"I have a job!" Kurt announces eagerly as he strides through the door two weeks later. Rolling his eyes fondly, he follows the sound of the piano when he receives no reply, entering the music room to find Blaine, head thrown back and eyes closed as he immerses himself in the hauntingly beautiful piece of music he is playing. The lack of response comes from the headphones over his ears, and Kurt can hear the strains of accompanying strings and drums. He waits, leaning on the end of the piano until the last few notes die away and Blaine slumps forward on the bench slightly.

"Ahem."

"Ahh!" Blaine startles, his eyes wide as he looks up to find Kurt watching him. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to watch you playing beautifully. You're amazing."

"It's porn for me," he says with a flush. "When no one else is around this is what I do."

"No shame in that."

"No shame in porn either, I guess," Blaine grins. "You know...somewhere there are a few dvd's."

"I'm well aware of where they are," Kurt smiles. "But the last time we put one on it ended up playing to no one. Anyway, I didn't come home for a discussion about porn. I have a job," he says proudly.

"You do? Where? When? Tell me," Blaine says, pushing the bench back and patting the space next to him.

"Lincoln Park are running a theatre day camp for kids during the summer. Joe and I got jobs as musical theatre counselors."

"Small children en masse scare you," Blaine points out.

"I know, but the pay is really good, I'll be with Joe, plus I finish at three every day with the weekends off. And I'm kinda hoping they'll be there because they want to be there, rather than just regular day camp where they've gone just for something to do. We'll see. Either way, it's a great thing to put on my resume. And we do a little show at the end."

"Cute," Blaine smiles. "So how old are the kids?"

"Between five and fourteen. They're split into groups and we have four sessions a day. The kids move from one group to another, drama, dance, musical theatre and backstage."

"It sounds cool. I wanna go," he pouts making Kurt laugh.

"Maybe- if you're good- I'll score you tickets for the end of season show."

"Thank you. So Joe isn't going home for the summer?"

"No. I don't think he really likes it there. I mean, he likes his family but he has four sisters, and the eldest is only nine."

"What was he, a mistake?"

"No," Kurt laughs, smacking his arm. "Well actually, yes. His mom was only eighteen when she had him, the girls are from a second marriage. Joe doesn't see his dad, but his step dad is okay. He just says it's noisy and cramped. He doesn't like kids."

"He doesn't like kids, you don't like more than two at a time, max. Yeah, you'll make great camp counselors."

"I'm sure it's a prerequisite to the job," Kurt smiles.

"I'm sorry you're having to do this," Blaine says, turning serious.

"Hey. No. Don't be, okay? Don't do this."

"But I..."

"No," Kurt says firmly. "This will be fun. This will be an experience which Joe and I will look back on and laugh about in ten years time when we're worn down with kids of our own and we realize how easy it actually was to manage thirty eight year olds yet we can't control one toddler."

"I don't have an answer for that."

"Good." Kurt smiles as he kisses his lips. "That means I win."

"You always do. What do you want for dinner"

"Pizza," comes Kurt's immediate response. "Oh. But we said no takeout."

"We could make pizza?"

"Ooh yes! Let's do that. It reminds me of the first time you told me you loved me." He makes to leave the room but Blaine stays seated on the piano bench, a wide smile on his face. "What?"

"Nothing. I mean, I hadn't forgotten about it but I just... It's nice to take those memories out the box and admire them every now and then." He walks over to him, cupping his cheek sweetly. "My heart was pounding in my chest, I was struggling to remember how to breathe and I was so nervous," he laughs softly. "I thought I had upset you in some way and then you told me you were worried about the bedroom stuff... And just like that, I told you. Sitting there, on my porch swing. It just felt so natural. When all along I'd been so worried."

"So you planned to tell me?"

