Happy Saturday! :)

Hope you had a really wonderful week. I'm very excited about sharing more of this story with you all. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it! Thanks for all the great comments. They really keep me motivated.

Big hugs for Christine, for being the best beta ever.

And another one for Sofi for being my hype girl :)

Enjoy!


At the sound of the alarm, Blaine opened his eyes unwillingly, only to look right into an expanse of pale, perfect skin. He had slotted himself behind Kurt in his sleep, forehead pressed to his shoulder blade, and it seemed stupid not to start kissing that same spot right now.

What a perfect way to start his day.

Kurt grumbled moodily at the alarm, but once he registered Blaine's kisses, he let out a happy little sigh. "Morning," he said, voice a bit hoarse from sleep.

"Morning," Blaine mumbled back, lips trailing to the top of his spine and then to the back of his neck. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," he replied breathlessly, pushing back against Blaine like he wanted to be even closer. "And now I don't want to get out of bed. Maybe I should quit and stay here forever."

"That's a great idea, let's do that," Blaine chuckled. "Who needs work, right?"

Kurt groaned and buried his face in the pillow. "Unfortunately, I do. But if you keep doing that, I think I might be fine choosing poverty instead."

Blaine laughed again but forced himself to pull away. "How about I make you that breakfast I promised you? Would that help you get out of bed?"

"I guess if you're not going to be in bed, there's no point in staying," Kurt sighed as he turned on his back. Blaine smiled down at him. Kurt lifted his hand to cup his cheek tenderly. "You're unfairly handsome at this time of the day."

Blaine turned his head just enough to kiss Kurt's palm. "Well, we clearly need to get you in front of a mirror because you have got to be the sexiest man I've ever seen."

Blaine enjoyed the blush that spread from Kurt's cheeks all the way down to his chest. He bit his lip, as if unsure, as if not knowing quite how to react to the compliment.

"You can use the shower first while I make breakfast," Blaine murmured, leaning in to kiss him quickly and briefly, unable to stop himself. "Use whatever you want and there are clean towels in the cabinet next to the sink."

"Okay," Kurt nodded, looking at him in bewilderment. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Blaine said, and rolled off the bed, even though what he wanted the most was to wrap his arms around Kurt and keep him right there.

While Kurt headed to the bathroom, Blaine picked up their clothes from the floor. They were wrinkled and ruined, so he threw them in the laundry basket and got sweatpants and a long sleeve Henley for Kurt, as well as some new underwear. He set them on the bed for him to find and then slipped into some comfy clothes of his own, before finally making his way downstairs and towards the kitchen.

Blaine raided his fridge – he would need to go shopping again soon, and he added to his mental calendar to check if Cooper needed anything restocked – and got to work. He wasn't sure what Kurt would be in the mood for, and he hadn't had anyone to cook for in a long time. It was silly that he was this excited about that, wasn't it? But Blaine couldn't help it. He danced around the kitchen as he moved from one counter to the next, whipping eggs, cutting bread for toast, dicing mushrooms and peppers and scallions.

"Something smells great," Kurt said from the kitchen entrance, and Blaine turned around to face him.

He had never realized what a turn on it was to see another guy wearing his clothes, but it seemed he was finally discovering it, because his mouth went dry at once. His sweatpants were a little short on him, but the Henley was too tight, highlighting the strength of his arms and the broadness of his chest.

Blaine cleared his throat, not wanting to look like a pervert, even though Kurt was already trying to hold back a smirk, so it probably meant he was failing. "I wasn't sure what you wanted so I'm making a bit of everything. Scrambled eggs with some veggies, bacon, toast, I have some pancake batter ready and some fruit…"

"Blaine, you don't need to cook so much," Kurt laughed as he approached him. After hesitating only for a second, he wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist from behind and let his chin rest on his shoulder, watching as he flipped the bacon in the pan to get it nice and crispy on both sides.

"I wanted to," Blaine said and used the hand without a spatula in it to touch Kurt's, intertwined on his stomach. "I promised you I would, didn't I? I'm a man of my word."

