"So, what are you saying?" Kurt asked.

He was sitting around the kitchen table with his dad, Carole, and Finn. The wedding was in three days and Burt and Carole had just dropped a bombshell.

"We're saying that we'd like to turn our honeymoon into a family vacation," Burt said.

"You want me and Kurt to go on your honeymoon?" Finn asked.

"Yes, sweetie," Carole said. "We were going to go over your winter break, anyway, so we figure you two can come with and we'll extend the trip a couple days and have Christmas in Hawaii."

She went on to explain that one of the doctors at the hospital overheard her talking about the meager honeymoon she and Burt could afford and offered her the use of her timeshare, free of charge, for two weeks. Since the accommodations were all paid for, they could afford to fly all four of them out to the islands. Most people would be thrilled at the idea of two weeks in Hawaii over the freezing cold of an Ohio winter, but most people were not Kurt Hummel.

Kurt Hummel liked layers and cardigans and knee-length sweaters and turned red as a lobster after five minutes in the sun. With SPF 80 on. So, no, Kurt wasn't actually looking forward to two weeks in Hawaii. But he would go because that's what his dad wanted and he would give his dad anything.

---

Three weeks later, Kurt was folding up his tray and returning his seat to its full and upright position as the plane prepared for landing in Honolulu. It had been a long flight and he was so ready to be off the plane so he could stretch out and hopefully shower as soon as they got to the condo. Airplanes always made him feel gross.

They deplaned and were greeted by locals bearing colorful leis. Kurt tried to protest, but he was still given one of simple greenery and white tuberose. It was actually quite pretty and complemented his outfit nicely. They made their way to the luggage carousel with the other bedraggled travelers and waited for the mechanical squeal of the conveyor belt to begin. Even inside the air conditioned building, Kurt could feel the heat and humidity seeping in and threatening to de-coif his carefully styled hair.

"How you holdin' up?"

Kurt looked over to see his dad peering at him from under his beat up baseball hat. Kurt shook his head at the sight. No matter how hard he'd tried, he couldn't get his dad to leave his old hats back in Ohio.

"I'm all right," Kurt replied. "I could use a shower and something to eat, though. Airplane food just does not make a filling meal."

"I know what you mean, kiddo. And this time difference is going to kill me. I don't know how I'm going to make it until it's actually evening here."

"Well, you and Carole could take a nap when we get to the condo. I'm sure Finn and I will be fine for a few hours on our own."

"We might just take you up on that."

They lapsed into silence as the carousel started and luggage began making its rounds. Kurt had a mild panic attack as his suitcase was the last to appear and he had started to worry it had gotten lost. His suitcase of all of them. But, it wasn't lost. Just... fashionably late.

After the luggage was gathered, they quickly got the keys for their rental car and were off on the short drive down to Waikiki and the Moana Lodge and Resort. Half an hour later, after getting lost only once, they turned off the highway and down a private road that led them to the property. They broke through a grove of palm trees and Kurt found himself gasping at the sight. There was the ocean, right in front of him. It was so bright and so blue it was hard to tell where the ocean ended and the sky began. He could hear the waves crashing on the shore and saw surfers dotted among the whitecaps. He stood outside the car, gaping at the scenery, until his dad tapped him in the shoulder to help unload the luggage.

Carole had checked them in and they were in unit 105. Kurt found the property itself was as beautiful as its surroundings. The buildings were all white-washed with dark slate roofs. The four residential buildings were arranged around a central courtyard with a fountain and brightly colored flower beds. Each building had eight units spread over two floors with a small patio or deck. All the doors were painted bright yellow with the shutters surrounding the windows a complementary green.

"This place is beautiful," Carole remarked as they trudged up the stairs to the unit.

"It really is," Burt added. "We'll have to make sure to give Dr. Seitcek a very nice gift basket as a thank you."

"She's partial to chocolate covered strawberries," Carole replied.

"Noted."

Carole opened the door and the family got their first look at their home away from home for the next two weeks. It was open and spacious, the walls painted a pale blue with white-washed wainscoting around the lower half. They walked into a small entryway with the kitchen immediately to their right. It wasn't overly large but had plenty of counter space and would suffice for the two weeks they were there. Directly ahead was the living room with plush looking furniture in an over-sized gray and white check pattern. Pops of bright yellow and green in the accessories brightened the space. The patio door behind the couch opened onto the deck they had which faced the ocean. There was a small table with two chairs and a chaise in matching upholstery to the living room furniture. Kurt stood in the living room, looking around and trying to figure out what was bothering him.

"Wait a minute," he said. "There's only two bedrooms?"

"Yes," Carole replied. "But the second bedroom has two double beds and the couch also folds out if you really don't want to share."

"No," Finn said. "We can share. That's fine."

"Sure," Kurt agreed. "But if you snore, I'm kicking you out to the couch."

"Fine with me."

"Good," Burt added. "Now that that's settled, I need a nap."

Burt and Carole went off to the master bedroom to get settled in and take a nap. Finn went to the kitchen to check out the food situation and Kurt went to unpack. Linen and cotton weren't known to travel well and he needed to see how much ironing was in his future.

He hauled his suitcase onto one of the double beds and sighed as he noticed some new scuffmarks on one of the corners. One of the downsides to having aluminum luggage, he supposed. He carefully opened the suitcase to survey the damage. Luckily, everything seemed to still be in place if a bit disheveled. Most of his shirts would need to be touched up, but rolling his pants and shorts seemed to have saved them from the inevitable travel wrinkles. He went to the closet to check for the iron that Carole had assured him would be present and was relieved it was there and not in his dad and Carole's room. He set it up next to one of the windows and went to get one of his shirts. He opened the window and took a deep breath as the salt-scented ocean air filled the room. He paused as he laid one of his shirts out on the ironing board. He was in Hawaii and he was going to spend his first hours ironing his clothes? He might not be a big fan of the sun, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the scenery that was right in front of him.

