"I'm sorry son, but we're gonna need that 20 minutes I told you about… maybe even a little more."

Kurt sighed into his cellphone. "Is it really that bad?" he asked his father, even though he knew well enough what the answer was.

Kurt looked around to see if anyone could witness his unattractive frustration – no one was around as far as he knew. He'd been standing in front of Dalton's front area for just over 30 minutes now, waiting for his dad and his step-mom to pick him up for the weekend. He couldn't wait to go back to Lima and meet up with his girlfriends again. After living in-house with the other Dalton students, Kurt realized that no matter how nice it was to live with a bunch of guys (especially very attractive and openly gay ones), Kurt still needed his down time with his ladies. Since he was so excited to get back home though, it was natural for Mother Nature to decide that this was the perfect time to have a snowstorm. The winds that started in Lima were starting to pick up around the school and along with it came the snow. Kurt was already shivering and he knew soon enough his teeth were going to chatter.

It was Burt's turn to sigh. "Like I said, we never saw this type of snow coming. Carole and I literally spent half an hour just trying to get rid of the snow on the driveway, and the highways look even worse." Burt groaned. "I'm so sorry Kurt!"

"It's fine Dad," he lied. Kurt was a bit pissed, but then again who wouldn't be? He didn't want to be stuck alone in front of Dalton for any longer. He shook off his attitude for a moment to speak clearly. "You and Carole stay safe okay? I'll just wait, don't worry. No need to rush," Kurt assured his father.

Burt took a breath. "Okay son – love you."

"Love you too Dad," Kurt said before hanging up.

After stuffing his cell back into his jean pocket, Kurt looked around again, huffed, and crossed his arms. He considered his options for a moment.

Going back inside Dalton wasn't an option for him… okay, it technically was, but Kurt ruled it out anyway. He already told all his friends that once he was out of the building, no one was going to see him until that weekend was over. He needed a serious break from all the boys, much as he loved them. Rumour had it that Kurt even had a bit of a diva tantrum from sticking with the guys a tad too long – but of course, Kurt didn't confirm (or deny!) any of it. He didn't want to see the smirks on their faces when they realized that his diva tantrum was going to waste – assuming, of course, that there was a tantrum.

Just waiting outside for another 20 minutes? Highly unlikely. First off, it was already colder than a butcher's freezer and it was clear that the temperature was only going to get worse; no one wants to be stuck doing nothing outside in that kind of cold. Second, Kurt's feet were getting tired from his new gorgeous boots that he wanted to show off to the girls. It was then he realized that breaking into them earlier on would have been the smarter idea. (What? Kurt knew that beauty meant pain sometimes, and believe him when he says that the boots were completely worth it. They were extremely dark blue, simple, shiny, just hit him above his ankles, and perfectly complemented his outfit: pale blue V-neck longsleeve tucked into black skinnies with a sweater-thick oversized navy cardigan on top and a black and gray plaid scarf which was just puffing out of his dark gray petticoat.)

Taking a walk around campus? Possible. Kurt didn't have anything on him but the clothes on his back and his cellphone since he didn't need to bring anything. He was only going home, which already had everything he needed and more anyway. Walking around also meant that he would be able to break into his boots. Not to mention, the amount of movement he'd have would probably keep him warmer than by standing still.

A walk it was.

Kurt looked up to the sky for a moment. He noticed that the winds were taken down a notch, but the snow definitely started to drop more seriously. He stuffed his hands into pockets of his jacket and began to stroll along campus – away from his dorm – taking his time and humming random tunes. He took in the great scenery and the tiny bit of forestry that surrounded the school. He paid attention to some of the beautiful architecture the school actually had. It wasn't long until Kurt was lost in his own world, humming away a medley of showtunes and other love songs he listened to often with the snow crunching in time underneath his feet.

Not very far in the distance was another boy – one that really "admired" Kurt. Trying his hardest not to be noticed – as to not scare Kurt off of course, not because he was freakishly stalking him – Blaine watched Kurt ever since he began to wait outside in front of Dalton. Blaine's parents "didn't" forget that they had to pick him up for the weekend, and the snow just happened to delay them from picking him up for a while, leaving him and Kurt in the same position. Except Kurt didn't know it… yet.

