Blaine returns to class, only telling Brandon, his former roommate, and two others, about what had happened. There are questions of course, not least because bruising still remains on his face, but Blaine tells everyone he collided with a door. Whether they buy it or not is none of his concern.

It's difficult, not having the use of his right arm, but that is healing, and for now he records his classes instead of taking notes, and his professors are fine with that.

His groin is more or less fine after three weeks, it just aches if he walks too far or for too long. Even so, one day after class he takes himself to the offices of Marie Claire, and asks to meet with Kate Walsh, head of runway.

He knows Kurt isn't there, he's across town working on a shoot in an old warehouse, which was 'stupidly freezing for april' according to the text he had gotten, and so he had decided to take his chance. He's shown in right away when he says why he's there, and Kate gives him a warm welcome and invites him to take a seat.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Um...yes, thank you," he says politely, realizing that she knows. Of course she knows. Kurt took nearly two weeks off from work. "Thank you for being gracious with Kurt's absence," he adds, and Kate smiles at this overly polite young man.

"It was nothing. Kurt means a lot to me, and it's important that he could spend time with you when you needed him. I'm just happy to see you're back on your feet. Kurt said you needed surgery?"

"M-minor surgery," he coughs, turning scarlet. "It was minor."

"I see."

"So uh...my timing was unfortunate," Blaine continues, looking fraught with nerves. "Because Kurt missed out on giving his pitch, and...and the promotion."

"He did, yes, but I wasn't expecting him to show after all of that happened. I mean, it was right after, wasn't it? You were still in the hospital."

"Yeah. Yes. You see, um...Kurt...well he really wanted a shot at that promotion. I feel bad that he missed out."

"Oh? That's strange, because he hasn't said a single word about it, other than to apologize for missing it, and I told him not to worry."

"See, here's the thing, Ms Walsh..."

"Kate, please."

"Kate, then. Kurt is...well, I don't know what he's like here, but at home, and among our family and friends, he's kinda renowned for being outspoken, blunt, demanding..."

"Nice."

"But he's completely perfect," Blaine breathes, and it's all Kate can do not to sigh with happiness at the way his face lights up. "He's this...I don't know, this grand master of sass, but you know what else? He also has zero confidence in his abilities as a writer, a fashion journalist...a boyfriend."

"What?" Kate asks in surprise. "That's crazy! I mean totally insane. Kurt is not only good, he's gifted, Blaine, and I've told him that. I mean, I don't know him as a boyfriend, but he's good to you, right?"

"Yes, completely, but he just has this confidence thing, where no matter how many times people reassure him, it makes no difference until he's figured it out for himself. That's why I'm here. He's never going to come to you and ask for another shot at that promotion, because he's too worried you'll say no. That would destroy any confidence he does have, so he'd rather not hear it. I know you will have hired someone else for that spot by now, but I was just hoping that maybe you could consider him for anything in the future? And maybe let Kurt know that? Just so he doesn't feel like all hope is lost. I mean, he keeps saying it's fine, but he's so taken up with this," he says, gesturing to himself, "That he's not thinking about it. I think he's blocking it out, because he's upset he missed out, he just won't say anything about it."

"I didn't hire anyone else," Kate says, getting right to the point. "I wanted Kurt for the job, I just needed to prove to my boss that he has the unique ideas and take on fashion that we need here at runway."

"Oh. But I thought..."

"I was waiting for him to come to me," Kate carries on. "I now realize that's not going to happen. I was assuming he was no longer interested for whatever reason, and I figured I'd just have to advertise."

"You didn't advertise to begin with?"

"No, I just asked Kurt to pitch," she says with a small smile, then reaches for her phone. "Does Kurt have any plans for tonight?"

"Uh...no," Blaine stutters, deciding their chess match can wait. "He doesn't."

"Good. Can I take your boyfriend out to dinner?"

"Uh..." But he doesn't get to answer.

"Kurt!" Kate cries, when the call connects. "Listen, I need you to meet me at that Japanese restaurant on seventh. Not now, tonight at eight. Bring Blaine."