Kurt tilted his head and kissed the edge of his jaw. "Well, everything looks amazing. I feel very spoiled."

Blaine chuckled and then gestured with the spatula towards the Keurig. "Choose whatever coffee you want. The pods are in the white jar."

"Oh my god, this is the coffee maker of my dreams," Kurt said, letting go of Blaine at once to go inspect it. He touched it almost reverently. "I'm not sure I should drink it now. It'll ruin me forever for the cheap ground coffee my roommates and I have at home."

Blaine rolled his eyes at him, but didn't say anything because Kurt was clearly enamored and too busy with the machine. Blaine finished making breakfast as the kitchen was filled with the scent of coffee.

They sat together at the small kitchen table, Kurt closing his eyes as he took his first sip. There was something wonderful about the way in which Kurt enjoyed things that made Blaine want to be more like him, to still see how amazing simple things could be, to stop being so bitter and tired of life in general, like getting through each day was nothing but another chore on his list.

It was humbling, fantastic and perplexing, how alive Kurt made him feel.

They shared their breakfast, taking bites off each other's plates, a sense of domesticity and familiarity Blaine hadn't felt in many years, their socked feet brushing against each other under the table, smiling over their cups of coffee, chatting about whatever random things popped into their heads, just getting their days started together.

In the end, Kurt downed the rest of his coffee and pushed his plate away reluctantly, looking at the clock. "I should probably hurry and get home for a change of clothes or I'll be late."

"Are you sure?" Blaine asked. "Maybe we can find something of mine that would suit you?"

Kurt watched him for a moment, twisting the napkin between his fingers. "You really like seeing me in your clothes, don't you?"

Blaine chuckled and ducked his head, but then simply shrugged. "Is that wrong?"

"Well, I like wearing them, so..." Kurt said with a little smile that seemed to hold a million secrets. Once again, they continued to stare at each other like looking away would mean the end of the world, and Blaine wished neither of them had to leave the house at all. "Okay, I'll borrow something, then."

Back upstairs, Blaine gave Kurt absolute freedom to go through his clothes, and sat on the edge of the bed patiently while he considered his options. There was something mesmerizing about the way Kurt handled clothes, like they were more than pieces of fabric, like they were a potential work of art waiting to be put together just right.

Unable to stop himself, Blaine extended his hand and said "come here," in a soft voice.

Kurt turned away from the closet and accepted his hand, letting Blaine pull him closer, bending easily as Blaine stretched up so their lips could meet, the kiss slow and languid, their tongues meeting almost lazily. Blaine reached up and let his fingers graze Kurt's hair, right where it ended in the back of his neck.

"If you don't have to go all the way to Bushwick," he said, tilting his head to kiss the underside of his jaw, Kurt immediately leaning into it with a tiny groan, almost inaudible, "does that mean you have a few minutes to spare?"

Kurt's finger curled on the collar of Blaine's shirt, his knuckles brushing the skin underneath, tugging a little as if he was desperate for a bit more contact. "What do you have in mind?"

"Stay right where you are," Blaine murmured, hands trailing down Kurt's body towards the waistband of his sweatpants. Kurt's breath hitched at once but didn't say anything, letting Blaine tug them down to his thighs, along with the underwear, leaving his dick exposed. He didn't waste a second, he just took him in his mouth and Kurt gasped and held onto his shoulders.

He felt him hardening against his tongue. Blaine began to bob his head, slowly at first, almost encouragingly. Breathless little moans escaped from Kurt's lips and when Blaine looked up, Kurt's cock buried until it was hitting the back of his throat, he was looking back down at him, pupils blown, mouth parted, arousal clear as day in his face.

But it was also obvious he was holding back, body slightly tense, and no matter what Blaine did, he didn't seem to loosen, like he was afraid he would do the wrong thing.

Didn't he know already that there was nothing he could do that wouldn't drive Blaine even more insane?

Blaine tried massaging his thighs to get him to relax, his fingers digging into the tight skin there – all the dancing he did at school clearly paid off – before moving back to grab his ass, parting the cheeks a little bit, trying to get him to lose the tension.

