Australian Glee is now on hiatus until February.

You have no idea how angry this makes me. I know, internet links and all that but still.

From Secrets of the Fall and similarly prompted bylizzard713: Summer scene where Klaine is on the beach and fluff commences.

I've been told off for having beach scenes when there are no beaches near Lima so I just took the closest lake and chose that. And I don't know how fire permits work in America and whether you even need them to have a bonfire so let's just say they have one and all legal requirements are taken care of in that regard.

Summer

"The lake."

Kurt's tone was flat - something he figured really should have been a warning sign for anybody who knew him well and Blaine was absolutely on that list, topped that list actually - but Blaine still grinned cheerfully at him, nodding. "Yeah, it's only like a fifteen minute drive from here. I go out there with the Warblers at least three times a summer and I thought it would be a great way to cool off."

Finn was chuckling from in the kitchen. "Good luck bro. We try to get Kurt to come out to the lake or even in Quinn's pool every summer and he refuses. Something about skin and -" Finn waved a hand dismissively. "You know. The usual stuff he complains about."

"And you wonder why I don't take great delight in the pleasure of your company." Kurt crossed his arms tighter over his chest, glaring in his stepbrother's direction. "With Blaine it might actually be enjoyable but -"

"Great!" Blaine said suddenly, all but beaming at him. "Do you have a picnic basket? Food there is always horrendously expensive and -"

"Woah woah woah!" Kurt raised his hands, cutting Blaine off fast. "I didn't agree!"

Blaine's eyes widened to the point that it looked like someone had kicked him. Only Kurt could catch the glimmer of wickedness, knowing exactly what was coming next. "But Kurt!" he wined before sticking his bottom lip out theatrically.

"Oh my god!" Kurt groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "You are such a puppy." He sighed. "Fine."

And maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all, Kurt suddenly realized. They were two weeks into summer and so far hadn't been able to spend so much as a second alone together. Kurt had thought school was bad with people constantly around, walking in whenever they wanted a private moment or simply wanting to hang out all the time (and then separate schools and that was just another battle for time altogether) but summer?

Summer was worse. Everybody wanted to hang out non-stop, seeming to feel as if they wouldn't be seeing each other plenty in the coming school year and every second counted. Due to their respective parents rules that Kurt and Blaine couldn't be alone in the house together, they always ended up at Kurt's place with Finn lurking around just wanting to 'hang out' without realizing that he didn't need to be in the same room as them constantly and they weren't going to have wild sex the second his back was turned.

Honestly, between all the interruptions and meddling friends they hadn't even had their first kiss yet. All Kurt wanted was a little privacy so that first that they had both wanted for ages now (as spoken about in phone calls and Skype dates) could happen.

It wasn't easy for them at all. Their first kiss - and all the ones to follow - needed to be in private. They couldn't kiss goodnight outside a restaurant or movie theatre like Finn and Rachel could. And the last thing either of them wanted was for that moment to be broken by somebody walking in on them and interrupting.

So now that Kurt thought about it, this idea of going off to a lake for the day where no, they wouldn't be alone but they would definitely be able to make that happen, was enticing enough that Kurt could ignore imminent sunburn and the vigorous skin care routines that would have to follow to treat the damage.

Blaine seemed to have realized it too and the smile that passed between them was natural but also a little optimistic, hopeful, daring even -

"Hey, we're heading down to the lake for the day, do you want to come?"

Both heads snapped around to see Finn on his phone, nodding away at something. "Well just bring them! The more the merrier and get the girls to bring their boyfriends, we'll make it a New Directions thing!" More silence and then Finn grinned. "Okay, we'll see you there. Love you."

Finn dropped his phone on the table and grinned at them. "So what are we packing for lunch?"

His expression of surprise at the twin groans he met almost had Kurt smiling. Almost.

It was sort of fun, Kurt grudgingly admitted.

After the awkward car ride where Finn had insisted on joining them in Blaine's car and then tried to talk Blaine's ear off about football, they had arrived to the warm reception of the members of New Directions who had been able to join them. Kurt couldn't help but be slightly bitter, especially when he saw Rachel all but leap into Finn's arms, kissing him like she hadn't seen him in a week. Quinn also looked particularly like she would rather be anywhere else so Kurt took that moment to greet her loudly, towing Blaine along to help him.

But after all the greetings were said and done, everybody wanted to get in the water. And Kurt just wasn't quite as down with that one.

"Seriously?" Quinn asked as she finished applying her sunscreen. "The water looks fantastic."

"Not interested."