The black and white striped long-sleeved tee he was wearing should provide enough protection. The jeans, though, were much too heavy and tight for the humidity. He double checked his luggage and decided on the white linen pants with red canvas TOMS. He hung up the shirts he knew he would need to iron and hoped gravity might help a bit. He quickly changed, smearing on some sunscreen and grabbing his sunglasses before heading out to find Finn flipping through the TV and munching on some chips. Of course.

"I was going to take a walk down to the beach," Kurt said. "You wanna come?"

"Nah," Finn said. "I'm kinda beat. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Okay," Kurt said with shrug.

He headed downstairs and followed the path that would take him to the beach. The sun was just starting to set, making the ocean seem as if it were on fire. He had never seen such a sight before and, for a moment, found it hard to believe it was real. But it was real and he was here and seeing it. He wanted to take a picture and send it to everyone back home in Ohio, but he knew that no photograph could ever truly convey the awesomeness he was witnessing.

He was broken out of his gaze by a hoot of laughter off to his right. He turned and watched two guys exit the surf, boards in hand. The shorter one was laughing at something the taller one said. There was something about the taller one that seemed familiar, but Kurt couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. And while he was very attractive, there was something about the other boy that caught Kurt's eye. Perhaps it was the utterly carefree way he tossed his head back as he laughed, uncaring who saw or heard him. There were times Kurt wished he could be like that, but it was too dangerous for him to let his guard down at home. Once he got to New York, then he could relax and take comfort from the city he was meant to be in.

He stood looking out at the ocean, long after the sun went down, until his stomach rumbled with hunger. He checked his watch and saw that it was after 7:00. He should probably see about finding some dinner.

What Kurt missed, though as he stared at the ocean, was the shorter boy staring back at him and the taller one teasing him good-naturedly about "love at first sight".

---

The next morning, they had breakfast as a family before heading into town to check out the sights. Kurt and Carole did some shopping, while Burt and Finn grumbled good-naturedly behind them. Kurt laughed with Carole and Burt as Finn tripped in one of the shops and danced around awkwardly trying not to crash into any of the displays. All in all, it was a really good day and they were really starting to feel like a family.

That evening, Burt and Carole had reservations for a romantic dinner for two, leaving Kurt and Finn on their own. They planned on being out late and told the boys not to worry about them in the morning. Kurt and Finn ended up ordering in for dinner and watching some movies. Kurt finally got around to ironing his shirts and spent some time perusing the internet for things he could do tomorrow. He and Finn had already decided to just do their own thing as it was highly unlikely they would be able to decide on one thing to do together. He had noticed that the property had bicycles available for each unit and decided to take a ride around the area and just see what was going on.

He set off early, before Finn was even awake, to try and avoid the worst of the daytime heat. He found a small restaurant nearby and stopped for some breakfast before heading in the general direction of the beach. A multitude of cars with surfboards strapped to their roofs passed him. By the time he made it to the beach, it was already bustling with the early morning surfers. He rode his bike down the sand, stopping next to a low wall separating the beach from a small parking lot. There was a pleasant breeze blowing in from the ocean, spraying him slightly with salt water. Normally, that would have him freaking out and screaming about the salt ruining his clothes and hair and skin, but he just couldn't find it in himself to care.

He was just figuring out if he wanted to stay a little longer or head on, when someone caught his eye. A guy with curly black hair was waving at him and smiling. He had on short red swim trunks and was carrying a yellow surfboard. He was small, but nicely muscled and Kurt found himself blushing a little at ogling the guy so openly. He turned to look behind him because there was no way that guy was waving at him. He must have been, though, because there was no one standing anywhere near Kurt. Kurt smiled shyly and returned the wave. The guy grinned even wider and ran into the ocean, diving under a wave and coming up ten feet out into the pounding surf. When he came up, sopping wet with this hair plastered to his head, Kurt finally recognized him as the boy from his first night on the beach. Had the boy seen him, too, that night? Why would he smile and wave at Kurt as if they were old friends? Perhaps he had mistaken Kurt for someone he did know. That had to be it. Random boys did not smile and wave at Kurt for no reason.

Kurt was just debating whether or not he should stay and wait for the guy to come back or continue on his way when he looked back out and saw the stranger balanced perfectly on his board and riding a good-sized wave back into shore like he'd been doing it all his life. Once he reached the beach, he gracefully hopped off the board, scooped it up, and jogged straight over to Kurt. Kurt stood up straighter, brushing imaginary sand off his clothes as he waited for whatever was going to happen next.

"Hi," the guy said, as he stopped in front of Kurt, dripping water all over the sand. He was slightly shorter than Kurt, but had a lean build of tightly corded muscle as if he had been a runner or swimmer for most of his life. His eyes were this brilliant honey-hazel that made Kurt think of the color of leaves back home as the weather turned from summer to fall.

"Hi," Kurt replied, nervously. "Um, do I know you or something?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Oh. Just the way you smiled and waved earlier made it seem like you did."

"Oh, sorry about that," he said with a grin. "My brother's always teasing me about being so friendly."

"No, it's fine," Kurt assured him, smiling shyly.

"I'm Blaine," the guy, Blaine, finally said, holding his hand out.

"Kurt," he replied, shaking Blaine's hand.

"You're staying at the Moana Lodge, right?"

"How-how do you know that?" Kurt asked.

"I saw you the other night," Blaine admitted. "Sorry, that's creepy, right?"

"Maybe a little," Kurt teased. "But, I think I saw you, too. You were with another guy?"

"Oh, yeah. My brother. Um, so, I was wondering if maybe – "

"Did someone say brother?"