But Kurt simply kept holding on firmly to his shoulders and looking down at him like he was paralyzed with arousal and desire.

Blaine pulled off slowly, making sure to trail the underside of Kurt's cock with his tongue as he did so, and then kissed the tip almost tenderly, his eyes fixed on Kurt's face. "It's okay, baby," he said, voice husky. "Let go. Do whatever feels good. It's okay. I can take it."

He licked around the slit, and Kurt's knees bucked as he whined brokenly. But then he finally seemed determined and his hands travelled from Blaine's shoulders to his head, one going to the back, fingers tangling on Blaine's still loose curls, the other cupping his cheek, thumb pressing gently on his chin to get him to open his mouth again. Blaine obliged at once, and Kurt pushed back inside, fucking into it, seeking its warmth.

Blaine watched him, eyes getting a little watery but enjoying every second of it, of Kurt using him for his pleasure, and kept swallowing around him, moaning every once and again when he couldn't help himself, when what he was seeing went straight to his cock. He wondered if Kurt had ever allowed himself to be like this with anyone, if someone else had ever been privileged enough to see Kurt Hummel coming undone like this.

He ignored the voice in the back of his head that said he wanted to be the only one who got to see him like this from now on. It was too soon. It was insane. Their lives would probably end up going in different directions...

But this was not the time to be thinking about that, not when Kurt was speeding up and letting out the most delicious sounds Blaine had heard in his life. It didn't take long before he was coming down Blaine's throat, and Blaine held him close and swallowed every drop almost greedily.

Kurt finally pulled out and tucked himself back into Blaine's clothes. He immediately straddled him, sat on his lap, and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a deep kiss. "God, I really, really want to quit now and stay here with you..."

"Me too," Blaine said, trailing kisses down his jaw, towards his neck, and then placing one on the curve of his shoulder over the Henley. "I want you to stay so badly."

"I can tell," Kurt muttered, eyebrow arched teasinly, shifting a bit on Blaine's lap, feeling how hard he was under him. "Maybe I can help you out before I have to really, really go?" He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and cursed under his breath. "Damn. I should have been out of here at least ten minutes ago."

"Go," Blaine said, chuckling.

"But, what about...?" Kurt looked down purposefully.

"I'll take care of it," Blaine murmured, and he really loved the way Kurt's pupils dilated with arousal.

"Well, that certainly will give me something to think about all day," Kurt groaned, dropping his head on Blaine's shoulder for a moment, before he finally pulled away and stood up. "Okay. I really have to run now..."

Blaine stood up too. "Okay. I'll let you get dressed. I'll be downstairs in the kitchen tidying up."

Kurt caught his hand before he left the room, and kissed him one last time, like he couldn't help himself.

What a perfect way to start his day, indeed.


As the elevator made its way to the seventh floor, Kurt surreptitiously moved his scarf away and took a quick sniff of the soft navy sweater he was wearing. The scent was so Blaine, it reminded him at once of the way his skin smelled as he was kissing him, of the way he felt enveloped in him when he was wrapped in his sheets in bed. It was like instant comfort, and it brought a smile to his face.

He really wished he could have stayed a little longer – especially knowing what Blaine was probably up to in the shower right now – but even if time didn't seem to be enough when he was with him, Kurt felt happy. Just happy. An undisturbed, simple, all-encompassing happiness, warm as a blanket around his shoulders.

He made it to his desk only five minutes late, but it still earned him a few glares and smirks from the other interns, who were probably hoping he would get in trouble for it, especially since Isabelle was already in her office, talking on the phone with grand gestures, which probably meant she was feeling overwhelmed by the length of the day's to-do list.

Kurt sat at his desk and turned the computer on, leaning down as he waited to tuck Blaine's pants back into his boots. If he was anyone else, Kurt would have taken him shopping for some proper pants that would go past the ankle, but he didn't mind so much, if he had to be honest. Blaine had lovely ankles. He didn't know how he didn't freeze in the winter, but he appreciated a man who was willing to sacrifice comfort for a good look.

