"I got an earlier flight," Kurt says as he drives Blaine's car home. "Dad dropped me off at the school. I wanted to be the one to tell you."

Blaine sits stunned, not really able to take in the fact that not only does he not need to suffer mental torment for the next four days, he also gets four whole days with the Hummels. Four days and nights.

"Yes, Blaine," Kurt laughs. "Four days and nights."

"My mom didn't mind?" Blaine asks, twisting in his seat and not noticing his inner voice had spoken once more.

"I'm assuming not," Kurt says lightly, and drives on.

He knows she didn't mind, of course, because Burt had told him. The second Blaine had left for school on Monday morning, Burt had been across the road like a shot. Knocking on the door he waited, dismayed when Spencer answered.

"Morning," he said politely, and Spencer nodded in return. "So Blaine tells me you have plans for Thanksgiving," he started, feeling a little nervous. "And I was just wondering if maybe you'd rather Blaine stayed here with me for the long weekend. I mean..."

"Okay," Spencer shrugged. "Angie!" he called over his shoulder. "Hummel said Blaine can stay with him for the weekend."

"Oh thank goodness!" had come the reply. "That will be so much better. At least we can relax without worrying about him being miserable. Thanks, Mr. Hummel."

"No worries," Burt had muttered. "I'll pick him up from school on Wednesday."

"Good," Spencer nodded, then closed the door and carried on with his day.

Seeing Blaine again makes Kurt feel like he can breathe. As if for the past five weeks he's been suffocating under some invisible pressure and suddenly, as soon as his face comes into view, it lifts. The strangest thing for Kurt in all of this, and the bit he can't fathom no matter how hard he tries, is that the longing and need is not entirely sexual.

He wants him, for sure, and when he casts a sideways glance and catches Blaine biting his lip in anticipation of the weekend, his stomach lurches in the best possible way, but when he had first seen him, instead of dragging him into a fierce kiss, all he had managed to utter was "hold me," and what was that all about?

"What's what about?" Blaine asks, and Kurt frowns.

"Huh?"

"You said what's that all about."

"I didn't."

Blaine laughs softly, "You did."

"I did not," Kurt snaps, embarrassed and annoyed. "It's you who talks out loud when he's thinking, not me."

"But I'm adorable," Blaine says smugly and Kurt laughs, pulling into the driveway and killing the engine.

"Yes you are."

"Inside!" Burt booms from the porch, and Kurt pulls away reluctantly.

"He's gonna be on our case all weekend," Kurt mutters, letting his hand wander over and squeeze Blaine's thigh, smiling when Blaine stares at his hand and swallows hard.

"I don't...I don't think I mind that," Blaine whispers. "I think that could be quite fun."

"Kinda my thought too," Kurt admits.

"Inside!" Burt booms again, and this time they both laugh.

"What D'you think dad, that I'm gonna seduce him in the driveway?"

"That's exactly what I think," Burt nods, bypassing Kurt and hugging Blaine tight. "Happy?"

"Very," Blaine says into his shoulder. "Thank you so much."

"Well, I'm kinda used to you being around," Burt says, still not letting go. "Feels like you're part of the family."

Blaine doesn't reply, because he can't, and when they both pull back from the hug decidedly misty eyed, Kurt lounges in the doorway, watching. "Inside!" he shouts, pointing down the hallway, and Burt laughs.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He draws up short at the sight of Spencer coming out of his house to load suitcases into the trunk. "Hey Blaine, you wanna go over and say goodbye?"

"Um, I suppose I should," Blaine starts, watching as the three boys clamber into Simon's car and drive away, but Angie beats him to it, giving a cheery wave across the street.

"Bye, honey! See you Sunday. Key's under the mat for you to collect your stuff. Have fun!"

"Oh," Blaine says, watching as they drive away. "Well then." He shrugs, turning back to Burt who notices that he doesn't even look sad about the dismissal anymore. "I'll go get my stuff then come over, if that's okay."

"Sure," Burt nods, stopping Kurt with a firm hand on his chest. "He doesn't need your help, sunshine. Not in an empty house. Inside."

Blaine is back quickly, carrying a large duffle bag which Burt takes from him. "So I put you in the basement," he says, opening a door which Blaine has never been through before. "Not because you're not welcome, but because those stairs creak like an old woman, so I'll hear the predator if he tries to make his way down there in the night."

"Hey!" Kurt objects loudly. "I'm not a predator!"

"Aw my son," Burt says with a wide smile. "Your sense of humor is back. How nice."

Kurt laughs in spite of himself and heads to the kitchen while Blaine takes the stairs down to the vast basement. "It's huge!"

