April

Kurt tapped his foot anxiously as he watched his father, whose head and shoulders were in the cupboard under the sink where he'd scooted under a little while ago, wrench in hand. "Dad, this is unnecessary."

"I can fix this, bud."

"Of course you can, but you don't have to. Eliot and I can afford a plumber… we just haven't had the time to call one."

"And now you don't need to." Burt slid out from under the kitchen sink and wiped his hands on a towel. "I can't believe you've been living with that drizzle of water pressure for this long. Try it now."
Kurt stepped past his father to lean forward and turn on the faucet.

"Oh. That's nice." Kurt conceded.

Burt stood up to see water flowing easily into the sink. "And that's how it's supposed to work."

Kurt shook his head and smiled at his father. Burt and Carole had been in New York for a week and were leaving that evening. In the time they'd been there, they'd seen a play, visited The Cloisters, road the train to Yankee stadium, and Burt had made a bunch of minor improvements and repairs to Kurt's apartment-from changing a few light switches and unsticking a window that had been painted shut since Kurt moved in, and now fixing the water pressure in the kitchen. Kurt knew this was how his father showed affection, but he hated seeing his dad work while on vacation.

"Thanks dad," Kurt said, giving him a hug. "The place is as good as new."

"Hardly," Burt said, "Next time I'm here, I'm planing your doors for you."

Kurt just shook his head, knowing it was no use to fight his dad on this.

"You think we're going to see Blaine again before we leave?" Burt asked, cleaning up everything he'd pulled out from under the sink.

"Blaine?" Kurt walked to the refrigerator to grab a 'thank you' beer for his dad. "You just saw him yesterday."

"We did. And the day before that, and the day before that… and almost every day we've been here. Not to mention several times when you were both back in Ohio over the holidays last year."

Burt moved to sit down at the kitchen table and Kurt joined him, sliding the beer over to him. "I mean… we typically hang out a lot. Does it bother you? Did I not make enough time for you?" Kurt's heart twisted in his chest; he was going to kick himself if his dad had felt ignored during his visit.

"No no, Kurt. Not at all. I like the kid, and I like you when you're with him."

"What does that mean?"

Burt shrugged and took a sip.

"No really… how am I when I'm with Blaine?"

"Happy." Burt smiled, putting the bottle down on the table, "Very Happy."

"I… Oh." Kurt looked down at his hands, picking at a nail. He was happy when he was with Blaine; they saw each other almost daily and talked on the phone even more often. Blaine was a constant and permanent part of Kurt's life now – and an important one. Kurt sometimes couldn't remember what life in New York had been like before Blaine. As good as it had been, it was immeasurably better now.

"Don't worry, Kurt, I'm not about to start that up again."

Kurt glanced up at his father, "Start what up again?"

"Trying to play matchmaker with you and Blaine. Carole said I needed to stop and I'm trying."

"Carole said… why did Carole say that?"

"Well, you know even before you and Blaine met, I had this idea in my head that you should… I don't know, that it would be fun if you two ended up together and Ian and Pam became family. And when you two became friends, finally, I thought I might get my wish after all… but now…"

"But now?" Kurt's heart skipped a beat. This was a blow. Kurt was surprised that he was this bothered by his father giving up on setting Blaine and him up, because his constant asking about them had been hard on Kurt. It was hard to tell his father over and over that they were just friends, because Kurt didn't want them to be just friends. Something that had always been constant about him and Blaine was that their parents wanted them them together.

All this time with Blaine, of Blaine becoming his best friend, even though nothing romantic came up between them, Kurt had hoped… he'd hoped that someday, maybe someday, they would somehow end up something special. And his dad and Carole had never stopped hoping that either… but now if they were giving up, did that mean there was no hope?

"It's just that if you two are never going to be anything but friends, I need to stop putting pressure on you about it."

"Right." Kurt nodded, swallowing deeply and feeling a little lost.

"I mean… there isn't anything there, right?"

