“Can I wear your pajama pants tonight? The awesome ones?” Blaine wondered aloud, glancing up at Kurt with pleading eyes. The two had just gotten home from the gas station; Blaine had insisted that he needed some Chewy Chips Ahoy (“They are the perfect pre-Regionals snack!). Finn and Rachel were downstairs on the couch, and Kurt could hear the “Without Love” from the recent rendition of Hairspray coursing through the living room. Only Rachel would want to watch show tunes the night before Regionals.

Kurt beamed at his boyfriend, who had thrown his overnight bag onto the floor and was snuggling into the many throw pillows on Kurt’s bed. It was so weird to see him here, getting ready to sleep over nonetheless. The two had had numerous sleepovers at Blaine’s house, but Kurt usually had to stretch the truth and tell his father they were staying at Mercedes’.

Burt had never allowed Blaine to sleepover in Kurt’s room, upholding the same rule for him as he did for Finn and Rachel, but the two couples had Regionals tomorrow, and they had all been too nervous for their own good.

…

“So, are you kids excited for Regionals? Two days away!” Burt beamed at his boys and rubbed Carole’s thigh under the table, but he was not met with the same joyful expressions; Finn, who had been stuffing mashed potatoes into his mouth at record pace, suddenly looked ready to be sick. Kurt made eye contact with his brother and instantly pushed his Caesar salad to the center of the table, suddenly not hungry as well.

“Was it something I said?” Burt looked down, the atmosphere awkward.

Kurt knew that his dad was confused; the New Directions loved performing, and singing, dancing, and sharing their love of music with an audience was always so rewarding and only brought the group closer together.

But things had changed, and, caught up in the craziness of the last few days, Kurt and Finn had neglected to update their parents.

“No, Dad, of course not. It’s just that, this year, it’s not going to be a typical Regionals,” Kurt explained, searching for the right words.

“Why? What’s up?” The adults had now entirely neglected their food now.

“Umm, ya,” Finn piped in, sensing that Kurt wouldn’t want to recount this story. “Well, you know the whole Blaine story, with the slushie and all?” Finn tried to place the story in chronological order.

“Of course,” Carole answered softly. She and Burt had been so worried about Blaine- watching someone who meant so much to Kurt sacrifice himself for their son and undergo surgery because of it had been scary, to say the least. His recovery had gone well, and it had been a great excuse to make him all of his favorite desserts and shower Carole in compliments.

“Well, Sebastian didn’t stop there. He spent this whole week blackmailing Rachel, and we had to have another crazy intervention. It’s just…been kind of a rough week.” Finn looked down at his plate, pushing the potatoes around longingly as if he wanted to keep eating but he was so stressed that it was impossible.

“We think we have the Warblers on our side-Blaine went and talked to them, after they practically begged his forgiveness after the slushie. But Sebastian is unpredictable…and dangerous,” Kurt sighed, and made eye contact with his dad for the first time since the conversation had begun. He felt so bad dumping this all on him, but knew he would rather know what was going on than be left in the dark.

Burt’s heart broke. These kids had gone through so much, and all they wanted to do was sing. Thinking back on all of the performances of Kurt’s and Finn’s he had gone to, he could see how his boys lit up when they were on stage, and hated how this one kid was ruining it all for them by making them dread going to the competition.

He glanced at Carole, who smiled, seeming to have the same thought that he was. “So, I have an idea, but if I say it, can you two promise me not to take advantage of this, and make sure it helps you kick this boy’s ass at Regionals?” Carole smacked his arm lightly, chuckling at his choice of words. Kurt and Finn just looked confused, slight sadness from their story still etched across their faces, their foreheads wrinkled in worry.

“How about Blaine and Rachel stay over Friday? Carole and I can head to her parent’s house for a visit, and you kids can order a pizza, watch a movie, and try to get rid of this stress?” Burt looked each of his son’s in the eye, trying to gauge their reactions to this proposal.

“Wait…” Finn stammered, trying to collect his thoughts. “Rachel can stay over? In my room?” It was like asking if he could have a pet dinosaur.

“And Blaine. You kids need to relax,” Burt said.

“YES!” Kurt jumped in his seat, the confirmation of something he had been wanting for so long finally possible. “THANK YOU!” He jumped up and hugged his dad and Carole, even though she had yet to say anything for the last ten minutes.

“Ya, Burt, thank you so much!” Finn chimed in his gratitude as well.

“But this is not an excuse to fool around; you kids know that I trust you enough to behave under my roof. Blaine and Rachel make you happy, and I don’t want the night before what could be one of your last competitions to be horrible.” Kurt and Finn nodded in full understanding, and, murmuring their final thanks, turned back to their dinners.

The mashed potatoes and salad were finally looking delicious again, as delicious as they could look when you are texting your significant other under the table.

…

“Of course you can wear my pajamas pants, Blaine.” Kurt reached into the top drawer of his dresser, producing plaid navy and red drawstring pants. A smile covered Blaine’s face at the sight of them, and he was all too quick to remove his jeans and replace them with the pants he deemed “the comfiest to ever exist.”