Though, at this point, he was sure that he would like Blaine even if he dressed as a clown.

Kurt was just going through his emails when Isabelle came out of her office and, to the interns' delight, she marched straight to Kurt's desk. They probably thought she was going to scold him for being late, but it turned out she just sat on the edge of his desk and looked down at him with narrowed eyes.

"You're wearing someone else's clothes," she commented in way of greeting.

Kurt tried to ignore the certainty that there was a blush rising on his face. He simply kept clicking through his emails, cleaning out his inbox. "Good morning, Isabelle. What can I help you with?"

She smiled, her red lipstick a perfect match to her Louboutin stilettos. "You're always perfectly put together and everything you own fits you just right, like it was made for you. These pants are way shorter and that sweater, though it's cute and clearly expensive, doesn't fit you, it's too tight for you, and though you tried to hide it very skillfully, the button down you're wearing underneath is at least one size smaller." Isabelle must have seen how impressed Kurt felt, because she laughed. "Oh honey, fashion is my world. Plus, this is a very classic look and you always accessorize. The fact that you didn't add one of those cute and extravagant brooches to it tells me you didn't have them available. So," she paused and her smile got even wider. "Is it the flowers guy?"

Kurt bit his lip, but then he nodded. "Yeah." He was about to say more when he noticed all the interns were too quiet, like they were trying to eavesdrop.

Isabelle looked around and rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's go to my office. I want you to tell me everything."

Kurt hesitated for a moment. Isabelle was his boss, after all. Was he supposed to be telling her about his love life? What if this was some sort of test and she wanted to see if he would choose gossiping over work? He followed her anyway, because she was already walking into her office and it seemed rude not to.

Instead of heading to her desk, she took a seat on the loveseat and patted the spot next to her. "So, what is his name, what does he do and, more importantly, is he cute?"

Kurt took a breath and murmured: "The cutest."

Isabelle shrieked like a school girl and squeezed his hand. "Okay. Tell me everything."

So Kurt did. He told her about meeting him at the diner, about the instant connection and chemistry they had felt, about finding him again with Santana, about going on a date with him, and then another one. He told her about the age difference, feeling a bit sheepish, wondering if she was going to disapprove, if she was going to find it weird.

"Okay, can I be honest with you?" Isabelle said once he was done talking. He nodded. What was he going to do? Say no? She was his boss. "I don't think I've ever heard you talking about anything, not even fashion, in this way. I think this guy might be good for you, Kurt."

He inhaled sharply. It felt nice to have her seal of approval, to talk things through with someone who wasn't Rachel or Santana, who were opinionated and not in the best way. Santana always found a way to make everything dirty, and Rachel was simply freaked out or not interested since it had nothing to do with her. "You really think so?"

"Yes, I do," she replied, without a second's hesitation. "I mean, I'm not going to deny that there are some creeps out there who like to date younger people for the wrong reasons, but from what you're telling me, Blaine is not like that. He seems to care about you. And let's face it, you're too mature to be dating guys your age. You're too mature to be dealing with most people your age, actually, which is why the other interns act like idiots."

Kurt chuckled uncomfortably. "Oh, you noticed that?"

"Of course I do, I know everything that happens in this office," Isabelle said, shrugging like it was obvious. "Why do you think I always ask you to help me out when I need something? You're not petty like they are, you work hard and your mind… Kurt, you're kind of extraordinary. I'm not surprised Blaine is into you."

This time, it was Kurt who wanted to shriek, but he managed to hold it back with some dignity. He did smile so wide his face hurt, though. "It feels nice to talk about him to someone who doesn't think he's some sort of sugar daddy or a pervert."

"Oh please, he sounds dreamy," Isabelle chuckled. "Does he have a brother?"

She said it as a joke, but Kurt bit his lip before he said: "Actually… his brother is Cooper Anderson."

