A/N – Warnings, pairings, info are in Chapter 1. This is fluffy goodness, and also the end. Enjoy!

The casual coffee dates and lunches on the run went on for the next few months without fail. Dave found himself realizing in quiet moments that he honestly hadn't ever been so close to anyone. Kurt was the first friend he'd had who knew not only his present but his past and still treated him the same way. He also realized that with all the things Kurt chattered on about while they were talking, boyfriends never came up. Ever.

Dave himself had spoken rather haltingly once or twice about a guy in his English class that he thought was kind of cute. Kurt had given him a strange look and suggested he ask the guy out. After almost choking on his coffee, Dave had protested, and neither of them ever said another word about it.

It was nearly April when Kurt stopped and stared at Dave over the rim of his massive mug of hot chocolate - which he'd insisted was appropriate no matter how warm the weather had turned - and observed, "We never go out to dinner."

"Uh... no," Dave agreed slowly. It was true, and he'd thought about it himself, but somehow that crossed a line to "date" in his mind that he couldn't quite erase. They'd also never gone to a movie or a play together though they'd discussed them together after going with other friends. He hesitantly raised his gaze to search Kurt's face but found the expression utterly inscrutable. "We haven't."

Bright blue-green eyes flickered down to the mug as Kurt set it down on the table again. "Hmm." He finally squared his shoulders and looked back up to stare evenly at his companion. "We should. Something... official."

The word made Dave blink stupidly back at him. "Official?"

"Official," Kurt agreed, gaze still intense. "Unless, of course..." The confidence faltered, and Kurt's gaze flickered to the melting whipped cream in his mug. "Unless you're not interested."

"Interested?" Dave held up a hand before Kurt could ask if there was an echo. "Sorry. I... you... Okay, so I'm not as dumb as I pretended to be in high school, but I'm feeling pretty damn stupid right now - pardon my French. You're asking me-"

"Out on a date. Yes. An official date," Kurt agreed, looking slightly more hopeful as Dave put the pieces together, though his smile flickered when he noted that the dark-haired boy looked more confused than pleased by the announcement. "Like I said, only if you're interested. If not, I'd rather we pretend this conversation never happened and go on as normal."

Instead of answering, Dave sat further back in his chair and just stared. It went on for several minutes until he finally managed, "We should. Go out. Assuming you mean it and you aren't just having, like, a stroke or something. Psychotic break?"

Kurt brightened at once and shook his head. "No, not lately." He bit his lip and traced the rim of the mug absently with one finger. "You're sure?"

"Of course I am!" Dave sat forward again and, after staring and considering the possibility for several seconds, reached for Kurt's free hand and took it carefully, holding it like it might break if he held on too hard. "Just surprised me. I never thought you'd think about... about me like that, after-"

"I told you, that's the past."

"Our past, though. It doesn't stop being there because things are different now." That was something that had taken Dave a long time to get his head around, and it troubled him how many terrible things he'd done that he could never fix or take back.

"You're right, but it doesn't mean we stop being able to choose our actions now. The future's still ours to plan. We don't have to let something that happened ruin what could happen next."

Still stunned, Dave smiled and shook his head. "It may be awhile before I shake the idea that you've lost it. Hope you know that."

Kurt turned his hand over in the other boy's and gave a warm squeeze. "That's alright. I can wait."