Kurt looked over and saw the taller guy from the other night approaching and, oh my god, "You're Cooper Anderson!" he exclaimed.

"The one and only," he said.

"I am such a huge fan of your work," Kurt said. "If I was old enough to have a credit score, I would definitely use FreeCreditRatingToday.com to keep track of it."

"Well, thank you. That's very nice of you to say..."

"Kurt," he said. "I'm Kurt."

"Good to meet you, Kurt," Cooper said. "Now, I'll get out of your hair. I'm sure you and Blaine have a lot to talk about."

He ruffled Blaine's hair and wandered off to talk to a group of young women who had been whispering and pointing at him since he came out of the water.

"Sorry about him," Blaine said.

"That's okay," Kurt said, his gaze trailing after Cooper and still slightly breathless from actually meeting Cooper Anderson in the flesh. "Your brother is very... talented."

"That's what they say," Blaine replied flatly.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said. "I just wasn't expecting your brother to be Cooper Anderson. You were, um, you were saying?"

"I, uh, yeah. I was wondering if maybe I could show you around while you're here? If you have any free time, that is."

Kurt had to wonder if Blaine was asking because he was just that nice of a guy, or was he possibly gay, too, and asking Kurt out on a date? Kurt had no idea how to ask that question, though, without sound like a complete jerk. And, either way, it would be nice to have someone who knew the island show him around.

"I, yeah, I'd like that. It's my first time here, so I don't really know much about what's around," Kurt replied. "I mean, I would need to check with my dad, but I would like that a lot."

"You're here with your dad?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah. And my stepmom and stepbrother. They just got married so we're on this joint honeymoon slash family vacation."

"Well, that sounds exciting."

"It's been pretty good so far," Kurt agreed.

"Do you have some time now?" Blaine asked. "Maybe get a cup of coffee?"

"I think that sounds like a great idea."

---

That afternoon, Kurt drifted back to the condo, feeling high from his morning with Blaine. Blaine was... wonderful. Funny and witty and smart and nice. Blaine, who had subtly slipped in the fact that he was gay and had hoped this could be a date. And he'd been so patient while Kurt had sat there awkwardly for the first fifteen minutes or so. This was, after all, his first date and he wasn't sure what to do or how to behave. What if Blaine didn't like him once they got to know each other?

But, he didn't need to worry. Blaine was fantastic, blabbing about himself and his brother to fill the space while asking gentle questions to get Kurt involved in the conversation. They talked about anything and everything, family and school, but never anything too specific. Blaine knew Kurt was here with his family, but not where they were from. Kurt knew Blaine was close with his brother, but hardly mentioned his parents. Kurt figured it was Blaine's way of trying to keep him at arm's length since whatever this was would be over as soon as Kurt left. Really, how much of a chance did he have at actually being in a relationship with a boy who lived in Hawaii? There was long distance and then there was long distance. But that was okay. It might be kind of nice for once to be the one with the story of the romantic fling over the school break to share with his friends.

"Hey, kiddo," Burt said as Kurt walked into the kitchen. "What's got you so happy?"

"I met a boy," Kurt sighed.

"You met a boy? Here?"

"His name is Blaine," Kurt went on. "I went down to the beach this morning and he was there with his brother, surfing. We started talking and got some coffee and he's really nice and wants to show me around tomorrow and please can I go?"

"He's a surfer?"

"Well, no," Kurt said. "He's still in high school, he just happens to surf, too. It is Hawaii. I promise; he's nice guy, Dad."

"All right," Burt said reluctantly. "But I want to meet him before you go running off tomorrow. If he really likes you, he can come pick you up here."

"Dad," Kurt said.

"No, that's my final word, Kurt. He either comes here to pick you up, or you won't be going with him."

"Fine. I'll call and let him know."

Luckily, Blaine was more than happy to come pick up Kurt and meet his father, so, just before nine the next morning, there was a knock on the door that Kurt rushed to answer. He opened the door to reveal Blaine, dressed casually but very nicely in a pair of knee-length, slim cut dark red plaid shorts and a light-weight short-sleeved white button down shirt. The sleeves were tight around Blaine's biceps and Kurt mentally scolded himself for staring too hard.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," Blaine replied.

"You ready to go?" Kurt asked, reaching for his bag and trying to rush out the door before-

"Now, hold on a minute."

Kurt turned to see his dad walking into the entryway, carrying his cup of coffee and dressed in jeans and an old Hummel Tires and Lube t-shirt.

"The deal was that Blaine picks you up and I meet him, Kurt," he said.

"Sorry," Kurt said, opening the door wider to allow Blaine inside.

"It's fine, Kurt," Blaine said, stepping forward and holding out his hand to Burt. "Blaine Anderson, sir. It's nice to meet you. Kurt's told me wonderful things about you and your family."

"Has he now?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, then, what are your plans for today?"

"I was going to show Kurt some of the sights around the island, maybe do some hiking in the rainforests," Blaine said.

"You're going hiking?" Burt asked Kurt.

"Yes, Dad," Kurt said. "I am going to go hiking with Blaine."

"You sure you got the right shoes for that?"

Kurt looked down at the black Doc Marten boots he was wearing. What was wrong with his shoes?

"Actually," Blaine interrupted, "those shoes are perfectly suitable for the terrain we'll be walking. It can get rocky in places and the soles on Kurt's boots should provide plenty of traction and support."

"If you say so," Burt said. "Okay. You two have fun. Kurt, I want you back by ten."

"Ten?" Kurt exclaimed.

"Yes," Burt said. "We might be on vacation, but you still have a curfew."

"That's fine," Blaine said before Kurt could argue again. "We should be going."

"Bye, Dad!" Kurt called as he finally ushered Blaine out of the condo and into the car. "Sorry about him."

"It's fine," Blaine insisted. "Really. He's just concerned about you. Believe me, it's better than the alternative."