"Ha! It's okay I guess. I promise not to set the washing machine going when you're trying to sleep. So. It's a pull out couch but it's super comfortable, and you have your own bathroom. For gods sake lock the door though. Kurt has no boundaries."

"Are you joking or...?"

"Partly," Burt shrugs, running a hand over his head. "He likes you a lot, Blaine. I can't figure out if I'm happy about that or not, but I know he's very smitten. Stand your ground though. If you let Kurt take what he wants he'll lose interest. I think part of why he likes you so much is because you're different to all the other guys. You have morals and you're not afraid to state your opinions on Kurt's behavior. He's never come up against that before and I think it intrigues him and makes him want to be a better person for you."

"I want him to be a better person for himself though," Blaine says with a frown. "He can't do it just to please me. I mean, I like him a lot, and I have like...a lot of fun with him when he's feeling happy but then he has these moments where..."

"He's an ass?"

"Exactly. Like just now with the predator thing? He laughed, but it could have gone either way, you know? I don't want to be with someone when I spend the whole time wondering where I stand. We said we would see how it goes over Thanksgiving and the holidays, well I guess we've got four days in each other's company to find out."

"You have," Burt nods. "Just keep sex out of it, please."

Blaine flares red and breaks into a cold sweat, mumbling something completely incoherent which makes Burt laugh. "Okay, I've embarrassed ya, and I'm not your dad anyway, it's not my place to lecture you. Come up when you're ready. Kurt's cooking tonight and we'll all pitch in for dinner tomorrow."

"Burt?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you, again. I was dreading Thanksgiving anyway, and then when Spencer told me we were going away... But you made it so much better."

"You know not to listen to him, right?" Burt asks with concern, but Blaine drops his gaze and Burt comes to him again, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Being gay doesn't make you a girl. Not that there's anything wrong with being a girl, but you're a guy through and through. Even really effeminate guys aren't girls, and I hate that he's tried to put you down like that. Never be ashamed of who you are, cause you're pretty damn spectacular. What's more, the whole bed thing..."

"It wasn't... I didn't wet the bed," Blaine interrupts. "I had um..."

From the color of his face Burt catches on and gives a nod. "Well, I'm sorry you don't live in a more understanding house, kid, but you're always welcome here, just remember that."

Blaine takes a bit of time out, needing to digest and get his head around everything. Have fun, his inner voice is telling him. Enjoy this freedom and enjoy spending time with your two favorite people.

He balks a little at this, but then realizes it's true. This is where he belongs. Whether a relationship with Kurt lies on the horizon or not, he feels part of the Hummel family, and he thinks that while his dad would be sad for the way his mom had changed, he would be happy Blaine belonged somewhere and was loved.

His relationship with his mom was almost non existent now, to the point that her driving away like that really didn't bother him. Maybe he should feel sad, but in all honesty he doesn't. She wasn't unkind, necessarily, she still called him honey or sweetie, but she wanted him to fit where he never would, to be someone that he wasn't meant to be and if he couldn't do that well then, Angie Lane wasn't interested.

The Hummels, however, were.

Bounding up the stairs, he arrives in the kitchen happy and cheerful, even more so when he sees the way Kurt's face lights up. "Hey you," Kurt says coyly, glancing over his shoulder to check his dad's arrival isn't imminent. "Come here and taste."

Blaine goes over to the stove eagerly, even being so bold as to slide his hands around Kurt's waist. "Are you referring to the food, or you?"

"Whatever you damn well choose," Kurt smiles.

Blaine leans past him, dipping a finger into the sauce on the stove and sucking it into his mouth. "It's good," he says, then makes to turn away, but Kurt reaches out and grabs him by the bicep.

"Oh no you...Oooh, have you been working out?" Kurt asks, flirting for all he's worth. "You're all buff."

Blaine goes suddenly shy, rubbing the back of his neck and ducking his head. "My..uh...my friend, Mike. He's teaching me how to use a punching bag."

"Really? That's...that's hot," Kurt says, biting his lip. "Do you like...do that shirtless?"

Blaine laughs and shakes his head. "No I do not. It's not like that. I do it to take out some of my aggression, and so I can defend myself if needed."

"Defend...wait, what?" Kurt asks in surprise. "Dad said you were happy. He lied to me?"

"You asked about me?"

"Of course I asked about you, Blaine," Kurt snaps angrily. "You're on my mind all the time."

"You could have called me," Blaine points out, amused by his annoyance.

"I didn't have your number."

"You could've asked your dad for it."