Usually, Kurt would take every opportunity to get Blaine alone in his room, without pants on, and with his parents out of the house. Though he had initially been nervous, the physical aspect of his relationship with Blaine was something they treasured. The boys couldn’t get enough of each other, but tonight was not the time, a fact Blaine understood completely. With the drawstring tied, he was quick to head for the bathroom to get ready for bed, but couldn’t seem to resist giving Kurt a peck on the cheek on his way there.

“I’m so glad you’re here tonight.” Blaine looked up at Kurt’s comment; in the time it had taken Blaine to put his head under the sink to wash out the gel, Kurt had changed into his own pajamas, with pants similar to Blaine and the t-shirt he had gotten when the two went to see Wicked together over Christmas break.

Kurt grabbed for his toothbrush at the same time as Blaine, and gave them each adequate toothpaste. They had been going out for close to a year, and had never brushed their teeth in the same room. It seemed weirdly domestic to Kurt, doing something he did every single day with this man he loved by his side.

“Kurt, slow down,” Blaine laughed lightly as he grabbed Kurt’s hand and stilled it. “Your teeth are going to fall out if you keep brushing as fast as you are thinking.”

“What?” Kurt feigned, knowing that Blaine could read his thoughts as easily as he could read every text they had studied in French class.

“You’re so nervous, and your mind has been going a mile a minute since I got here,” Blaine sighed, rinsing out his toothbrush, replacing it in the holder by the faucet, and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, whose shoulders were tense with worry.

“Ugh, I’m sorry, I should be enjoying this. It’s not every night we get to spend together like this.”

“No, don’t even apologize. I know you’re nervous- my stomach is doing just as many flip flops as you are. But we have to trust the Warblers; they told me they would keep Sebastian in check.”

“I just want to win so bad. Last year in New York, it was just…” Kurt trailed off, finishing his own teeth and turning to face Blaine, who had jumped onto the counter. “Perfect. And if we could go again this year, it would be you, and me…us, in New York, together.”

“Just like our future?”

Kurt knew it was his turn to reply, having completed this playful banter many, many times. Blaine had hit the nail on the head; the two of them in New York was just like their future. It was exactly how he saw himself. He would head to New York next year, study to get great grades, work on his acting career, have a job to save money for an apartment with Blaine, and count down the moments until his arrival the year after. Then, together they would take New York by storm. But it was all such a gamble.

“What if Sebastian takes that away from us?” Kurt couldn’t even meet Blaine’s eyes; this boy terrified him, especially after the stupid slushie. Though it was a long shot, Blaine could have died, and Kurt knew he would not make it without this man at the center of his universe.

“Kurt,” Blaine reached up to lift his chin, their eyes locking. “No matter what Sebastian does, not matter how much of an…asshole… he is, he can’t take New York away from us.”

“But if we don’t w-…”

“If we don’t win, yeah we won’t get to go to New York to compete. But who says we can’t save money for a quick road trip? Who says losing Regionals will keep us from college there? Nobody, that’s who.” Blaine was so serious about all of this, his eyes dark. Kurt could practically feel how passionate he was about all of this, how much he didn’t want Sebastian to make Kurt feel inferior.

“Why do you always know exactly what to say?” Kurt couldn’t stop his arms from winding around his boyfriend. They relaxed into each other, and suddenly, Blaine was climbing onto Kurt’s back, hooking his feet around Kurt’s middle and clasping his arms around his neck.

“Now,” Blaine muttered into Kurt’s ear, “We need to be rested so we can destroy those Warblers tomorrow, because they will be bringing their A game. To bed!” He started jumping up and down, as if trying to signal Kurt to leave the bathroom, like a rider trying to urge his horse to go.

“Hey, Captain Hook, relax. I am not a jungle gym!” This was a new level of weird, even for Blaine, one Kurt knew that he was the only one who had even seen this side of the normally dapper and studious fa�ade he usually produced. Regardless of the shenanigans, Kurt clambered through his bedroom, collapsing into the bed with Blaine tumbling to his side.

Kurt pulled at the string dangling from his nightstand; last week, Blaine had cleverly suggested attaching it to his light switch so he could shut off the light from his bed. Kurt smiled at the memory, at the caring man he had curled up beside him.

Darkness flooded the room, and Kurt tucked his arms around his boyfriend, pressing a light kiss to his shoulder and cheek.

“No matter what happens tomorrow,” Blaine began, “We’re still us. I still love you more than anything.” Blaine turned around, the dark contours of his face blurred as Kurt’s eyes had not adjusted to the night yet. “Right?”

Kurt leaned in, his lips meeting Blaine’s in a soft, but meaningful kiss, one that sent electricity down to his toes (which were curled around Blaine’s, of course).

“Right.” He turned Blaine back around. “And I love you too,” he mumbled with a smile, sleep already threatening to claim him.

Tomorrow was going to be okay.