismissively and focuses her attention back to the magazine she was flipping through. Blaine smiles before taking up his guitar. He was working on the beginning of a new song when Santana came by, completely uninvited as always. She said she was in town to "buy some shit" and simply landed on Blaine's couch after having requested (and obtained) a freshly made coffee.

Blaine empties his mind, fingertips lightly prodding the guitar's chords. He thinks about the previous night and how nervous he had been before dialing Kurt's number. Then he had pressed the speakerphone button and the worry had faded away. Blaine had been composing songs in his head since he was a kid, dreaming of becoming a great musician one day, but he had never sang for someone. Kurt had sounded so stressed and tired and Blaine hadn't thought twice about it. It simply came natural to take care of him the only way he could.

When Kurt asked him to go to the party together, Blaine almost lost grip on the guitar. He had gotten the invite and from that moment he had spent so much time trying to muster enough courage to bring it up with Kurt. And once more Kurt zigged when Blaine thought he was about to zag. His heart was beating so impossibly fast in his ears that Blaine barely heard his own reply.

He remembers the softness of Kurt's voice over the telephone line and each syllable and pause comes with a note, his fingers straining to catch up with his thoughts. Blaine wants to capture this, to trap the feeling of excited wait, the feeling of standing on the edge of something stunning. Music swells inside of him, like an animal waking up after a long hibernation. It soars and falls, retracing the footsteps left by Blaine's feelings as they grew and grew since that day on Bethesda Terrace.

Blaine is so engulfed that he doesn't even realize when Santana gathers her things and leaves. When he blinks back to reality the light is dimmer and she is no longer laying on the couch. There's a note stuck to the coffee table, though. It reads: You really are a weirdo when you compose. You know that you do this weird humming sound and keep rocking back and forth? Anyway it was pretty good. See you. San

Blaine spends the rest of the evening playing, notes scribbled down in a haste start to fill the music sheets and it feels a bit like having a fever, only better. It's midnight when finally stops, fingertips aching. It takes a while for him to register that he hasn't eaten or looked at his phone in hours. There are three unread messages.

(17:00) How's Prince doing?

(19:30) Hey, bro! What are you up to? Want to grab a bite together for dinner?

(20:30) Is it weird that I still hear the song you sang to me yesterday?

Blaine smiles at the screen of his phone. He wonders how it is even possible for Kurt to sound adorable through text.

I am so sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I was composing. Prince is doing well! And I don't think it is weird at all. It makes me happy.

After having typed a quick apology to Sam, Blaine moves to the kitchen to fix himself something to eat. A toast will have to do. He is waiting for the toaster to ding when he gets Kurt's answer.

I've always wondered how composing works.

It is a bit hard to explain. For me there's always something that sort of guides me through it, something that inspires me.

Can I ask you what was it today?

Blaine leans back against the counter, the bread long forgotten. Once again he has a choice. He can downplay it all or just be brave and honest. Kurt is doing it, Blaine can see and feel how he opens up for him.

You.

Turning his back to the counter and to the phone, Blaine busies himself with his toast. The back of his neck prickles with tension. It is weird, caring this much. It always makes him worry about slipping and falling.

Sometimes you don't even seem real.

Is that a bad thing?

No. It just means you're kind of perfect.

Blaine smiles to the empty room, his heart threatening to burst. He has been dying to see Kurt again since their date, but he knows that communicating via phone and through texts has helped them. They are learning to be more open and less awkward with each other and for Blaine it is a bit like learning to look at the world with new eyes. To see that he can connect to someone like this, so freely and deeply, is slowly changing the way Blaine has always felt about love. He finally understands what the word really means to him.

Before now Blaine has never really felt like he was in love – he cared, he wanted, he liked but love always felt out of reach. He knows he is falling for Kurt, though. He has always worried he wouldn't know when love came because he didn't know how it was supposed to feel. And yet when his breath hitches just so or when his lips stretch into a smile because of Kurt, Blaine knows it is the beginning of something that might get too big for his own heart to contain.

Why isn't it Saturday already?

Two days left :)

Feels like an eternity to me.

Blaine knows he is being sappy, but Kurt is answering so he must be doing something right. As he waits for Kurt to answer, Blaine pads into the living room and eats his toast while making some adjustments to the rifts he jotted down earlier.

