A/N: Hello and happy Saturday! Thank you so much for the support y'all have shown this story; it really just warms my heart. Your reviews have been bright spots in some sort of shadowy days, so thank you. It really means the world to me. Alright, I'll quit being sappy! We get some more Blaine POV with this one. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.

Chapter 9

Something changed after that day in Blaine's house. His words - laugh through it - had stuck with Kurt. He felt a solid determination settle in him. One where he could grin and bear it. Where he would keep working, no matter the pain. And when Blaine had driven him home, hours later, after a tour of the house that consisted of Blaine practically carrying Kurt from room to room, trying to paint the picture of his vision, Kurt had rolled his window down and let the lazy, thick air pull through his hair. He closed his eyes, breathed deep and thought I am here, I am real, I am not going to disappear. And when he got back to his car, his feet were no longer numb.

He'd gone home, under strict orders to take a long hot bath and to let Darla help him if he needed it. Kurt agreed, only because he was pretty certain he'd be able to make it up to his room without aid. And then, as he turned to unlock his car he thought again and turned back to grab Blaine's hand, pulling a stumbling Blaine into his arms and squeezing like he wouldn't ever let go.

Blaine, a little confused, squeezed back just as tight, but careful not to hurt Kurt. Kurt just sighed into Blaine's curls and said, "Thank you, Blaine. You are…", he shook his head knowing his next words weren't enough. They weren't even close to the truth but they were all he had. "You are the best friend I think I've ever had."

Blaine chuckled, a warm sound that wrapped around Kurt's ears and sank directly into the part of his brain that held his most treasured memories. "Same."

Kurt pulled away, grabbed Blaine's hand and kissed the back of it, loving the way Blaine's breath caught and his eyebrows bounced up. There, now we're even, Kurt thought. He smiled and took a step back before dropping Blaine's hand.

He drove home with a smile and nervous feeling in his stomach. A little thrilled, a little terrified.

The following day was a Friday, Kurt's favorite because it meant two blissful days of sleeping in and lady chats with Darla and lounging in the loft with Blaine. However, this Friday was tinged with a bit of sadness as it was officially the last day of the bathroom renovation. To be honest, Kurt was pretty sure it was completely done and that Blaine was literally just deep cleaning it today, but he appreciated the extra time it gave them.

When Kurt's classes wrapped up, he ducked into the lobby, saying a quick hello to Bev as he'd made a habit of doing. Turns out, when you make nice with their leader, the group generally tends to follow suit. Now, the leering was turned down from lascivious to teasing and hey, that felt like a victory.

Kurt slipped down the hallway to find Blaine dragging the mop out of the bathroom, to return it to the supply closet directly across from the hall.

"I don't really think that's a part of your job description." Kurt joked, and Blaine's head snapped up with a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Yeah, well, just want to make sure it's all good to go for Darla and you." He shrugged as he closed the closet door. He shoved his fists deep in his pockets and it was odd to see this normally confident man looking sheepish and unsure.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked, taking a step closer, not sure what he intended to do with that.

Blaine just shrugged again, as if that was a satisfying answer and Kurt gave him a look that heavily conveyed it indeed was not. Blaine sighed, "I just, I don't know. It was nice seeing you every day." He scuffed the floor with the toe of his shoe and Kurt could imagine this is how he looked when he was a child; shy and new in town. It was endearing.

Kurt just laughed, taking another step forward and placing his hands on Blaine's slumped shoulders. "Blaine?" He said, waiting until those hazel eyes met his. "I'll still see you every day. You know that, right?"

Blaine's eyes searched his, as if really trying to see if Kurt meant it. Kurt couldn't imagine why he'd doubt that but he supposed that he'd also had moments of wondering if this was all real and not just a matter of mere convenience. A tiny smile crinkled the corners of Blaine's eyes and he nodded.

"Good," Kurt said, "because I'm starving. I can help you get your stuff back in the truck and we can eat?"

