The annual geek pilgrimage to San Diego Comic-Con begins this week and the city is battening down the hatches for the onslaught of aliens, robots, and bikini-clad Princess Leia cosplayers. Though purists repeatedly bemoan its continued commercialization, that hasn't stopped Comic-Con from becoming the premier pop culture and entertainment event of the year...Rumors are that a last minute panel change might add a certain sword welding, French speaking mutant to the mix...As my grandfather always said, 'Be there or be square'. – San Diego Planet, July 13th, 2020

=^..^=

A mid-summer heat wave was making the apartment feel like the inside of an oven, so Blaine had retreated to the bedroom where he and Kurt had decided to concentrate the power of their two fans and little window air conditioner. He'd stripped down to short shorts he would never even consider wearing out in public and a tank top and was laid out on the bed with a book on teaching in the age of social media, Elphie sprawled out at his side, fast asleep.

In just a few short weeks he was going to be teaching kids of all different ages and he was doing all he could to be prepared. He wanted the students to be comfortable with him and consider him someone they could go to with problems, but he also had to be seen as a respected authority figure, which might be difficult with some of the older students, given his age.

It would only make it harder that many of them would already know who he was before he even got into the classroom. He'd learned from his weeks spent substitute teaching that the kids were going to be more casual with him because they'd read about him on the internet.

It was only three weeks before his job started, so he was reading all he could on the subject.

That is he should have been reading, but he'd only gotten through three chapters before losing interest and switching over to youtube, where he'd meant to watch just one funny video, but instead had spent the last half hour watching the escapades of Maru that cat.

He started another video and chuckled as Maru performed a running leap that ended with a face-first slide into a paper bag.

"Blaine Anderson, are you watching cat videos again?" Blaine looked up guiltily to find Kurt standing in the bedroom doorway, a shoulder leaned casually against the frame. "Where has all that bodyguard discipline gone? You're going to be such a serious push over for your students, you know." He walked over and sprawled elegantly across the end of the bed, his head propped up in one hand. "They'll be like 'Mr. Anderson, I couldn't do my homework because me and my friends spent hours trying to recreate the latest stupid internet meme,' and you'll just give them an 'A' for honesty and ask to see the video."

"No, I won't," Blaine protested. He smiled at Kurt's look of disbelief and nudged him with a toe. "Internet memes would only be worth a 'B' at the most. What did Beverly want?"

Kurt had gotten a call from his manager almost an hour before and had gone out into the living room so that he wouldn't disturb Blaine's "reading".

"It looks like I'll be going to San Diego at the end of the week. Beverly got a last minute — which pisses me off, by the way, because either it means the whole thing is badly organized or I'm just a second choice replacement — a last minute request for me to be part of a panel at Comic Con. Gay Characters in the Media or something like that."

"Wow! Comic Con. That's a big deal, Kurt."

"She's going to send me the details." Kurt sat up and tickled Blaine's bare foot lightly. "Do you want to come? I can't be away from Toy Story for too long, so it'll just be for a few days. There's a flight that would get us there Thursday night and the panel's Saturday. If we take the red-eye back Monday night we can have three whole days to sightsee. Last chance for fun before school starts."

Blaine couldn't believe he had to ask. "Sounds amazing. Do you have a plan for Friday?"

"I don't know. The zoo maybe?"

"Or...we could dress up in costumes and go to the convention that day too, look around at the exhibits, check things out. "

"Costumes?" Kurt asked skeptically.

"People go all out. Come on, it'll be fun!" Blaine smiled and batted his lashes. "For me?"

"Okay, but I get to pick my own costume this time," Kurt warned him. "I still can't look at celery without having Gumby flashbacks."

Blaine grinned as he remembered that amazing Halloween and wished yet again that they'd taken pictures. "We only have two days. Kind of short notice to put a costume together. Should we go safe and buy something? How about Batman and Robin?"

Kurt gave him a withering glance. "How clich�! I'm sure Beverly can get us anything we want from the costume rental shops in Hollywood. We just have to let her know."

"You could always go as Northstar. It'd be the perfect disguise. No one would expect it."

"Hmm...I'd feel like I was working. I don't know what else to do, though. Other than X-men the only superhero thing I've ever really paid attention to is Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. And no, I'm not going as Spiderman either."