"Not you too!" Kurt cries. "I don't ask for people's numbers. Now sit there," he says, dragging a stool to the counter. "And tell me everything that's been going on."

Blaine is still talking when three steaming hot plates of pasta are set on the table and Burt has arrived. He's still talking when Kurt pulls garlic bread from the oven and he's still talking when Burt hands him a glass of water but when he's finished, he feels better than he ever has, and both men are looking at him with admiration in their eyes.

"I'm sorry for you," Kurt says at last, "but I can see dad was right. You are happy, and I'm glad."

"I am. I mean, I feel that in a way, I shouldn't be, but I also feel that if I stick with being sad, with letting them get to me, then they win, don't they?"

Kurt leans on his elbow, his dinner forgotten as he rests his chin on his hand and gazes at Blaine, completely mesmerized. Burt notices, of course, but says nothing. Having spoken with Blaine earlier he can see he's in the right place regarding all of this, so he figures he'll let them get on with things while the going is good.

"You're..." Kurt starts, then stops himself before he can call Blaine beautiful once more. "Your dinner," he says instead. "Is it okay?"

"It's really good," Blaine says with a smile. Under the table he lets his hand wander surreptitiously until he finds Kurt's knee. "Really good."

By the late evening the tension is palpable. Burt decides to give in and feigning tiredness, announces he's heading up to bed. "I expect you to be in your bed when I wake up," he says, pointing at Kurt. "Alone."

"Blaine you'll have to get dressed and sneak back downstairs before seven," Kurt deadpans, giving a yelp when Burt clips him around the back of the head.

"You're out of luck," Blaine quips in return. "I'm looking forward to sleeping a whole night without fear of something happening to me in the night. I'm turning in too."

"What?" Kurt cries helplessly. "You are kidding me, right? I mean, that has to be a joke."

Blaine shrugs, standing and stretching his arms above his head. "No joke."

"But you... Dad, will you go away please?" Kurt snaps, and his dad laughs and leaves the room.

"Kurt Hummel doesn't get his own way," he calls as he heads up the stairs. "Shocker. Night boys!"

"Please stay up with me for a little while?" he asks Blaine quietly when he hears Burt close his door. "Just let me..."

"Kurt, I want to let you do whatever you want to me."

"Really?"

"Yeah but I can't," Blaine adds quickly. "Which is why I think I should go to bed. Some things are worth waiting for and..."

"We said we would see how it goes, right?"

"Yeah. Tonight has been fun, but I need to take it slow."

"Okay." Kurt nods reluctantly, folding his arms across himself. "I get that. I mean, you're young..."

"I don't want you to get bored and end up going to Scandals," Blaine admits fearfully, but Kurt surprises him, stepping forward and letting his arms slide over his shoulders.

"I don't often make promises," Kurt whispers. "But for the next four days, I'm all yours, and I can promise you that."

"Thank you." Closing his eyes in relief, Blaine lets his forehead rest against Kurt's cheek for a brief moment. "I'm not that guy who went down on you in my car that night. I wanted to prove something to you, and to me, that I wasn't afraid, maybe? That I wasn't a kid? I don't know. But I'm terrified," he admits. "So scared."

"You're not the only one," Kurt says softly, then finds his lips in the most gentle of kisses. "Goodnight, Blaine. I'll see you in the morning."

"What did you do to Blaine?" Burt asks the second Kurt arrives in the kitchen the next morning.

"Kissed him goodnight and sent him on his way, why?"

"Because it's nearly nine and he's still sleeping. Are you sure you weren't down there with him?"

"I'm sure," Kurt maintains, looking in the fridge. "And if you keep on with that I'm gonna get cranky with you."

"You're always cranky."

"Seriously dad, I am not about to rape Blaine."

"You wouldn't have to, that's my point," Burt sighs, picking up his coffee mug. "He'd go willingly."

"Well we discussed things last night, so we know where we are."

"And where's that?"

"Seriously dad, will you butt out?" Kurt cries. "I'm nearly twenty eight!"

"I know that, but I can't stay out of it, for Blaine's sake. He doesn't have anyone else to look out for him, Kurt. He's my boy and I can't have anyone hurting him."

"I'm your boy too," Kurt mutters angrily, breaking eggs into a bowl. "Your real one. You might like to remember that before you start warning your surrogate son against me."

"You are my boy," Burt agrees, coming over to the counter. "And let me tell you something. You're going a long way to making me proud of you again. But your actions can't stop in Ohio. This Kurt, the one that comes home to see a certain brown eyed boy, is wonderful. This Kurt is infatuated and treats Blaine with the respect he deserves. But the Kurt in New York doesn't respect anyone, least of all himself, and that hurts me and worries me for Blaine's sake. You think I'm being down on you, I get that, and maybe I am. But that's only because I can see when you're happiest, and your happiness is all I've ever wanted."