Blaine gave him a challenging look that Kurt already knew too well. "I'm feeling fine today, promise." He answered before Blaine could ask. "See?" And he lifted his leg high, developpe. He may have been loaded up on ibuprofen but he really did feel fine today. His body was playing nice it seemed, after putting him through hell the day before.

"Okay, okay, fine." Blaine said, tearing his eyes off of Kurt's long, lean leg and bending down to start straightening his huge metal tool box up. "Show off," he muttered under his breath.

"Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it." Kurt said proudly, beginning to bundle up hammers and screwdrivers to hand over to Blaine.

"Producers?" Blaine asked, guessing the reference which just delighted Kurt in a way he couldn't really describe. Blaine was just full of surprises.

"We should watch that this weekend!" Kurt said excitedly, "It's been so long."

Blaine nodded as he latched his tool box closed and hoisted the hulking thing off the ground. "Sure, but also, how would you feel about going to the diner with me tomorrow? I'm actually going to be re-doing some more shelving for them and they're looking at possibly revamping the entire bar. I could get some work done while you finally try the best burger on the planet."

"Man, I really hope this burger lives up to all the hype." Kurt said, mouth already watering at the thought of it. "But yeah, sounds good!"

And as they walked through the lobby, arms full of tools, mom's staring with cheshire like grins at them, Kurt realized that just because this job was over, didn't mean they were. No, no. Far from it. He just hoped that Blaine saw that too.

The diner gleamed in the early afternoon sun as Kurt approached on foot. With a town as small as Cassville, it felt foolish to drive everywhere, especially when his legs weren't torturing him. And if Kurt was really honest, he liked those days when he ended up back at the loft without his car. Because, ever the gentleman, Blaine would insist on driving him home. And in the dark stillness of the muggy night, they'd climb into Blaine's old rumbly truck and crank the windows down and they'd drive. They'd drive in a soft silence, only tinged by the low volume of the country western station on the radio, more of a whitenoise mixing with the hum of the cicadas and crickets. They'd drive until they reached Darla's, all of the windows dark. And Kurt would say good night and Blaine would say good night and as much as Kurt didn't want to think about it, part of him loved it because it felt like the end of a really, really good date. A really good, kiss-less date. But every night, right before he popped the passenger door handle and swung the heavy, creaking truck door open, he felt the crackle of energy between them. Wrapped in darkness and warmth. It never happened, but still. It felt like it could.

So Kurt walked the 15 minutes to the diner, calling out hellos to the Johnsons as they watched their kids play in the sprinkler in the front yard and to the Richards as they sat on their front porch in their rockers. The Jennings kids all but ran down their driveway, abandoning their sidewalk chalk to tackle Kurt into a hug. The youngest, Henry, was in one of his classes. The oldest, Tyler, worked at the general store on the weekends and always packaged Kurt's produce carefully, so as not to bruise the bananas or squash the pears.

Still sighing and trying to wipe the chalky fingerprints from his white t-shirt, Kurt entered the diner. It both confused and delighted Kurt to find that he could walk into this establishment, or really any in town, and not only not care that he wasn't dressed to impress, but to find that he liked that no one cared what he wore. They only cared if we wore a smile.

And sure, Blaine seemed to enjoy the skinny jeans Kurt had worn that night to the bar, but nothing made Blaine's eyes light up like when Kurt walked into a room with a smile on his face. Something about that, the fact that Blaine seemed to really like him for who he was and not who he wore, was a feeling that made Kurt stop wiping at the fingerprints on his shirt because it just didn't really matter, did it. Not here, at least.

He was greeted with warm smiles around the diner. A man named Lenny, sitting at the counter, turned towards Kurt, "He's in the back," already knowing who he must be here to meet. You didn't really see Kurt without Blaine or Blaine without Kurt nowadays, he supposed. "Blaine!" Lenny called, turning back around, "you've got company!"

Blaine heard a voice call him from the front, probably Lenny. Lenny haunted the counter of this place like he had a score to settle, so it must have been him. Just as he assumed the voice was Lenny, he also assumed that his company was Kurt, because honestly, who else would it be?