"Oh yes. I knew. I'd probably known for a lot longer than I actually admitted to myself, but I knew. I knew I had fallen for you big time, and nothing before or since could ever compare. I also knew that there would never be another for me. Even if you had left me at some point...I don't know, I guess I might have dated again but I certainly knew I'd never fall in love again. I'm a once in a lifetime kinda guy. There's one man for me, one true love, one marriage."

"I want to squeal at your words, but I'm aware that we're standing very close together and my noise may cause your ears to bleed. So I'll tell you this instead. I remember, that very first encounter in the Lima Bean...I remember looking at you...you were crouched down, holding the back of my chair as we talked and I remember thinking I could fall in love with you, if given half a chance. And I did. And I kept falling more and more each day until suddenly here we are, three years later...and I don't think I'll ever stop falling in love with you." He leans in and kisses Blaine's lips softly, resting their foreheads together. "You're crying," he says with a small laugh. "You..."

"Always cry," Blaine finishes for him. "I know."

"It's just another thing I love about you. I also love watching your hands as you work the pizza dough," he smiles as he takes Blaine by the hand and leads him to the kitchen. "So get to it."

"You just like it, or you like it, like it?" Blaine asks as he takes the ingredients from the cupboards.

"For some strange reason it's incredibly erotic," Kurt admits as he flushes pink. "I don't know...it's just your hands are so...manly."

Blaine laughs and shakes his head. "Strange boy," he mutters, but within the hour the pizza dough is forgotten as a trail of flour leads to the bedroom.

Two weeks later.

"Wesley!" Blaine yells down the phone.

"The only person ever allowed to call me that is your mom."

"Sorry."

"How are you, Blaine?"

"I'm so good! I have a tenant at last!"

"You do? That's amazing!"

"I know! I was just thinking I'd have to sell, too. I can't wait to tell Kurt."

"He's not there?"

"No. He's rehearsing for his singing exam tomorrow."

"So...this tenant?" Wes prompts.

"That's why I was calling," Blaine tells him. "I had a call from Teresa- we met her when we went to Hawaii."

"I remember."

"So... It's her sister, Kathy. She's been living in Minnesota but she's recently divorced. She really wanted to get out so she took a transfer to Columbus."

"What does she do?"

"She's a data analyst or something."

"Accurate."

"I can't be expected to remember everything. Anyway, Teresa was calling to ask if I knew anyone living nearby who could take her out, help her to meet new people...and I casually asked where she would be living and Teresa said she didn't have anywhere yet."

"So...you've rented your house to someone you've never met, and who hasn't actually seen the place?"

"Yes."

"Marvelous."

"Anyway," Blaine says, rolling his eyes at Wes' pragmatism "will you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Take her out a few times, introduce her to people- and by people I don't necessarily mean Nick and Jeff...or Sebastian."

"Depends. Is she hot?"

"How do I know?"

"Well...what's her sister like?"

"She's okay I guess. I dunno, I like guys."

"And I like girls, but I can still appreciate a good looking guy when I see one. For example, we can all tell Kurt looks like he's just stepped from the cover of vogue."

"You've been blinded by my classic beauty too, don't forget."

"Whatever."

"So will you take her out?"

"Ugh. If I must. But not a date! I'll take her for coffee and show her around the neighbourhood. But that's it. I'm busy with my own life."

"You're so gentlemanly and caring," Blaine teases. "You never know, Wes, this might be the one you've been waiting for."

"A middle aged divorcee? I doubt it."

"She's thirty one."

"Oh."

"I'll email you her number and moving date when I get it. Goodbye for now...Wesley."

When Kurt comes home that evening he is met with Chinese takeout waiting in the living room and an enormous bunch of flowers. The second he starts to protest, Blaine tells him all about the phone call with Teresa, and subsequently Wes, and states that a night of indulgence is on the cards to celebrate.

"Plus it means that you don't have to work this summer," he says brightly.

Kurt pauses, food halfway to his mouth as he stares. "Uh... Actually, I'm still gonna do that."

"But you don't have to," Blaine says in confusion.