"Blaine is my best friend," Kurt answered honestly, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't tell his dad he was in love with Blaine. For one it would get Burt's hopes up. Secondly, he'd was afraid his father might be upset at Blaine for not feeling the same way. He didn't want to do that to Blaine. Just admitting that Blaine was his best friend seemed the best he could do at this point.

"Good. Good." Burt tipped his beer bottle back again, "Glad to hear it."

"Glad to hear what?" Carole walked into the kitchen, smiling at the two men before her.

"Glad to know that Kurt and Blaine are close."

"Oh Burt! I told you to leave the poor boy alone about that!"

"I am! I was just telling him I wasn't going to bug him about it anymore."

"Mmmhmm, by bugging him about it?"

Kurt let out a little chuckle even though his chest still felt heavy. Carole placed a kiss to Burt's forehead and then sat down next to him.

"You know we only kept it up this long, Kurt, because it seemed like neither you nor Blaine have had any serious relationships since you became friends," Carole explained.

"I date," Kurt said defensively. "I've dated. So has Blaine." Kurt remembered that guy, Jean, from just last month. Blaine had gone out with him a handful of times and Kurt had felt sick about it all the while.

"Of course! I know sweetie." Carole reached over and put her hand over Kurt's. "We're just saying there really hasn't been someone special in a while. Which is fine, you're young, there's no hurry!"

Kurt nodded, biting back the words he wanted to say. There was someone special. There was Blaine, and no one else was going to be able to hold a candle to him. Kurt was in love with his best friend and it was both the most wonderful and most terrible thing in the world.

"Now that we see that it isn't happening, we are going to drop it." Burt added, "I'm just glad you have Blaine as a friend; he's a good guy. And he is lucky to have you in his life too."

"Thank you dad." Kurt forced a smile. "And what brought on this change of heart?"

"Mm," Burt waved a hand in the air, "Blaine's new man prompted it. But then, once I thought about it-"

Carole cleared her throat.

"Well, once Carole talked to me about it, I realized you're a grown man and I need to let you make your own choices."

Kurt's ears were ringing, his tongue suddenly felt too big for his mouth and his hands felt clammy. "Wait, what? Blaine's… new man?"

"You know. The man he's been seeing?" Carole answered, "Pam didn't have a lot of details about it, but surely you would know."

"I… would…" Kurt cleared his throat, his fingertips pressed hard against his knees to keep his Dad and Carole from seeing his distress, "Of course, but um… what exactly did Pam Anderson say?"

"Well, Pam hasn't tried to set Blaine up since the fiasco with you, but apparently, a boy Blaine knows from private school recently moved to New York, so Pam called Blaine up to see if maybe he'd show him around town… hoping something might come of it. Blaine told her flat out that he wasn't interested and that she didn't need to try and set him up anymore because he'd already met someone. He was pretty closed mouth about it, but he made it seem pretty serious."

"Oh." Kurt breathed.

"According to Pam at least." Carole finished up, her smile slipping a bit. "Is that not right? You seem a little pale, Kurt."

"No." Kurt got up from the table, making busywork by cleaning up around the sink and not meeting Carole's or Burt's eyes. "I'm always pale."

Burt may seem rough around the edges to some people, but he was always quick to notice Kurt's moods, and he had a tender heart. Kurt wasn't sure if that was how he knew to change the subject, but when he started talking about the Buckeyes, Kurt breathed a little easier.

Kurt saw his family off a few hours later, giving them tight hugs on the sidewalk as the cab waited to bring them to LaGuardia.

Burt placed his hands on Kurt's shoulders, looking him in the eyes, "You know all I want, all Carole and I want, is for you to be happy, right?"

"I am happy."

Burt nodded, "Good." He gave him another hug, adding, "If there is something you want to go for, Kurt, you should just go for it." He pulled back with a nod.

Burt and Carole loaded up into the cab and were gone moments later. Kurt stood on the sidewalk, blinking back tears he didn't understand. He cleared his throat and then turned back to his apartment, feeling sluggish and heart-heavy. There was a chime from his phone and he pulled it out to see a message from Blaine.

Did Burt and Carole get off all right?