"Dude, we go through this every year." Puck like all the other straight guys was already shirtless, clearly ready to jump right in. "Just give in and get in the water."

Luckily Blaine stepped in - both figuratively and literally. "How about the rest of you go on ahead. We'll catch up."

Nobody seemed to be in any hurry to stay, Finn only casting one protective brother look their way before joining the others. Kurt sat down on the towel in relief. "I thought they'd never give up this time. I'm glad you had the sense not to push it, now I can -"

"Oh, you're getting in the water."

Kurt slowly lifted his sunglasses, hoping Blaine would change his mind in the time it took.

He didn't.

"I do believe that as my boyfriend you are meant to be the one to take my side and support me in my decisions. And my decision is not to go in the water."

Blaine was still smiling down at him, clearly unrelenting. "Why?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why do you not want to go in the water?"

That was easy enough to answer and Kurt pulled out the standard response. "Because the chlorine wreaks havoc on my skin and my hair will be ruined."

Blaine nodded, kneeling down to his level. "Pizza has the same effect supposedly and you still cave and eat it with me quite frequently, and for the record I have never seen the slightest issue with your skin, ever. I've also seen you with bed hair so it really can't be that bad. Try again, and the real reason this time please."

Kurt should never have let someone this far into his heart.

He sighed. Finally, quietly enough that maybe Blaine wouldn't hear it but of course he would, Kurt told him. "I don't want to take my shirt off."

Blaine was silent for a long moment. "You're gorgeous though," he said, real confusion evident. "Why?"

"I'm good at hiding behind my clothes," Kurt explained reluctantly. "If people are looking at them, they're not looking at me. They're not seeing the lack of tone and muscle, the way I'm too pale and -"

"Stop right there."

Blaine's voice actually sounded hurt and Kurt glanced up, surprised. "I told you right back when we got together that I wasn't going to let people make hurtful comments that got to you without dealing with it and that includes yourself."

"Blaine -"

"No, Kurt. I know you may not agree with me yet, but you need to know two things. One is that I love you for far more than your outward appearance, far more than your clothes or your hairstyles or any of that. I love what's in here." Blaine placed a hand over Kurt's chest softly, a faint touch but one laden with feelings. "And two, I think every part of you is beautiful because it's you. I haven't seen what you look like without a shirt, no, but there is simply no way you could be hideous, Kurt. I - what are you doing?"

Kurt gently tugged Blaine's hand from his chest, crossed his arms over the bottom of his torso and pulled his shirt off in one quick movement. Instead of looking away in shame like he thought he would have, Kurt held eye contact with Blaine whose eyes widened behind his sunglasses. The moment had so much potential to be awkward or forced and Kurt just hoped Blaine had the right thing to say otherwise he would be putting that shirt back on and leaving.

"You are pretty much forbidden from wearing a shirt ever again."

One second of silence and then Kurt began to laugh. "You are so endearing," he finally got out and Blaine grinned. "Now I do believe you are the only one still wearing a shirt and if your next mission is to get me in the water, that probably won't help things along."

And really that should have prepared him for what was to come but instead it simply left Kurt wishing he had left his sunglasses on so he wouldn't be openly staring at his boyfriend's bare torso. "I, uh, um -"

"I, uh, um," Blaine mocked him, smirking. "Same reaction, I promise. Now come on, I know you're boiling and the water is fantastic, I promise."

"You don't know that," Kurt argued half-heartedly, grabbing the sunscreen and beginning to apply it.

Blaine chuckled, gesturing for the bottle. "I come here enough for it to be a third home," he explained before spinning Kurt gently around by the shoulders and beginning to rub sunscreen into his back.

Kurt closed his eyes, trying not to focus on how suddenly intimate this position was because this - and he might never ever admit this - was another reason why he had been reluctant about coming to the lake and doing summery things. Everybody else had had someone to share it with in the past while he had been alone, someone to swim with and lie in the sun with and rub sunscreen on each others backs.

Just like Blaine was for him right now.

Fighting with his emotions, Kurt pulled himself back to the moment. "Third home?"

"Yours being my second of course," Blaine explained, leaving Kurt's head spinning a little again. He rubbed his palm up Kurt's spine one more time - and he was officially goo now - before dropping the bottle and his sunglasses onto his shirt. "Ready to go in?"

There were enough people that they could walk hand-in-hand down to the lake without any concerns and Blaine was right - and that was happening a little too much for his own good these days - in saying that the water would be the perfect temperature. Kurt dunked under straight away, raking his hair back when he resurfaced to find that Blaine had done the same, hair dripping down his face. Together they waded and then swam out to where their friends were treading water out near the middle of the lake.