Once Kurt started to take a walk, Blaine followed him quietly at a safe distance. He loved watching Kurt doing simple things like this: taking a walk, reading a book, biting his lip from anxiety of too much homework, taking a quick nap, etc. And Blaine was fortunate enough to be really close friends with Kurt to observe him like this, although that was probably due to the fact that Blaine was the one that introduced Kurt to life at Dalton. That was beside the point though. The point was, Blaine really wanted to help Kurt and wanted to keep him in a safe place where he could possibly become happier. If that meant Kurt had to go to Dalton, so be it. Somewhere between helping him feel comfortable at the all-boys school and controlling said boys from overwhelming his new friend though, Blaine was sure he was falling for Kurt. The teasing Blaine received from his friends to grow the balls to ask Kurt out after he accidentally told them this detail seemed endless, but Blaine didn't want to ruin his and Kurt's friendship. Kurt was in a very insecure and careful place right now. Besides, it wasn't like he knew how Kurt felt for him anyway (which was probably the friendliest possible feeling ever). As much as Blaine wanted more though, he was perfectly content with being as close to Kurt as he was now.

When Kurt started to hum, Blaine nearly coughed the butterflies that were already flying in his stomach. Blaine nearly lost himself listening to Kurt's nearly muted voice. Not very many people actually got to hear Kurt sing since Kurt, surprisingly, was able to control his center-stage diva during Warblers practice due to coming in to a new school. "I'll surprise them all later," Kurt confided with Blaine once, "They'll put me center-stage in a snap." Blaine didn't doubt him because he heard Kurt's amazing (in his opinion, of course) audition. Since Kurt did join the Warblers barely a week before Regionals though, all he was able to do was learn the arrangement the Warblers already set up and sing aside in the background.

"I really can't stay…" Kurt sang quietly.

Kurt decided, since he was sure no one was able to hear him, to sing out loud. The melody he was humming was leading up to "Baby, It's Cold Outside" so he decided to sing it, which was perfect considering how cold it was starting to get. He liked singing the "girl" part; he knew his voice was easily capable of hitting the notes. In his head, he imagined a particular guy singing the other parts. A guy with short but incredibly curly hair – who also happened to serenade him with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" when he first visited Dalton.

Kurt couldn't deny his feelings for Blaine since he first grabbed his hand. Blaine was openly gay, extremely good looking, and was actually a great guy. He was Kurt's first friend at Dalton and he was his best friend at that. Blaine helped Kurt feel comfortable during his first few days at Dalton, AND shared what he knew (you wouldn't BELIEVE the amount of gossip Blaine had), AND helped him get into Daltons' ever fabulous glee club, the Warblers. And if all that wasn't enough, Kurt also hung out with Blaine during their free time. They talked about everything and nothing and Blaine never judged. This never ceased to amaze Kurt because it was really what he needed; he already lost count of how many times he told Blaine he was eternally grateful. Blaine just shrugged off Kurt's gratitude and said he was happy to help since he did it all the time (that's a lie by the way – Blaine was only this kind to Kurt). One time they hung out though, they didn't talk. Blaine actually showed Kurt a song he was learning on his guitar (which, by the way, he was amazing at playing) and basically serenaded Kurt with the song since, yes, it was a love song. During the song, Kurt realized it was pretty clear: here was a great guy who was cute, talented, accepting, helped him feel as comfortable as possible in a new environment, and serenaded him TWICE. How could he NOT fall for someone like that? The answer: trick question, it's impossible. Kurt was falling for Blaine.

Kurt thought about this as he sang and began to smile very widely.

"Well maybe just a half a drink more," Kurt sang.

"Put some records on while I pour," Blaine finished quietly.

Kurt heard another, quieter, voice behind him – a familiar voice. "The neighbours might think…"

"Baby, it's bad out there." Blaine sang, realizing he was louder than he should have been. It didn't matter though, he kind of wanted Kurt to hear him sing along. He started to move closer and out of hiding.

Kurt slowed his walk and raised an eyebrow. "Say, what's in this drink?"

"No cabs to be had out there," Blaine sang while moving even closer.

Kurt stopped walking altogether. "I wish I knew how, to break the spell…"

"I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell."

"I ought to say 'No, no, no sir…' " Kurt sang with a smirk as he bounced slightly on the balls of his feet.

"Mind if I move in closer?" Blaine sang loudly, and questioned really. He wanted his presence to be known now and he walked even closer to Kurt. The distance between them was disappearing.

Kurt began to turn to where the voice was coming from slowly. "At least I've got to say that I tried…"

"What's the sense in hurting my pride?" Blaine smiled.

Kurt completed his rotation and came face to face with Blaine, who was only a few feet away. "I really can't stay…"

"Baby, don't hold out!" Blaine sang with a wide grin while stopping in his place.

"Ah, but it's cold outside!" they finally sang together.

They both laughed.

"Hello Blaine," Kurt greeted while walking up to him.

"Hi Kurt," Blaine replied with a grin.

"So, how come you're out here?" Kurt asked point-blank.