Kurt wanted to ask what Blaine meant by that, but it was clear from the set of his shoulders, it wasn't something Blaine wanted to talk about. Blaine hadn't really talked much about his parents yesterday and Kurt wondered if perhaps something had happened to them. Most of his family stories involved his brother or various aunts and uncles at family events. He wondered what the story was with that.

They drove for about twenty minutes with Blaine discussing what he had planned for the day.

"I thought we would go hiking first. The trail is just over a mile, so it shouldn't take too long," he said. "Then grab some lunch before heading out to the beach. The hiking might be a bit much if you're not used to it, so I figured we could just relax in the afternoon, if that's okay."

"That sounds great," Kurt said.

Soon enough, they reached the site and parked the car. Kurt double checked his bag, moving his water bottle to an outside pocket to make it easily accessible, and they set off. It was really beautiful, Kurt had to admit. The trail started in what looked like a mix of coffee and apple trees, the scent heavy in the wet air.

"You doing okay?" Blaine asked a little ways into the hike.

"Yeah," Kurt said. "So far, so good."

Which, of course, was the moment that it all went bad. Kurt took a step forward as he looked up at Blaine ahead of him on the trail and put his foot down wrong. He stepped on the edge of a rock sticking out of the trail and started flailing as he felt himself fall. Blaine was there faster than Kurt could blink, catching him before he went down into the muddy trail. He hauled them both up, holding Kurt tightly as he got his breath back from the sudden jolt of adrenaline.

"You okay?" Blaine whispered.

Kurt looked up, his eyes locking with Blaine and promptly felt all the air rush out of his lungs again. They were so close Kurt could count each of his eyelashes. He squeezed his hands around Blaine's biceps as he settled back onto his feet and watched as Blaine's gaze flicked quickly down to his lips and back up to his eyes.

"Yeah," Kurt said softly. "Yeah, I'm fine." Except for the fact that it feels like my heart might be beat out of my chest if you keep looking at me like that, he thought.

Blaine gently pulled back from Kurt, sliding his hand down Kurt's arm to grasp Kurt's hand in his. Kurt shivered at the touch and it had nothing to do with the mist settling around them.

They continued the hike in relative silence, Blaine breaking it occasionally to point out an interesting piece of flora or some strange bird that had wandered close to the path. Blaine did, however, keep a firm grasp on Kurt's hand the rest of the way up. It came in handy a few times during some of the steeper portions of the climb.

About an hour and a half had passed and they still weren't at the top. Kurt was starting to get really tired and his knees were sore and weren't they done with the climb yet? Then suddenly, he heard laughter and loud splashing ring out from the relative silence of the surrounding forest. Blaine just smiled wider and walked faster.

"Here we are," he said as they pushed through to the clearing.

Kurt stopped in his tracks as he took in the sight that greeted them. There, in front of him, was a pool of blue green water at the bottom of a rushing waterfall. There was lush greenery all around, with vines and long branches from nearby trees bending to almost touch the water. There was a wider, shorter fall off to the left, splashing down into a stream that emptied into the pool. The main waterfall wasn't even that large, but it was the only one Kurt had ever seen, so it was still quite impressive.

"Wow."

"I know," Blaine said. "It's amazing, isn't it?"

"It really is."

They stood taking in the scenery as more people came up the trail with some making their way into the pool. Kurt noticed a few people climbing up the rocks on the other side, but figured they just wanted a better view of the forest. He gasped as one guy took a couple steps back and then ran forward, jumping into the pool from at least 30 feet up.

"Oh my god!" he cried.

"You wanna try?" Blaine asked, a wolfish grin on his face.

"Are you crazy? One, I'm not wearing my bathing suit and two, are you crazy?"

"No! It's really fun," Blaine insisted. "Don't you like roller coasters? Come on."

Blaine grabbed his hand again and they began the slow ascent to the top of the waterfall. They made their way up carefully, trying to pick the driest and sturdiest track. Kurt did like roller coasters, but in coasters you were strapped into seat and not just falling through the air with only a shallow pool to break your fall.

They made it to the top faster than Kurt would have thought. He looked over the edge and promptly regretted it as his stomach dropped to his knees. He wasn't really afraid of heights, but it was a very strange view, looking down a waterfall like that.

"Are you sure you don't want to give it a try?" Blaine asked again.

Kurt just nodded and took a couple steps back from the edge. He closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths. He was fine. This was fine. He didn't have to jump and he wasn't going to. He didn't think. Maybe.

"Well, in that case," Blaine said, "can you hold my wallet and keys?"

Kurt opened his eyes to see Blaine holding out his wallet and car keys.

"You're jumping?" Kurt asked.

"Of course. It's such a rush."

Kurt reached out and took the offered items, tucking them into one of the pockets in his bag. Before he could even think, Blaine just waved and ran forward, jumping off the edge of the cliff. Kurt rushed forward to watch and felt like his heart was in his throat as he waited what seemed like forever for Blaine to splash down. The crowd down below cheered and whooped as Blaine hit the water, sending a wave flying up onto those sitting on the edge of the pool.

Blaine came up shaking the water from his hair, a big grin on his face. It did kind of look like fun.

"Come on!" Blaine called, waving for Kurt to jump after him. The massive crowd of people started chanting "Jump!" at him. He stepped back from the edge and considered his options. He could just walk down and Blaine wouldn't think any less of him, he knew that. The crowd would be disappointed, but someone else would jump and they would forget all about him. The excuse he had given Blaine about not wearing his bathing suit was mostly moot at this point. Between the mist in the forest and the spray from the waterfall, Kurt was about as wet as a person could get without actually being in the pool.