A smile stretched across his face without his permission but he was honestly just so used to the unconscious reactions Kurt elicited from him that he wasn't even mad about it anymore. Just like he wasn't upset when Kurt laughed at something he said and swatted his arm and it made Blaine's heart leap into his throat. Just like he wasn't upset when Kurt teased him with fondness deep in his eyes and it made him feel noticed and important instead of small and unsure. Just like it didn't upset him when Kurt wore those dance leggings and tight t-shirts and it made his whole body harden in appreciation and anticipation. Okay, so that last one was a little upsetting but only because there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

Blaine gathered up his folder filled with hand drawn blueprints and hastily written ideas and emerged from the kitchen to find Kurt standing in the glow of the early afternoon sunlight, looking like a goddamn angel smudged in chalk. As if he'd been drawn in pastels and hung in the finest museum in Paris only to come to life and break free. Now, a wingless angel in Nowhere, Arkansas smiling at Blaine and making his hand positively ache to touch and hold.

But of course, Blaine said none of that. Instead, he put his folder underneath his arm and said, "That's quite the look, Hummel." as he gently placed his hand on Kurt's lower back and guided him over to a booth for their late lunch.

Kurt's blue eyes flashed with that familiar, competitive glimmer, "I can't help it if I'm just so beloved in this town that the Jennings kids couldn't keep their hands off me." Kurt froze instantly as Blaine's eyebrows rocketed up. "Wait, that sounded dirty." Kurt said, eyes wide. And Blaine, in an effort to not think about his hands all over Kurt, barked out an abrupt laugh.

Kurt shook his head, an easy smile overtaking his face as he rolled his eyes at his own words and took a seat in the sticky vinyl booth. "Anyways, hi." He looked up through his lashes at Blaine and Blaine couldn't help but mirror the look "Hi," he replied.

"Well hello there!" A third voice joined in and they both looked up, a little shocked to find a waitress at their table with a wide smile. She placed plastic glasses of water on the table. "I'm Josie and I will be your waiter today."

"Hey Josie," Blaine said. They'd gone to highschool together so he knew that introduction wasn't for him. "This is Kurt," He gestured towards his friend, trying not to look too proud.

Josie just rolled her eyes at him and said, "Please Blaine, I know who this is, everyone has been talking about your new boo."

And of course she had to say that just as he'd tried to take a sip of his water, which thanks to her comment, was now headed straight for his lungs and not his stomach. As Blaine choked desperately, Joise ignored him and turned her attention to Kurt, leaving no room for anyone to correct her. "It's still nice to finally, officially meet you though," she held out a hand and Kurt shook it, eyes flicking repeatedly to Blaine as he finally finished with his coughing fit.

"So what can I get you two?" She asked, seamlessly slipping into her hometown waitress role.

They ordered two burgers with all the fixings and no one corrected Josie's assumption and Blaine didn't think about how that was dangerous for his heart. He just basked in it and turned his attention to Kurt who was surveying the space.

The diner was so authentic that it made Blaine sometimes forget what year it was when he was here. It had the black and white tiles floors and red vinyl booths. The front of the restaurant was glass, overlooking the sidewalk and the street. The top of the bar and almost everything behind it was a gleaming chrome that looked brand new despite the very real possibility that it was original to the place. There was even a jukebox sitting down at the far end that glowed a beautiful rainbow at night. Everytime Blaine was here, he thought of sharing fries with his grandma or sticky fingers from banana splits.

And now he was here with Kurt and he had no doubt that this would be added to that precious bank of memories. That years from now he'd still be able to see how Kurt's eyes, light and sparkling, looked away from the diner, to him and said, "This place is amazing. No offense, I know you're really talented but I can't imagine why they'd want to change a single thing here."

Blaine's heart swelled in part because of the compliment on his talent but also because he completely agreed with Kurt. "I know, right? It's not so much about changing the aesthetic as it is about adding functionality."