Kurt asked Blaine straight up what he was doing since he was too distracted from trying not to all out stare at him. Despite the fact that Blaine was only wearing a simple outfit (perfectly fitting jeans, gray boots, and a white scarf that hung over his long black coat), Kurt couldn't help but wonder how one person could look so incredibly… hot. And that was Kurt looking at Blaine in just his outerwear; Kurt couldn't even begin to fathom how good Blaine would look inside that jacket. While Kurt may have one killer sense in style, he had his own burden of bodily insecurities too. It was almost like Blaine made up for the both of them when it came to looking drop dead gorgeous. It was almost painful for Kurt not to be able to look up and down and have all this eye candy to himself.

Blaine scoffed and pretended to look offended, bringing Kurt back to the real world where Blaine had yet to answer his direct question. "Why are you questioning my presence? Are you saying you don't enjoy my company?" Blaine accused jokingly. Kurt immediately looked horrified but before he got a chance to say anything Blaine laughed. "Oh calm down, I was just kidding. My parents are taking me home for the weekend and they're being delayed from the snow."

Kurt nodded as he made an "O" with his mouth. "Same with mine," he replied dully, faintly remembering the reason he was out there too. "Well, since we are stuck here, wanna hang out till our parents arrive?" he offered.

"Yeah, sure!" Blaine replied enthusiastically. He loved spending time with Kurt, and now that they were out of their friends' sight, he didn't have to worry about their teasing.

They began to walk closely side by side. Kurt wasn't sure if it was a good thing they were walking next to each other because his peripheral vision wasn't able to give him a good look at Blaine. Then again, the alternate would be that Blaine wouldn't be in such an obstructed view, and he would be able to observe Kurt ogling him. Kurt shook his head. He needed these thoughts out of his brain before he accidentally said something.

Immediately, Kurt thought of another question to ask him as a distraction from his thoughts. "Soooooo, when did following your fellow peers become a hobby of yours?" Kurt asked with a smirk. He really was curious as to why Blaine was following him. But, as creepy as it should have seemed, Kurt enjoyed it and was actually quite flattered.

Colour touched Blaine's cheeks, and it wasn't because of the cold. "It's not a hobby!" he said defensively as he playfully shoved him in the shoulder.

Blaine didn't tell the complete truth though – but he'll be damned if Kurt ever found that out. Then again, it wasn't a "hobby", more like it just happens sometimes. Blaine has followed Kurt around secretly before: through the halls in between classes, (before Kurt was in the school's glee club) sneaking out of Warbler practice to see what Kurt was up to, etc. Blaine always did the deeds on a whim, always spontaneously wanting to see Kurt. He didn't like being away from Kurt, strange as that sounds, considering they've only known each other for a few months. Sure, Blaine could always just walk Kurt to his classes or ask him later what he did when he was gone, but… there was something different about how Kurt acted when Blaine wasn't around. Blaine stood by Kurt since the day Kurt walked into Dalton, and Kurt always leaned on Blaine's shoulder whenever he was around. So, every time Blaine had to leave Kurt, he felt so terrible. But since he started watching Kurt and seeing him on his own like this, Blaine thought differently of Kurt. Despite the fact that Kurt was in a completely different environment, he held his head up high and continued to have flair in each step he took. Even though Kurt had really, really bad issues back at his old school, Kurt didn't change himself. He may have a few insecurities because of the events, but Kurt sure as hell didn't let those events define him. Kurt was so unbelievably strong – so much stronger than Blaine. And gaining that kind of strength was a lesson Blaine had to learn from Kurt. (Besides, you have to admit, that kind of courage is quite attractive.)

Kurt smiled surprisingly from the shove. Kurt punched Blaine lightly, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Hey! I'm merely asking why you did what you were doing a minute ago!" he pried.

Blaine knew there was no way out of this. "Fine, maybe I WAS following you," he admitted. Blaine thought fast – how does one get out of a situation like this? "It was really a precaution though! You know, just in case you ended up getting lost or trapped in this school," he teased with a wink.

"Nice save," Kurt confessed, turning to Blaine for a moment.

"Why thank you, Master of Knowing People's Hobbies," Blaine said sincerely. He grinned at Kurt.

Kurt shot Blaine an incredulous look for a moment then rolled his eyes. Blaine just laughed.

You know, Blaine thought, this may the only time you have alone with Kurt. Make use of it! he mentally psyched himself. But what to say?

"You know what I'd like to be one of my hobbies though?" Blaine asked when the silence went longer than he would have liked due to his rushing thoughts. Just going with whatever was running through his mind, he didn't wait for an answer, "Dancing."