He could do this. He'd ridden almost every coaster at King's Island and survived the Slingshot and Skyflyer. This wasn't that much different. He just wouldn't be strapped down to anything. Right, well, now or never. He quickly pulled off his boots and emptied his pockets into his bag. He looked around, wondering if it was safe to just leave the bag up here with their wallets and everything in it. No one else was up here, so Kurt decided to trust the good in people for once and found a low hanging but sturdy branch to hang it on.

He stepped back up to the edge and saw Blaine still treading the water and the crowd had gathered closer to him, still shouting "Jump!"

"Okay!" Kurt called out. "Here I come!"

The group gathered went wild at his pronouncement, like he was some rockstar walking on to the stage. He stepped back a bit to give himself a good start, took a deep breath, and leapt.

It probably took less than three seconds for Kurt to reach the water, but in that short time Kurt felt freer than he'd ever felt in his life. The wind rushing in his ears, the spray of the water against his skin, the anticipation in his gut. He smiled as he flapped his arms against the wind, holding his breath as the pool came rushing into his vision. He crashed down, the coldness of the water shocking him after the warmth of the air. He came up to the surface gasping, immediately looking around for Blaine.

"I'm here," Blaine called, as he swam closer. "Are you okay?"

Kurt just laughed and wrapped his arms around Blaine, kissing him senseless as they submerged under the water without their arms to keep them afloat. They came up sputtering, but laughing. Kurt blushed as he realized what he'd done in kissing Blaine. His first real kiss and it had been a... a flight of whimsy. Nothing like the grand romantic gesture he had always imagined. Blaine was beaming at him, though, so maybe it would all be fine. He shook his head, spraying Blaine with some of the water and pushing those thoughts from his mind. He could worry about it later.

"Let's do it again!" Kurt cried as he swam to shore.

Blaine laughed as he followed, helping Kurt out and racing back up to the top. This time, they jumped together, holding hands, only parting when the impact with the pool forced them apart. They jumped another time, Kurt's heart pumping as he splashed down. They climbed out of the pool, collapsing on the rocks. Blaine went to retrieve Kurt's bag and they sat there, relaxing and sharing the bottle of water Kurt had brought with him. Their shoulders and knees bumped as they talked and cheered on the other daredevils.

Suddenly, Blaine's stomach rumbled loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the rushing water. Kurt couldn't help but laugh.

"Lunch?" he asked.

"That seems like it would be a good idea," Blaine replied.

They gathered their things and made their way back to the car. The return trip was much easier, what with it being downhill. They reached the car quickly enough and spread towels over the seats to try and save them from getting completely soaked through.

"Do you like seafood?" Blaine asked as he started the car.

"I do, yes."

"Excellent." Blaine pulled out of the neighborhood they had parked in and started heading back the way they had come.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Kurt asked after a few minutes.

"Nope."

Kurt just nodded and turned to look out the window, letting the warm breeze and beautiful scenery calm him. He was still a little rattled from the kiss earlier and was grateful that Blaine had so far let him off the hook.

They drove back through Waikiki and continued north along highway for a few miles. Then, Blaine turned off the road seemingly in the middle of nowhere and stopped in front of a little white shack. There were a few cars parked along the road and the picnic tables scattered around the shack were mostly full of customers. Even so, Kurt was a little hesitant as he stepped out of the car.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"They have the best seafood anywhere in Hawaii," Blaine said. "I kid you not."

"Really?"

"Yup. Look through there," Blaine said, pointing through a small cluster of trees. Kurt could just make out the ocean and what looked like a small dock and boat. "Every morning, they go out, catch what they can, then bring it back here and cook it. You will not find food any fresher than this."

Kurt nodded, still uneasy but willing to trust Blaine on this. He took a seat at the end of one of the tables that had another couple already at it. Blaine went to order their food and Kurt sat, looking through the trees at the ocean. It still boggled his mind that the Pacific Ocean was just right there. Wherever he went, there it was. While he waited, he dug through his bag to reapply some sunscreen. His face was starting to feel a little overheated and he really wanted to avoid burning. Blaine returned quickly with two strawberry lemonades and said the food would be out shortly.

"Still not telling me what it is?" Kurt asked.

"Nope. But, trust me, you'll love it."

They chatted about the weather and other mundane topics while they waited. It didn't take long, though, and a worker brought out two plastic trays overloaded with food.

"How much of this are we going to eat?" Kurt asked.

"However much we want?" Blaine said. "I just ordered some of my favorites so you can pick and choose what you want. We have some fish tacos with a spice rubbed mahimahi, some grilled shutome which is a type of swordfish, and then some poke made with the ahi."

There were wedges of lemons and limes on the side along with some corn chowder, mashed purple sweet potatoes, fried wontons to use with the poke, and a cabbage slaw. It all smelled so delicious that Kurt didn't know where to start. He watched Blaine pick up a taco, squeeze some of the lime, and then top it with spoonful of slaw, and stuff half of it into his mouth. Kurt decided that looked like a good idea and did the same.

"Oh my god," he moaned as he took his first bite. He had never tasted anything like this. It was so light and fresh. The rub on the fish was flavorful and spicy, but not too hot. The crispy slaw was a great counterbalance to the flakiness of the fish. He quickly finished the first one and grabbed for another one.

"You like it then?" Blaine asked.

"I have never tasted seafood like this," Kurt replied. "This makes me want to move here."

Blaine laughed and the continued eating. After half an hour, most of the food was gone, save for a couple spoonfuls of the sweet potatoes. Kurt leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. He couldn't believe how much he had eaten.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the food," Blaine said.

"So much," Kurt said. "I only wish we could have seafood like this at home, but the best we can manage is frozen fish sticks."

"And that's just never good."

"Not even with custard," Kurt joked, glad to see Blaine laugh along.

"You ready to go?"

"Yup."

They carried the trays back to be disposed of and then headed back to Blaine's car.

