A/N: A/N: This is long, and I didn't write it, but it's worth it to read it. I wish I could say who the OP was but I really have no idea. It is someone's opinions on 'Special Education', and they captured my thoughts exactly as well as putting it better than I ever could. So here it is:

I'll be the first to admit that my knee-jerk reaction to this episode was that the writers had done a poor job. I felt they'd strayed from Blaine's character almost entirely. However, the more I watch it (I've probably seen the K/B parts about 8 times now), the more I realize that this episodes' characterization of Blaine was perfect. Allow me to explain.

One of the comments we heard most often after "The Substitute" was that Blaine seemed more 'feminine' - for lack of a better word - than he seemed in "Never Been Kissed". After seeing this week's episode, this seemingly incongruous writing totally makes sense. At school we see one Blaine and elsewhere (particularly with Kurt) we see another. Now, certainly we all wear different hats and act more proper at some places than others, but it seems that Blaine is dealing with more than that - he's a bit repressed.

Kurt basically lives the definition of 'let your freak flag fly'; and while Blaine's natural freak flag may not be quite as freaky as Kurt's, he's lost something as a result of being bullied and choosing to come to Dalton.

Dalton is not gay Hogwarts - and thank goodness for that! Being at Dalton requires Blaine (and now Kurt) to fit a mold. Yes, they have strict policies against discrimination to protect Kurt and Blaine, but having such policies tends to dampen everyone's individuality. In "Never Been Kissed", Blaine fully admitted to Kurt that he ran away from his bullies, he didn't stand up to them.

Adding all this up, the Blaine we see in this latest episode - repressed Blaine - is completely in character.

Upon transferring to Dalton, Kurt receives a warbler - a singing bird in a cage - and in one of the final scenes Blaine explains that the bird has "got food, water and seems to like his cage." He reassures Kurt that Pavarotti will live just fine. All of Blaine's advice to Kurt in this episode really does come from a place of love and genuine desire to keep Kurt safe and help him fit in at Dalton - but this advice is warped by his repression.

It strikes me that Blaine has learned to be comfortable in his cage; while Kurt uses his cage only for overall protection and he is brave enough to almost immediately go back to visit McKinley (albeit he actively avoids Karofsky while he's there).

I'm frustrated that I didn't understand this dichotomy in Blaine on my own before, but I am so glad it's there. It makes him so much more real. I was very worried he was going to become Kurt's gay genie.

A great deal has been said about Blaine being Kurt's mentor, but not much has been said about what Kurt can give to him. Reciprocation is key in any relationship. Their dynamic needs to be balanced. Kurt can't do all the taking and now we know he won't.

Blaine spends the duration of this episode basically staring at and swooning over Kurt. Remember the song Blaine sang at sectionals?

Watching you is the only drug I need….you're the only one I'm dreaming of.
I can be myself and finally, in fact there's nothing I can't be.
I want the world to see you be with me.

The writers didn't pick that song by accident.

Blaine's the only one that laughs at Kurt's jokes and appreciates him fully because he was once very similar to Kurt. I am so excited to see how Kurt can have an impact on Blaine's life. I think in the end they will compliment each other nicely; even more than they do now.

There was a decent amount of hate flying around after this episode, people immediately changing their minds about their love for Blaine, but if anything, I love him more for his flaws. We all have them. We all have struggles.

I'm really glad these two boys have found each other so they can help each other to grow and mature in their own ways.

(xxx)

Okay so I think somebody asked about Blaine's scar? I forgot to mention this in the last chapter I posted, but honestly, no tragic back-story there. He wasn't abused or anything, no bad bully stories. Really, I just imagined him doing something incredibly stupid like accidentally biking into a parked car or something (not that I've ever done that... or anything... not that I have a scar to prove it...)

So I've been freaking out over this particular chapter, writing and re-writing it for over two weeks (not kidding or exaggerating). That's why it's super-long- I just could NOT figure out where to break it off to make it into 2 chapters. So finally I said "screw it" and I'm posting it as a Christmas gift to you guys. I hope you enjoy, but if you don't, don't hate me. This is the chapter I've been most uncertain about, for a really long time. Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Generic Disclaimer of not owning Glee. Insert witty comment here.

"I think that's the last of it," Blaine said, latching his suitcase shut and folding his black wool peacoat over his arm. "You got everything, Kurt?"

Kurt turned away from the window, frowning. "I feel bad."

Blaine sighed, pulling Kurt into a hug before chuckling. "Don't. Your dad doesn't know me from Adam. Why would he let me spend break at your house when it's your first Christmas together as a family?"

"I still feel bad."

"Don't," said Blaine again. "I'll be with Wes. And it's isn't as if your father said I couldn't visit a few times. Just that I can't stay the vacation. Wes' house is only two hours from yours. I'll visit every other day, if you want me to."

