"Soooo."

Kurt looked up from where he was researching fashion schools on his laptop. "So?"

Blaine leaned next to him against the desk. "So Cooper invited me out to California to visit this summer."

"Oh, yeah? That sounds like fun." Though he tried to inject some happiness in his tone, Blaine could see the hurt.

"Mmhmm, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

Kurt perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah, if your dad is okay with it. I figure we could drive out there, you know? See the country a bit before school starts up again." Blaine shrugged, picking idly at a corner of the desk and avoiding Kurt's eyes.

A pale hand covered his. He looked up. "I would love to, Blaine. Come on, let's go ask my dad."

888

Burt was wary of the idea at first but he agreed that it would be good for Kurt to get out of town for awhile after everything. He needed to let loose, if only for a couple of weeks and this trip might be the thing to help take his mind off of it. They set up a time with Cooper and planned out the trip, picking up snacks and drinks to carry with them. Since the trip would take a day and a half to drive (if they didn't stop anywhere), Burt gave Kurt his credit card, telling them to pull over whenever they got tired and stay at a motel.

Kurt compiled a playlist with enough songs to get them through (and then some) and they traded off turns driving. The first night, they were too exhausted, unused to the strain of travelling so much, falling into to bed after a shower and sleeping. The next day, they were up early, nearly giddy with excitement for their next leg of the journey.

They stopped to take pictures and do touristy things, sharing innocent touches and glances, their fingers remaining intertwined on the console between them. They pulled off the road early that night, renting a motel room and giggling as they tumbled into the bed, hands searching, pulling shirts from pants and knocking one of the lamps over. The motel only had double beds and after several minutes of making out, Blaine pulled away.

"Hey, Kurt, I have an idea."

Kurt hummed against his neck, his fingers busy with the button of Blaine's pants. "I have one too that involves a lot less clothes."

"Kurt, wait." At his tone, Kurt moved back, hovering over him. "I say we build a fort."

"What?" Kurt laughed, his eyes sparkling.

"Come on, let's build a fort out of sheets!"

Kurt shook his head, leaning down to kiss Blaine once more before pulling back and murmuring, "You're crazy," as he slid off the bed. They quickly stripped the sheets off of the beds, moving the chair at the desk between them and setting up a odd little fort. Blaine laid the blankets and pillows on the floor before Kurt turned off the lights and crawled underneath.

He couldn't help the giggle that spilled from his throat, feeling silly as they lay in each others arms, the only sounds being the hum of the air conditioner and the steady thud of Blaine's heartbeat in his ear.

888

After they finally reached Cooper's flat, they settled in. Whenever Coop wasn't working, he showed them all the tourist areas and took them to several celebrity hang outs, making them swear not to run up on people.

"Just, you know, play it cool," he told them.

A few days after they showed up, Coop directed them to the nearest beach and told them to have fun, winking at Blaine, who blushed. He brushed off Kurt's questions, changing into his swim trunks and grabbing Kurt's beach bag. They loaded up the ice chest and carefully followed Cooper's directions to a mostly secluded area. There were a few people dotted up and down the beach but they were few and far between.

They set up their umbrella and the beach towels before Kurt began liberally spraying his body down with sunblock. "Will you get my back?" he asked, offering the can to Blaine. He nodded, making sure to cover every inch of his boyfriends pale flesh before vaguely applying some to his own, naturally tan skin.

His hazel eyes flicked up and down the beach before he moved closer to Kurt. "Hey, I don't know if you want to or not, but Coop gave me a bottle of liquor."

Kurt turned, looking scandalized. "Mister Anderson, are you proposing we get drunk on the beach?"

Blaine smirked. "Why, Mister Hummel, I would never do such a thing! I'm proposing we drink on our towels." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

They passed the bottle back and forth, content to relax in each others arms and occasionally swim around in the ocean as the day grew hotter and hotter until Kurt was forced to stay under the umbrella so he wouldn't burn. He and Blaine lay next to each other, their fingers intertwined as they listened to the surf crash and their heads swam pleasantly.

"Blaine?"

"Hm?" He flopped his head over to the side to look at Kurt.

"I love you. Thank you for asking me to come with you; this trip was just what I needed."

"Mm, I'm glad." He sat up, leaning over to kiss Kurt sweetly on the lips. "And I love you too, so much."