Kurt is obviously shrieking some kind of response, because she laughs, gives Blaine the thumbs up, then turns back to her phone. "Never mind why, just do it. I'll see you there."

Setting her phone back on the desk, she turns to Blaine with a warm smile. "Looks like we have a date. See you at eight."

Blaine doesn't dare tell Kurt that he's been to see Kate; for a start, he knows what his reaction would be, and the way Kurt comes storming through the front door is enough to make his mind up there and then. Kurt keeps up a continuous monologue of entirely unreasonable rage, which actually makes Blaine insanely happy, because he knows Kurt is back to his normal self.

He rages about the weather, that it's raining, meaning they will have to get a cab to the restaurant. He moans endlessly about the fact that it's past six when he gets home, so he hasn't got long to get ready, and when he finds out that his favourite suit is at the cleaners, Blaine thinks he might actually start throwing things, so he quietly moves the very expensive vase, which was his anniversary present to Kurt, and sets it on a high shelf.

Eventually he storms off to take a shower, and Blaine dresses quietly, hoping that the plaid navy and red suit he has picked out isn't too much, and that it will match with Kurt's choice.

"And why you?" Kurt asks, suddenly appearing with a towel around his waist, picking up where he left off. "Why are you invited?"

"I don't know," Blaine says softly. "Is it a problem? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"

"No." Kurt, with his back to Blaine, rummages in the drawer for underwear and socks, before turning around. "Far from it," he says, an appreciative grin coming onto his face. "God, you look beautiful."

"Is it...is it okay?" Blaine asks nervously. "Because I kinda feel sick with fear when we're meeting people from your work, like I'm never fashionable enough."

"You're Blaine, and that's enough for me," Kurt says, coming close to kiss his cheek. "Why didn't you ask for any help though?" he asks, a small frown forming on his face. "Your arm must hurt."

"It does, but you were kind of on a roll, so I thought it best not to say anything," he tells him honestly. "Could you do my bow-tie though? And my hair?"

"Absolutely." He leans in again, kissing Blaine's lips this time, and sighing contentedly when Blaine's hands, his right one free of the sling for the moment, settle on his waist.

Blaine surges deeper into the kiss, running his hands over Kurt's back, and ignoring the stabbing pain in his shoulder as he moves. "Kurt," he gasps, as the kiss breaks. He quickly moves his lips to Kurt's neck, to kiss a trail down to his shoulder, as his hands move to dip slightly below the towel, skimming the gentle swell of Kurt's ass. One tug. One small tug at the towel, and his boyfriend would be entirely naked, hard and ready for him. "Oh Kurt."

"Blaine," Kurt whimpers softly, his hands tangling into his hair. He was aiming for strong and commanding, but that's very hard to do when your erection is being gently rubbed through a towel, and you know that Blaine is ready to sink to his knees. "No," he eventually manages, as sweetly and kindly as possible. He steps back, and has to steady Blaine as he stumbles. "We can't."

"Please," Blaine begs shamelessly. "Please let me touch you."

"No," Kurt says again, but he smiles softly and caresses his cheek. "We can't. I'm not risking anything."

"We don't have to," Blaine tries, while Kurt shakes his head and laughs. "This can be all about you. You don't have to touch me at all."

"Blaine, it's not about me touching you, you know that. It's about you getting hard for long periods of time, the doctor said that."

"Okay," Blaine says brightly. "So suck me off real quick. I'm about ready to explode. I'll be super fast."

Kurt laughs again, pulling a black shirt from the closet and putting it on. "Sweetie, I know."

"Oh thanks!"

"No, I mean, I know how desperate you are, because I'm the same, but we have two weeks and three days left to wait. I don't want you to get me off when I can't reciprocate, because that wouldn't be fair. We'll wait this out together."

"I'm gonna sulk."

"I don't care," Kurt says with a smug grin, as he finishes dressing. "Now come here and I'll fix your hair."