"Every day," Kurt said, his voice muffled by Blaine's sweater.

Blaine laughed, a thrill running through him at Kurt's words. He pulled back. "I think that might make your dad the tiniest bit angry."

Kurt smirked. "Maybe a little. Come visit anyway."

"Trust me, after one day with Wes' family, I'll be begging to visit you," Blaine said. "Do you need me to help you carry your things out?"

"No," Kurt said, rather stubbornly. "But you may walk me to my father's car, if you like."

In the end, Blaine did end up carrying one of Kurt's suitcases and he and Burt greeted each other warmly, shaking hands and exchanging pats on the back.

"I'm going to go check you out with the Dean," Burt said, patting his son's shoulder. "Blaine, if you leave before I come back-" the two of them shook hands, and Burt left, trudging away through the snow.

"Ready to go?" Wes asked from behind him. Blaine jumped, then stared at him. Was he going crazy, or was that possibly the most normal thing Wes had ever said?

David appeared behind Wes, toting his own suitcase. He looked pissed.

"I'm driving you home?" Blaine asked in surprise.

"No," David corrected, shoving his bag in the trunk. "You're driving me to Wes' with you, because apparently I can't go home either. Partly due to the fact that my parents ditched me for a second honeymoon to fucking France."

"What's the other part?" Kurt asked curiously.

"David's dependency issues," Wes said, wisely. "He doesn't know how to be apart from me."

David moodily opened the back door and tried to slouch into the car, but was blocked by Wes.

"David does attach himself to you rather like an octopus, but with less limbs," Blaine observed thoughtfully. Kurt snorted from beside him.

"No shit, Sherlock," Wes said, trying to pry David's arms off his leg.

"But you're also strangely attached to him. You cried the first time you didn't have a class together," Blaine pointed out.

David, who had been pouting before now, perked up at this. "Really?"

"No," Wes said, vehemently, but his rapidly shifting eyes gave him away.

"You do care," David cried happily, throwing himself into Wes' arms.

"Flaming homos," Blaine muttered as the two fell, tangled, into his backseat.

"I will never understand the dynamics of your friendship with each other." Kurt rolled his eyes, but he was grinning.

The corners of Blaine's mouth turned up. "Text me when you get home." He wrapped his arms around Kurt.

"I'll see you soon," Kurt whispered in his ear, as Burt's shape appeared once again through the light snowfall, clutching a few papers in his hand.

Blaine stood back and just looked at Kurt for a moment, memorizing the image before him. White flakes of snow peppered his hair like confetti, his cheeks and nose were an attractive shade of pink. His eyes were a light green-gray today, sparkling in the morning air. Their breath puffed in warm clouds around them, mingling together.

"Bye, Kurt," he whispered, and Kurt smiled (with his teeth, for once).

He watched Kurt drive away with a sinking feeling in his stomach at the thought of having to go two weeks without Kurt's familiar breathing lulling him to sleep every night.

Don't be a baby, the voice in his head (which bore and uncanny resemblance to David) chided him. Your co-dependence upon him is sickening.

Get out of my head, Blaine snapped, then questioned his own sanity.

xxxx

"DAVID!"

Wes winced, then turned to David and began to speak rapidly. "I do apologize for my sister she still has an unhealthy obsession with you she stole your school picture from me and made a collage of your future wedding with her just try not to encourage her in any way or I'll never hear the end of it and-"

Before he could finish, however, he was cut off by a flying mass of pink and yellow fur, which flew out of nowhere and landed on David, knocking him over.

Blaine watched as Sarah smothered David' face in kisses, and tried to suppress a laugh. Wes was pulling on his blazer, frowning. He was used to all of David' attention being on him, rather than the rapidly jabbering nut of a seven-year-old sister he had to deal with during summers and major holidays.

"I'm going to go put all our stuff up in your room," Blaine said to Wes.

"Sure, sure," Wes said, waving an absent hand and fixing his nonexistent laser-beam eyes on his sister. "I know Krav Maga," he whispered, seemingly no longer aware of Blaine's presence.

Blaine chuckled to himself, heading upstairs. Once he was a safe distance from possible ridicule, he checked his phone.

1 new text.

KURT: So... Finn is talking about football. He's following me around, talking about football. And my/our room is... I want to cry.

Blaine's thumbs quickly traveled across his keyboard.

BLAINE: Take a shower.

KURT: Wes...?

BLAINE: No, really, it's Blaine. I find that the best way to re-acquaint oneself with one's home is to take a shower.

KURT: Wow. I never would have thought of that. I'll do that while Finn takes a breather from his football rant. I'll be back in about 30 min.

Do NOT picture Kurt in the shower, Blaine told himself firmly.

Too late.

Maybe it was time for a nice, cold shower himself.

He stripped down, digging through his bag for a towel, then padded into the bathroom, turning on the shower- to the coldest temperature he could possibly make it.