"Plan?" Kurt asked, motioning to Blaine's folder. He nodded and opened it on the table between them. He started pointing to the drawing and pointing out where that was in the actual diner. He saw Kurt's eyes following him intently, taking in every word he spoke and mulling it over. He asked careful questions and offered suggestions like, "What if you used a chrome mounting bracket for the shelving? It would blend nicely with their existing metal accents."

Kurt had some pretty clever ideas and Blaine jotted some of them down right on the blueprints, wondering what he could work in. "Well, you gave me a lot of food for thought. But I guess I should have seen that coming after the whole grout thing at the school."

"Oh you mean the near tragic grout catastrophe?" Kurt quipped, smiling at Josie as she brought two plates to the table.

"Look, I'm a structural guy. I know how to do

the work-"

"-and I know how to make it look good." Kurt

finished his sentence, popping a fry in his mouth and

smiling.

"Well then," Blaine said, knowing his eyes

were too heavy with affection and being completely

unable to change that, "looks like we make a good team."

Kurt nodded, that smile growing bigger on his lips as he ducked his head to eye the burger appreciatively. "That we do."

"Blaine?" An unexpected voice called from the door and they both looked to find a young, attractive man with shoulder length brown hair walking over with a huge smile.

"Cliff?" Blaine answered, feeling a matching grin tug his lips up. "Hey man, when did you get back in town?" He slid out of the booth to shake Cliff's hand and gave him a back clapping hug.

"Oh only a couple days ago. I slept most of it away though, jet lag, ya know?" his eyes swung over to see Kurt, eyes wide with questions and a strange look on his face that, if Blaine was crazy, he would think might be a hint of jealousy. "And this must be Kurt?"

Kurt's face twisted further in confusion but the polite smile remained bolted in place as he extended a hand to shake Cliff's. "Correct. How…?"

"Oh!" Cliff laughed, pointed behind him. "Jo has told me all about you." He sent a wink to Blaine as Kurt asked, "Jo?"

"Josie." He answered as the very girl appeared from the back of the kitchen, carrying a tray filled with drinks.

"Present!" She called as she effortlessly moved around the diner, depositing drinks on tables.

"Cliff and Josie have been together for, man what like...8 years or something crazy now?" Blaine said.

"Nine!" Cliff said proudly as Josie walked up, round tray trapped under her arm now. "Been together since we were sixteen." He looked fondly down at his girlfriend as she smiled up at him.

Kurt, who had remained quiet during all of this, seemed to relax a little with this knowledge and asked. "So you said you just got back to town?"

Cliff's eyes, bright green and gleaming turned his gaze on Kurt with a smile, "Yeah! Jo and I are in a band and I was travelling around the Southern U.S. trying to set up our first real tour!"

"Oh, how exciting!" Kurt cooed, clapping his hands together in genuine joy for this stranger. Blaine couldn't keep that tug in his heart in check. Kurt was so kind and so genuine and fuck, if Blaine hadn't misread him terribly when he'd first met him.

"Very exciting!" Jo said back, glowing and if Blaine was an outsider looking in, they probably looked like two couples, catching up. Two couples who had known one another a long time, probably double dated, probably had come to this very diner many times for a meal and a long, long chat. Because Kurt just fit. He fit in this community and by doing so? He fit perfectly into Blaine's heart. He saw how the whole town had opened up for them and Kurt, in turn, had taught their kids and learned their names and shopped locally. Kurt had stayed after his classes to talk to Linda about her knitting. Kurt would sit on the front porch and have a class of sweet tea with his grandma. And everyone, everyone seemed a little too happy at their friendship.

Blaine was pulled from his musing when he heard Cliff say, "Yeah, Jo here plays the keys and the cello. I play guitar, but not nearly as well as Blaine." He shot Blaine a smug smile, and he knew it was a compliment but damnit, did he just have to bring that up?

Kurt's eyebrows rose and he whipped his head over to look at Blaine. "You play guitar?"