And yeah, the most satisfying thing was definitely seeing the looks of shock on their faces as the two boys swam out to them.

"Dude, what did you do?" Finn asked Blaine incredulously.

"He looks cheerful too," Mike said, peering at Kurt even though they were like two feet apart. "You didn't blackmail him or anything."

Kurt sighed. "I am right here, you know?"

"That's the point," Puck said. "You're never out here."

Just when it was about to get too tense, Blaine's arms slipped around his waist from behind and he smiled cheerfully at the others. "Just accept that I'm magic and enjoy it while it lasts."

That was all they needed and the others returned to their previous conversation. Kurt blinked as Rachel was hoisted on Finn's shoulders, Tina scrambling onto Mike's. "What's going on?" he whispered to Blaine.

"Chicken," Blaine explained. "You've never watched them do this?"

"I'm usually as far away from the water as possible. What are they -?"

Kurt's question was answered as the two girls began to wrestle, both squealing as they attempted to topple each other off their respective boyfriend's shoulders. He shook his head before ducking away as Tina fell with a scream, splashing everybody in the vicinity. "I fail to see how that's fun."

"Well, you're going to find out."

Kurt frowned. "What do you - oh no. No."

Blaine pouted. "You don't have to be the one fighting. I'll happily take on Rachel."

"Rachel?" Kurt glanced over at the girl who was still sitting on Finn shoulders looking smug. "Oh no, this one is my battle. But how do I get on your shoulders?"

Blaine ducked down under the water before Kurt had finished talking, grabbing Kurt's legs and wrapping them over his shoulders before emerging. Kurt shrieked as he rose into the air, wobbling for a second before resting his hands on Blaine's head and getting his balance. "Cheerios was finally good for something," he quipped and Blaine huffed out a laugh underneath him. "Your hair is so curly like this," he suddenly realized, tangling his fingers in the wet curls.

Blaine laughed again. "As amusing as you are up there, I think Rachel's ready for a battle."

"I prefer to call this another diva-off," Rachel said from across from them and Kurt finally released his hands from Blaine's hair, straightening up fully. "And I'm going to win this one too."

Suddenly Kurt knew exactly how he was going to win. As they began to push at each other, he gave Rachel a few seconds to think she was winning before grabbing her wrists and leaning in close. "I threw that competition."

And as Rachel squawked in surprise, Kurt pushed her backwards and watched as she fell backwards, Finn going down with her. "Yes!" he cheered before throwing his arms out to support himself as Blaine attempted some kind of victory dance. "Oi! Let me down first!"

"If you insist."

He didn't have time to register the suspicious tone to Blaine's voice before Kurt was tipping backwards, hitting the water with a splash. As he resurfaced, Kurt noticed the silence, only broken by Puck. "Oh dude, you're gonna get it!"

Wiping the water from his eyes, Kurt slowly turned to Blaine who was trying to smile like normal but was clearly afraid of what Kurt was going to do. "Blaine, dearest," Kurt began, his tone low and dangerous. He had to suppress a smile as he saw Blaine gulp and try to covertly get away from him, naturally failing to do so as Kurt drew closer. "I just have one thing to tell you."

"What's that?"

Kurt raised an eyebrow before grabbing Blaine by the shoulders and dunking him, holding him under the water as the others began to laugh before releasing him. Blaine popped back up a second later, coughing and thumping a fist to his chest. "Could've given me some warning!" he spluttered out before breaking into another coughing fit.

"Like you warned me?" Kurt asked sardonically but relented, rubbing Blaine's back until he stopped coughing. "Even?"

"Even," Blaine agreed.

There was another shriek and Tina once again fell into the water behind them, a laughing Quinn accepting a high five from Puck whose shoulders she was still balanced on. Kurt shot Blaine an amused glance and together they joined the rest of their friends, Kurt smirking to himself as Mike immediately commandeered Blaine for his team.

They resurfaced an hour later when the noise of Finn's stomach grumbling had gotten almost unbearable. Between the group they had packed three picnic baskets and Kurt and Blaine went on an ice cream run with Puck after lunch, a tradition that Kurt had been unaware of to Blaine's shock.

"You can't come to the lake and not get ice cream!" he informed Kurt as they headed back to the group, each holding a few cones. "It's practically immoral!"

"Blaine, I think our relationship is significantly more immoral than not eating ice cream."

Blaine shot him a surprised look then chuckled. "I'll give you that one."