Kurt made a surprised expression. "Uh, you're kidding right?" he asked. Kurt may not have known a lot of things about Blaine, but he was pretty sure that dancing wasn't Blaine's vice.

Blaine chuckled. "Okay, maybe not dancing…" Kurt became so confused and his facials made it evident. Quickly pulling the courage from within to prevent from being more of an idiot and to prevent confusing the poor boy anymore, Blaine stopped walking and turned Kurt around by tugging his elbow. "That's beside the fact though, Mr. Hummel," Blaine said while clasping his hands together in a fashion that most businessmen would do when offering a proposal. "We Warblers don't half-finish songs, and I feel this performance needs a little more 'oomph'. So even though dancing may not be my latest hobby," Blaine said with a dazzling smile, "still care for a dance?" he asked with a small bow and a lift of his hand.

Half-wanting to say no because he knew he was starting to become a very nervous and unattractive wreck, Kurt sucked in his fear. He took a deep breath and said, "Now, how could I turn down an offer like that, oh fearless teacher who knows much more than I do about performing?" He laughed. "Of course I'd love to have a dance with you!"

They both laughed at this. Despite their laughing though, Blaine couldn't yet take his mind off of the last two words Kurt said. He enjoyed how Kurt said "with you". He didn't need to say it, but he said it anyway, and this distracted Blaine enough before their hands touched.

If sparks flew before when their fingers only brushed each other's, bombs went off as soon as Kurt took Blaine's hand in offer. The boys smiled as they got into position, which actually took much longer than it should have. But the boys didn't seem to notice how slow their movements were because they were both so wrapped up in their own thoughts of each other.

Kurt's heart was pounding but he pushed himself to stay as cool and collected as he possible. Though, he wasn't sure how he was going to hold his breath while he sang since holding his breath was the only thing calming him down…

Blaine swallowed and tried to get his act together. Come on, Anderson, he thought, This is definitely NOT the time to freak out!

The proximity between them was unbelievable; they were never that physically close to each other unless they were forced to, like if Blaine's friends accidentally shoved him into Kurt. The distance alone nearly made both the boys dizzy, never mind the fact that they were about to dance together. In an attempt to clear his thoughts, Blaine cleared his throat and Kurt lifted his chin up in response, and then they began to dance. It was hard to tell who was leading; it was really a bit of both, but Kurt did try to take more initiative.

"I've got to get home…" Kurt began a little more ahead than from where he left off. Kurt realized that if he started from where he did leave off, he'd be dancing with Blaine for much longer than he'd be able to handle.

"But baby you'll freeze out there," Blaine replied.

"Say, lend me your comb?" Kurt raised his eyebrow. Even though he was well aware that it was just for fun, Kurt couldn't help but give his all in a performance, right down to the facial expressions.

Blaine shook his head with a smile – he couldn't help but give his all either. "It's up your knees out there." The lyric was perfectly punctuated by the amount of snow Blaine had to step out of to continue dancing. Alright, the snow wasn't up to their knees yet, but it was certainly piling up their boots.

"You've really been grand…"

"I thrill when you touch my hand…" Blaine sang very awkwardly. His face flushed slightly; he knew how true the line was. It was actually a wonder the awfully cliché butterflies in his stomach didn't fly out of his mouth yet.

Kurt almost paused to wonder why Blaine flushed. Was he really into me? Kurt wondered. But the performance had to go on. "But don't you see?" he sang with a questioning expression, an expression perfect for both the line and the moment.

"How can you do this thing to me?" After singing the line, Blaine realized how true this was too: he falling deep for Kurt, and he had no idea how to stop it – not that he wanted to, of course.

"There's bound to be talk tomorrow…" Kurt shrugged slightly, looking away, still giving his all at this.

"Think of my lifelong sorrow…"

Kurt turned his head to the other side, while also looking at that direction. "At least there will be plenty implied." No duh, there would be a lot implied, Kurt thought. He thought about what others would imagine if they just happened to be watching. They'd probably think me and Blaine were together, Kurt thought while suppressing a sigh. Kurt badly wanted it to be true.

"If you got pneumonia and died," Blaine sang with the most adorable puppy-dog sad face. It almost killed Kurt to not be able to squeal.

Kurt lightly shrugged off his squirms and looked at his partner with a smile. "I really can't stay…"

"Get over that hold out!" Blaine replied while also unconsciously inching his face closer to Kurt's.

Kurt didn't back away from Blaine – in fact, he stopped dancing. Kurt decided to take his chances. Inching closer, he let go of Blaine and grabbed the loose ends of Blaine's scarf, smirking all the while as if he was accepting a challenge. Blaine was extremely surprised by this, but took a chance as well and wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist.

"Oh, but it's cold outside!" they finished.