David banged on the door. "Don't use up all the hot water, Blaine! I want a shower next."

Wes' voice, slightly muffled by the bathroom door: "Oh, he won't be using any hot water. He's still got a fresh image of Kurt in his head. Wasn't he wearing those kinky plaid bondage shorts again today?"

Laughter.

Then Sarah's voice: "what does that mean?"

"I'll tell you when you're older, kid."

And their footsteps faded away.

Blaine leaned back against the shower wall, running a hand through his hair and sighing. Once he'd sufficiently... cooled down, he turned the water to a slightly warmer setting and went through a normal bathing routine, which for Blaine included singing an eight and a half minute rendition of "American Pie" into his bar of soap.

Just as he stepped out of the shower, his phone buzzed- uncanny timing.

Blaine, still dripping wet, picked it up and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Blaine?"

Just his voice sent a rush of warmth through him. "Kurt, what's up?"

"Er." Kurt sounded slightly nervous, but Blaine couldn't imagine why. "My dad was wondering... uh, Christmas Eve is sort of a big deal to Carole and now I guess it's a big deal to Dad, too. Anyway, we're having a small party and Dad wanted me to invite you. I apologize for the short notice."

Blaine was grinning like a fool. "I would love to, Kurt." He said, happily. "I just ask for fair warning so I can prepare myself- who's going to be there?"

"Uhm, my grandma, a few of Finn's relatives, and New Directions."

Blaine's grin slipped a little. "I'm meeting your Glee Club?"

"Well, they're not exactly my Glee Club anymore, are they?" Kurt teased. "Yes. You're meeting my friends. Are... you okay with that?" he sounded uncertain again.

"Yes!" Blaine said, a little too loudly. He quieted himself. "I mean, yes, sorry. I would love to meet your friends. I'm just nervous, you know. First impressions and all that."

"Well, you've already met Mercedes," Kurt said, "and she told me she likes you. You'll win over Santana in like, two seconds because you're h- attractive," (Blaine tried so hard not to notice that Kurt seemed to switch words abruptly here), "And you've sort of met Rachel and she can be bossy but she only wants me to be happy so she'll like you."

"Are you saying you're happy when you're with me?" Blaine teased, not anticipating the serious answer he received in return.

"Yes. Very much so."

A swarm of excitable jellyfish seemed to have filled his veins. "Thank you."

There was a moment of silence, then Kurt hurried on. "Puck might give you a hard time, but don't worry about him. You already know Sam and he has a pretty high opinion of you so that'll influence Quinn's opinion. Artie likes your voice and Brittany likes your hair, Mike's really easy going and so is Tina. And Mr. Schue- well, I've told him about you."

What have you told him? Blaine's mind begged, but he simply said, "he looked pissed at Sectionals."

"We were good. He was threatened. So you don't mind coming?"

"It's an honor, Kurt."

He heard a light sigh on the other end. "Perfect," Kurt said, quickly. "So I've got to go get dressed-" (Oh lord, there went his brain again) "-and help get everything ready. Could you get here around, say, six?"

"Sounds great," Blaine replied. "I can't wait to see you."

"I'll be counting down the minutes. Bye, Blaine."

"Bye, Kurt."

He spent the next five minutes dancing around the bathroom in nothing but a towel. His celebrations ended only when he slipped on a puddle of water and hit the floor, hard.

"Mother f-"

xxxx

Wes fixed Blaine's collar, then stepped back beside David to admire his handiwork.

"They grow up so fast, don't they?" he asked fondly.

David patted at his eyes with a tissue. "I'm tearing up a little."

"I'm right here, you know," Blaine said.

"Aw, don't cry," Wes ignored Blaine. "There will still be room in Blaine's heart for us, even when he and Kurt move in together and have their big gay wedding."

David perked up. "I call Best Man!"

"No," Wes said, scowling, and smacked David across the arm. "I get to be best man."

"Why you?" David whined.

"Because I'm manlier, and because I can go all Krav Maga on either of their asses if they get cold feet."

"Goddammit, Wes, then what do I get to be?"

"The Maid of Honor!"

"GUYS!"

Both boys turned to look at Blaine, who had his arms crossed impatiently. "I have to leave in five minutes. Is this okay?"

"Very handsome," Wes said, reassuringly. "I approve of your style choice."

"I'm wearing the Dalton Uniform." Blaine said, uncertainly. He really didn't have anything else in his closet that would be appropriate for a party setting.

"And it's very handsome." Wes replied, tossing Blaine's car keys at him.

Blaine rolled his eyes and headed towards the door.

"Make good choices!"

"Back by twelve!" David added. "Unless, of course, you and Kurt are getting it on, in which case by all means stay as long as you like!"

"I hate you all," Blaine muttered under his breath, searching his coat pocket for a chapstick.

Kurt called an hour into his drive to Lima.