"Well I start next week, so I kinda do. It's not really fair to call them and say 'oh my fiancé is rich again, I'm going back to being a kept man.' And I want to do it, anyway. It'll be fun. What else will I do all summer? I'll just end up sitting around, bored. You're going to Nashville in two weeks, then when you get back you're working on that Ryerson's campaign. All of my friends are either going home or working...why would I want to be sitting around the apartment all day waiting for you to come home?"

"Your call," Blaine says with a shrug.

"Yes it is my call, thank you," Kurt snaps as his eyes spit fire. "I told you, Blaine. I don't want to be kept by you. Do you know how humiliating it is to have to ask you for cash as if you're my dad? It's good that we don't have to worry about the house now, yes. And it will be great to be able to start going out on our date nights instead of sitting at home all the time...but maybe I want to take you out, with my own money. Money which I've earned myself."

"You're right," Blaine says. "I'm sorry," he smiles apologetically, setting his takeout on the small side table to hold his arms out to him. "I get it, I do." Kurt falls into his arms happily, kissing into his hair.

"Thank you. It's really important to me. I want to be able to buy you flowers too, without feeling like you've effectively bought them for yourself. I love you, you know."

"No, I didn't know that. You should have said something before," Blaine teases, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth as Kurt smacks the hand resting on his hip.

"You think you're funny, don't you?"

"I know I'm funny."

"Well you'll be laughing on the other side of your face when we get in bed tonight and I refuse to put out," he says haughtily.

"Is that so? Well I guess I'll just have to take what I can get right now then," he says with a grin as he flips Kurt so he's lying the length of the couch on his back. "Prepare to be ravished, Hummel."

Kathy Waters jumps from the U-haul, landing neatly at Wes' feet. "Hi," she says brightly, offering her hand and ignoring his slack jawed expression. "I'm Kathy. You must be Wes. Nice to meet you. Cute house! Blaine emailed me some pictures but it doesn't really do it justice. I can't wait to see inside," she says, bouncing a little in nervous excitement as Wes continues to stare.

He takes in her appearance as she admires the flowers out the front of the house. She is petite, with long strawberry blond hair which falls neatly to her shoulders, and green eyes which sparkle as she speaks to him.

Wait...speaking.

She's speaking.

To him.

"Uh... What? I mean, um...pardon?" he says, then realizes to his horror that he's blushing and stammering like a fool.

"I said can we go inside?" she asks with a sweet smile. "You do have a key, don't you?"

"Uh...yes! Key! Yes. Yes. Blaine gave me...yes." He somehow manages to fumble the lock open and show her inside, their footsteps echoing loudly through the bare rooms. "It's uh...it's a really nice house," Wes tells her as she paces the kitchen. "Pretty." He blushes furiously again, looking at his feet before clearing his throat and forcing himself to look at her again. "I think you're pretty."

"Oh!" Kathy exclaims softly, one hand covering her mouth in surprise.

"Sorry. I'm um... Erm... All my friends are gay," he blurts suddenly. "I seem to lack any kind of ability to talk with women, and as you can imagine, they're next to useless at giving me advice."

"It's okay." She reaches one hand out as if to touch his hand, but seems to think better of it and pulls back quickly. "It's a long time since anyone has paid me a compliment like that. Thank you."

Wes huffs an enormous sigh of relief as a smile lights up his face. "I do have a girlfriend," he says proudly, then flusters again "Not a girlfriend, girlfriend. I mean a lesbian. No! Well yes. Um... Oh crap." Pausing, he puffs air from his cheeks before continuing. "I have a friend who is a girl. But she's a lesbian. She's called Santana and she lives in New York."

"Right," Kathy nods, unsure of what to say or do with that information.

"I should...I should just go," Wes tells her. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't have a friend at all," Kathy calls suddenly after his retreating back. Wes stops in the kitchen doorway and turns to see her wringing her hands nervously. "And I could really use one right now," she adds quietly. "Please?"