Blaine turned his tablet back on and did a quick search on costumes. "Comic Con isn't only about superheroes. Anything sci fi or heck anything fantastic at all will work." He looked up to find Kurt snickering. "What?"

"You're the only person I know who says 'heck' non-ironically. You really did escape from Leave it to Beaver, didn't you?"

"It's a good thing I didn't get out of the habit of keeping it clean. Little ears will soon be listening once again."

"I bet you five dollars some first grader swears in front of you on the first day."

"Doesn't matter," Blaine shrugged. "I still need to set a good example."

Kurt rolled his eyes and rose up on his hands and knees to give Blaine a kiss. "It's like living with Pollyanna. Now gimmie." He sat back against the headboard and held a hand out expectantly, so Blaine good-naturedly surrendered his tablet over for research.

Blaine didn't have any trouble figuring out what he wanted to go as. Back in middle school he and a friend had drawn up a comic book, inventing their own superheroes who protected the people of Dullsville from evildoers. Thoughts swirled around his head as he considered what he would need for his transformation. Beverly could probably get him the basics he needed for his Nightbird costume, but he'd have to make his mask and chest piece himself. He grabbed a pad of paper and started to draw out ideas and patterns.

After a while, they sent Beverly an email with the things they needed from the costume supplier (Kurt refused to give any hints about the costume he'd finally decided on, but Blaine would try to get it out of him later when it had cooled down enough for strenuous activity) and Blaine slipped on some more appropriate clothing, grabbed his wallet, and headed out the door. Kurt had turned down his offer to go to the hardware store and Garment district with him for some supply shopping. His loss. Nightbird was going to be awesome.

Blaine spent probably way too much time over the next few days working on his costume pieces, finishing up just in time to pack for their flight. Thankfully, they all fit in his luggage, nestled in carefully next to his clothes and extra pair of shoes. In fact, there was even a little bit of extra space...

With a spring in his step, Blaine headed down into the basement to the small storage locker that he and Kurt rented. He pushed aside a bike with a broken gear and a box marked "winter scarves" until he found the stack of boxes containing his old comic book collection. He rummaged around for a few minutes, pulling a few issues from each box. When he had a stack of about fifteen he nodded in satisfaction and headed back up to the apartment.

Kurt was in the bedroom when he returned, putting together a little bag of dog toys to give to Rachel when they dropped Elphie off on the way to the airport. Blaine could feel him watching as he flipped through the comics he'd brought up with him, discarding five before nestling the others into his suitcase.

"You're going to try and get those signed, aren't you?" Kurt sighed, decidedly amused.

Blaine smiled unashamedly and stuffed another book in.

=^..^=

Blaine ran the few steps that were possible in the hotel sitting room, nodding with satisfaction at the way his cape rippled out behind him. Excellent.

Their order from the costume shop had been waiting for them in their room when they'd checked in the night before and not for the first time, Blaine marveled at Beverly's efficiency.

He and Kurt had planned on going out to a late dinner once they'd settled in, but they'd taken one look at their amazing balcony that overlooked the ocean and decided to do room service instead. Blaine had been more than a little relieved. The two days at Comic Con would be very busy and a quiet night in after their flight had sounded just about perfect.

It always took a lot of energy to be out with Kurt in public. Even though he was no longer Kurt's bodyguard (and since the stalking situation had ended he didn't really need one any longer), he still carried himself with that extra bit of awareness, that slight tension in his muscles that would allow him to spring into action at any time. He knew Kurt hated it and he was trying, but so far he hadn't be able to let it all go yet.

Blaine had to admit he was happy to get away from New York. Being tabloid fodder had been nerve-racking and stressful on their relationship. They'd been in kind of a honeymoon phase after getting back together and without realizing it had started taking each other for granted. They'd been talking, but not communicating and the whole mess had really exposed that. Things were good again, but that didn't mean it wasn't nice to get away and reconnect on a different level. It seemed like San Diego might be just what the doctor ordered.

He was adjusting his mask in the mirror over the couch when he heard a rustling behind him.

"Ta da!" He turned to find Kurt striking a pose in the doorway, his back held even straighter than usual and one arm held out threateningly.

