This is the last chapter. After this there will be an epilogue.
"So what's it like living with your boyfriend?" Ben asks one afternoon in the shampoo aisle of a local Target.
Ben, Charlie, and Blaine are spending their afternoon food shopping and doing laundry together. Blaine has no clean underwear, Charlie has no food, and Ben needs a new lamp. His had an unfortunate meeting with the sidewalk when Ben drunkenly threw it out of the window thinking his (equally drunk) friend would catch it.
"It's good," Blaine replies, scanning the labels for a cheap conditioner.
"Just good?" Ben asks.
Blaine rubs at his elbow, "I mean, yeah. What were you expecting me to say?"
"Oh, I don't know. Glorious. Exceptional. Animalistic. Boner-Inducing." Charlie's sliding across the aisle on the cart, and Blaine laughs as he tries to swat at him, but Charlie goes by too quickly. He jumps off the cart when he gets to the end of the aisle and pulls it back to where Blaine and Ben are so that Blaine can throw his products into the cart.
"It is. It's all of those things. I mean, I love it—don't get me wrong. But I don't think I'm going to request to live with him next year," Blaine supplies shyly, not looking at either of his friends.
"What? Why?" Charlie asks soberly.
"I think that living together could really…hinder our relationship," Blaine decides on.
Ben gives a curious look, and Blaine sighs, grabbing the cart and moving onward.
"I think that we need to have our own space. I think we haven't been dating long enough to live together. And I don't want to become dependent on him. And I know he doesn't want to become dependent on me. And I just think that we both need to grow some more."
"Are you guys, uhm, drifting apart?" Charlie asks, walking next to Blaine.
"No," Blaine assures confidently. "Not at all. I mean, we fight sometimes. And we get tired of each other a lot. But we see each other all the time. It's weird. And like, every time I go out somewhere and he's in the room I feel obligated to invite him. And like I said, I think we both need some time to ourselves." He picks up some shaving cream and throws it in the cart. "Where to next?"
"Let's get the lamp then the food," Ben responds, grabbing the cart and leading the way.
"Have you talked to Kurt about this?" Charlie asks, still walking next to Blaine.
"Kind of? We've...acknowledged that there's a problem. Or not a problem, but that there's definitely something blocking us from growing outward."
"Huh?"
"Ugh," Blaine groans, wringing his hands together. "We both know that there's something going on, but we haven't said it in so many words. Housing forms are due in a few weeks, so I guess we're gonna have to bring it up then."
"So who do you plan on living with then?" Charlie asks as Ben picks up a few different lamps, examining them.
"You have a roommate?" Blaine laughs sarcastically, assuming he'll have to be placed with a random roommate.
"I do now, partner!" Charlie says with an exaggeratedly obnoxious western cowboy accent, throwing his arm around Blaine's shoulder.
"You're not living with Ben?" Blaine whispers, not knowing if there was a fight between the two, and not wanting Ben to overhear their conversation.
"Of course I am. We're gonna get a suite! Duh," Charlie shakes his head, clasping Blaine on the back before walking up to Charlie and grabbing the lamp that's in his hand. "It's a fucking lamp. Just put it in the cart and let's go. I need to buy some bacon."
When a few weeks pass and the issue of housing next year hasn't been brought up, Blaine gets a little nervous. He's afraid that Kurt is just expecting that they will live together next year, and Blaine doesn't want to dash any of Kurt's hopes or expectations.
It's four days before housing forms are due, and Kurt and Blaine are hanging out on Blaine's bed watching TV. It's Wednesday and they both have plans to go out with different friends for dinner, but it's only five in the afternoon and they have a few hours before their friends are expecting them.
Kurt's sitting on his butt on the far end of the bed—back to the wall and legs dangling off the edge. Blaine's lying on his stomach, cheek resting on Kurt's thigh, watching the television while Kurt plays with his hair.
"If I say something about our relationship, do you promise not to get mad at me?" Kurt asks, apprehension evident in his voice.
It's enough to make Blaine seize up. He carefully lifts himself from his position and sits up so he can face Kurt and hear what he has to say.
"Of course," he responds firmly, though he's paralyzed with fear on the inside. He can't recall a single conversation with Kurt that started along these lines.
"About next year," Kurt starts, eyes wandering all over Blaine's face—never focusing on his eyes. Kurt rubs his hand through his hair, effectively messing it up, and letting out a deep sigh. "Our roommate request and housing forms are due soon," he finally settles on, staring at the door behind Blaine's left shoulder.
"Yeah," Blaine says, still looking at Kurt.