Kurt looked at the message for a long moment before responding.

Yes fine, thanks for asking.

I hope you had a good visit! Do you want to come over?

Kurt's hand tightened around his phone before he shook his head and put it back into his pocket, walking into his building and climbing the stairs to the fourth floor. He wanted to see Blaine, he pretty much always wanted to see Blaine, but he wasn't sure what to say to him right now.

Blaine was dating someone, seriously dating someone, and he'd never mentioned it to Kurt? How could this happen? And so fast? Blaine was just seeing Jean a little while ago. Unless somehow it was Jean? Kurt didn't understand it. Blaine shouldn't be dating someone and keeping Kurt in the dark. Blaine shouldn't be seriously dating anyone at all.

Not unless it was him.

Kurt let out a long breath, standing still in front of his apartment door with unspent tears still in his eyes. His phone chimed again.

Or we could meet up somewhere. Unless you're busy this evening.

He couldn't just ignore Blaine, even if his emotions were whirling right now.

Not busy, Kurt typed out. On my way to see you. Kurt sent the message before he could think better of it.

He spun on his heel, quickly jogging back downstairs and outside to catch the subway to Blaine's apartment. It was a short trip, and before he knew it, he was standing in front of Blaine's door. He let himself in – he had his own key – and was immediately hit with the unmistakable scent of wet paint.

"Blaine?"

Kurt walked further into the entryway, and Blaine poked his head around the corner, eyes bright and hair coming loose of the gel he so often wore.

"You made good time!"

Kurt walked into the living room to join him, looking around and taking in the furniture covered in tarps pushed away from the walls, the corners and baseboards taped with blue painters tape and one wall – that used to be beige – now a dove gray that Kurt immediately approved of.

"You're painting your living room."

"Yes, I decided to this morning and almost called to see if you wanted to help, but I remembered your family was still here – so I just went for it."

"You decided this morning?" Kurt said, turning to look at him, "And just went out and found a color you liked and started? It took me a month to pick out a new bedspread!"

"I know." Blaine nodded seriously, "I was there… it was a long month."

Kurt smiled despite himself. Blaine was exceptionally cute today. Khaki pants and a bright white polo and light blue bowtie with puffy white clouds on it. "You're painting, in a bowtie?" That was a little chic even for Blaine, but Kurt wouldn't put it past him.

"No." Blaine straightened his tie and gave Kurt a jaunty grin, "I changed clothes, dressed up when you said you were coming over."

Kurt's heart squeezed painfully in his chest, "You don't have to dress up for me. Remember, I've seen you in three day old pajamas throwing up the entire contents of your stomach."

Blaine gasped, placing his hand on his chest. "I thought we swore to never breathe a word of the dark days of the great stomach bug ever again!"

Kurt laughed, reaching out towards a strip of gray paint dried across Blaine's cheek, "Besides, in your sprucing up you missed a spot." He rubbed his thumb across Blaine's skin, wiping at the paint as Blaine's eyelids fluttered closed and he leaned his cheek softly into Kurt's hand. Kurt pulled back abruptly, clearing his throat. "Um, yeah… that may take some soap and water."

"Right." Blaine swallowed deeply, "I yeah…" He walked towards the kitchen, Kurt following behind. "Have you had dinner?"

"Something quick with my dad and Carole."

"I was thinking of making popcorn." Blaine was scrubbing at his face with water and a paper towel. "Want to watch a movie?" He turned around with one bright red cheek and a sweet smile that made Kurt want to cry.

"I'm surprised you're free tonight actually…" Kurt said, slowly building up the strength to ask him what he wanted to ask.

"Why are you surprised?"

"It's Saturday night. I would have thought you'd be out… with your boyfriend." Kurt's voice came out a little scratchy, but overall he felt like he did a good job of sounding casual.

Blaine burst out in laughter, and okay, that kind of hurt.

"What boyfriend?"

Kurt's hurt flashed into a quick spike of anger. Blaine was supposed to be his best friend, why was he keeping secrets! "The one you told your mom about." Kurt snapped, "The one you are serious about. The reason she shouldn't bother to set you up with anyone?"