They both stopped dancing and began to laugh. The lack of distance between their faces (and they're bodies in general) allowed for their noses to rub together ever so slightly a few times. Both boys blushed a deep red. Their faces becoming the colour of Red Delicious apples, of course, wasn't because of the cold – though the wind was definitely starting to pick up again.

Kurt bit his lip for a moment before speaking, "Uh, we're extremely close right now…" he stated with a shaky laugh. He noticed that their foreheads were resting against each other – he savoured the moment by pressing his eyebrows against Blaine's.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Blaine quickly apologized, immediately dropping his arms from Kurt's incredibly but adorably tiny waist and parting his forehead from Kurt's.

Ugh, great, now you've scared him off from being too close! Blaine screamed internally. Blaine decided to save both of them from committing any mistakes they didn't want to make, and reluctantly pried away Kurt's grip from his scarf. As Blaine did this, he bit his lip and looked away. Blaine needed to pull himself together; he couldn't have his desires fulfill themselves now. He knew better than to pressure Kurt when he was still bouncing back from his horrifying experience at McKinley. As a friend, Blaine knew taking advantage of someone when they're feeling particularly insecure isn't being a friend at all. And, no matter what, Blaine wanted to at least have his friendship with Kurt. Yeah, he wanted Kurt to want him, but the last thing that just came out of Kurt's mouth clearly said that Kurt didn't like Blaine like that. And as much as he would have liked that time of Kurt's desire for him to be at that very moment, Blaine reminded himself that all Kurt needed right now was a friend. And a damn good one at that. Blaine already knew that he was Kurt's friend, and if that was all Kurt wanted Blaine to be, then so be it. Blaine didn't want to force Kurt into making an "all or nothing" type decision anyway; he wasn't like that. Blaine had hope and was willing to wait for Kurt. All he had to do now was have faith in time so it would help his and Kurt's relationship to blossom.

Kurt watched Blaine and his body language as his hands were being pulled off the shorter boy's scarf. He watched Blaine bite his lip and look away. So many thoughts were sprinting through Kurt's mind. Why are my hands being pulled away? Oh no, he looks so upset! Why does he look so reluctant? … no, really, why are my hands being pulled away? I thought he wanted this! Wait – oh my gosh – how much cuter can Blaine get? Wait, I should stop my hands from being pulled away! And that's when Kurt froze, his hands being much farther away from Blaine than he would have liked; they were almost by his sides. How wonderful, Kurt thought, I basically threw myself at him and now he's freaking out. Way to go! Still, Kurt was frustrated. It wasn't like he didn't drop hints like these before. Kurt knew he flirted with Blaine about 92% of the time they were together. He also knew that the other 8% of the time he wasn't flirting, Kurt talked to Blaine, as in really down-to-earth-and-to-the-core talked to Blaine. And during those talks, Kurt dropped so many hints (albeit, subtle ones) to indicate he really liked someone. As in, someone in their school. Someone who really knew Kurt, maybe even better than his friends back at McKinley. And, by now, Kurt was sure everyone knew who that person was. Surely, Blaine would have been able to make the connection… right? Apparently not, Kurt thought as he saw how far his hands were from Blaine. Or, maybe, Blaine just didn't want Kurt like that, and was too nice to tell him. At this thought, Kurt went stiff. Oh my gosh, he thought, I'm such an idiot. When Kurt's body stiffened, Blaine snapped his head to look at Kurt and Kurt just gazed back at him. Kurt suppressed a sigh. No matter how much he liked Blaine, it was clear that Blaine didn't return the feelings.

"I'm-I'm sorry," Blaine muttered as he looked away from Kurt again, dropping both his and Kurt's hands and inched away.

Kurt was confused. "Sorry for what?" he asked.

Oh great, Blaine thought, Now you have to explain AND embarrass yourself! "Um, I – um…" You are ridiculous, Blaine scolded himself. Just spit it out! "I came a little too close for comfort for you. I get it, don't worry," he quickly admitted. "… I just want you to know I won't take advantage of you like that…" he finally murmured, looking down.