"So, if it's okay with you, I had sort of planned to meet up Cooper at the beach," Blaine said. "He was going to bring my surfboard out for me and I thought I could introduce you to some of our other friends."

"Sure," Kurt said. "That sounds good. Have you been surfing long?"

"Just a few years. But it's one of the most amazing things I've ever done. It's such a rush."

"Was it easy to learn?"

"Sort of?" Blaine said. "It took me a couple hours to just find my balance and be able to ride in a wave without falling. Then you sort of just find your rhythm and it all clicks and then you're out in the ocean, just riding the waves. Would you like to learn?"

"Oh," Kurt said. "I don't know about that. I'd probably just crash into the board and break my nose or something."

"Well, we wouldn't want that."

"No, we wouldn't.

"Well, let me know if you change your mind," Blaine said.

They drove back towards Waikiki and stopped at the beach where Kurt had met them yesterday. Blaine pulled a bag from the back of the car that held his wetsuit and then they went to find Cooper. Blaine held his hand as they walked down the beach and Kurt couldn't help blushing at the romantic nature of it all.

Blaine spotted his surfboard stuck in the sand, but Cooper wasn't around. He stared out at the ocean and quickly found Cooper out amidst the waves.

"There he is," he said, pointing him out to Kurt.

They plopped their stuff down in the sand to wait, perching on the blanket that Cooper had left. Kurt looked up at the sun and desperately wished for a large umbrella for some protection.

"Is there by chance anywhere to rent a large umbrella or something?" he asked Blaine.

"Um, not really. At least, not at this beach. But Alicia is supposed to be coming and she usually has one."

"Oh, okay," Kurt said.

"You do have very fair skin, don't you?"

"I do," Kurt agreed. "I don't ever really tan. I usually just burn and then freckle everywhere, which is really annoying. Plus, well... Never mind."

"What?" Blaine asked.

"Just, my mom. She, uh, passed away from skin cancer, so I've always been really hypersensitive about my skin and skin care."

"That's certainly understandable," Blaine said, smiling softly at him and taking his hand.

They were suddenly sprayed with water and looked up to see Cooper shaking his hair over them.

"Cooper!" Blaine cried.

"Hey, Squirt. Kurt," Cooper said. "Hey! That rhymes."

"Yes, it does," Blaine said, flatly.

Cooper dropped down on the blanket and pulled a bottle of water from the small cooler. They sat talking for an hour or so as more friends came and joined them during the afternoon. Alicia did finally show up with a large striped umbrella that Kurt immediately took cover under.

Eventually, Blaine and most everyone else made their way into the ocean for some surfing. Kurt was fine with being left in charge of everyone's belongings; Alicia had also brought along that month's Vogue that he took the opportunity to read. He kept an eye on Blaine, though. Watching him out on the waves was like watching a ballet. He was powerful and graceful. He cut through the waves like he was born to ride them. Kurt found himself growing warm as he watched and it had nothing to do with the sun.

Blaine rejoined Kurt about half an hour later, soaking wet, his wetsuit hanging from his waist. He set his board into the sand and then grabbed Kurt from the blanket.

"Come on!" he called.

He dragged Kurt along the beach to a row of some food vendors and stopped at a shave ice stand. Kurt was immediately excited. He'd loved snowcones as a kid and shave ice was supposed to be much better than that.

"What would you like?" Blaine asked.

Kurt looked over the list of flavors, his mouth watering at the variety – coconut, mango, lychee, tamarind, and green tea. You could get it with ice cream or azuki beans or tapioca. There were so many options, he didn't know what to pick. In the end, he decided to try the guava with coconut ice cream. He was not disappointed. The sweetness exploded on his tongue, the coldness of the ice and the ice cream intensifying the flavors even more.

"Oh my god," Kurt moaned. for the second time that day. "That's so delicious."

"This is my favorite thing in all of Hawaii," Blaine said. "It's so refreshing and tasty. I think I eat it every day."

"I can see why," Kurt said, scooping up another mouthful.

They slowly walked back to the blanket, eating their shave ice and just quietly enjoying each other's company. Kurt was trying to get up the nerve to ask Blaine something.

"Hey, Blaine?" he asked once they were settled back under the umbrella. "Do you think you could maybe teach me how to surf?"

"Really? You wanna learn?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm here. When am I ever going to get a chance like this again?"

"This is going to be so much fun!" Blaine said. "Okay. Hurry up and eat so we can get started."

Kurt quickly finished the last of his treat and Blaine situated his board in the sand for Kurt to practice on.

"When Cooper comes back in, I'll see if he'll let you borrow his board. I think that should work fine for you."

Blaine had Kurt lay on his stomach on the board, arms out as if paddling through the water. Blaine was next to him in the stand demonstrating the proper technique.

"So, when you're ready to stand, you want to push yourself up and bring your feet under your hips in one smooth motion."

Blaine showed Kurt how to do it and it didn't look too hard. Kurt tried to do it as Blaine had done, but ended up not getting his feet far enough up the board and tipped over into the sand.

"That's okay," Blaine said. "Just try it again."

Kurt repositioned himself on the board and focused. He didn't have the best upper body strength, but his time on the Cheerios had improved his coordination and flexibility greatly. He concentrated more on getting his feet up, than trying to push himself up so high. The next time was better; he didn't tip over, but his feet were still too far back.

"Think of it more as bringing your knees to your chest," Blaine suggested. "And then stand up."

Kurt tried it that way and it worked!

"Excellent!" Blaine said. "Try it again."

Kurt did it again and again. Each time was better and he was really starting to get the feel for it. Cooper eventually came back in and he graciously agreed to let Kurt borrow his board. After that, there was nothing left to do but go out into the ocean and try. The waves were fairly gentle today, so Kurt wasn't too nervous.

