A/N Yes, I am planning to add to "After the Slap," but I was inspired this week to write the following. Spoilers for 3x05 "The First Time." This is set the morning after, rated T for vague suggestions of sexual activity.

Blaine's house

Kurt woke up warm and relaxed, reveling in the feel of Blaine beside him. His hand stretched out to caress his boyfriend – his lover – and he opened his eyes to look at his amazing partner. In sleep, Blaine's face lay open, the mask of dapperness gone so that only the … the JOY remained. Kurt fingered his curls, and gently kissed that beautiful face, then snuggled into the warmth and dozed off again.

The sunlight streaming in from the window awoke Blaine. He looked up to see Kurt, right there. He smiled. "Good morning, love." Kurt answered him with a long, langorous kiss.

They separated to breathe, and Blaine asked "What time is it?"

"9:00"

"Call time is noon, for our matinee. We should get breakfast."

Kurt sighed. "I'm tempted to skip my morning routine to stay here with you a little longer."

Blaine sighed, and hugged Kurt. "As much as I want to stay here, if you show up show up rumpled, they will know what happened."

Kurt nodded. "Finn already knows I didn't come home last night. But I would like to keep you to myself a little longer, okay?"

"Together, then."

They sat up together, and got ready for their day.

Finn's house

Rachel woke up without her alarm, about 30 minutes later than her usual setting. She kissed Finn on the forehead, then got up for her morning workout. The Hudson-Hummel house didn't have a treadmill, but she could jog in place. She didn't want to wake Finn, so she grabbed her iPod, put her headphones on, and moved to the music.

Finn moved in his sleep, arm stretching out to where Rachel had been. Finding nothing, he opened his eyes. He caught her gaze, and they shared a smile. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Wonderful."

It wasn't until they had poured out cereal for breakfast that Finn realized what was missing. He didn't hear Kurt getting ready. Come to think of it, he didn't remember hearing Kurt come in. He went back up the stairs to knock on Kurt's door, but there was no answer. Finn hesitated, the opened the door slowly.

Kurt's bed was still made, the room still as neatly laid out as Kurt had left it the day before. Finn shut the door again, then walked down the stairs for breakfast with Rachel.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Kurt's not here."

"Kurt didn't come back?" Rachel repeated, concerned.

"No, it looks like Kurt stayed the night at Blaine's house." The lovers looked at each other, remembering last night, and blushed.

Rachel recovered first. "Well, I hope they had fun."

Finn groaned. "I don't think I want to know." He pulled out his phone and texted Kurt: I don't want details. Pls tell me u r safe.

He got a response. Yes. Will be at theater on time.

In the Green Room that afternoon, Blaine and Rachel put on their makeup for the days performances. Rachel watched for a moment when there was no one else near, before mentioning to Blaine, "Kurt didn't come home last night."

Blaine spluttered for a minute. "He's here, he made it to call time. I'm sure he's getting his makeup on right now." Then he thought about what she said, and looked at Rachel again. "How did you…?" Another hesitation, as enlightenment dawned. "You were at Kurt's house. Finn's house." Blaine blushed. "Oh"

Then it was Rachel's turn to blush. "Yes."

They both turned towards the mirrors and focused on their own makeup.

The matinee performance was even better than opening night, although the energy of the afternoon crowd was different, not as focused.

In the space between the matinee and the evening performance, Finn brought dinner for the four of them. He met with Kurt first, to hand over Kurt & Blaine's meals. "Is everything all right?"

"It's fine."

"He didn't pressure you, did he? Do I need to go big brother on him?"

"It was my idea. And I'm older, remember. You don't see me asking what you and Rachel have been up to, do you?" Finn mumbled something, and started to blush. Kurt picked his jaw off the floor. "Oh my god, I do not want to know."

"Yeah. She stayed overnight. I won't tell if you don't." Finn replied.

"That's a deal. But I do need to talk with you later, after we're done with the play."

"Uh, okay?"

"About the house rules." Kurt gestured with their meals "Let me get this over to Blaine, and focus on the show tonight. We can talk later."

"Sure, dude."

"And don't call me Dude!" Kurt said over his shoulder as he walked away.

Blaine stayed back while Kurt got their food from Finn. As easily as he got along with Rachel, after Prom, and a summer with no troubles, Blaine could not figure out what Finn's problem was. But with three of them at school all day, it had only made sense for Finn to bring dinner this one time. So Kurt worked out the details with his step-brother, and Blaine worked with Kurt.

"It's not fair." Kurt mumbled, as he reached Blaine.

"What's not fair?"

"Last spring, after Rachel's party, I promised my father that I wouldn't do anything inappropriate in our house."

Blaine's face shifted through emotions as he began to understand. "And that's why we went to my place."

"Yes. I had a promise to keep. But…"

"Finn's not bound by that promise. And Rachel stayed over last night."

Now it was Kurt's turn to look surprised. Blaine explained, "Rachel knew you hadn't come home."

"I asked Finn if we could talk, after the play is over."

"He's not going to tell, is he? I don't want your father pulling out his shotgun. Or his flamethrower."

"No, we've made a pact of silence. At least until Finn and I work out a plan about the house rules."

"We'll find a way to make it work, love. I mean, we managed last night." Blaine gave Kurt his best 'I wish I could kiss you right this instant' look.

Kurt couldn't help smiling. "We did."