"I...I could stay and help you unload, if you want?" Wes offers, his own nerves calming as he sees how nervous Kathy is. "We could uh...we could maybe get coffee later? Or dinner?"

"I would really like that," she beams right back.

"You didn't have to get up early to walk me in," Kurt says as they head toward the park hand in hand. He's nervous for the first day in his new job and it shows. Deciding to Google 'life as a day camp counsellor' late last night probably wasn't the best idea- far too many horror stories of fighting children, throwing up, tears and tantrums for his liking. He's been chewing his lip and wringing his hands all morning and has changed his outfit three times, finally settling on a pair of smart beige shorts with a red short sleeved button down.

"I have to go to work anyway," Blaine reasons as their hands swing between them.

"I know, but not until later. Thank you."

"It's no trouble, Kurt, really. I wanted to."

"I'm not entirely sure I'll survive," Kurt says quietly- more to himself than anything but Blaine picks up on it right away.

"Of course you will. You're charming, debonair and extremely talented. They'll all love you. And if they don't...kick them."

"I think kicking small children might be frowned upon," Kurt says, and Blaine is happy to see a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "I don't know how people become teachers."

"Wes seems to like it enough," Blaine muses. "I think it's a vocation rather than just another job, though."

"Talking of Wes, have you heard from him? I thought he was making sure your tenant settled in okay?"

"He was, and no I haven't," Blaine says with a small frown. "I text him Saturday night to see if it was all okay but he didn't reply. I'll try him again before I go to work. Anyway...I was thinking...now that we're back in the black, maybe we could fly to LA for the twin's birthday? It could be like a mini vacation I guess."

"Sure," Kurt smiles.

"We could fly out the day after you finish camp," Blaine tells him. "Then we could stay a full week."

"Sounds good to me," Kurt agrees. "Are your parents coming too?"

"Yes, if that's okay with you?"

"Cool. I always like visiting Cooper, and I love it when we're all together."

"Am I allowed to pay for the flights?" Blaine asks with a nudge to his shoulder.

"You're kinda gonna have to, if you want me to go," Kurt says with a shy laugh. "I don't get paid until we finish."

They walk on in silence for a moment, and Kurt becomes aware of Blaine working his way up to saying something, which he does- eventually- feigning nonchalance very badly as he speaks.
"Kurt? Why don't we just get a joint bank account? I mean, it makes more sense," he rushes on when Kurt stops walking and stares at him. "Then it's just kinda...a mash up of our incomes and expenditures...together. And you know, you could still keep an account for yourself if you wanted- transfer a set amount each month...you know, for buying me stuff."

"Um..."

"No. Okay," Blaine smiles tightly. "It's too much. Sorry. I know you like your independence."

"Actually I think it's a very smart idea," he smiles. "And also very thrilling." He does a little jump on the sidewalk which has Blaine laughing in relief.

"Oh thank goodness. And it is thrilling. God knows I still get excited at pushing a cart around Walmart with you."

"I'm just gonna say it, and I don't care if I sound like a twelve year old," Kurt says dramatically. "I love all this stuff. The grocery shopping, the little 'can you get gas on your way home' texts, even the cleaning of the apartment...and now the money it's just...really grown up."

"It is," Blaine agrees with an indulgent smile.

"I sound silly, don't I?" Kurt asks as they cross the street to enter the park. "You've been doing this stuff for years. Hell, you're a home owner already."

"I have been, yes. But not with you. And that's what makes it exciting for me." Blaine tugs him to a stop once more, winding his arms around his neck as he leans up to kiss his lips. "And it is perfectly acceptable to get excited about doing grown up stuff, Kurt. You're nineteen. I'm thirty four."

"Nearly thirty five."

"Three months away, thank you," he laughs. "I love seeing that side to you, Kurt. The young, still boyish way in which you bounce excitedly and your eyes light up. Don't ever lose that, please."

"'Kay," he grins, suddenly bashful.