Blaine's smile dropped immediately. "I… how did you… how do you know about that?" He was leaning against the kitchen counter and he slowly wrapped his arms protectively around himself.

"Carole said that your mother wanted to set you up with an old private school friend and you basically told her that you were taken." Kurt was trying hard not to let his voice come out icy, he didn't want to be mad at Blaine, and he wasn't really. He was hurt.

"I…" Blaine looked like a deer stuck in headlights, "I had no interest in dating Sebastian so I... just told her… um."

Kurt's heart lifted with hope, "Wait, did you just make it up?"

"No." Blaine quickly shook his head. "I'd never lie to my mom."

Kurt's heart plummeted again. He nodded and looked down at his designer shoes. At least he could play off his disappointment as stemming from Blaine not telling him about this. Maybe Blaine wouldn't see he was broken-hearted. "Is it Jean?" Kurt asked quietly.

"No! No. Jean wasn't… he isn't…"

"Then who?" Kurt's head snapped up to look at Blaine and he couldn't keep his voice from shaking, "Why wouldn't you tell me about this?"

Blaine blinked – his eyes wide and mouth fallen partly open, he was so irritatingly adorable – and why did he always have a bowtie on when Kurt wanted to yell at him? It made it nearly impossible to be angry.

"This is big news, Blaine… why? Don't you trust me?"

Blaine's eyes looked on the verge of tears, "Of course I do-"

"You're my best friend and I tell you everything!" Kurt continued, "I don't understand why I had to hear about this from someone else."

"It's you!" Blaine bust out, then winced and looked to the floor.

Silence engulfed the room for a moment; Kurt could hear the beat of his heart in his ears.

"There is no need for me to be set up with someone else," Blaine's words were barely audible, "Because I'm in love with you." Blaine sighed and rubbed both his hands down his face. "I couldn't tell my mom that, you know how our parents are. I just left it vague. I never imagined it would make its way back to you and I didn't ever mean to tell you like this, but I've felt this way for ages. I don't even like going on dates because they are never with you – and god, I don't want this to mess up our friendship, if anything ever got in the way of our fri-."

Kurt didn't even know what was happening, everything Blaine was saying sounded too good to be true, but then Kurt's feet were moving on their own accord and he was hurdling towards Blaine, arms wrapping around him, as he interrupted Blaine's rambling by pressing his lips to Blaine's.

Blaine gasped into the kiss before slowly sliding his hands up Kurt's back to cup the back of Kurt's neck and tangle his fingers in Kurt's hair. Kurt felt like he would melt, having Blaine's hands hold him so intimately, his soft lips pressed against Kurt's own. Kurt let out an involuntary whimper and Blaine pulled back. Kurt caught himself chasing Blaine's lips, but he stopped himself, pulling away only enough to look Blaine in the eyes.

Blaine was blinking rapidly, his breathing coming fast and his face flushed and glowing. "What was that?"

Kurt smiled, shaking his head and drawing in a long wobbly breath. "I love you too, Blaine."

Blaine didn't say anything – he just stared.

"You said you were in love with me? Just now. Remember?" Kurt's arms were still slung around Blaine's shoulders as he teased him, only slightly worried that Blaine hadn't meant it, "I love you too."

Blaine's face broke out in a radiant smile and he let out a heartfelt – if a little choked up – laugh. "I thought I'd just ruined everything by telling you!"

"No," Kurt leaned his forehead against Blaine's and sighed in contentment. His heart felt lodged in his throat and his head was spinning as he moved his body even closer to press along Blaine's. "You fixed everything."

Blaine laughed again, quieter now, his breath warm against Kurt's skin. "I love you. I've loved you for so long."

Kurt looked up at him at that, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You said we were just friends. From the beginning, Kurt, that's how you wanted it. When we went and got coffee you made sure I knew we were friends and it was nothing to get out parents excited about."

