“Hey,” he says, leaning against the locker next to yours just like during his first day of school. Vague memories pop into your mind of when he used to do that during your time in Dalton, and you smile because you can’t help it. It’s almost surreal how he can still greet you like this, but this time in your school.

“Hi,” you answer as you pull out a bottle. You meet his gaze briefly after you spritz hairspray around your locks.

As you return the bottle into your locker, he says, “I never understood why you do that. Your hair always looks perfect, Kurt.”

Blushing slightly, you close your locker, and turn to him with an expression you hope cancels out your coy blush. “Flattery,” you begin, “gets you everywhere.”

He smiles bright and wide, hitching his bag’s strap higher onto his shoulder. “I know,” he says. “Come on, walk with me to English.”

And that’s how your days pass by now, with an easy give and take and dozens among dozens of stolen looks. You still can’t believe that you can turn corners in the hallway and find his bright face there, how you can go to the same boring classes with him and how you can complain about McKinley’s lack of culture in their cafeteria food together. What’s even more unbelievable is that now you can actually sing, together, in the same glee club.

It’s different than when you were in the Warblers with him, because now he’s in a club that accepted you for who you were and extends that hospitality onto him. New Directions is still insane, and he’s still getting used to how dramatic the club can truly get sometimes, but you see that he’s slowly easing himself into the group, relaxing into the boy you fell in love with. Not the boy who’s perfect, but the boy whose genuine smiles were seldom seen due to fear of judgment. The boy who transferred because of love. The caring boy you know that the New Directions will eventually fall in love with too, not just the “Blaine-Warbler-Anderson” persona.

It’s really happening, isn’t it? you think to yourself incredulously. Your eyes have mindlessly strewn away to him as you think this, and when he catches your gaze, he smiles that perfect smile that still has your heart racing after all this time. You smile back, because, really, how can you not when he looks at you that way?

The period comes and goes and you two step out of class together. It’s a wonder how simple acts like walking out of class with him still astounds you. But you can’t help but feel like how you were several months ago when you were still at Dalton. It’s like nothing’s changed. You’re with him, no matter where you are.

It’s the last period of the day, and you know glee club rehearsal always runs late, so you take your time. You follow him to his locker, then he to yours, keeping up a steady conversation about your glee club assignment. You make an offhand comment on how Mr. Shue is going to get you all physically killed one day, and he laughs, throwing his head back a little. You’re pretty sure he thinks you’re joking, which is why you say, “I’m not kidding, you know. One day, this will all go down horribly.”

“So dramatic,” he jabs, and you simply glare at him, quirking an eyebrow.

“Don’t get started with me, Blaine War –” and you catch yourself before you finish the pet name. Right, he’s not in the Warblers anymore. He’s with you.

You look at him for a while in silence, your jaw mercifully shutting itself when your thoughts are completely focused on him. His eyes are warm, and the small smile he gives makes your knees shake, just a little.

“Old habits die hard?” he offers.

You simply nod, unable to trust your voice because you know it will probably come out thick and stupid. It’s still all so unreal, how he’s actually here at McKinley and with you, and you probably say that last bit out loud, if the way he suddenly hugs you is any indication.

“Are you happy, though?” he asks hesitatingly while his arms tighten around your shoulders. The question’s so soft, spoken in the smallest voice you’ve ever heard and you nod against his shoulder.

“I’m so happy,” you say, and it’s true. You’re ecstatic.

When he pulls away, his hands rest on your shoulders, and he beams at you with all that he has to offer. “Well, that’s what counts, right?”

You nod again, biting your lip gently to hold back a stupid grin no one but him is allowed to see.

He’s still smiling by the time you both reach the choir room, and you relent a little and grin back at him, because what is there to not smile about?