"Cooper Anderson?" Isabelle repeated, grabbing Kurt's arm too tightly. "Oh my god. Are you kidding me? I had a poster of him in my bedroom when I was younger. I love that guy!" Kurt laughed but didn't have time to say anything, because she added: "Wait, so he's Blaine Anderson? He had this really upbeat song in the radio like two decades ago. I remember thinking he had a great voice. But then he kind of dropped off the face of the Earth. What happened?"

"Things didn't work out, apparently," Kurt said vaguely, not wanting to talk about Blaine's personal life behind his back. He suddenly felt awfully protective of him. "He's more of a backstage kind of guy these days."

He was understanding more and more about Blaine, and there was something so inherently sad and lonely about him that made Kurt's heart crack. He didn't know the full story, but he wanted to be there for Blaine when he was ready to tell it. He wanted to hold his hand and help him heal and watch the loneliness fade away.

He remembered the night he had met him at the diner, how incredibly dispirited he had seemed. And then he thought back to this morning, to the way he had smiled at him across the table as they had breakfast…

Oh, I could really, really fall for this guy

Maybe he had already started to fall.


Sitting on the carpet in the living room, Blaine had become some sort of climbing game for Riley and Sophie. He was in serious danger of getting kneed in the balls, but at the moment he didn't really care. He just loved playing with his godchildren, and he didn't have enough time to do it. It was hard coordinating his schedule to Mike's and Tina's in order to get together for dinner, so this was definitely a nice treat for the middle of his week.

He got distracted for a moment when his phone buzzed in his pocket – a text from Kurt, who had just ended his shift at the diner and was letting him know he had made it home safely. He realized he was smiling like an idiot down at the device, but he couldn't stop. Even Sophie noticed, because she placed her fingers on the corners of his mouth and tried to stretch the smile even wider.

Tina and Mike walked back out of the kitchen, carrying coffee cups and some red velvet cake for dessert. She grinned knowingly down at her best friend and nudged her husband, not very subtly.

"Someone's happy," she commented.

Blaine looked up at her to reply and, in his new distraction, Riley finally managed to knee him in the crotch. Fortunately, it wasn't as hard as it could have been, so it wasn't as painful as he had expected. He only groaned and moved him away.

"Come here, you," Mike said, lifting the baby, who immediately protested. "Leave your Uncle Blaine alone."

"I want cake!" Sophie exclaimed, jumping excitedly towards the table.

"Then come sit," Tina said, as she cut a small slice for her daughter. She watched Blaine as he put his phone back in his pocket after typing a quick reply and waited until he was sitting at the table, cup of coffee in front of him, to say: "So. Aren't you going to tell us why you look so happy?"

"Well…" Blaine muttered and sipped his coffee to win some time.

Tina rolled her eyes. "It's that guy, isn't it? The one you told me about the other day?"

Blaine took a deep breath before he said: "Yes. Kurt."

"Ah, the young guy, right?" Mike asked, and got a glare from his wife. "What? It's just for reference. So I remember who he is."

"Because Blaine dates so many guys you have a hard time keeping track of them?" Tina said, annoyed, before she turned back to Blaine. "So, what happened? You saw him again, didn't you?"

"I did," Blaine nodded. "We went out twice, and I might see him for lunch again tomorrow since we both have a bit of time to kill at noon. And then we're going to the movies again this weekend, so…"

"Oh my god," Tina nearly gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "This is not about just…" she glanced at her children before she continued: "S-E-X anymore. You actually like this guy."

"Is that so wrong?" Blaine asked, a little self-conscious. "He's really great and we have a lot in common and…"

"Hey, hey, I think it's great," Tina said at once, reassuringly. "I mean, I don't think I've seen you this happy and relaxed in a very long time. You deserve that, Blaine."

"You really do," Mike said with a soft smile. "I can't tell you how many times we've worried you were going to give yourself a heart attack, taking everything so seriously and always so…" He paused when Tina glared at him again. "What now?"

"We're happy for you," Tina said, shaking her head at her husband before she leaned against his side. They bickered often but they loved each other so much, and they were perfect together. More than once Blaine had looked at them and thought this is what I want. The companionship, the understanding, the laughter, the stability, the unconditional love and support. It had seemed too much to ask. Now… now maybe it wasn't as impossible as he had thought.