"I'm not going to get attacked by a shark or anything, right?" Kurt asked as they made their way down the beach.

"Probably not," Blaine said. "Just don't go out too deep and you'll be fine."

"Right, okay," Kurt said.

"Now, when we get out into the waves and we're paddling out deeper, you'll need to dive under some of the smaller waves as they're breaking, or else you'll just get pushed right over. Just press down on the nose of the board and think of yourself doing a regular dive, the board is just an extension of your body. Okay?"

Kurt nodded as he tried to remember everything Blaine had taught him.

"You'll be fine," Blaine said. "I won't let you get hurt."

They paddled out into the ocean, Kurt diving under a couple waves as Blaine had instructed. They finally made it out deep enough so the waves were just gentle swells and sat on their boards, Kurt getting used to the feel of the ocean. Blaine had Kurt practice just riding in on a wave, still laying down on his board, just to get used to the feeling of it. Once Blaine decided Kurt had his sea legs, it was time to down to it.

"Okay. When it comes time and I tell you to start paddling in on a wave, you'll need to just go," Blaine said. "Don't hesitate. If you hesitate, you'll either miss it or get knocked over. Okay?"

"Okay," Kurt said.

They were looking out to ocean, waiting for a wave that would be good for Kurt. Soon enough, they spotted one and Blaine gave Kurt the all clear to go for it.

Kurt waited until the incoming wave was just far enough away and started paddling in, letting the wave carry him.

"Up!" Blaine yelled.

Kurt immediately pushed up and pulled his feet under him. He felt himself wobble a little bit as he stood, but he kept his balance and stayed upright. He focused on the beach, letting the wave push him in. The wind rushed around him; the water sprayed up at him. With his arms outstretched to help keep his balance, he felt like he was flying. The wave petered out sooner than he was expecting and he hopped off the board and into the shallow water.

"That was amazing!"

Kurt looked over to see Blaine jogging over to him, board tucked securely under his arm.

"I can't believe I did that!" Kurt called.

Blaine dropped his board in the water and pulled Kurt in for a tight hug.

"That was so amazing, Kurt," he said. "You're totally a natural. Did you love it?"

"I absolutely loved it," Kurt said. "That's the most amazing thing I've ever done. I totally understand why people get addicted to this. Thank you."

He hugged Blaine tight and they were immediately toppled over as a wave came crashing into the shore. Kurt came up sputtering, trying to get the saltwater out of his mouth, but he was still laughing. He didn't care. He didn't care that his skin was probably ruined from the saltwater and all the sun he'd gotten today. He didn't care that his hair would be a dried out husk in the morning. He was happy. Really, truly happy for the first time in... forever.

---

Blaine pulled back into the timeshare complex just before ten that evening. He turned off the car and they sat in silence for a few moments.

"I had a really great time today," Kurt finally said. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome," Blaine replied. "Would you... would you like to do this again?"

"Yeah, definitely. You know, if my dad's okay with it."

"Of course. You're here on a family vacation. They should come first."

"But, I will definitely call you," Kurt insisted.

"Good," Blaine said. "I look forward to it."

He leaned across the center console, his eyes focused on Kurt's lips. Kurt sucked in a breath and braced himself for what was coming. He leaned in and met Blaine's lips in a gentle kiss. The feeling was immediate and Kurt felt it all the way down to his toes. His hand flexed in the console with the desire to grab on to something. He reached up and cupped Blaine's jaw, tilting his head a little bit to get a better angle, their lips sliding together like they were made just for this.

Blaine sat back suddenly, dropping heavily into his seat. Kurt stared at him in wonder. He'd started thinking he would never find someone, but now, here was Blaine. Blaine who had shown him so many wonderful, amazing things and given Kurt the courage to do things he never would have done. And who apparently like liked Kurt. He never wanted to leave Hawaii.

"I, um, I should get inside," Kurt said. "Before my dad comes out looking for me."

"Yeah," Blaine said. "Yeah, okay."

Before he could over think it, Kurt surged forward and pressed his lips to Blaine's again before reaching behind him and blindly opening the door.

"I'll call you," Kurt said as he stepped out of the car. "I promise."

"I look forward to it," Blaine replied, a smile lighting up his face.

Kurt bounded up the stairs, feeling light as a feather from the wonderful evening. It was just a minute before ten, so there was no need for his father to worry. He hoped his dad would understand and let him see Blaine again.

"Did you have a good time?" Burt asked as Kurt pushed open the door.

Kurt saw Carole and Finn out on the patio, but his dad was in the kitchen, a glass of water in his hand. He had obviously been waiting, but Kurt was in such a good mood he didn't care what it meant.

"I did," Kurt said, unable to keep the smile off his face.

"So, what did you guys do all day?"

"We went hiking, like Blaine said. It was beautiful and there was this waterfall at the end of the trail. It was so amazing. And there were these people there jumping off the rocks at the top into the pool and I did it, too!" Kurt said.

"You what?" Burt said. "You jumped off a cliff?"

"It wasn't a cliff, Dad. It was maybe twenty or thirty feet up and the pool was plenty deep. It was perfectly safe."

"I'm sure it was," Burt said. "I just can't believe you would do something like that."

"Then I'm not sure I should tell you what else we did. I don't want to give you another heart attack."

"Well, now you have to tell me," Burt replied.

"I went surfing!"

"You? You went surfing?"

"I went surfing. It was so amazing, Dad. I never would have thought surfing was something I would enjoy, but I absolutely loved it. And I'm good at it."

"Well, that's... that's good, Kurt. I'm glad you had a good time today."

"But?" Kurt asked. He could tell there was more his dad wanted to say, but didn't want to for whatever reason.

"I'm just a little concerned, I guess."

"About what?"