Before Blaine could even respond, Cliff was doing it for him. "Oh man, yeah he does! He also sings and plays piano! And he's really good too. I wanted him in the band for the longest time but he always shot me down." He grinned at Blaine. "It's okay man, I'm only a lot bitter." He joked.

Blaine felt his face heating up and he ducked his face down to examine his shoes. He felt himself rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous gesture he knew he did but was always surprised when he found his hand there before he had consciously agreed to it.

"Hmmm, interesting…" Kurt said and he could hear the smirk on those perfect lips as he bumped his shoulder with his own.

Jo laughed, a clear sound. "Well, it looks like Blaine may have some explaining to do so we'll leave you two to it." Jo untied her apron, apparently finishing up her shift for the day. "It was great to meet you Kurt!"

Kurt agreed and shook Cliff's hand again. Blaine, still staring at his shoes, just waved noncommittal and heard the answering laugh from Cliff as the duo left through the glass front door.

"Oh hey! Cliff!" Blaine thought to shout right before the two disappeared out the door entirely. Cliff's head popped back in with a quirked eyebrow. "Tell your uncle Rich that I said hi. Tell him it's been too long since he stopped in town."

Cliff's answering smile was bright, "Will do!" And then he was gone.

Blaine turned to Kurt, "His uncle is a contractor a few towns over. When I started doing this handyman gig for a living and doing full renovations, he leant me a lot of tools, taught me some of the more complex stuff; he's a good guy." He hoped this would be enough of a distraction to keep Kurt off the topic prior.

Blaine sat. Kurt sat. it was silent as he fiddled with a few fries.

"So," Kurt said, grabbing the ketchup bottle and feigning disinterest. "You're a musician." It wasn't a question and why should it be? Cliff had confirmed it.

Blaine huffed out a sigh, finally raising his eyes to watch as Kurt added a careful puddle of ketchup to his plate. So much for trying to distract him with the web of small town contacts. "Well, I don't know about musician. That seems a little extreme-"

"You play 2 instruments and you sing. So basically three instruments, really." Kurt interrupted, finally taking a bite of his burger. His eyes rolled back a little in his head and Blaine did his best to ignore the undignified sound that came from somewhere in the back of this angel's throat. "Fuck, you weren't lying; these are amazing."

"Right?" Blaine said, taking a bite of his own burger.

They chewed in silence for a while, enjoying their lunches. And just when Blaine thought that maybe that conversation was done Kurt said, "I used to sing too."

And that got his attention because Blaine had always wondered how that beautiful, smooth voice would sound like wrapped around a melody. "Really?"

"Yeah. If dance hadn't taken up every single moment of my waking hours, I would have loved to have done more with music. I've been told I'm pretty good." He preened a little at this and it made Blaine chuckle. Kurt, with unflappable confidence in some things and a timid hesitancy in others.

"I would love to hear that some day." he admitted.

Kurt got a little teasing look on his face and he aimed it straight at Blaine. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

And Blaine laughed, thankful he had already swallowed. Somehow, that awkward statement broke the awkwardness, so when Kurt asked, "So why didn't you tell me music was such a big part of your life?" Blaine was able to answer honestly.

"I don't know. It's more like it used to be a big part of my life. Now, I'm just so busy with jobs and fixing up my house that I don't have that much time to play around with it."

Kurt nodded his head in understanding and polished off his fries. Blaine continued, because he truly was incapable of talking to Kurt and not telling him absolutely everything, wasn't he? "I also...I don't know, I think people around here always thought I was going to get out of here and do something with it. And I mean, I sort of thought that too when I was 15, 16. But then I started getting older and getting jobs as a handyman and I don't know." He looked up, knowing Kurt would never think he was silly or foolish. "I love it here. And I want to be here. But I wonder if sometimes people are a little...disappointed? That I didn't do more?" he shook his head.

Kurt reached across the table, resting a hand on his and it felt like fire. "Blaine, this town fucking adores you. I think there might actually be a shrine of you erected in the park some day. You're Baby Blaine. I think you could be selling used toothbrushes and they'd still be proud of you."