Kurt's was dressed in what looked to be an eighteenth century French nobleman's outfit of tight black velvet breeches, black thigh-length military-style coat with gold accents, ruffled cravat, and gloves. In addition, he wore a long curly wig and a white mask with paint scrollwork around the eyes. He made a striking and sinister picture.

"You look great, Kurt. What are you? A china doll?"

"What? Blaine! A doll? I can't believe you. I'm one of the Clockwork Automatons that were after Madame De Pompadour on Doctor Who!" Kurt hurried over to the mirror and ran a hand anxiously across his cravat. "Do you think people won't recognize it without the blade arm? I decided to just go with gloves because it'd be hard to go the whole day with just one hand, but if you think I need it in order to—"

"It's perfect the way it is. People will totally get it. I was just kidding," Blaine reassured him as he placed a kiss on the chin of his mask.

"What was that for?"

"I just love it when you geek out like the rest of us. Come on, the car should be here soon."

"Wait, you had your turn, now let me get a look at you."

Blaine took a few steps back and spread his arms out. "Well?" he prompted when Kurt just stood there silent behind his mask.

"Is this how you felt the first time you saw me as Northstar?" came the slightly muffled response.

"Don't know. How do you feel?"

"Partially like I want us to take these masks off so that everyone at the convention knows who you are and that you're with me and partially like I want to tear that Spandex off you and spend the whole day in bed."

"Then yes, that's exactly how I felt."

For a moment the air shimmered with heat and it seemed like it was a possibility that they'd just say screw Comic Con for the day, but then Kurt gave himself a shake and asked where the camera was.

They took turns posing for photos before heading out to their waiting car, where they forced the driver to take a bunch of pictures of them together before hopping into the back seat.

Since they were attending the Con that day anonymously, they had the driver drop them off a few blocks away and they walked over, blending into the brightly colored, sometimes scantily clad, eccentric crowd making its way to the convention center.

After passing through security, they entered into the main hall and stopped to take a look at the map and list of activities planned for the day.

The room was full of superheroes, monsters, aliens, and characters from every sci fi and fantasy movie imaginable. Since he wasn't someone who normally went out of his way to look at breasts, Blaine was pretty sure that he'd already seen more barely clad examples in the short time they'd been there than he'd seen in his whole life.

Some of the costumes were obviously homemade, but many looked as if they'd walked right off a movie set, which Blaine was happy to see, because he knew that Kurt had been worried that his professionally made costume might stand out.

Blaine had just suggested they hit the exhibition hall first when he saw a giant man in an elaborate Predator costume making a beeline for them. He angled himself in front of Kurt protectively, only stepping back when the buy thundered past towards a booth that was giving out free stickers. Blaine looked back to find Kurt with a hand on one hip, toe tapping, and eyes narrowed.

"Sorry," Blaine said sheepishly. "Old habit. Won't happen again."

Kurt raised a disbelieving eyebrow before he twirled around, coat fluttering behind him as he started for the exhibition hall doors. They passed a long line of people waiting for entry into one of the panel discussions and Blaine wondered if Kurt's panel the next day would have as good a turn-out.

They entered the giant hall and before they knew it their tote bags were overflowing with promotional goodies. Everywhere they looked there was another booth: movies and TV shows, toy and collectible dealers, artists, and people selling everything from costumes to old issues of comics. They were all there, but the most important booths, at least to Blaine, were the ones dedicated to comic book publishing companies and specific characters.

He felt like a little kid and wanted to see everything. He'd been a fan of all the superhero stories growing up and they reminded him of happier times — late nights reading under the covers with a flashlight and afternoons playing superhero with Cooper with a pillowcase pinned to his shoulders for a cape. Later, when he'd realized that his parents weren't like the other kids' parents, losing himself in the pages of a comic book had helped him cope. If Wolverine could survive having parents that didn't love him, well, so could Blaine Anderson.

It'd been years since he'd needed the help of a masked man or caped crusader, but he still felt the connection.

Kurt followed along beside him, more reserved, but no less interested. Blaine knew he'd never really been into any sci fi stuff, except for Doctor Who, and he could see him tilt his head in confusion from time-to-time at the strange things they came across, but he could tell from the periodic squeezing of their clasped hands as they wove their way in and out of the displays that he was having a good time.