Kurt was so surprised. Blaine thought he was getting too close to Kurt? All this time, Kurt thought he was the one getting too close to Blaine. Kurt thought it was the only possible reason that explained Blaine's behavior of pulling away when things did get too heated. So, if Blaine thought it was the other way around, what did that mean? Was there actually a chance that Blaine liked him too? Was that why Blaine was so awkward during the more intimate lines of their little performance? And if Blaine actually did like Kurt, Blaine would have told his friends, right? And that would easily explain why Blaine's friends kept "accidentally" pushing Blaine to him. Then again, those probably weren't even "accidents" – Kurt now realized that they did it on purpose, to get him and Blaine closer. And then, of course, there's the ENTIRELY different issue with Blaine not wanting to take advantage of Kurt. It was protective, caring, and very, very sweet of him. It was probably the first time Kurt was ever offered protection like that (i.e. protection from someone who would restrain themselves in order not to hurt him). If anything, Kurt learned that people were willing to hurt others for their own ulterior motives. But Blaine, he just admitted that he wanted to protect Kurt from himself because Blaine knew how sensitive Kurt was. With millions of happy and hopeful jitters inside of him thanks to this new insight, a glowing smile spread across Kurt's face.

Glancing at Kurt's smile, Blaine realized that he did the right thing. Kurt's smile said it all: Kurt was incredibly happy to have Blaine understand that he wasn't interested in him like that. I wish I wasn't so understanding sometimes, he thought to himself. Maybe that way I'd be able to make Kurt happy and safe without having to break my own heart… Blaine looked away slowly, sad.

Kurt was oblivious to Blaine's newest hurt. Thanks to his epiphany, Kurt immediately grabbed Blaine's scarf again. He held on even more tightly to it than before. Kurt looked away for a moment. "Th-thank you…" he whispered, then turned to look at Blaine.

Blaine was so confused now. "For what?" he asked as he turned to look at Kurt again.

"What you just said, about not wanting to take advantage of me, that-that's probably one of the sweetest things anyone's ever said AND done for me. And I just want to say thank you, for that," Kurt explained with a shy smile.

A smile tugged the corners of Blaine's lips. He was so surprised. "You're-you're welcome." Blaine chuckled in delight.

"What's so funny?" Kurt asked, his smile choosing not to wane any time soon.

Blaine chuckled again and then replied, "I-I… I always thought… what I just said would freak you out! I mean, it's true! Don't get me wrong, I mean it! But…" Blaine bit his lip, looking at the scenery around him as if they held the answers he needed, which he was desperately trying so hard to find in order to explain himself. "I know how you are right now, Kurt," he finally said, "And, all I really want is for you to be happy. But…" He closed his eyes extremely shut. "''denduplosingyou," Blaine finally blurted out.

There, it's finally out! Blaine exclaimed in his head. I have just admitted I don't want to be away from Kurt… oh crap. Blaine immediately realized that he may as well hold a freaking neon sign over his head saying, "I LOVE KURT HUMMEL". Feeling the need to look at Kurt's reaction, despite this, Blaine cautiously opened one eye.

Kurt loosened his grip on Blaine's scarf, just barely able to brush his palms on Blaine's chest. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted to jump around and scream to the sky or hug Blaine until time stood still. Kurt just heard Blaine admit he didn't want to lose Kurt. He also admitted that he was willing to save Kurt from himself. If 1 and 1 equaled 2, then both of these confessions pointed toward the possible fact that Blaine could actually like Kurt! Could things really get any better?

"Bl-Blaine… I… I don't know what to say!" Kurt admitted.

Kurt wasn't able to smile the smile he had barely 3 seconds earlier anymore. It was like the smile went inside of him, right down to his core, and it made him want to burst into a ball of happiness. Kurt must have looked like a fish, because he wanted to say things but couldn't find the right words to say them, making his mouth open and close repeatedly. Kurt ended up having to covering his mouth with both his hands to prevent looking more like an idiot.

Blaine felt crushed. Great… He sighed heavily as he closed his eyes again. "I knew it. I knew this would happen!" he said angrily.

Kurt looked at him surprised. "Knew what would happen?" The words were barely coherent since Kurt's hands were still over his mouth.

"That you'd be totally freaked out and wouldn't know what to do except possibly get away!" Blaine said, looking straight into Kurt's eyes.

Kurt was taken back. "Get away?" he asked, just barely removing his hands from his mouth.

Blaine couldn't even reply properly. He shook his head vigorously for a while before adding, "You already pulled away from me by letting go of my scarf to cover your mouth! I bet you're holding back your horrified answer right now…" Blaine bowed his head, ashamed of himself for admitting this.

In response, Kurt brought his hands up to Blaine's face faster than he could have raced for a shot at a solo and brought Blaine's face particularly close to his. Blaine's eyes opened wide and his face went warm and red. Kurt's fingers were about to get numb due to the fact that he was actually touching Blaine's face and because Blaine had such a strong reaction, but Kurt disregarded that.

"Blaine, I want you to listen to me, okay?" he said, making sure he had the other boy's full attention. Kurt swallowed. "I am not freaked out by what you've just told me. And I certainly won't go away because of it. We're too close…" Kurt trailed off.