You should go to sleep and dream about it then ;)

Blaine smiles down at the G flat he has just added.

I am dreaming about it already.

~*~

"I swear, I'm going to be sick."

"Dude, relax."

Sam's voice comes thin from the phone's speaker as Blaine rummages through his drawer.

"I can't. Like...I know I am overreacting a bit..."

"A bit? It sounds like a lot to me."

"Ha, you're so funny. Sam...it's Kurt!"

He is a model and he can't bring himself to choose a damn bowtie. Blaine truly feels ridiculous.

"B, he is a person, you know? He is not an alien or something like that."

Blaine stops his scavenger hunt for the bowtie and allows himself to chuckle. In his own weird way Sam always ends up stating the truth. Kurt is the most beautiful guy Blaine has ever seen, and kind of perfect, but it also is Kurt who invited him, right?

"He likes you, man!"

Blaine blinks and looks at himself in the mirror hung above the chest of drawers. His cheeks are slightly flushed, his hair finally tamed after the gel battle he had with it earlier. He takes a deep breath.

"Okay. I can do this."

"Of course you can! And now stop fussing and hurry up or you're going to be late!"

"Yes, mom."

"You're welcome."

The call disconnects and Blaine is once again alone with his nerves cracking with anticipation. He lets his fingertips trail over his collection of bowties. It is calming somehow. There are some he brought with him from Ohio when he left home. He doesn't wear them nowadays, but it means something that they are here with him. He chooses a simple one – silk, black – Santana gave him for his first birthday in New York.

Kurt told him he'd pick him up at 7:30 and right on the second the intercom beeps. Blaine checks himself in the mirror one last time, before grabbing his coat and heading for the door. This already feels like the most important night of his life.

+++

Kurt rocks back and forth on his heels, one hand tugging at the red woolen scarf he is wearing. He feels as though someone filled his body with clouds, too light and slightly dizzy because of how fast his heart is beating. When the door of the building opens, he holds his breath. It leaves him in a rush at the sight of Blaine standing on the top step. His hair is gelled back, it makes his eyes seem even bigger and darker. Kurt is sure he is the most beautiful creature to walk the Earth.

"Hi."

Kurt opens and closes his mouth. Then clears his throat, feeling like an idiot.

"H-hi. You...look stunning."

Blaine hops down the last step and smiles, cheeks flushed.

"So do you."

Kurt looks at Blaine and wants so bad to reach out but doesn't really know if he is allowed to. They have told each other so many things over the past week, but to have Blaine in front of him is kind of overwhelming. It is Blaine who takes a step forward and kisses him on the cheek. His lips are warm and soft and Kurt resists the urge to pull him closer.

"Shall we go?"

He offers Blaine is arm and his heart sings when Blaine takes it without hesitation.

~*~

It's snowing once again when they arrive at the Standard Hotel. Kurt looks up at the building and feels Blaine's shoulder pressing against his..

"I've actually never come to one of these parties."

Kurt turns to find Blaine looking at him, a shy smile on his lips.

"Lucky you. I never was smart enough to avoid them."

Blaine chuckles and relaxes visibly. Kurt looks at him – so beautiful and so bright in the middle of a world that too often tends to get grey – and feels bold. He reaches down and takes Blaine's hand into his.

"I am glad to be here tonight, though."

Blaine's smile could make the sun pale and Kurt is more than happy to smile back.

The administration has rented the whole 38th floor and the rooms are already packed. Kurt keeps close to Blaine as they navigate through the mass of expensive suits and dresses. A waiter appears out of nowhere with a tray filled with champagne flutes and Kurt takes two. Blaine smiles up at him when Kurt hands him his glass. Their fingertips brush and Kurt can feel electricity crawling up and down his bones. Blaine's lips look impossibly soft wrapped around the rim of the glass.

People keep stopping them to say hi and chat aimlessly. Kurt puts on a smile and feigns interest, when all he wants is to find a quiet corner to chat with Blaine, maybe sitting close to each other, the solid press of Blaine's thigh against his like those times they were sitting on the subway together. Now and then he steals a sideways glance at Blaine. He chats politely, his smile kind and his eyes always sparkling. He looks so full of life and Kurt wants nothing more than to kiss him. Tonight more than ever before.