Blaine smiled, hoping that Kurt would keep his hand exactly where it was and knowing he shouldn't hope for such things. "Wait, used toothbrushes?"

"Hey, there's a market for everything!" Kurt laughed, removing his hand and draining his water. "So, this place looks like it would have a good milkshake. Do they?"

Blaine just grinned. Because only Kurt could pull an honest story of life decisions and fear of disappointing loved ones out of Blaine, only to end it with a question about milkshakes. And it still seemed effortless and seamless. And Blaine just knew, he knew he was falling but fuck, it was such a wonderful ride down.

That lunch had ended up being the most

productive and fun work lunch of his life, and that was

all thanks to his company.

His company, who was adorable and breathtaking and who got a little ketchup smeared on the corner of his lips and it took everything Blaine had to tell him about it instead of just reaching out and wiping it away himself. His company, who, with burgers devoured and milkshakes demolished, reached back out for Blaine's plans and started pouring over them again.

When Ray, the owner came in to check on his diner, Kurt had gone right on up to him, shook his hand and proudly declared that Blaine had some beautiful ideas for the place and Blaine just ignored how Kurt's confident, take charge attitude went straight to his cock because fuck, a man who was fearless was sexy as it gets. Instead, Blaine had just shook his head in amazement and laughed, standing to shake Ray's hand and introduce Kurt properly, as his grandma had raised him to do.

And somehow, this conversation turned into a three person affair, with Blaine explaining how he was going to maximize space and Ray asking questions about interruption to the business and Kurt offering suggestions on materials and almost acting as liaison between contractor and owner, making sure that Blaine understood what Ray really needed from a design standpoint and translating Blaine's plans when he accidentally slipped into too technical of lingo.

And when the plans were roughly set and Blaine had agreed to draw him up an official quote, Ray had started asking Kurt how he was liking Cassville and Kurt talked of the school and the swimming hole and how he still wanted Blaine to take him to the movie theater. And Blaine just interjected sparingly, too fascinated at this man who so seamlessly wrapped every member of the community around his little finger. Himself included, of course.

And so their lunch turned into a dinner of chicken fried steaks with free lemon meringue pie from Ray because he was simply so charmed by Kurt and how much he cared about this diner and this job. And as Ray set the pie down on the table he smiled at Kurt and then turned to Blaine and said, "He's a keeper; don't let him go."

And Blaine had just swallowed around the instant lump that created in his throat and nodded because he knew that's exactly what he'd have to do.

Since Blaine was apparently a masochist though, he practically begged Kurt to come back to the loft with him so they could watch The Producers, like he'd promised. And well, maybe begged wasn't the right word because he only had to merely offer before Kurt was halfway to his truck, calling over his shoulder that Blaine better have popcorn.

Blaine drove them the short distance to his loft while Kurt complained about how sweaty he was and how showers did little to help it. Blaine just smiled and nodded, a little too head over heels to really be listening fully and desperately trying to get the image of a wet Kurt, pressed up against his shower tiles, panting his name over and over.

When they pulled up to the house, the sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, a pinkish hue falling on the world. It would still be hours until complete darkness replaced it and Blaine saw his grandma, sitting on the front porch, smiling slyly over at the boys as they exited the truck. She didn't even pretend she wasn't watching so Blaine told Kurt to get the movie cued up. "I'm just gonna say hi to my grandma really quick!" He shouted up the stairs.

"Tell her hello from me too!" Kurt responded.

Blaine walked the long path from the driveway to the front door, throwing his hand up and waving to his grandmother who smiled wider still and waved back.

"Well hello there stranger!" Grandma said, "I feel like I hardly see you anymore since you're always galavanting around town with Mr. Hummel."

Blaine blushed a little but mostly felt a wave of guilt crash over him. He and his grandmother used to spend a lot more time together, talking and drinking sweet tea and running errands in the town together. He'd been so wrapped up in Kurt that he hadn't even realized he'd been neglecting her. "I'm sorry grandma," he said lamely, not sure what more he could offer.