Blaine looked even more surprised, and a bit amused. Oh crap, Kurt realized, He probably thinks I meant about how close our faces are right now. Kurt wanted to tell Blaine that he didn't mean how physically close they were, but decided against it. Even the most ignorant man on the planet wouldn't be able to deny the lack of distance between their faces.

"I can't just leave you, Blaine. Not even if I tried," Kurt quietly confessed instead, blushing as he looked away, a bit embarrassed for having to say this out loud. Kurt dropped his hands from Blaine's face to his scarf again. "Besides, even being close like this is okay with me," he said looking back at him as he tugged his scarf, emphasizing how close they were physically. "I – I actually like us being this close…" he sheepishly admitted.

Be careful, Kurt. Blaine may have just confessed that he doesn't want to lose you, but if there IS that very slight chance Blaine actually LIKES you too, don't scare him away! Kurt thought to himself.

Thinking quickly, Kurt finally stuttered, hinting, "Uh-um… I-I'm also kinda c-cold right now…" He wanted Blaine's strong arms around him again. But just in case his theory was incredibly wrong, Kurt decided to prove that he was blaming their closeness on the weather.

Kurt's hands were on my face… and he said he actually liked being that close to me… AND HIS HANDS WERE ON MY FACE! Blaine diverted his wide eyes from Kurt as he considered this. Was him saying he was cold a hint to say that Kurt Hummel actually fancied him? Or was he really blaming the weather? Blaine thought about how fast Kurt's hands grabbed him though. No one's hands move that fast to another body unless they: a) had to pull that person out of some dangerous situation; b) wanted to severely beat said person; or c) actually wanted, and possibly enjoyed, having their hands on the other person. No way would Kurt actually want me to hold him though, Blaine thought, Would he? Even though the other two choices were completely irrelevant, but Blaine still couldn't wrap his head around Kurt actually liking him and wanting his body even more pressed against Kurt's. If Kurt DOES like me enough to want his hands on me, then it's either I take a chance now and act like a bumbling idiot, or forever regret not taking it, Blaine finally thought. After thinking that the former was, really, the only way to go, Blaine slowly placed his arms around Kurt's waist again and gripped it slightly tighter than before.

Kurt nearly squealed of happiness (and Blaine nearly did too actually).

This is your chance, Blaine. Make it worthwhile. Blaine cleared his throat. "W-well, we can't have you getting cold now, can we?" he finally answered, teasing Kurt.

Be strong like Kurt, Blaine thought to himself. He contemplated for a moment. If Kurt said he was okay with Blaine holding him like this, there should be no damn reason for Blaine to ignore it. He always wanted to Kurt this way, and if Kurt wanted that, Blaine had to make sure that it happened. Hell, he'd give Kurt the whole world if asked for it. This made Blaine gain a sliver of confidence. Taking his chances and deciding to show his flirty side, Blaine rested his forehead back onto Kurt's and crushed their eyebrows together. He put on a devilish smile. Blaine was being a tease and he liked it. He liked how easily his arms rested on Kurt's waist. He liked how flirty he was being. He liked how, with every flirty gesture he made, he was gaining more confidence. Most of all, he liked how comfortable both of them were when doing all this.

Kurt smirked back. Oh my gosh, he's actually flirting with me – while his arms are wrapped around my waist! "No, I guess we can't," he grinned, pulling Blaine even closer by tugging on his scarf.

As much as he loved what they were doing, Kurt really was getting warmer thanks to Blaine's body heat. Kurt wouldn't stand for Blaine's body to leave his right now – if not for the sake of being with Blaine, then for the sake of his physical wellbeing. Kurt's body literally needed warmth, okay? It literally was super cold! Huh, who knew my weather ruse would actually work? Kurt mused.

Oh my God, he's too cute, Blaine thought. To prevent himself from squealing this, Blaine randomly asked, "Remember when our noses touched earlier?" Kurt nodded, tickled pink at the memory. "Well, you know, Eskimos like to kiss each other by rubbing their noses together…" (This, in fact, was true. Blaine faintly remembered having to remember this trivia fact when he was on his old school's trivia squad.)

Kurt didn't need to be told twice what Blaine was hinting. What. a. tease! he thought. Well, he's not the only flirt around here… Kurt smirked and lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, really? You mean like this?" he asked. Then he closed his eyes and rubbed his nose against Blaine's in a circular motion. Kurt had no idea where that came from, but his flirt levels were beginning to go off the charts. He was very pleased with himself.

As Kurt laughed at himself for what he did, Blaine giggled and turned red to the root of his curls. Holy crap, his lips nearly brushed mine! Blaine realized. Before dwelling on this wonderful fact, he observed how incredibly flirty Kurt was and decided to show the moves he had up his sleeve too.