"Your suit," Blaine says, his jaw dropping open as Kurt stands behind him, looking into the mirror.

"Hmm."

"What the hell?"

"Do you like it?"

Kurt's suit is navy, like Blaine's, but instead of a quiet, fine plaid pattern like Blaine's, it has enormous flowers all over it, in a mismatch of pinks, reds and whites.

"It's Gucci," Kurt adds proudly. "It was my splurge when I was in London. I just didn't get around to showing you because...well, because there were lots of splurges."

Blaine still stares into the mirror, as if trying to understand what in the world Kurt is wearing. "It's the most hideous thing I have ever seen," he tells him bluntly. "Why do you look so good in it? Why? How do you do that? It's vile, and yet on you it looks like a masterpiece. Goddamn Kurt, you look stunning."

"Well I'm glad you finished that statement," Kurt laughs, raking some product through Blaine's hair and coming around front to style it. "It's not that hideous."

"It is." Blaine reaches up with his good hand, drawing Kurt- whose hands are stuck in his hair- close, and into a long, drawn out kiss. "I mean it though, you leave me breathless."

"You're still not getting any action," Kurt laughs, though he knows that Blaine was giving a genuine compliment, and he's thrilled. "Now let's get a cab."

Maybe it's the weather, which means that there are no cabs to be found, but whatever the reason, by the time one does arrive, they are cutting it close to get to the restaurant by eight, and Kurt's bad mood has returned worse than ever.

"I don't get what this is for," he grumbles, as the cab pulls into the traffic. "What have I done?"

"It won't be anything bad," Blaine reassures. "Otherwise she wouldn't be asking you to dinner. She would call you into the office."

"Are others going? I mean, she didn't say," Kurt rambles, ignoring Blaine completely. "Oh my god, what if she's sending me overseas again? Well I won't go," he decides, with a firm nod. "I'm just gonna say that I can't right now, and if she doesn't like it well, then..."

"Just wait and see, Kurt."

"Oh my god I've got it," he says suddenly, turning to Blaine with his eyes wide. "I know what this is about, and I know why you're invited."

"You do?"

"She wants you to model. Fucking hell, that's it."

"Kurt," Blaine laughs. "You work for a women's magazine."

"You know Oliver, in accounting? Well, you don't, but still, Kate got his wife to model for them when she was pregnant. That came with a dinner too."

"She's a woman," Blaine points out.

"Makes no difference. We're about to do a feature; "Seven runway looks to try on your man." Fuck. I don't believe this!"

"Kurt, that is not why she's asked you to dinner, trust me."

"It is, I know it is! Makes total sense that you'd get to model for them and not me. I mean, look at you."

"Okay, you know what?" Blaine snaps. "Stop. I've had enough now. You have not been invited to dinner for me to model for Marie Claire. Anyway, even if I were ever asked, I wouldn't do it, and to think they would ask me over you is just insane. Now shut up and quit being grumpy. I get that you're nervous but don't take it out on me."

Kurt sits stunned into submission, though he should know the drill by now. Blaine always lets Kurt's temper run until he becomes unreasonable or offensive, and then he shuts him down with one short reprimand. Maybe it would be better if he didn't have these tempers to begin with, but however you look at it, their relationship works, so why change what is now a well practiced habit?

"Sorry," Kurt grouches, as the cab pulls up outside.

"No worries," Blaine says lightly, paying the driver and taking Kurt's hand to get out of the car. "And look, we're five minutes early."

"I love you," Kurt says, briefly pressing his face against Blaine's cheek. "And I'm really scared."

"I know and I know," Blaine smiles. "I love you too, now let's just see what happens."

They are shown to a table where Kate is already waiting for them, and she greets them warmly. Blaine is happy that the table is round. A silly thing, he knows, but he had been internally panicking over where they both should sit if it was rectangular. Truth be told, he's probably just as nervous as Kurt. He's hopeful that it won't be anything bad, given all that had transpired in their discussion this afternoon, but he's not entirely sure what Kate does want to say, and he's worried about what Kurt's reaction to it all will be.