"Well, you shouldn't always listen to me!" Kurt was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. "I only said that because there was so much pressure from our parents and I could tell then that I really liked you and I didn't want to screw things up."

"Kurt." Blaine breathed as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing."

"I love you Blaine, so much, but I didn't think you felt that way. But then… when Carole said you were seeing someone… god Blaine, I wanted to be happy for you, but it just made me feel sick."

"There's no one else. Only you," Blaine said, and he kissed him again, harder his time, as if he stopped kissing him Kurt might disappear, but still warm and sweet and tender, making Kurt feel as if he were floating.

When their lips finally parted Blaine moved so that he could reach down and hold both of Kurt's hands, pulling him out of the kitchen and kissing him the whole way until they stopped in front of the couch in the living room.

"Smells… like... paint…" Kurt said between kisses.

Blaine chuckled, glancing down at the tarp-covered couch, as he kept pulling him along until they got to Blaine's bedroom.

Kurt's skin prickled with anticipation, but he knew despite the location, neither of them would pressure the other into anything; this was still brand new.

Blaine fell back onto the bed, pulling Kurt with him, their kiss broken, but only for a moment until Kurt scooted in next to Blaine on the bed and kissed him again. Kurt didn't know how long they stayed like that – sharing heady, long kisses, hands holding, touching, pulling each other closer.

Eventually, Kurt sighed, pulling back, his lips kiss swollen. Blaine's eyes glossy and his cheeks flushed. "I can't believe we could have been doing this all along if our parents hadn't freaked me out so bad!" Kurt joked, even though he knew it wasn't just their parents who'd messed up here.

"Not just you." Blaine said with a smile, "I'm almost scared to tell my mom this happened, she may pass out."

Kurt laughed and ran his fingers down Blaine's cheek.

"We need to talk about that actually," Blaine said seriously, sitting up and taking Kurt with him.

"About what?"

"Our parents. We have to promise each other something here and now."

"Anything."

"We never listen to them about anything they say about us without talking to each other first. The only two big misunderstandings we've had were because of them. Today, and then back last summer when they got the time we were going to meet mixed up and almost ended this whole thing before it started."

Kurt laughed again, "Oh my god! You're right. With as much as they wanted us together, they have really been screwing this up!"

"So we talk to each other now – never through them."

"Deal," Kurt reached out his hand for Blaine to shake. Instead, Blaine took it and placed a soft kiss to his knuckles.

"Deal," Blaine whispered.

Kurt couldn't handle the gentleness of that gesture, so he tackled Blaine to the bed, kissing him soundly. This was happening, this was really happening! Blaine loved him. Kurt held him tighter needing to show him how much he felt this.

Blaine felt like he was dreaming, his chest felt full and his hands almost shaky. When Kurt had demanded to know whom Blaine was dating, he felt like his world was falling apart. He had the choice to flat out lie to Kurt – something he couldn't even fathom doing – or telling him the truth, finally. Before he knew it the truth about his feeling for Kurt were spilling over his lips. He braced himself for Kurt's kind, but awkward declaration that he didn't feel the same way. But then…

But then!

Then Kurt was in his arms, the sweet taste of his lips on Blaine's. Kurt loved him! Kurt loved him, he felt like he could fly!

Blaine felt like he couldn't tell Kurt enough how much he loved him. Couldn't kiss him enough times to show him. They ended up side by side on Blaine's bed – Kurt's body miraculously pressed against his own. Kurt even spent the night, they did eventually turn on a movie, but it was just background noise until they fell asleep in each other's arms. Tomorrow, Kurt would call his dad and Carole. He'd probably skype Mercedes and tell her all the details. Blaine couldn't wait to call his parents as well, and then Cooper, who would only be confused because he thought they were already dating.

But for tonight Blaine didn't want to talk to anyone else. Or even think about anyone else. For tonight, they would just hold each other, kissing and talking softly and telling each other the things they'd been holding back for months. Laughing at how foolish they'd been not to say anything sooner. Falling asleep with whispered 'I love yous' on their lips. In spite of their parents' interference, and their own misunderstanding… together at last.