"Hey, Blaine?"

"Yes?"

"Are the roads getting icy? My dad has been watching the news, and he's worried you might spin out or something."

"Um, a little slippery right now, but nothing I can't handle. I'm about an hour away."

"And it's five o'clock on the dot. Always so punctual."

"It's a flaw of mine," Blaine agreed. "I'll see you soon, Kurt."

It appeared as if the party was already in full swing when Blaine arrived an hour later. He pulled up against the sidewalk, wondering just how many relatives Finn had.

Kurt must've been watching for his car, though, because he was out the door and down the walkway before Blaine had even reached the end of the driveway. He ran to Blaine, slipping a little on the slick pavement. There was a moment of awkward hesitation, before Kurt tackled Blaine. They both fell to the ground, limbs tangled together, and for a moment neither of them moved.

Blaine automatically folded into the embrace, reveled in it, thanking any God that might exist for this amazing boy who, at the moment, was entirely focused on him.

He could feel Kurt's skin against his neck, then Kurt's mouth moved, and the feeling of it against Blaine's throat sent shivers down his spine. "I'm so happy you came."

"I am, too," Blaine said, sincerely. "Now go introduce me to your friends."

Kurt stood up, pulling Blaine with him, and kept that hand attached to Blaine's. "This way, if I go down, you'll either catch me or go down with me," he explained as they neared the front door, but Blaine couldn't shake the feeling of a boyfriend about to be introduced to his significant other's parents. Except, in this case, his friends.

"Blaine's here!" Kurt called as he opened the door, and almost instantly Sam barreled into the hall, Rock Band guitar still in his hand.

"Good, because you've been at the window waiting for him since-" Sam cleared his throat. "I mean, Dude!" He rushed forward to hug him. Blaine, taken a little by surprise over the very blond hair on Sam's head, hugged him back, and tried to gage the difference in the way Sam hugged him verses the way Kurt hugged him. The only thing that seemed to be different was the length of the hug, and the tackling-to-the-ground part.

"Quinn!" Sam yelled at Kurt's door, holding Blaine at arm's length. "Dude, you look great. Haven't gotten any taller, I see."

"What on earth have you done to your hair?" Blaine asked, and both Sam and Kurt laughed.

A very pretty blond girl rounded the corner, one Blaine recognized from Kurt's various photos of the McKinley High New Directions on their corkboard back at Dalton. This must be Quinn Fabray.

"Hi, I'm Blaine," he said, reaching out for a handshake.

"Quinn," she responded, taking it. "Kurt has told us a lot about you." She shot a grin at the boy in question. Blaine slid his eyes to the side to see that Kurt was blushing. Furiously. And making a "kill the conversation" sort of gesture.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Quinn."

Quinn laughed. "What a gentleman. You're exactly how Kurt described you, too."

He was longing, longing to know how Kurt had described him. But he refused to sound desperate and ask.

Mercedes joined them in the hall, and pulled Blaine into an unexpected hug. "Blaine, nice to see you, boy!"

Surprised but pleased (Mercedes had always sort of given off the 'I'll-cut-you' vibe to him), Blaine hugged her back. Mercedes handed him a Rock Band microphone. "Okay, white boy. Let's see how dreamy you can sing without a host of boys behind you."

She linked arms with Kurt to drag him downstairs to Kurt's bedroom. He rolled his eyes apologetically at Blaine.

A blond girl in a cheerleading uniform was leaning back on Kurt's immaculately made bed, next to an attractive Latino girl- Santana Lopez; Blaine recognized her from their encounter in the McKinley cafeteria. A boy in a wheelchair was rocking out on the other Rock Band guitar, while Finn attacked the drums. An Asian couple was making out on the couch, and Puck was sitting on a beanbag in the corner, clutching his lawn gnome possessively. Rachel Berry was nowhere to be seen, although her voice could be heard overhead.

Kurt cleared his throat. Finn looked up, missing a couple notes, and his face lit up. He paused the game.

"Blaine! Man!" He yelled, getting up to slap Blaine on the back. "Sorry, man- If you didn't know- I'm Finn. Kurt's brother. He's told me so much-" he caught Kurt's eye and fell silent.

"Blaine, this is Finn Hudson," Kurt said, primly. "And that's Artie, Tina, Mike, and Brittany. I think you already know Santana and Puck."

At this, Puck clutched his lawn gnome more tightly against him.

Blaine smirked.

From above, there was a general, scattered call of "PIZZA'S HERE!"

It was amazing how quickly the New Directions gang packed up their various sources of entertainment (laptops, Rock Band, each other) and raced up the stairs, somehow picking up Artie and his wheelchair on the way out.

In the sudden silence, Kurt and Blaine looked at each other.

"Have I told you how much I love your eyes?" Kurt asked softly, reaching out- and Blaine's heart got caught in his throat at the sudden butterflies that consumed his stomach.