The ice cream was distributed and consumed fairly quickly and then Kurt watched as every last drop of energy disappeared. Blaine was sprawled on a towel next to Kurt, lying on his stomach with one hand entwined with Kurt's who was still sitting up. Kurt glanced around at his friends, remembering previous summers they had spent here. At this point everybody would be content to spend a good few hours lazing on the beach, sleeping or reading or not-so-covertly making out. They would all hit the water again later - previously having left Kurt alone - but for now nobody was up to moving.

Maybe...

"Blaine?" he murmured.

Blaine turned on his side, propping himself up on one elbow as he suppressed a yawn. "Yeah?"

"Want to go back in?"

It was clear that Blaine actually wanted nothing less at that moment as evidenced by the way he fell against Kurt's side, nuzzling into his chest a little. "But I'm tired and being lazy," came the muffled response.

Kurt waited a few seconds until Blaine was good and comfortable. "We'd be alone."

Blaine's head shot up. "Oh. We would." And Kurt almost felt bad for how much effort it clearly took Blaine to get to his feet but it was worth it, so worth it. "We're just ducking back into the water," Blaine said conversationally to the others as Kurt accepted the hand offered to him, climbing to his feet.

"Oh, that actually sounds really good," Mike said, lifting his head. "I could use another dip. Tina, you want to come with?"

Tina raised her head off Mike's chest, glancing sleepily over at the two boys and Kurt immediately fixed her with his best pleading stare, hoping she would understand in her sleep-addled state and be able to be subtle about it and hoping that she would take his side…

"No way," she said, dropping back down and wrapping her arms tighter around Mike as Kurt shot her a silent glance of thanks. "And you're not going anywhere, pillow. Maybe in an hour or so."

Mike fell back on the sand, giving in, and the two boys immediately made their escape before anybody else could either wake up or separate from their significant other to decide they were coming with them. They darted down towards the water, casting glances at each other because finally they were going to get a chance to just be alone, even if they were surrounded by hundreds of other people, they would make this happen.

It involved a bit of swimming but finally Kurt was confident that they had found as secluded a spot as one could in the middle of a lake - far away enough from everybody else that they shouldn't pay them too much attention and their sexuality would be severely judged if they did. Suddenly nervous he turned to face Blaine who was watching him with a knowing smile. "I have no idea what to do now," he admitted.

Blaine nodded. "Trust me?"

Before he could answer - and they both knew he didn't need to, they trusted each other unconditionally - Blaine was reaching out for his hips, dragging him gently through the water to press their chests together. Kurt draped his arms over Blaine's shoulders, staring into his eyes and sinking further into the realization that this was where he belonged. "Hi," Blaine murmured and his grip tightened a little, possessive but in the best possible way that left Kurt almost weak because someone actually wanted to be possessive of him.

"Hi," he said in return, hesitating for a second before resting his cheek against Blaine's, smiling as he felt the fluttering of Blaine's eyelashes against his temple. "I love you."

"I love you too. And, Kurt," Blaine said, pulling away to look at him properly, "we've waited a long time for this -"

"Too long."

Blaine smiled softly. "Too long," he agreed. "So I want to make sure this is as perfect as it can be. I'm afraid we've build it up in our heads for too long now and it's not going to measure up and -"

"Blaine," Kurt said softly but firmly. "It's the middle of summer, we're pretty much cuddling in the middle of a lake after spending a great day with our friends. I love you and we both know this would have happened earlier if we had had the chance. We have it now so please," he pressed their foreheads together almost desperately, "please let's not waste it talking about whether this is going to live up to expectations. You are my expectation."

Blaine was staring up at him through his eyelashes and it was positively the most beautiful thing Kurt had seen and he couldn't waste another second. Letting his eyes flutter closed, Kurt leaned in slowly, feeling Blaine's breath against his before pressing their lips together.

They were still treading water but their upper bodies melded together, pressing to each other almost desperately even when their lips were still soft, tentative and loving. They were holding one another up, always each others support no matter what.

Even after they had finished kissing, the contact wasn't broken. Cheek to cheek they floated together, occasionally pressing another kiss to one anothers lips, cheeks, foreheads, anywhere they could get to now that they could. They lost all track of time and finally, finally, Kurt understood what it was like to lose yourself in someone, to want nothing more than to be with them in that one moment forever.

Blaine sighed and dropped his head onto Kurt's shoulder. Kurt laughed quietly, stroking his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. "M'tired," he muttered. "I usually get an afternoon nap here."