The reached an exhibitor selling steam-punk style jewelry and Kurt immediately began poring over the selection, two brooches already picked out to buy before he'd finished the first row. With Kurt so thoroughly occupied, Blaine decided it was the perfect time to show that the bodyguard was finally and total off-duty, so he whispered to Kurt that he'd be back in a minute and ducked into the nearby men's room.

He figured that peeing between the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters and a portly Wonder Woman with a full beard and handlebar mustache was the most surreal moment of his life.

As he was leaving the restroom, he overheard two staffers mention that Doctor Who cosplayers were meeting in the lobby to take photos together in a few minutes, so he hurried back to find Kurt, who was thankfully just finishing up his jewelry purchase.

Blaine didn't even give him time to put his gloves — which he'd evidently taken off so that he could pull his money out — back on. He just grabbed his hand and with an excited laugh began to weave them back to the door they'd entered from.

At one point, Blaine lost his hold of Kurt's hand, but the occasional "excuse us" and the clicking of his high-heeled period correct shoes against the floor told him he was still following closely behind.

Finally, they reached the lobby and Blaine looked quickly around to see if he could spot the group he was looking for. There was no way he was going to let Kurt miss such an opportunity.

He wasn't quite the Doctor Who fan Kurt was, so it took him a moment, but finally he found someone in a metallic robot costume next to a woman dressed as a carved stone angel. He'd found them.

With a saucy wiggle of his eyebrows, Blaine cocked his head in their direction. He could tell the moment Kurt spotted them. He began to bounce up and down on his toes and grasped his hands in front of him, shaking them back-and-forth in excitement. It was a good thing the rest of the world didn't know Kurt as well as he did or otherwise they'd have instantly recognized him from that movement, no matter how big the mask and wig.

They approached the group, which included at least 20 different costumes, and they welcomed Kurt with open arms. An 11th Doctor pretended to zap him with his sonic screwdriver, while a woman dressed in street clothes pulling a boxy mechanical dog admired his outfit.

They began taking photos soon after that. The whole group posed together, then heroes, then villains, and then random combinations. As Blaine watched Kurt pretend to threaten a man in a Roman Centurion costume he realized that none of those people would ever know who they'd had their picture taken with. He would always just be that guy in the fantastic Clockwork Man costume.

As they were finishing up, Blaine used his phone to set up a new email account that they could have the photos sent to and he slipped the information to the photographer.

Kurt waved goodbye as the group broke up and practically skipped over to Blaine. "It's official, you don't have to buy me a Christmas present this year. Well, you do, but just a small one. How in the world did you know they'd be out here?"

Blaine swirled his cape forward around his shoulders dramatically. "Nightbird hears all."

=^..^=

After a stealthily consumed lunch, (Kurt's back to the crowd, curly wig hiding his uncovered face from anyone who might look over) they zoomed off to finish up the exhibition hall.

Blaine had already gotten four of his comic books signed by the artists and was busily scoping out possibility number five when they turned the corner to find the X-men: Shadow World booth.

A still frame from one of the fight scenes filled the backdrop and life-sized cardboard cut-outs of some of the characters were out as photo props. Blaine bounded up to the Northstar cut-out and put an arm around its waist, grinning madly while Kurt pulled his camera from his bag to take a picture. Blaine could see his heavy sigh through his costume and it made him smile all the harder. Teasing Kurt like that was turning into one of his all-time favorite things.

A line of people who were waiting to buy a Comic Con exclusive graphic novel version of the movie snaked around the corner, so Blaine jumped in at the end, watching as Kurt wandered off to browse the next booth which was selling original Star Wars figures, still in the original packaging.

It took 15 minutes, but Blaine got his copy of the book and moved on to get it signed by the artist. He flipped through the pages, stopping to stare as he came across Northstar. Kurt was in a comic book. He was dating someone who was in a comic book. Inconceivable.

When Blaine finally got to the front of the line, the artist reached out to sign his book. "So who's your favorite character?" he asked.

Blaine glanced up at Kurt over at the next booth and smiled. "Northstar."

"You know, he's not my favorite to draw — he's too normal. I like the spike or hairy ones, you know? — but he was my favorite in the movie. Kurt Hummel was kick ass. Really brought him to life."

Blaine whole-heartedly agreed.