"And what if my happiness isn't with Blaine in the end?"

"I'd be sad," Burt shrugs, "but it wouldn't be the end of the world. As long as you two were comfortable with both of you being in my life, I'd be happy."

"I don't ever see myself settling down."

"I know that," Burt says sadly. "I've given up on that. I figure that was always my dream, but it doesn't mean it has to be yours, right?"

"His eyes aren't brown, anyway. They're just...everything."

Burt chuckles and takes the bowl of eggs from Kurt's hands, setting them on the counter. "C'mon, give me a hug."

"I don't hug."

"You do."

Burt holds him tight, happy when Kurt's arms come around him and hug him back. "I love you, Kurt. There's room in my heart for both of you, you know that?"

"I know."

"You're the original and still the best," Burt says gruffly, kissing into his hair. "My baby boy."

"Get off."

"Nope."

"I was about to cook you breakfast."

"Oh well, in that case," Burt lets go quickly, laughing when Kurt stumbles. "Seriously though, why is he still asleep?"

"He's a teenager, and as he said, he could sleep without worrying. I expect he'll sleep like a baby."

"Kurt? Would it be okay if I invited him to spend Christmas with us?"

"I assumed you would."

"I wasn't going to," Burt tells him. "But then when his parents seemed so blasé about him coming here this weekend, I figured I'd ask. I mean, why not?"

"He'll be happier here anyway. Okay, I'm gonna cook this up now. I expect he'll be awake by the time it's done."

But Blaine sleeps on, even through Burt yelling down the stairs three times. Eventually Kurt takes himself down there, after Burt reasons he can't, just in case he sleeps naked.

"What makes you think it's okay for me to go down there then?"

"Kurt, though not ideal, at least you want to see that. I don't. Now go get him."

It turns out Blaine doesn't sleep naked. He does sleep shirtless though, and Kurt spends quite a while standing on the second to last stair just looking at him.

Sprawled on his back like a starfish, the covers tangled in his feet, Blaine looks like some kind of god, Kurt decides. His head is turned to the right, and his hair is completely wild. Kurt is shocked at the dark stubble that covers his face and realizes how close Blaine must shave every day. The boxing has paid off, Kurt assumes, as his chest is defined, with a smattering of dark hair over it that trails off into a line that moves lower. Kurt lets his eyes take in the trim waist and jutting hip bones, but he tries to ignore the bulge in the front of his gray pajama pants. It's not easy though, and it's only when he finds himself licking his lips that he forces himself to move before Blaine wakes up to see him standing there salivating over him.

"Blaine?"

"I'm awake!" Blaine's whole body jumps as he becomes instantly alert, scrambling to sit upright, hugging his knees to his chest. "I'm...oh." He stops, uncurling himself with a sheepish smile. "I thought..."

That's all he gets out before Kurt's mouth is on his, kissing with more force and passion than yesterday. "I haven't brushed my teeth!" Blaine objects, but Kurt kisses him again, opening his mouth a little wider, kneeling on the bed by the side of him. Blaine responds, his one hand cupping the back of Kurt's neck as the other holds himself upright, but when he feels Kurt's tongue brush against his own it's like the floodgates open, and he falls back against the pillows tugging Kurt on top of him.

Kurt can't resist letting his hands wander up Blaine's sides as their kissing becomes more heated. He's tempted to do more, he wants so much from this young man beneath him, and it only gets worse when Blaine wraps one leg around his waist, rubbing his arousal against the rough denim of Kurt's jeans.

One of his hands settles on the waist of Blaine's pajamas, and it would be so easy for him to let it slip inside right now, but he pulls back with a gasp, kissing under Blaine's jaw before forcing himself to slow. "Breakfast is ready," he says weakly, and Blaine gives a little laugh.

"That's like...the best way to wake up. Kiss me again?"

Kurt does so, but it's softer, his lips more tender and loving as they move gently against Blaine's own. "I hope you'll wake up in my arms some day."

"What?"

"Nothing! Nothing! Breakfast is ready, that's all."

"I heard you."

"Good," Kurt says briskly, climbing off the bed and heading toward the stairs.

"Not about breakfast, the other part."

"I didn't say anything!" Kurt calls, marching up the stairs quickly, and Blaine falls back on the bed, laughing.

"Whatever!" he calls back. "You so did. Happy Thanksgiving!"