She just scoffed and waved a hand at him as if to say 'oh please'. "Blaine, it's quite alright. I'm happy to see you out with people your own age. I'm happy to see you so happy. So please, don't apologize."

Blaine nodded, still feeling a little bad. She had raised him to be a gentleman and his recent absence didn't feel very gentlemanly.

"Sweet Blaine," his grandmother said again, her voice immeasurably softer. That tone got him to look up and meet her eyes. She was beautiful and dignified and never shied away from a tough conversation. And the way she was looking at him now made him hold her gaze. "I brought you here to give you the life you deserve. Not the life I thought you wanted or needed, but the life you deserve." Her eyes flicked toward the garage. "And you deserve to be happy."

Blaine's eyes flickered over to the garage and back again, swallowing thickly because first Ray and now her? Why didn't they understand that it was all temporary?

But she saw the look and with a resolution setting in her brow and the line of her jaw she said, "You love him, don't you?"

Blaine shook his head, willing his eyes not to tear up because he definitely could not have this conversation now, with Kurt a stone's throw away. "It doesn't matter grandma."

"It sure as hell does," she said and normally, that sort of language from her would have made Blaine do a double take but instead he spat back, "He's leaving." His voice had fallen to a whisper because if he didn't whisper he was afraid he'd yell.

He took a shaky inhale and repeated, "He's leaving. At the end of the summer, he's leaving and I will be here and so no. It doesn't matter. Because it's easier for everyone if it just. Doesn't. Matter." He wiped a hand down his suddenly tensed face and only smudged the sweat on his skin deeper in. "I'm sorry grandma, I'm not angry at you. I just…" he shook his head in defeat, looking up with wide hazel eyes that pleaded for some comfort. For a truth that didn't exist or a loophole that made New York and Cassville next door neighbors.

"I know hon, I know." His grandma said, eyes still soft if not a little pained now.

They stood in silence for a few moments, letting the sticky breeze wash out all other noise. Somewhere, a ways down the road, a dog was barking. The leaves on the huge oaks in the front of the yard rustled together, not that far off at all but sounding like it was filtering through a universe of time and space. A different dimension.

"Well, best not keep him waiting any longer." His grandma said, gesturing toward the garage.

Blaine nodded and turned. But a few steps in, he heard her call, "Blaine?" He turned back around, his face so spent and honest. "For what it's worth, I really like him." Her smile was tentative but girlish. A little glimmer in her eyes that, for her, was the equivalent of a suggestive eyebrow wave.

Blaine coughed out an unexpected laugh because he just really needed that right then. And honestly? Her blessing still meant something to him. "Yeah," he squeaked out, biting his bottom lip, "Yeah, me too." He laughed, his voice feeling unused and all over the place but his grandma just smiled back and he finally retreated to his dark little cave off the driveway.

He climbed the stairs to find Kurt curled up on the couch, a full bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

"There you are!" He said, eyes bright, "I've got everything ready to go." But as he began to swing his legs off the couch, Blaine caught them, sat down and placed Kurt's feet back in his lap. Kurt stared at him, eyes round and huge and disbelieving. But his lips curved into the tiniest, almost imperceptible smile and Blaine just mimicked that.

"Alright, let's do this," Blaine said, grabbing the remote and hitting play.

The domesticity of that night hit Blaine over and over in the gut. The way Kurt passed him the popcorn blindly, with his eyes glued to the screen. The way Kurt almost kicked him in the head when he started to fall asleep, unreasonably offended that Blaine could fall asleep during such a masterpiece. The way Kurt did fall asleep and Blaine just smiled and grabbed the blanket off the back of the sofa.

Ray's words circling in his head: He's a keeper; don't let him get away.

A/N: I remember when I was writing this chapter that I was having a really hard time getting into it and it just wasn't flowing how I wanted it to, so I switching POV to try to jump start my creativity and I think it really helped. What do you guys thing? Leave a review and don't forget to follow/favorite so you don't miss the next update!