They finished out the day by catching a stunt demonstration and then slipping into one of the screening rooms to watch a bunch of trailers for upcoming movies and TV shows. Eventually, though, itchy masks and sore feet had them discreetly calling for their car and heading for the exit.

On their way out, they passed yet another line of people waiting for autographs.

"That will be you tomorrow."

Kurt stripped off his gloves, already beginning to dismantle his costume as they neared the car. "I've never met so many fans before. What if they're disappointed?"

Blaine really wished he could see Kurt's face so that he could tell if he was really unsure or just going through his normal pre-event nerves. "Are you kidding? Who could be disappointed? If anything they'll be even more impressed after meeting you. Why would you even think that? You meet fans every night in New York."

"I know – doesn't feel the same, though. That's simple. They see the show, they like it, they stay to get their program signed. Easy. These X-men fans look at me like they expect me to be a real hero or something."

"You are, to some people. You have been from the beginning," Blaine said, remembering all the fan mail and blog posts and his student back in New York in particular.

"They wouldn't think so if they really knew me," Kurt shrugged.

They finally reached the car and slipped into the back before taking off their masks, each breathing a sigh of relief when the fresh air hit their skin. "Well, I really know you and I still think you're a hero." He could see that Kurt was unconvinced and needed some distraction. "Come on, let's go back to the hotel and do a little private cosplaying. I have a feeling the Doctor is about to call in Nightbird to help with the evil Clockwork Man threat."

=^..^=

After spending some extra time with his moisturizers in order to counteract so many hours in the stuffy mask, Kurt finished up and slipped into bed next to Blaine. His face was slightly shiny from all the product and he had a little bit of acne-cream dabbed on his forehead, but Blaine still thought he looked incredible.

"Tell me again why we don't have a king-size bed back home?" Kurt groaned as he stretched out flat, arms above his head and toes pointed downward.

Blaine could hear the vertebrae in his back popping as he breathed into the stretch. He grunted when Kurt's arm flopped over onto his stomach, landing right on the spot when the cherry pie he'd eaten earlier was still digesting. "Because you bought an apartment with a bedroom the size of a postage stamp?"

"We're moving. Soon as we get back. Requirement number one for the new place: king-size bed friendly." Kurt rolled over and set his chin on his crossed arms. "Hey, did you hear that the Doctor Who people announced today that this next season will be the 13th doctor's last? I'm going to miss him. I mean ten was my favorite, but thirteen was good, too— What are you doing?"

Blaine had sat up and was extending his hands out to form a box with his fingers. "I'm trying to picture you as the 14th doctor," he said as he squinted through the box as if trying to visualize Kurt on a TV screen. "Can you do a British accent? Or do you think they'd just have the Doctor be American?"

Kurt gaped at him. "I think my heart just stopped for a second. That will never happen in a million years, but I love you so much right now for even putting that out into the universe."

"I'm going to start a Tumblr petition right now." Blaine pushed the covers aside with a grin and swung his legs to the floor.

"No!" Kurt grabbed Blaine's shoulders and hauled him back to the mattress, laughing as he pinned him down. "People will think you're serious. The British press will crucify me!"

"But I am serious!" And he was, kind of.

Kurt leaned down to rub his nose against Blaine's softly before letting go of his shoulders and laying back down to snuggle in with his head on Blaine's chest. "Where would you want to go if the Doctor appeared and offered to take you away as his companion?"

"I don't think I'd be too keen on the future or alien planets." Blaine paused to think about it for a second. "Okay, this is going to sound kind of strange, but I think I'd want to go back and see the Stonewall riots. See where it all began, you know? Then, maybe go and be in the crowd in front of the Supreme Court on the day that the DOMA and Prop 8 rulings came down. I watched it on TV, but it would've been awesome to be there in person and be part of the celebration. Actually, there is one future I'd want to see. I'd want to go to the day when marriage equality is recognized in the last state. I'm sure it'll happen during my lifetime, but it'd be nice to know how long we have to wait." He felt Kurt make a quiet humming noise against his chest. "What about you? Where would you want the Doctor to whisk you off to?"

"I'd want to go back and see my mom again, but I don't think it's allowed to go back in your own timeline, so I'd probably have to go back before she had me and then I'd do something stupid that caused me not to be born at all."