"You are so adorable. Did you know that?" he asked before scrunching his nose and doing the same circular nose rub to Kurt. Sure, Blaine cracked by saying out loud how cute Kurt was being, but he was smooth about it. And judging by the toothy grin Blaine saw, he knew Kurt liked it – a lot.

After doing another (and this time longer) nose rub to make Kurt laugh delightfully, Blaine realized how good Kurt actually smelled. The cologne he had on wasn't strong by any means, but it certainly made a statement. It wasn't sweet, but not overly sweet like perfumes. It was almost intoxicating, really.

Kurt's eyes closed the third time Blaine's nose touched his. His eyes were closed, his eyebrows were raised, and his mouth was in a surprised smile. Kurt licked his lips and thought, Here we go. I'm just gonna throw it all out there. Oh jeez, I hope he doesn't think I'm pushing him too much… or think that I'm crazy for that matter…

Kurt opened his eyes then bit his lower lip before quietly saying, "Well, as a proud American, I like how our lips have to touch during a kiss."

'Our lips'? Blaine choked on this thought. He immediately stiffened with a shocked expression. Holy crap. Is he gonna kis – …? Blaine thought, but his thoughts were cut off when Kurt kissed him right on the lips.

Both pairs of eyes fluttered shut and Blaine deepened the kiss. Unconsciously, the boys brought each other closer; Blaine tightened his grip on Kurt's waist and Kurt pulled Blaine closer by pulling his scarf gently. The kiss wasn't long and overly passionate like in movies, but it was certainly more than short and sweet. Their lips were pressed together at the perfect pressure; it wasn't so hard that they looked like they would suck each other's face off, but it was positively much more than a peck. It was their first kiss together, and, even if others said it was only a crush, it was at that moment they both knew it was so much more. Every butterfly Blaine had finally flew away, replacing them with an incredible, glowing feeling. Kurt's heart began to pound audibly, which was incredible considering how taken away his breath was. Kurt's left hand wove its way to Blaine's hair and his fingers became tangled within the jungle of curls. Despite the cold, both boys felt like they could have melted away in their embrace. Both of their insecurities seemed to melt away too. The kiss felt like it lasted forever and a moment, but when their lips slowly parted, both were left with an excited, tingly feeling along with the desire for more. It was perfect.

Kurt blinked open his eyes. "Like that," he sighed softly. All he could think about were Blaine's lips: warm, soft, fortunately unchapped (Kurt could swear he tasted a hint of cherry)…

Blaine was still processing the fact that he kissed Kurt Hummel. Then he tried to process the fact that Kurt's hand was still in his mess of hair – it didn't help that this extremely turned Blaine on. It also didn't help that all he could see was Kurt's face even though his eyes were still closed. He licked his lips carefully: they still tasted like Kurt. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

"Uh…" There really were no words to explain how Blaine felt at that moment. He shook his head and took a short breath. "Wow," he simply said, staring right at Kurt's precious face. He may have possibly strained himself to keep eye contact with Kurt, rather than look down at his lips.

"Yeah," Kurt replied with a growing smile, "wow." He casually dropped his hand from Blaine's hair, brought up his other arm, then laced both around his neck to have their chests pressed against each other, making them even closer than before.

Blaine shook his head again. It didn't help: the thoughts of kissing Kurt again were burning into his mind. "Uh... uh-uh," he stuttered. Kurt giggled as Blaine fumbled over his loss of words. "That was… incredible," Blaine finally said.

"Yes, yes it was," Kurt agreed with a nod.

Blaine licked his lips again. Bad idea: he still tasted Kurt. Blaine decided to put his attention to Kurt's general face so he pulled up his right hand to cup Kurt's cheek (Jeez, Blaine thought, His face is so freaking soft!) and began to draw gentle circles around Kurt's cheeks with his thumb. Kurt slightly shivered, but his cheek was actually quite warm.

Blaine pretended to be oblivious. "You shivered! Are you still cold?... or is it something else?" He smirked while raising an eyebrow.

Kurt rolled his eyes but kept his smile. "Oh shut up! But if you must know, I am toasty warm." And it was true. The guy Kurt really, really liked had his arms around Kurt's waist AND Kurt's arms were wrapped around said guy's neck; how could he NOT feel warm? And fuzzy for that matter!

Looking at Kurt's smile, Blaine began to have goofy grin as well. He chuckled a bit and winked before using the hand he already had on Kurt's face to gently pull it closer to his own. Without pausing, Blaine push his nose up Kurt's, then continued the Eskimo kiss with another blissful kiss on the lips.