Burt set his glass down on the counter and turned to face Kurt full on. "Well, you've known this Blaine kid for what? A day? And he's got you doing all these things that just seem so out of character. We don't live here, Kurt. I just don't want to see you get hurt," Burt said.

"I know," Kurt said. "I know that we're only here for two weeks. But Blaine is really nice and he likes me and why can't I just have some fun while we're here?"

"All right," Burt said, throwing his hands in the air. "All right. Just, be careful, okay?"

"I will," Kurt said, nodding his agreement. "So, I can see Blaine again?"

"Yes. You can see Blaine again."

"Thank you!" Kurt said, hugging his dad tightly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Burt said, softly.

---

Kurt and Blaine saw each other every day over the next two weeks, except on Christmas. Kurt had tried to protest, but Burt insisted as it was their first Christmas as a family. They still talked on the phone, though, and had plans to meet up the next morning for some more surfing.

It wasn't always just Blaine and Kurt off doing their own thing, though. Blaine would occasionally come along on outings with the Hummel-Hudson family, acting as something of a private tour guide to Hawaii. Kurt loved it and was so glad to see Blaine fitting in with his family so well.

All too soon, though, it was Kurt's last night on the island. Burt had let him go out with Blaine on the understanding that he didn't have a curfew, per se, but that he needed to be ready to go by the time they had to leave for the airport in the morning. Finn had tried to protest the unfairness of it, but Carole said something that quieted him.

Blaine had picked Kurt up after lunch, allowing Kurt the time to pack and get his possessions in order. They spent a quiet afternoon together, eating in some of their favorite restaurants and relaxing on the beach. Now, the sun had just set and a large bonfire was burning nearby that Cooper had started. Kurt was sitting nestled between Blaine's legs, wrapped up in his warmth.

"This sucks," Kurt whispered.

"I know," Blaine said, simply agreeing and not offering any false platitudes. "I, uh, I have something for you."

He shifted on the sand and pulled something out of his pocket, holding it out to Kurt. Kurt opened his palm and Blaine dropped the object into it. It was a bracelet made of several pieces brown leather cording, loosely braided together, and a charm in the middle, not much larger than a nickel, that looked like two waves crashing together. It was hard to tell what it was carved from in the dim light, but it felt cool and heavy in Kurt's palm, like it was made from stone.

"It's a double koru charm," Blaine said. "The koru is the Hawaiian symbol for the circle of life. This one is carved from a single piece of shale."

Blaine stopped speaking then and Kurt could tell he was nervous.

"It's beautiful, Blaine. Thank you," Kurt said. "Will you help me put it on?"

Kurt held his left wrist out to Blaine, who quickly fastened it, then raised Kurt's hand and pressed a gentle kiss to the inside of Kurt's wrist. Kurt blinked back tears as he was suddenly overcome with emotion.

"I hate Ohio," he whispered.

"Ohio?" Blaine asked.

"Yes. Did I not tell you that's where we live?"

"No. You didn't," Blaine replied.

"Well, we do. And it's terrible and I can't wait to get out and never look back."

Blaine said nothing and Kurt was afraid he'd said something wrong. He sat up and turned around, trying to make out Blaine's expression in the darkness.

"Blaine?" he said.

"You live in Ohio?"

"Yes."

"This is great!" Blaine cried.

"How is that great?" Kurt asked. "It's like 5000 miles away."

"It's great because I live in Ohio, too," Blaine explained.

"No, you don't," Kurt said. "You live here."

"No, I live in Ohio. Trust me."

"But, Cooper? And you surf and you know everyone and everything about here."

Kurt was terribly confused.

"Haven't you wondered why I never talk about my parents? Why I never introduced you to them?" Blaine asked.

Kurt shrugged. "I guess I figured it was because I was leaving in two weeks and we'd never see each other again."

"I only wish it was that simple," Blaine said. "We used to come to Hawaii when I was younger, but then I came out to them and, well, unfortunately, the truth is that my parents don't like me very much. I go to Dalton Academy where I board during the school year. On breaks, they send me out to Cooper in Los Angeles, which is where we usually are. This year, though, the director of his commercials gave us the use of his house here. It almost seems like fate or something."

Kurt's head was spinning. Blaine lived in Ohio and not Hawaii. And, if Kurt was right, he was actually only a couple hours away.

"Dalton Academy in Westerville?" Kurt asked.

"Yes, why?"

"I sort of almost transferred there?" Kurt said. "I go to McKinely High in Lima."

"Lima? But that's so close!"

"I know!"

"And somehow it took us both coming to Hawaii to meet," Blaine said.

"Strange how things work sometimes, isn't it?"

"It is."

They sat silently, pondering what this could mean for them. Kurt knew what he wanted – he wanted to keep seeing Blaine. He had been dreading the thought of leaving Blaine behind when they returned to the mainland, and now he might not have to. If Blaine felt the same, that is.

"Blaine," Kurt said quietly. "Does this mean... Do you think we could still see each other, then? Back in Ohio?"

"Oh, Kurt," Blaine sighed, reaching up to cup his face. "I would hope for nothing less."

Kurt smiled and leaned in, kissing Blaine deeply. He didn't have to say good-bye to Blaine. He didn't have let Blaine live as only a memory, even a happy one. He didn't know how long this thing between them might go on, but he was so glad to have the chance at more than just two weeks to find out.

---

Just over a week later, classes had started again and Kurt was busy getting his locker organized for the new semester. He had his books in order and had just finished hanging a new picture in his locker. It had been taken his last night in Hawaii on the beach. He was looking at Blaine and smiling as Blaine laughed at something. Just seeing the picture made his heart beat wildly at the memories and of what was to come.

"Who's that, boo?"

Kurt looked behind him to see Mercedes leaning against the lockers.

"That's my boyfriend," Kurt said, with a smile. "His name is Blaine."

THE END