"Kurt-"

There was a light thudding down the stairs, and Rachel Berry's face poked around the wall. "Are you two coming? I'm Rachel Berry, by the way. Lead singer of New Directions." she held out a hand.

Blaine suppressed his smile, maintaining a serious expression. "Kurt has told me. It's a pleasure to meet you, Rachel."

"You're a worthy opponent," Rachel informed him. "You have a lot of talent and you clearly make Kurt happy. So I approve of you."

Blaine caught Kurt giving Rachel his "bitch-I-will-cut-you" face, an expression he knew all too well after introducing him to Wes and David.

"Well, Kurt makes me happy, too," Blaine said, smiling at Kurt, and the other boy's expression softened.

Rachel shot Kurt a look that Blaine didn't quite catch, and hurried up the stairs.

"Do you own anything besides your Dalton Uniform?" Kurt asked, fingering the fabric. "I'm beginning to think of you as a cartoon character, with nothing but the same outfit lined up a thousand times in your closet."

"Come on, lovebirds," came Quinn's voice from the top of the stairs.

Dinner was something Blaine wasn't used to, in the way that it was done. As crazy as the Warblers were, they had never been quite like this. Mercedes, Artie, and Rachel were all singing different songs to themselves around the table, and nobody threw a book at them to get them to shut up (which had happened to Blaine more times than he cared to count or admit to). Brittany and Mike danced as they served the food, and didn't slip or fall. Everybody complained loudly and threw sharp cynicisms at each other, but they also loved each other so deeply- that much was obvious. It was obvious in the way that, when Beth (who Blaine figured out was Quinn's daughter) was mentioned, both Mercedes and Kurt reached for Quinn's hands. It was obvious in the stories they told, ones where Finn wore a shower curtain and Kurt threw a slushie in his own face and Puck spent two days in a port-o-potty. It was obvious in how, when Karofsky's name was mentioned, Sam's jaw tightened, Finn's smile faded, and Puck cracked his knuckles ominously.

"He taught the whole football team how to dance," Finn told the table proudly, and Kurt buried his face in his hands.

Blaine found his foot under the table and linked their ankles together. Kurt's hand slipped off his face and under the table, finding Blaine's hand with his own.

Blaine, with much difficulty, ate with his left hand for the rest of the meal.

"Remember when he had that 14-minute French solo at Nationals last year?" Quinn said, fondly, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

He ducked, scowling.

"Nationals? For what?" Blaine asked. It couldn't have been for Glee- he knew that New Directions (unfairly) had not made it past Regionals last year.

"The Cheerios, of course."

When Blaine still continued to look puzzled, Brittany, Santana, Quinn, and Kurt all sighed. "It's the Cheerleading Squad at McKinley, Blaine," Kurt said.

Blaine suddenly felt ridiculously and uncomfortably hot.

Kurt had been a cheerleader?

He tried not to picture it. He really did. But it was so difficult when three of the girls who were sitting around the table were wearing the uniform.

"You were a cheerleader?" Blaine asked Kurt. He could feel his palm growing sweaty under Kurt's and hoped to God Kurt couldn't feel it too.

Kurt shrugged. "Yeah."

"He helped us win Nationals." Brittany said.

"He's amazing." Surprisingly, this came from Santana.

Blaine smiled a little, pushing thoughts away. Inappropriate thoughts that were not good to think in front of all of Kurt's closest friends. "I bet."

"Finn, could you bring out the dessert?" Carole called from the adult's table.

Finn stood up amicably enough, but then said, "Blaine? You want to help me?"

Surprised, Blaine stood up, trying to discreetly disentangle himself from Kurt. As he followed Finn into the kitchen, he caught Quinn and Artie exchanging knowing smirks.

In the kitchen, Finn was pulling oven mitts on. "You know, I bet he still has that uniform, if you asked him."

Blaine choked.

Finn snorted, pulling an apple pie out of the oven and setting it on the cooling rack on the stove. "What, you think I don't see the way you look at him? I may not be as smart as Kurt but I'm not as naive as he is. You really like him, don't you?"

"Very much," Blaine admitted softly.

"I can tell," Finn said. "Look, I won't tell him, because that would ruin things. But please tell me you're going to do something about this."

"I don't know." Blaine sighed. "I don't want to mess this up. I'm the first openly gay guy Kurt has ever met. I don't want him going for me just because I'm gay, or just because he's finally wanted by somebody."

Finn's forehead crinkled. "So he's never told you about Harry?"

"Harry?" Blaine repeated.

"The guy he went on a- he really never told you?"

Bewildered, Blaine shook his head.

"He told us about it. All of us, when we kidnapped him. Guys are interested in him, Blaine, it isn't just you anymore. And Kurt knows they are. But he still only looks at you like you're- Jesus, or something. He told us it didn't feel right, being with Harry. It's not at all that it's because of what you are, Blaine- it's because of who you are."