"We should fill them out." Kurt speaks slowly and carefully, and Blaine furrows his eyebrows in confusion.
"You're acting weird," he blurts out. "What's going on?"
"Shit. I'm sorry," Kurt sighs, looking up at the ceiling. "Fuck."
There's a moment of silence before Kurt looks at Blaine and continues.
"I really, really like you, Blaine. You know that right?"
Blaine nods his head quickly, affirming the statement.
"I just," Kurt continues, "think we should maybe not live….together next year?" Kurt's voice raises an octave, and ends in a stuttering and questioning tone.
"Oh," Blaine exhales. "We should probably, uhm, talk about this actually." Blaine takes a deep breath. "I agree."
"Oh. Okay. Can I ask why?"
"Huh?" Blaine questions, eyebrows furrowing.
Kurt looks back at Blaine with the same confusion written all over his face.
"Maybe we should start over," he says.
"I think that would be best, yes," Blaine agrees, wanting to clear the air and start this conversation from scratch so they're both on the same page.
"Okay. I think me and you should continue to date, but do so in different dorm rooms," Kurt says.
"I agree. I like you—a lot. But I think this is—this living together—is a lot of pressure, and I don't want it to ruin us or anything," Blaine explains.
"It's been hard, hasn't it?" Kurt asks, scooting closer to Blaine and grabbing his hand.
"Yeah, a bit. I wouldn't change it though. I'm just afraid of what will happen if we keep living together. And what if we did live together and we didn't work out. Then we'd be stuck in the same room for God knows how long," Blaine rants.
Kurt's slowly massaging Blaine's one hand and nodding along. When Blaine finishes speaking and he hides his face in his free hand, Kurt leans forward and grabs Blaine's chin, pulling it closer to he can kiss Blaine lightly.
"There," Kurt says. "Much better."
Blaine tries to smile, but it comes out a bit more like a grimace.
"What's wrong?" Kurt asks.
"Nothing," Blaine says.
Kurt looks at him skeptically.
Blaine sighs. "I was afraid to bring it up," he says quietly.
"Bring what up?" Kurt asks.
"Bring up the whole housing and roommate thing."
"Why?" Kurt's still rubbing Blaine's hand, and Blaine's finding it hard to look at Kurt.
"I didn't want to hurt your feelings, or for you to feel like I don't like you as much as I do."
"Well, that's…stupid, Blaine. That's really stupid," Kurt replies.
"It's stupid that I don't want to hurt your feelings?" Blaine deadpans.
"No. No, it's not. Let me try again." Kurt scoots even closer to Blaine, throwing his legs over Blaine's. "Don't stress out about this, okay? I like you, you like me. Neither of us think it's wise to live together next year, but not because we don't like each other. I just think we need our own space. But you're always welcome in my space. Seriously, Blaine. Next year I expect you to frequently be all up in my space."
Blaine grins, shaking his head a bit.
"I hope you'll be all up in my space, too."
"Oh, I will," Kurt ensures, voice loud and confident. "Blaine, I'll be completely up in your space. I'll be so up in your space that your space will be my space."
"Great. I'll be sure to keep an empty drawer for you," Blaine banters back quickly,, rubbing Kurt's nose with his own, happy that the tension he was feeling has left his body.
"Oh golly, what a swell boyfriend I have. Saving room in his trunk for me."
"If that's a sex joke, I refuse to hear it!" Blaine laughs, trying to push Kurt off his lap.
"Blaine," Kurt says, fake seriousness oozing out of him, "I would never make a joke about coitus."
"Uh huh," Blaine says, trying hard to hide a smile.
"Really, Blaine," Kurt's eyebrows are raised, eyes wide. "You must believe me. I'd never joke about your ass."
Blaine laughs and keeps pushing Kurt off his lap, but Kurt's arms are wrapped around his neck and Blaine's realizing all too well what those hours at the gym are doing to Kurt's upper arm strength.
"Hey Blaine, do you want to know what my favorite thing about your ass is?"
Blaine knows where this is going—knows how dirty Kurt can be. It's something his friends never expect, and every time Blaine tries to tell them that his boyfriend can be a little minx they never believe him, never believe that Kurt could be inappropriate or make sex jokes.
"Should we fill the paperwork out now?" Blaine asks, hoping to deter Kurt from continuing on with what he knows will be a terrible sex joke, appropriate for only a fifteen year old boy to say.
"When my dick is in it," Kurt replies anyway.
Blaine shakes his head, laughing. "You're terrible. Now go get your computer," he says with authority.
"Yeah yeah," Kurt says. He stands up and grabs his laptop off his desk before coming back to Blaine's bed. "Here," he hands Blaine the computer. "Log on. We can do yours first."