They spend the night with their heads ducked close, whispering about the other guests – "Doesn't she look like Morticia Addams?", "Blaine, don't make me laugh while I'm drinking.", "She totally is though, right?" – and sipping champagne. Halfway through their fifth glass, they finally find Isabelle. She is beautiful tonight, dressed in a light blue dress. The gown is made of tulle and it stops just over her knees. Looking at her like this Kurt can't help thinking she truly is his fairy good-mother.

"Kurt, Blaine!"

Her smile is genuine and Kurt sets himself a bit straighter. Blaine leans slightly against his side, the backs of their hands brushing. Isabelle swipes him up in a hug. She smells of camellias and her hair is impossibly soft against Kurt's cheek.

"I am so happy you came with him. He just is...right for you."

Kurt blinks and hugs her a bit tighter. She squeezes back before disentangling herself.

"It is nice to see you here, Blaine."

Blaine smiles, head ducked.

"I am glad to be here too."

Isabelle flashes a small knowing smile in Kurt's direction.

"That's good. I've to go back to my duties now, but you two have fun."

Honest to God she winks and Kurt can feel his whole face on fire. Blaine chuckles and leans forward.

"I like her."

Kurt turns to face him and they are so much closer than he expected. He can see the golden speckles in Blaine's irises and he struggles a bit to breathe.

"I like you."

He quickly shuts his traitorous mouth. Blaine's eyes are wide, his lips slightly parted. Kurt is about to apologize when Blaine's free hand closes around his, shockingly warm and smooth.

"I like you too."

Kurt smiles, small and uncertain, breath lost somewhere inside his lungs. Blaine tugs at his hand and Kurt goes with it, following him out of the room and up a ramp of stairs. The music drifts up to the landing where they have stopped right in front of a huge window. It looks over the Hudson and lights blink up at them. It feels a bit like standing one step higher than the sky. It is blinding. The champagne makes him feel somehow hyper aware of how close Blaine is, of how firm his hands are on his hips.

"Blaine..."

His eyes seem to hold all the lights of New York City. Music drifts up the stairs from the party below and Blaine softly sings along.

"Funny how I feel more myself with you
Than anybody else that I ever knew
I hear it in your voice, see it in your face
You've become the memory I can't erase"

Kurt closes his eyes as they sway on the spot. Blaine's voice unfurls and slips inside of Kurt, reaching that small space under his heart where he keeps his biggest dreams and his most precious hopes.

"Open your eyes, please?"

Blaine's words are barely a whisper and Kurt's heart jumps up in his throat as he does as he is told. They are so close, the tips of their noses almost brushing, Blaine's breath warm on his lips.

"May I kiss you?"

"Yes."

The last thing Kurt sees before closing his eyes is Blaine's smile. Then their lips touch, firm and warm and right. Kissing Blaine feels a bit like falling. Their lips slot together and Kurt's breath stutters. The ground doesn't come any closer, though. Kurt feels suspended in a place where everything burns brighter. Blaine nibbles at his lower lip and Kurt shift closer, hands clutching at Blaine's shoulders.

Blaine kisses as he is, gentle and lively. His tongue traces the seam of Kurt's lips, asking for permission. Kurt can hear himself moaning, but it cannot matter right now. Not where lights blink underneath and above them and Blaine's tongue caresses his own. It feels so good Kurt feels like he might burst open.

When they break for air, he keeps his eyes closed, trying to steady himself.

"Open your eyes for me?"

Kurt smiles and does as Blaine asks. Blaine's hand grip his jacket a bit tighter.

"It feels a bit like a dream, doesn't it?"

Kurt leans forward to press a kiss to the corner of Blaine's mouth.

"It feels real to me."

Blaine hugs him so close that Kurt can feel his heartbeat against his chest.

~*~

Blaine goes to retrieve some more champagne and comes back with half a bottle he sneaked away. Kurt kisses him lightly and laughs. They spend the rest of the night on the landing, sitting on the carpet in front of the window. They kiss until Kurt can't feel his lips anymore. And he still wants more.

The champagne is long gone when they finally stand, hands entwined. Kurt's head spins and he leans against Blaine.

"Do you want to come over to my place?"

And this too is new. In equal parts thrilling and scary. Kurt doesn't want to rush things, especially not with Blaine. But Blaine's eyes are kind and his smile tender and like that Kurt knows they are on the same page. He presses his lips to Blaine's temple.

"Alright."