"Like Back to the Future!"

"It's be the most tragic Companion's story. All you'd have left of me would be photos that I was slowly fading out of. Beyond that? Just silly stuff. Like I'd want to see the iconic stage performances. Barbara in Funny Girl — though Rachel would kill me if she found out, so I could never tell her —, Ethel Merman in Gypsy, Michael Crawford in The Phantom of the Opera, Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady, any original Fosse production, Bernadette—"

"Okay, okay," Blaine broke in, laughing. "I get the picture. No future or off-world adventures for you either, then?"

"I have enough trouble with the here-and-now on this planet, thank you very much."

"Mmm." They lay in silence for a moment, enjoying the sounds of the waves drifting in the open window. "I still think you'd make a great 14th Doctor."

Kurt' pillow smacking his face was the only answer.

=^..^=

Blaine slipped into the back of the room and found an open space next to the wall, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. The room was packed and an excitement was rippling through the crowd as they waited for the panel to begin.

He and Kurt had arrived about two hours before to screaming fans and flashing cameras, so different from the previous day's entrance that it seemed like an alternate universe. Within minutes they'd been shown backstage where they'd met the other panelists, including Amber Benson from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Enoch Foley, who played the gay Vulcan ensign on the latest Star Trek TV show, and John Barrowman ("Oh. My. God. It's Captain Jack, Blaine! It's Captain Jack!").

Kurt had squeed and fawned over John more than a little bit and Blaine had gotten it all on video, so he planned on torturing him later with the evidence of his true and complete descent into being a fan boy.

As the panel members did some interviews and posed for official photos, Blaine had talked with John's husband, Scott, commiserating about the strangeness of being the plus-one for a celebrity. He'd then kissed Kurt goodbye before slipping out to watch the panel from the audience.

He found himself standing next a tall girl with long brown hair and glasses who was wearing a Northstar tank top. He'd seen her eyes widen when he came in and she kept sending him little sneaking glances, so he knew he'd been recognized, but she thankfully didn't bring him to anyone else's attention, so he was able to just stand and enjoy the show.

The moderator came out and began the introductions. The crowd broke out into wild applause as each panelist hit the stage, but Blaine was thrilled to hear that the biggest reaction was reserved for Kurt. Once everyone was out, the moderator began to ask his questions.

Witty comments and wisecracks flew fast and hard as the panel members tries to one-up each other and get the biggest laugh. Kurt was by far the most reserved on the stage, but John Barrowman was sitting beside him, egging him on, not letting him slip into quiet observation.

Blaine watched as the crowd was captivated by Kurt whenever he spoke. It wasn't just that he was gorgeous and talented, though that had a lot to do with it, it was because they could just tell how good a person he was. He radiated it. Watching him was the best feeling in the world.

That was why Blaine didn't understand it when people were confused by his refusal to consider a career in entertainment. He got more pleasure out of seeing Kurt perform than he'd ever get by doing it himself.

The question part of the panel began and Blaine wasn't ashamed to admit that he held his breath for the first few questions, afraid that someone would dredge up one of the tabloid stories or mention the whole bodyguard scandal, but though a disproportionate number of the questions were for Kurt, none of them strayed into uncomfortable territories.

Just after Amber Benson finished telling a hilarious story about writing her latest Calliope Reaper-Jones book, a teenager who kind of looked like he'd studied at the Kurt Hummel school of fashion, stepped up to the mic.

"Hi, I'm Taj and umm...this question's for Kurt. I loved you in the X-men and I was just wondering about the fight scenes. It was really cool that the gay guy got to be the best fighter. Do you actually, like do ninja stuff or, like was it all choreography?"

Blaine could see Kurt's blush from all the way in the back of the room. "Oh, uh, thanks. I thought it was cool too! The fights were really carefully choreographed, of course, but I spent a lot of time getting ready for the role by studying martial arts and fencing. I had a great instructor." Blaine could have sworn that Kurt looked right at him, even though there was no way he could see him with all those people. "The sword stuff was probably where I was most comfortable, though. I kind of studied that stuff since back in high school."