Kurt laughed again. "So sorry to drag you away from that, won't happen again," he teased. Blaine's arms were around his shoulders now and Kurt dropped his arms into the water, finding Blaine's legs and guiding them to wrap around his waist. He was starting to feel the strain of treading water for so long but really, nothing was going to keep him from supporting Blaine when he needed it. "I've got you. Just relax, we have all afternoon."

And then there was the sound of light splashing behind them and Kurt turned a little, still holding Blaine up, to see Tina and Mike swimming over. "Just wanted to let you know that they've all woken up and they're heading back in," Mike informed them and Kurt groaned.

"Thanks, Mike," Blaine murmured, his voice muffled. "I'm tired, don't want to move."

Kurt paused for a second, contemplating. "Then don't. We have no reason not to be like every other couple here." The sound of the group approaching could be heard and Kurt wrapped his arms tighter around Blaine. "Stay with me."

And Blaine got what he was trying to say, why it was suddenly so important that they stay this way instead of breaking apart and keeping the touch to a minimum. "Always."

"Is he alright?"

Kurt spun around to see Quinn gesturing to Blaine and smiled. "He's tired. So he's koala-ing to me for the afternoon."

Quinn was smiling, shaking her head as she turned back to Puck and continued whatever conversation they had been having. Nobody else looked in the slightest perturbed or even surprised and Kurt relaxed, resting his cheek against Blaine's curls with a happy sigh.

"What are you two doing?"

Kurt refused to lift his head, no matter how much his heart had just clenched. Finn was staring at them, his brow furrowed as he swam over with Rachel in tow. "What does it look like we're doing?" he asked, the awful feeling in his heart getting worse when Blaine tensed up in his arms because yes, Finn's homophobia was getting a lot better but it wasn't something that could be changed overnight and they both knew that.

"I've never seen you two like this before," Finn said, his voice blunt. "What have you been doing out here?"

"Oh my god, you did not just ask them that!" Puck was staring at Finn with an eyebrow raised. "One, if they do have any details for you then you aren't going to want to hear them anyway. And two, it's pretty much between them."

"And three," Tina added in, "we could see them from the shore. They've just been kissing."

Kurt promptly turned bright red, ducking his head into Blaine's curls a little. "I didn't realize you could see us." There was a long silence and he looked up to see everybody glaring at Finn. "Do you have a problem with this?" he finally asked.

Finn actually did a double take. "Why would I have a problem?" he asked, and his voice was so honest that Kurt had to believe him. "It's just surprising. Kind of cute actually."

"Well, I try," Blaine said, lifting his head a little before dropping it onto Kurt's shoulder with a groan. "Sun's too bright, I'm not moving."

Suddenly a little overwhelmed, Kurt leaned down and pressed his lips to Blaine's hair. "You don't have to. I've got you."

The boys insisted on waiting for the sun to set before arranging the bonfire, no matter how much the girls and Kurt tried to insist that finding the logs while it was still light was probably intelligent. Though he couldn't really complain when it left him and Blaine stumbling through the dark hand-in-hand, laughing and exchanging kisses and enjoying the fact that their relationship hadn't changed, not at the core. They were still best friends first.

They arrived back with an armload of sticks and logs, Kurt falling back into the sand and watching lazily as the others assembled them and lit up the bonfire. Blaine joined him once the fire was going, slotting in behind him and pulling Kurt up so he was resting against his chest. Kurt traced over the hands wrapped around his waist, smiling over at Tina who was resting the same way against Mike. "I have to say, today turned out a lot better than expected," he murmured to himself.

"I'm glad," Blaine said, resting his head on Kurt's shoulder. "I was worried that making you come and forcing you into the water would ruin the day but I also knew that if you just relaxed, you'd have a great time."

"I think I want to come back," Kurt said, the thought still slotting into place in his mind. "Maybe in a few days."

"Yeah?"

Kurt turned his head a little, pressing a kiss to Blaine's nose and receiving a smile in return. "Yeah. But this time," he murmured, leaning in so their lips were brushing, "just you and me."

Blaine smiled against his lips. "Just you and me," he agreed. "Always you and me."

The prompt specified fluff. I think I just drowned you in it.

MusicalEscape:

"You do realize that song is sung by a woman, right?"

*strolls in* "And you DO realize I could use your hair to weave myself a banner announcing your defeat, right? The great Sue Sylvester can't stand any more idiots with bad hair in this world; William, it seems you're becoming contagious. But if you ever tell one of my Cheerios what to do, you might wake up and find that your teddy bear is gone, and I will be in it's place. I assure you, I will be holding a certain Warbler gavel... Fear me!"