~*~

It's 4 am and Kurt sits close to Blaine in the back of the car. Their hands are entwined on Blaine's knees, his thumb sweeping over Kurt's knuckles. Kurt breathes and looks at Blaine and the world seems to spin less, to shine brighter.

Blaine fumbles with his keys and Kurt tries to remember how to breathe. It has been so long since he last shared a bed with someone. It was Adam and Kurt was careful to sleep on his side of the bed. But now Blaine pushes the door open and smiles, his hand outstretched. And Kurt takes it, because with Blaine there's no fear or uncertainty, only happiness.

"So...here's my house."

He is adorable, hands twisting his scarf, and Kurt reaches over, hand cupping his cheek.

"I'm so happy to be here."

Blaine kisses him right in the hall, their coats still on. It is perfect and the residual worry Kurt might have carried with him melts away.

"Want to go to bed?"

Kurt nods, still softly nibbling at Blaine's lower lip. Kissing has never been so addictive. Blaine smiles at him and turns him gently, helping him out of his coat.

"You truly are gorgeous, you know that?"

Kurt takes in a shaky breath.

"Have you seen yourself?"

Blaine laughs before taking Kurt's hand and guiding him towards a door on the right.

"Sorry, my room is a bit of a mess. I had a fight with my wardrobe before deciding what to wear tonight."

Kurt squeezes Blaine's hand.

"You are always so beautiful..."

Blaine kisses him on the cheek before switching on the light.

"I'm sure I've a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for you."

Kurt watches as Blaine rummages through his drawers. When he turns around he is holding a bundle of clothes, a small, perfect grin on his lips.

"Ta-dah."

"You know you are ridiculous, right?"

Blaine quirks an eyebrow and moves closer.

"But you don't mind that, do you?"

Kurt chuckles, his hands coming up to Blaine's waist. The jacket is smooth against his fingertips.

"I most definitely don't."

Blaine smiles up at him before closing the distance between them. The clothes he is holding fold against their bodies as they kiss. Kurt is sure he'll never get tired of this. When they break apart, Kurt presses his forehead against Blaine, breathing in deep the scent of his cologne.

"You take my breath away."

The clothes make a soft sound when Blaine lets them go and they hit the floor. Blaine's arms are firm around Kurt as they pull him close. It feels safe.

"You stole my breath away since day one."

Kurt has the feeling he has just fallen right into a dream or a Disney movie. He feels so happy his whole body threatens to shake with it.

~*~

Blaine doesn't have a proper bed, just a big and fluffy mattress resting directly on the wooden floor. Kurt slides under the covers as Blaine is still in the bathroom. The sheets are cool and smooth. It is a bit harder to breathe properly now that he actually is lying in Blaine's bed, wearing his clothes. His skin feels too tight and his heart feels like a hot air balloon. Kurt closes his eyes against the assault of emotions and keeps them closed when he hears the door creaking and Blaine's bare feet padding over.

The mattress dips and the sheets rustle. Kurt feels as though his heart might jump out of his chest, the dizziness from the champagne now completely gone. Blaine's body is warm when he slides in beside him. Kurt gulps down air and keeps his eyes closed.

Suddenly Blaine's hand is on his stomach, tracing soothing circles over the t-shirt.

"Hey."

His voice is soft. It makes Kurt think of the petals of the roses his mom used to keep on her bedroom's windowsill. Slowly he blinks his eyes open and turns to face Blaine. He is smiling, his curls back to being an adorable mess.

"Hey."

Blaine's intake of breath echoes in his ears and Kurt shifts his legs. They brush against Blaine's, but he doesn't scoot away. Now more than ever he wants to be close to this man who is looking at him all big eyes and warm smile.

"Can I tell you something?"

Kurt nods, holding his breath as Blaine's hand slides up to rest right above his heart.

"There is a moment...when you say to yourself: oh, there you are, I've been looking for you forever."

Blaine scoots closer, stray curls tickling Kurt's cheek.

"To have you here...it makes me want to keep you with me..."

Kurt gulps down air, the words depositing as golden powder on his heart.

"You...you can, you know? Keep me here, I mean."

Blaine tastes of mint and Kurt grabs the front of his t-shirt and holds on. He doesn't know for how long they kiss. All that exists are Blaine's tongue and his hands, holding Kurt close.