Blaine logs onto his University's Student Center and pulls up the Housing Form. He starts filling it out, pausing only when he gets to the Roommate Selection section.
"I have to confess something," he says, his voice wavering slightly. Kurt nods his head and Blaine continues. "I kind of already have people to live with next year."
"Well that's good," Kurt replies with confidence. "I'd hate for you to have to room with a rando. Let me guess, Charlie and Ben?"
Blaine blushes and nods.
"I'm living with Ever," Kurt shrugs, knocking his shoulder with Blaine's.
Blaine finishes filling out the rest of the form and hits Complete before logging out and giving it to Kurt so he can fill out his form.
"We probably should have talked about this sooner, right?" Blaine asks.
"Probably. I mean, if we've been having issues living with each other we should have brought it up."
"I don't have problems living with you!" Blaine rushes to say.
Kurt merely looks up from the screen and quirks an eyebrow. "Really?" He says, voice oozing with doubt.
"I don't! I just think that—"
"We have problems living together?" Kurt interrupts.
Blaine chuckles, "Yeah. Okay. Maybe."
"Then maybe we should talk about it now," Kurt suggests.
"You know what? I think I'd rather not. Let's just keep the line of communication open. Right now I have absolutely no problems living with you."
"Good. Because right now I have no problems living with you either," Kurt says as he closes his laptop and puts it on the dresser next to Blaine's bed. He grabs Blaine's shirt and pulls Blaine towards himself so Blaine ends up straddling Kurt's legs as Kurt lies on the bed. "Wanna have sex?" Kurt asks frankly.
"God yes," Blaine replies, leaning down to kiss Kurt.
"You know, I think I'm going to miss this," Kurt says.
It's the last week of school before finals, and Blaine and Kurt are naked in Kurt's bed, above the covers. It's incredibly warm outside—even hotter inside—and the two fans they have do little to cool them down. Blaine's lying with his head upon Kurt's chest, listening to Kurt's heart beat as his chest fills with air.
Breathe in, chest fills. Breathe out, chest falls.
"Miss what?" Blaine asks, holding Kurt closer and burying his face further into Kurt's warm neck.
"Miss living with you."
"We'll see each other all the time," Blaine replies, placing a feather light kiss on top of Kurt's heart and rubbing his nose there.
"Yeah, I know. But still, it was nice."
"I agree."
"You ready for the end of your freshman year?" Kurt asks.
Blaine thinks about it for a minute. He thinks about all the people he met. He thinks about how much he grew, emotionally and physically. He thinks about how awkward he was when he first came to college, and he thinks about how awkward he is now (awkward, yet confident and happy and at peace, he reminds himself). He rubs his hand over Kurt's chest as he thinks about all of the friends he's made and all of the tests he's passed (and all of the quizzes he's failed). He thinks about all of the aborted masturbation attempts, which leads to him thinking about all of the mutual masturbation and sex and sore asses and scratchy throats, and that month he went vegetarian after Kurt complained about the taste of his cum. He thinks about meeting Kurt, and kissing Kurt, and dating Kurt. And he thinks about what could happen next year if all this good stuff happened this year.
"I don't know," he responds. "I'm ready for summer, though."
"Yeah?" Kurt pokes him in the side, causing Blaine to jerk and laugh a bit.
"Hey! Watch out. Don't poke the man whose knee is dangerously close to your balls."
"You wouldn't dare!" Kurt warns.
"Try me," Blaine smiles.
Kurt pokes him again and again and again, and instead of kicking him in the balls, Blaine squirms down Kurt's body and starts licking his dick.
"Ew! That's so weird," Kurt laughs, trying to shoo Blaine off.
"Since when has a blow job been weird?!"
"This is not a blow job! You're tickling my dick with your tongue."
"I am not! I'm warming you up!" Blaine defends.
"Have I taught you nothing?" Kurt asks, faux exasperation hinting in his voice.
"Oh fine," Blaine says as he rolls his eyes, leaning down so he can suck Kurt's dick properly—the way Kurt likes it.
"Much better," Kurt sighs, hand coming to Blaine's hair. "Yeah, I'm definitely gonna miss this. No pesky roommates in our way."
Blaine comes off of Kurt's dick and lifts his head a bit. His lips are puffy and rosy, his eyes wide and innocent.
"I don't know. I think next year might actually be fun. I'll have a couch. We've never had sex on a couch!"
Kurt laughs and covers his eyes with his arm, pushing Blaine back down.
"You're right," he says. "We've never had sex on a couch."
Only an epilogue left. Let me know what you think.