"So, Blaine came to see me this afternoon," Kate says, as soon as they've ordered.

"He...what now?" Kurt asks, positively glaring across at Blaine.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't tell him," Kate says to Blaine with a smile, and he just gives a small shrug in response. "He told me you're a feisty one."

Kurt smiles tightly, and when he speaks it's through gritted teeth. "Did he? Fantastic."

"He also said you were upset about missing out on the promotion."

"It's fine," Kurt says, offering as bright a smile as he can muster. "I'm sure whoever you hired will be great for the job, and I won't give them any trouble, if that's what you're worried about." He gives another glare in Blaine's direction- who seems to be completely ignoring him- and takes a sip of his water. "All fine," he says quietly, and folds his hands neatly in his lap.

"I wondered if you'd still like to give your presentation." It's a statement, not a question, and though Kurt really feels like saying no, what can you do when your boss is basically demanding it?

"Sure," he says, his voice far more high pitched than usual. "I still have it all prepared. I could do it tomorrow."

"Great."

They are interrupted by the arrival of the food, and Kurt has to force down every bite, the anger and rage inside of him boiling to the point where it makes swallowing very difficult.

"Oh," Kate says casually, once they're halfway through their meal. "I just remembered. You can't do the presentation tomorrow, you'll be too busy. Do it Monday instead, that will give you more time to get settled."

"S-settled?" Kurt asks nervously. "W-what, why would I need to settle?"

"In your new office," Kate clarifies, hiding her smile. "Senior writers get their own."

"Excuse me?"

"Blaine told me you were upset about missing out on the promotion," Kate explains gently, reaching across to still his shaking hand. "But I didn't know, because you didn't say anything."

"Because I was supposed to give the pitch," Kurt says quietly. "And I couldn't because...and you'd been so good about me taking time off. I didn't want to ask and then hear that you'd hired someone else."

"I didn't hire anyone else, because I wanted you to have the job."

"Oh."

"And I still do."

"Oh."

Blaine moves his chair closer to Kurt, so he can rest his hand on his thigh under the table, and Kurt reaches down, finding his fingers and gripping them tightly.

"Do you want it?"

"Yes," Kurt breathes, unable to believe this is happening to him. "Please. I mean thank you. Yes."

"I would still like to hear the presentation on Monday though," Kate warns. "Because I need my bosses to know how awesome you are. If you're worried about anything, we can go through it together either tomorrow or Friday."

"Sure," Kurt says, biting his bottom lip. "This is it? I'm really the senior runway writer?"

"You really are, but let me say something before we celebrate."

Kurt nods, not trusting his voice, thinking it will give way to hysterical tears.

"Kurt, you need to have faith in yourself. The only reason you're sitting here is because Blaine knows you well enough to get that you were hiding your true emotions about this. I need you to fight in your corner, because in this industry? No one is going to do that for you. I don't know where you want to end up in life, but Blaine can't be running to the board of directors at GQ magazine asking them to make you senior editor, or setting up and running your own magazine for you while you sit in the shadows, worrying about putting yourself out there. Blaine tells me you're..what was it? Oh, a grand master of sass. So show me! I see bits of it, maybe, when you make some witty remark, and I go away thinking to myself 'Oh he's smart', but I want and need to see that side of you too. Call me out on stuff, call others out on stuff; especially now that you'll be a senior writer. Don't be afraid to suggest new things, step outside of that box. I said to Blaine earlier, you have incredible talent, Kurt. Please don't be afraid to use it. I'm not out to get you, I'm out to build you up, to make you the best fashion journalist you can be, so that when you move on from me, I can sit back smugly and think I played a part in all that."

"I will," Kurt says, finally allowing a smile to light up his face. "I promise I will, or I'll try, at least. And thank you, really, for the opportunity. I just...my own office?" he asks joyfully. "Really?"

"Yes," Kate laughs. "And a salary of forty two and a half thousand to go with it, if you want to take it."