+++

When Blaine wakes up, Kurt is still asleep, one arm draped over Blaine's hip. The weight, the warmth of it sends a shiver sliding down Blaine's spine. It still amazes him how much Kurt's simple proximity can do to him. As the fuzziness of sleep leaves him, Blaine realizes that their legs are entangled too. He briefly thinks about halves and wholes. Maybe this is how falling in love with someone truly is meant to feel. Laying here with Kurt, his heart thumping happily against his ribcage, Blaine is sure he has never felt like this before.

Carefully he disentangles himself and slips out of the room. The kitchen clock says it is 10 am and Blaine stretches, naked feet pressed against cool tiles. He quickly does a mental inventory of what food is left in the house.

Half an hour later his t-shirt is matted with flour and he is trying to flip pancakes without sending them spattering against the cupboard. When he was a kid his mom used to teach him how to cook – apple pie, cinnamon cookies, blueberry muffins. When he grew older, though, especially after it became clear that he wasn't going to be the son they had wanted, she stopped. Once he arrived in New York, Blaine started again on his own. Santana used to laugh at him, but then she joined in. More often than not they would end up covered in flour or tomato or jam but Blaine would always laugh so hard that the world never failed to seem a kinder place.

"Good morning."

Blaine miraculously manages to catch the pancake he was flipping. When he turns, Kurt is smiling at him, leaning against the doorframe. Blaine's sweatpants are a bit too short for him and his ankles show. He seems like a dream in the morning light.

"Morning."

Blaine watches as Kurt pads over, elegantly sitting on a stool. There's a faint blush on his cheeks and Blaine's lips tingle with the desire to kiss him. With a jolt he remembers that now he can. With the pan still in hand he leans forward. Kurt meets him halfway. Blaine can feel Kurt's smile against his lips.

They eat breakfast sitting way too close, elbows bumping. Now and then Blaine nudges Kurt's socked foot with his own, just to see Kurt's beautiful smile over the rim of the mug. Everything is both so new and so familiar and Blaine finds himself hoping time would stop and they could remain here, sharing kisses that taste of coffee and pancakes.

Blaine takes a sip of coffee and there are so many things he wants to say, questions he wants to ask because he knows he has just scratched the surface of the mystery that Kurt is. But first he needs to know if he and Kurt are on the same page here.

"Do you think we should...talk about yesterday?"

Kurt blinks, his eyes somehow clearer at this hour of the day.

"I...IreallylikeyouBlaine."

His cheeks are pink and Blaine's heart threatens to burst open.

"You are adorable. And I...I just feel so lucky right now."

Kurt ducks his head, hand coming up to cover Blaine's.

"Yesterday was just...I have wanted to kiss you way before yesterday."

Blaine wonders if it is possible to drown in happiness.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you since that day in Central Park."

Kurt shakes his head, but a pleased smile pulls at his lips. Blaine leans over to kiss him again.

~*~

Kurt gets a phone call around noon – a girl named Rachel from what Blaine gathers – and leaves the warm cocoon of blankets they made on the couch to get dressed. Blaine waits and replays in his head all the new things he has learned about Kurt in the last hour. How he loved his Glee club in high school, how he grew up with his dad and was the planner for his second wedding, how New York has taught him to be more confident. It is easy to talk to Kurt and he has such a beautiful voice Blaine would listen to it for hours on end. He forces himself to move and get back on his feet. It feels wrong for Kurt to leave, Blaine wishes they could stay together all day long and for many more days to come. But Kurt said Rachel has an important audition tomorrow and he wanted to be there for her and Blaine just fell for Kurt a bit faster.

He helps Kurt into his coat and adjusts his scarf. Kurt lets him, hands gentle on Blaine's waist.

"Is it silly that I don't want you to go?"

Kurt chuckles and Blaine knows that once he is gone he'll try to write a song about that small perfect sound.

"I don't want to go either. But...we'll talk later right?"

Blaine doesn't like the uncertainty in Kurt's eyes so he tugs on the lapels of his coat. Their lips meet for the umpteenth time since that first kiss on the stairway and the thrill in Blaine's heart is still the same, if not stronger.

"Of course."

Kurt smiles and something inside of Blaine melts a bit more. He stands barefoot on the landing as Kurt walks down the stairs. When he stops at the end and waves up at him, Blaine is sure he could float.

~*~

Now not only I'm touching the moon. I am standing on it. x

Then we are together up there x