Kurt's admission set off a flurry of calls from the audience for a demonstration and Kurt laughingly protested that it would be hard to do without swords. The words were barely out of his mouth when John Barrowman reached beneath the table and pulled out two Sai swords, asking innocently where they could have come from (Blaine caught John's quick glance at one of the X-men producers who was in the front row and knew he'd been responsible). John stood up and started the crowd chanting "Kurt. Kurt. Kurt."

Recognizing that he was outnumbered, Kurt agreed to do a quick presentation of his skills. As the metal twirled and flipped, Blaine watched the audience fall even deeper under Kurt's spell. He felt like his heart was so full that it might burst open and start spilling hot, sticky love all over the place. Cameras flashed and he knew this would be the number one posting on Tumblr that day.

The panel started to wrap up after that, so Blaine turned to leave. He glanced back over his shoulder at the girl who'd recognized him and smiled in gratitude. She gave him a little wave in return and he could see her practically bursting with the need to tell someone about her close-encounter.

He met back up with Kurt and they walked out onto the exhibition floor for the autograph signing.

The line for autographs was already full and Blaine watched as disappointed people were turned away. Some lingered, hoping to at least grab a blurry photo, but most just wandered off to seek out the next star encounter opportunity.

Kurt and the other's signed for over an hour (Blaine could see him shaking his hand out from time-to-time and made a mental note to give him a hand massage when they got back to the hotel). Throughout the whole hour, he could hear little snippets of the conversations people had with Kurt. He lost count of the number of times he heard "you saved my life" and "I love you" and he could tell that Kurt was overwhelmed by the response.

One of the last people in line was a little boy, about eight years old, dressed up in a Northstar costume. "D-do you think there's gonna be another movie with Northstar?" he asked Kurt, after his mother nudged him to get him started.

Kurt leaned forward across the table, leaning on his forearms. "Maybe. Would you like that?"

"Can I play Kyle?" the boy asked shyly. It took Blaine a moment to realize he was talking about Northstar's boyfriend, who he eventually married in the comic books. His heart melted.

It seemed as if Kurt had the same reaction. His face softened into an "aww" expression. "Well, if Kyle is in the sequel I'll definitely suggest that they let you audition. Maybe your mom will let you leave your name and address?" The mom nodded and wrote something down quickly of a slip of paper she pulled from her purse. Kurt glanced at the paper and back at the boy. "Thanks for coming, Henry. I hope to see you again soon." He waved goodbye and they walked away, the boy jabbering excitedly.

Finally the last autographs were signed and the panel members started to go their separate ways. There was a back way out of the building, but, perhaps buoyed by his experiences the day before, Kurt wanted to walk through the main part of the convention center. Their security guy didn't seem thrilled with the decision, but reluctantly changed course.

They were only a few steps out of the hall when he saw Henry, the little boy who wanted to marry Northstar. He laid a palm on Kurt's back and lifted his chin to direct his attention. Kurt grinned and veered over towards the boy and his mom, leaving the security guard to trail along behind him.

"Hi!" he called out as they approached the pair, who were in a corner transferring a stack of comic books from a tote bag to a backpack. "We weren't allowed to do pictures in there because of the lines, but if you wanted to now..."

Henry looked up at him with big eyes, his mouth dropping open in surprise. He dropped his backpack and ran over to Kurt, throwing his arms around his legs. The mom apologized and tried to unwind his arms, but he just clung tighter. Kurt bent over and whispered something in his ear. Henry nodded solemnly, then obeyed his mother.

They posed for several photos, including some with an official Comic Con photographer who happened to be walking by.

Once the floodgates were opened, it was hard to stem the tide of people coming up for photos. He and Kurt inched closer to the door whenever they could, but an hour later they were still there. Kurt signed and posed and signed and posed, until finally the crowd dwindled.

Just as they were about to make their final escape, Blaine spotted the girl from the panel and waved her over. She approached with the biggest smile on her face and asked if Blaine would be in the photo, too. He stepped in, glancing over at the two tall figures beside him and just barely resisted rising up on his tip toes as her friend snapped the photo.

As the car drove them back towards the hotel, Kurt laid his head on Blaine's shoulder tiredly.

"So, how was your first Comic Con?" Blaine asked as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Amazing. Exhausting. Inspiring. But I'm looking forward to having a few days to ourselves."

"Just tell me what you want to see. Anything is possible."

And when Blaine was with Kurt, he actually believed that was true.