"F-f-forty...Yes!" Kurt cries happily, then looks at Kate, who is shaking her head slowly. "Uh...I mean, call it an even forty five and you've got yourself a deal," he says, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. What if that's not what she wanted to hear?

"Deal," she grins, reaching across to shake his hand. "I must warn you though, you can expect a bigger workload, longer hours...but I try to be fair. I'm happy for you to work from home when you can, and of course, the job brings enhanced benefits and a great pension."

Kurt just sits and nods while Kate talks, unable to really take it all in, but he hears one word very clearly.

"Champagne?"

"I think I need an entire bottle of brandy," Kurt says, finally exhaling. "But yes, champagne would be good."

"Blaine?"

Kurt turns at the sound of his boyfriend's name. He had been sitting there so quietly, his hand placed comfortingly on Kurt's thigh, that he had almost forgotten about him. When he looks at him, it is to see Blaine gazing at him, full of pride, admiration, and most of all, love.

"I'm not old enough," Blaine says regretfully, but Kate just laughs and calls a waiter over.

"Champagne and three glasses please," she asks. "We have some celebrating to do."

It is late by the time they bid Kate farewell, and once she is safely in a cab, Kurt links his arm through Blaine's and they head off down the street, not heading anywhere in particular, but just needing to be alone for a while rather than in the confines of a cab.

"Go on," Blaine says eventually. "I know you're dying to talk over every minute detail of the evening, so shoot."

"Okay," Kurt says brightly, bouncing excitedly as he walks. "Well, first of all, this."

Stopping Blaine on the street, he slides one hand into his hair, pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss. Blaine stumbles slightly, before he gladly accepts Kurt's lips on his, kissing back eagerly.

They've never made out like this in public, not unless it's in a darkened club or bar, but Kurt is kissing Blaine for all he's worth, as if he can never get enough, and Blaine...well, Blaine doesn't care that they're on the street, with busy New Yorkers hurrying around them. He fails to notice the whoop of appreciation from a group of guys as they walk past, or three giggling girls, who laugh even louder when Kurt pins Blaine up against the shutters of a store, to kiss him even more.

Blaine only notices the feel of Kurt's lips moving over his, the touch of his fingers curling warmly around his neck, and best of all, the hardness of Kurt's erection pushing against him.

"Thank you," Kurt whispers when they part, totally breathless, and with swollen lips and sparkling eyes. "I love you so much. What you did was just...well, it's landed me the best job of my entire life, so..."

"I thought you were gonna freak out on me," Blaine admits, then pulls Kurt close again. "I prefer the kisses."

"I think that if we'd been left alone at the start of the evening, I'd probably have spit in your eye," Kurt admits. He laughs as he thinks back over his whirlwind of emotions during the course of the evening. "I'm glad Kate did all the talking. I guess I listened, whereas if you had tried to explain, I would have really let you have it."

"I actually didn't know she was going to give you the promotion," Blaine says honestly. "But I'm glad she did. You really deserve this, Kurt, and if I could play some small part in it, then I'm glad, because I was so upset when I realized you'd missed out on it because of me."

"One thing though," Kurt says, as they start to walk along slowly again. "When I said I was fine, I kinda meant it. I mean, I was upset to think I'd missed out, but I would never, in a million years, have gone to the presentation instead of being with you, and I hope you know that."

"Yeah I do, because I know I'd be the same. I guess we're just in love," Blaine sighs dramatically.

"I think I can live with that," Kurt says. He laughs and slides an arm around Blaine's waist. "Wanna go home and make out?"

"No. I wanna go home and have sex," Blaine pouts.

"Blaine!"

"What? I'm desperate. Just...distract me, before I lose my mind."

"Okay." Kurt thinks. "I got it. So I guess this weekend will be pretty packed, but how about next weekend, we go on that date I've been promising for so long?"

Blaine smiles broadly. "Sounds good."

And they walk on, with Kurt plotting and planning, and Blaine not realizing that pretty soon, Kurt will be asking him to become his husband.