They move on, coming to stop outside a large marquee which has been set up as a makeshift theatre for the day camp. Hoardes of worried parents and their overexcited offspring mill about, and Kurt surveys the scene, momentarily overwhelmed.

"You can do this," Blaine murmurs in his ear as he squeezes his fingers.

"Joe," Kurt sighs in relief as his friend ambles happily toward him.

"Hey," he smiles warmly at them. "Kurt, come inside when you're ready, we have to collect our name badges and fill in a form. Plus there's this really hot chick in there, but I'm worried she might be a lesbian. I need your opinion."

"Fantastic. And so my work begins," Kurt says as he turns to toward a smirking Blaine. "I'd better go."

"Do you have plans for this afternoon?"

"No, why?"

"I wondered if you might like to stop by the studio."

"Your studio? As in, the recording studio where you work...recording stuff?"

"Well I don't do any of the recording, but yes."

"I'd love to!" Kurt's whole face lights up at the prospect. "I've never seen you at work."

"I know, and I keep telling everyone about you but you're always in class. I want you to meet all the guys. I'm doing back up guitars for Nickelback's new album."

"Yeah, whatever. That means nothing but shame. But hey!" he cries, making Blaine laugh with his forced brightness. "I'll be there!"

"Okay," Blaine grins. "I'll see you later. Oh, here, I almost forgot." Rummaging in his bag he proudly hands Kurt a brown paper bag, an apple and a bottle of water.

"You made my lunch?" Kurt asks, peeking inside the bag and smiling at the sight of sandwiches and a little heart shaped note ready for reading later.

"I did."

"Yep. No doubt about it, you're the cutest."

Beaming, Blaine slides his arms around Kurt's waist and makes to kiss him, but Kurt flushes and stares at the buttons on Blaine's polo, hands coming up to fiddle with the bow tie around his neck. "I...I..I think maybe I shouldn't kiss you...here," he says, embarrassed and worried about hurting Blaine's feelings.

"Okay," Blaine nods. "I understand."

Relief floods Kurt's face. "You do?"

"Sure. It's okay. There's a ton of kids and parents around and you want to make a good impression. It's okay...just expect huge amounts of kissing later to make up for it," he smiles.

"Like a full on make out session?"

"For sure."

"Okay. I have to go. I love you, old man."

"You too, gorgeous boy."

Blaine returns home with a spring in his step and immediately opens up his laptop to book flights to LA, after which he checks his emails, happy to see one from Wes.

Blaine,
I have a few questions, and due to the nature of the questions, I'd prefer to communicate via email to save my awkwardness and terrible embarrassment.

1: Kathy asked if she could pay her rent weekly instead of monthly for a while, until everything with her work transfer is sorted out?

2: Did you know you need a new shed? You need a new shed. I can arrange this for you if you want me to, just let me know.

Blaine smiles and shakes his head, still unable to work out why this is in any way embarrassing for Wes.

3: Do you know why I am so hopelessly, completely incompetent at talking to women who are not either A- our moms or B- Rachel and Santana? I've decided I'm blaming the inordinate amount of gay men I choose to surround myself with. You've all turned me into a social leper.

4: Is it acceptable to tell someone you think they're pretty, two minutes after meeting them?

5: If you then have dinner with that person, and it goes really, really well, do you think you should ask them out again? Is it okay to be terrified about doing this?

6: Blaine, do you believe in love at first sight?

Please do not call me to discuss this. My face is flaming even from typing. I might just curl up and die if forced to talk about it. She's just...beautiful.

You're going to call me, aren't you? Oh god. You are. I can see you. You're picking up the phone, smiling, and dialling my number...

His email ends abruptly, and Blaine is surprised when his call is actually answered.

"I knew you'd call me. You want me to talk, don't you? You won't talk about any of your stuff, oh no. But you'll happily make me talk about my moronic tendencies," Wes says wearily.

"Question six, Wes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."