"That's probably the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," Sam said.

They both jumped, and turned to see Sam, who was leaning against a counter. "Hi, I'm Sam. I'm part of the rest of the dinner party you two ditched when you went to get dessert eight minutes ago. Finn, people are starting to question your sexuality."

"I'm not gay!" Finn said, a little panicky.

"And I think Kurt might be getting jealous." Sam picked up the a chocolate pie from the counter. "Finn, bring this is. I got it from here."

They waited until Finn was gone, then he took a step closer to Blaine. "Kurt's a good kid," Sam said, quietly. "But I could see as soon as I got to McKinley that he was lonely. He had nobody. And I mean nobody. Nobody to open up to and nobody to love him the way he deserves to be loved. I mean, he's a high school kid. High school is tough enough already, without having to feel so horribly alone all the time. When I showed him kindness, it was like he'd never experienced that from a guy his age. It was so sad, Blaine, and he reminded me so much of you, when you first transferred to Dalton."
Blaine's heart hurt. He'd known Kurt had been lonely. But to hear it said aloud by someone at McKinley who'd noticed something was different.

"So he needs you, Blaine," Sam continued. "Sure, he needed you as a friend, he still does. You're one of his best friends now because he can tell you everything. He needs that the most. But now, Blaine, he needs something else, too. And maybe I'd understand your... reluctance if you didn't feel that way, but everyone at the table saw how you looked at him. You want him, so go for him. He needs that. Not just because he needs a boyfriend, but because he needs you. If he just needed a boyfriend, he would have gone for the first guy who had the balls to ask him out, who incidentally was not you. But he didn't."

Sam leaned closer. "Just make a move, dude. Soon. Figure out how to do it in your own cheesy, Warbler, Potter and Katy Perry obsessed way, but do it soon. Because the rest of us are sick of you two holding hands under the table and pretending it doesn't mean anything."

"I-" Blaine stammered, feeling his face flood with red.

"Caught you," Sam said, winking. He was only smirking a little. "Come on, let's get back to the party."

Blaine followed him, feeling as if he'd been hit over the head with a brick- struck dumb.

Kurt had to like him. He had to. Why else would two of his friends (one of them his step-brother, no less) tell him to get a move on?

Back in the dining room, Blaine was surprised to find that most of the people had dispersed. Dessert wasn't as formal an affair as dinner had been, and many had taken their plates into the living room to watch whatever game was currently on TV.

Sam handed him a plate with a large piece of chocolate pie on it. "Your favorite. Remember when your mom would send you one of these every week?"

Blaine laughed. "She still does. Lucky I'm on the swim team or I'd be obese."

Sam cleared his throat slightly, then nodded his head toward the window.

Kurt was sitting cross-legged on a chair, looking out at the snow falling outside. An untouched slice of cake sat on a plate, balanced on his knees.

He didn't turn as Blaine sat down in a chair across from him. "It's getting really nasty outside."

"It is," Blaine agreed.

"Most of New Directions is staying over my house, minus Mike and Rachel," Kurt said, still watching the snow drift past. "The roads are too icy for most of them to go home. They'll leave early Christmas morning to get home. You should stay, too. It's a two-hour drive back to Eaton. And I don't want you driving in that."

"I'd love to, of course, but I don't want to impose on your time with your friends," Blaine said politely.

"They want to get to know you," Kurt said, finally breaking his zombie-esque stare-off with the snow. "Sam likes you, Finn likes you-"

"Finn likes me?"

"Yes." Kurt shrugged. "It was weird. After you guys disappeared to get dessert, and Sam went to find you, Finn came back and sat down and patted my knee with this weird smile on his face. Then he said 'I like him'." Kurt smiled slightly. "Santana and Puck were waging on whether you two were having a gay love fest in there."

"We just talked," Blaine said. "About football, World of Warcraft... you..."

"What about me?" Kurt asked. The tips of his ears were a very adorable shade of pink.

"Where's everyone else?" Blaine asked, standing up.

"My room. I think they're trying to get a band together."

"I have to get down there to claim my spot!" Blaine cried, his eyes widening. He pulled Kurt up with him. "Hurry!"

He tried to ignore the pointed stares each member of New Directions was giving him as he pulled Kurt into the basement room by his hand.

"Microphone," Blaine declared.

Tina handed it to him. "Go for it."

He chose "Somebody to Love" by Queen and sang the entire song staring directly at Kurt, wondering how much more obvious he could be.

Judging by the smirks on all of New Direction's faces and the way Kurt turned completely red, not much.

When Blaine opened his eyes, it was still dark.

The basement was a ridiculous modge-podge of people, just piled together all over each other. Blaine could feel somebody's head on his stomach, someone's legs tangled up with his, and somebody else pressed up against his side. He was almost certain that the last one was Kurt- their hands were twined together- but he couldn't for the life of him tell who the other two were.

Nothing breaks the ice with people quite like sleeping with them, Blaine thought, then tried really hard not to laugh. A little chuckle escaped his mouth without his permission, and a voice floated over to him.

"Hello?"

"Brittany?"

"Are you my conscience?"

Blaine laughed. Out of all the girls in New Directions, Brittany had to be his favorite. With her easy acceptance of both him and Kurt and her strange way of thinking, she was like a breath of fresh air.

"No, it's Blaine."

"Hi, Blaine! I tried to turn on the light, but everything stayed dark. Do you think we might be in a horror movie?"

"I think it's more likely that the power's out," Blaine whispered back. "The storm last night was pretty severe."

"Do you love Kurt?"

The question was so random and unexpected that it took Blaine's breath away.

"Of course I do. Don't you?"

Brittany actually sounded impatient. "Not like that. I mean, do you love him like I love Artie? Or Rachel loves Finn or Sam loves Quinn?"

"You mean romantically?"

"Yes."

He could have given her a simple answer, and he knew Brittany would have been satisfied with that. But he found himself saying so much more. It was something about the darkness that made it feel so secure to spill secrets.

"I have tried so hard not to fall for him," said Blaine, "because I want him to take things on his own time. To be comfortable in his skin and the fact that he's now in a place where he won't be ridiculed anymore for who or what he is. And I think he's getting there. He frequently gives fashion advice to the quarterback, and he's teaching the kicker how to dance. But as of right now, he's only getting there. He needs to be all the way there before I try to pursue anything romantic with him, no matter how much I may want to. Right now, I'm being his mentor. I'm teaching him a lot of things, but he's teaching me things, too. That I can be a part of Dalton and fit in and also be myself. For so long I tried so hard to be just another Dalton boy that I forgot what it meant to be an individual. When I'm around him, I remember. He's so unashamedly him, so confidently unique, that I'm beginning to remember how to be that too. So to answer your question, Brittany- yes. I do love him. I tried so hard not to, but I do. I just can't do anything about it until I'm sure he's ready."

Brittany was silent for a moment. "That was nice," she said, finally. "I didn't understand all of it, but it was nice. He likes you. He thinks you're dapper, which sounds like a name a duck would have."

Blaine laughed, a little too loudly. He quieted immediately. "Dapper. Oh, wow. Uh, not something I've ever heard from someone who wasn't Wes or David."

"I'm glad you love him," Brittany said. "He needs some love. I tried to love him like that, but he didn't love me back because I'm not a boy."

"That does tend to put a damper on things," Blaine said reasonably.

The lights flicked on, and as Blaine's eyes adjusted, he realized every single person in the room-minus one- was awake. And had been awake for his entire speech. Tina, the one who was tangled up in his legs, was grinning up at him. Quinn, whose head was pillowed on his stomach, had a smirk that covered her whole face.

Blaine felt like sinking into the floor and never coming out again, save for one thing- Kurt was still asleep, tucked sweetly up against Blaine's shoulder.

"How are all of you awake, and he's asleep?" Blaine demanded, trying to sound angry in as quiet a way as was possible.

"When you started your speech, Brittany poked Santana, who woke up Finn, who hit Artie, who woke up Puck, who woke Mercedes, who shook Tina, who woke up Quinn, who woke up me," said Sam. "So I only really caught the ending. It was enough to make me hear your declaration of love for Kurt, though."

At the sound of his name, the boy shifted, blinking his eyes open.

"Why's it so bright?" he asked groggily, before his eyes rested on Blaine's face. "Oh, hello. Good morning."

"Good morning to you too, bedhead," Blaine teased, ignoring the various gagging noises from around the room.

"Don't look at my hair," Kurt panicked.

"Too late. I've seen it. It's adorable."

"Get a room," Santana called.

"We have one," Blaine called back. "But you're in it, sweetheart."

"Okay, Blaine, stop."

Blaine laughed, detaching himself from Quinn and Tina. "I think we all need to get ready to go home."

"Presents!" Finn cried, jumping up with a childlike gleam in his eye.

Blaine felt a rush of fondness for the boy, for whom Kurt obviously cared for so much. And the feeling was mutual, he realized, as Finn mussed his "little brother"'s hair and threw Kurt's high-tech hair towel at him. "Get showered so we can go open them!"

"I feel disgusting," Quinn said. "Look at my hair."

"You always look beautiful to me," Sam said, and Blaine noticed the way Quinn blushed and smiled- so similar to the way Kurt would whenever Blaine paid him a compliment.

So it was true, then. Kurt liked him. As more than a friend. He let the realization wash over him, and then let the second realization that it didn't matter how much he liked Kurt or Kurt liked him, he had to wait until he was sure Kurt was ready.

One by one, New Directions packed up to go home. Finn was yawning as he said goodbye to Mercedes, who was the last one to go.

"Don't leave yet, Blaine," Finn said as Blaine stood up. "Kurt would want to say goodbye even if he didn't have a present to give you."

"I wasn't leaving," Blaine grinned. "I was actually heading out to my car to get Kurt's present."

A grin broke Finn's face. "Kurt'll be happy."

They headed up the stairs together, Finn making a break for the living room and Blaine heading out to his car. He retrieved the package and headed back to the living room to wait for Kurt.

Finn was tearing through his stocking and Blaine was on the couch, somewhat watching him, when Kurt appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Good morning, Kurt," Blaine said, waving a little with the hand that wasn't holding his gift.

Kurt was holding a present in his hands, too, and appeared a little awkward. "Merry Christmas," he said, moving to sit beside Blaine. He placed his gift gently on the other boy's lap. Blaine repeated the gesture with his own present.

"You first," Kurt said, a little nervously.

Blaine undid the perfectly tied bow, and slowly unwrapped the wrapping paper. He was one of those anal-retentive types who couldn't just tear the damn wrapping paper off. He had to fold it. Very gently.

He could tell Kurt was getting impatient, so he finished unwrapping and lifted the lid to the box.

A cashmere sweater, dark green, v-neck.

"Oh my god," he breathed, lifting the sweater from the box. "Kurt, this must have cost you-"

Kurt waved an impatient hand. "Black Friday sale. But that's not important. Do you like it?"

"It's lovely," Blaine said, and it really was. He slipped it on over the t-shirt he'd borrowed from Kurt, then held his arms out. It was unbelievably soft. "So what do you think?"

"I was right about it going with your eyes," Kurt said, smugly.

Blaine raised an eyebrow, but decided not to comment on Kurt knowing the exact coloring of his eyes (especially since he had long ago memorized the color of Kurt's- glasz, a sort of blue-gray-green color).

"Open yours," he said instead, softly, tapping the present in Kurt's lap.

Kurt, surprisingly, was the tear-off-the-wrapping-paper kind of person. He ripped off the silvery wrappings, opening the small velvet box.

His jaw dropped.

Blaine swallowed. He knew this was a big step for both of them to take- from friends to maybe sort of something more.

"This is-" he seemed speechless. "It's lovely, Blaine."

"It" was a necklace- more of a pendant, really. A small bird flying on a round silver oval, twined with vines. Blaine had purposely checked the box at least four times for a price tag, knowing that Kurt would feel guilty if he ever found out just how much the gift had cost. It wouldn't matter that Blaine could more than afford it.

"Pavarotti?" Kurt guessed, running his fingers over the bird's wings.

Blaine shook his head. "No, you. He can fly, unlike Pavarotti. I had them carve your name into the feathers. Subtly, of course."

Kurt traced the letters with his fingers, looking a little shell-shocked. He turned it over.

On the back, engraved in simple, bold letters, was one word: "courage".

Kurt lifted it and clasped it around his neck, stroking at the thin chain with one hand. "It's perfect. It's amazing, Blaine."

Blaine smiled slightly. The words were on the tip of his tongue- It's a locket, I have the key. He could feel the cold weight of the silvery metal key on its own chain hidden under his shirt. But he refrained. This wasn't how he was going to tell Kurt. He was going to make it special. He had to.

Blaine sighed. "I'd really like to spend more time with you, but you need family time for your first Christmas together, and Wes and David are expecting me home. So I'd better go."

Kurt bade him a resigned goodbye, walking him to the door. As he got into his car, he could've sworn he heard a wistful countertenor voice drifting softly out of the house he'd just left.

But baby, it's cold outside...

A/N: holycrap long chapter. for me, anyway. 11 pages in Word (13 including the author's note).

I finally know where this story is going to end!

I struggled for a long time over what Blaine and Kurt should give each other as Christmas presents. I finally settled on those presents because clothing and jewelry are generally presents you only give people when you are dating them. I think at this point, Kurt and Blaine are both hinting heavily at something to each other.

Also, you didn't hear about Harry during my one-shot, and I'm sorry about it. It was brought up during dinner between them. The basic story is that Harry asked Kurt out to dinner, and they both decided at the end of the dinner that they'd both gone on the date for all the wrong reasons. I may post a one-shot for it later on.

Wow.

You guys. You. Are. Awesome. Your reviews make me insanely happy, they really do, and they inspire me to write more.

Who has seen Darren Criss singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"? If you haven't, go watch it. He's wearing a frikkin' DALTON SWEATSHIRT.

Quote of FOREVER (never mind the day): "Kurt might be feeling a little, you know, jittery butterflies for Blaine." -Chris Colfer

Does anyone else believe that maybe Blaine doesn't own any clothes besides his Dalton uniform? The more we see of him, the more I believe it. It's just bizarre, in my opinion.

Okay. Review!