He pushed the thought away. It was crazy. It really was.

"Maybe you can bring him over for dinner one day?" Mike suggested and Tina immediately lit up. "Or we can go somewhere, all four of us?"

"Yes, like a double date!" Tina clapped, enthusiastically. "That would be so much fun. We would love to meet him."

Blaine suddenly felt like his chest had tightened. Any excuse to spend time with Kurt was welcome, but he was worried that inviting him over to his friends' place for dinner would be too much. What if he got bored? What if he realized Blaine was an incredibly dull adult with really adult friends who talked about mortgages and the children's day care and renovating the upstairs bathroom? What if he looked at Blaine's life and realized it was so, so far away from where he wanted to be right now?

Tina knew him better than anyone. She took one look at him and realized Blaine was having a bit of an internal freak out. She reached across the table to pat his hand. "Blaine. It's fine if it's too soon. We just want you to know we support you, and that whatever makes you happy, makes us happy."

"Exactly," Mike said, and pressed a kiss to his wife's temple. "Plus, I'm sure you want him all for yourself for a little while, huh?"

Blaine could feel the heat on his face, and the fact that his friends laughed at him only confirmed that he was getting redder by the second.

"Have fun, and don't feel any guilt. There's no reason to feel guilt or embarrassment or any of those negative things you're surely feeling right now," Mike said, because he also knew him well, even if they hadn't been friends for as long as Blaine and Tina had been friends. "You haven't done anything for yourself, anything you truly wanted to, in years. It's about damn time, if you ask me."

"Yes, I agree," Tina said, smiling over her cup of coffee. "I think he'll be good for you."

Blaine felt like they were going to jinx it. Because yes, it was definitely more than sex, it was more than they had anticipated at the beginning, it was more than Blaine had imagined it could be. But it somehow still felt like at some point the illusion would end, the curtain would fall, the alarm was going to wake him from this dream. He was so used to things going wrong, never being exactly what he wanted them, what he needed them to be…

Why would Kurt be any different?

So no, Blaine didn't want to jinx it. He wanted the enchantment to last for a little longer. He wanted to hold on to it until he absolutely had to let go.

He wanted to keep feeling this alive before he was inevitably pushed back into the shadows again.


Kurt saw him as soon as he turned around the corner. He was leaning on the wall right outside the restaurant, arms full of bags, designer sunglasses perched on his nose. The early afternoon sun hit him right on the face, accentuating the faint lines around his eyes and the grey hairs at his temple.

Kurt wondered if he would ever get used to Blaine being this handsome.

He was typing something on his phone at a speed that mortal eyes couldn't quite follow. He didn't notice Kurt arriving until he was right beside him. But when he did, oh. Kurt's stomach swooped as Blaine smiled at him, as if he had just forgotten about everything he was doing and nothing else existed in this world but him.

"Hi," Kurt said, and the smile grew on his face, too, unavoidable. "Sorry, did I keep you waiting? The office was a mess and I didn't want to just let Isabelle deal with everything..."

"I just got here five minutes ago, so don't worry," Blaine reassured him and leaned in to press a quick yet sweet kiss to his cheek. "Hi."

Oh, this man, this man, this man. How had Kurt survived without him until now? How had he gone through his wearily long days without this little reprieve of seeing Blaine's smile, of getting a brief kiss from him?

When Blaine had told him he would be going from one point of the city to the other the entire day, running errands for Cooper, and that maybe they could meet for lunch if Kurt had the time, it had felt like the first time Kurt had been excited since leaving Blaine's place on Monday morning. Since then, everything had been headaches and horrible shifts at the diner, and the other interns hiding his rubber bands and making ill-intentioned comments about him in front of their bosses, and classes at NYADA feeling endless and, worst of all, pointless sometimes. There were days, like today, when he felt everything he was doing wouldn't be worth it, because he would probably spend the rest of his days just serving coffee and wearing an apron. Which wasn't bad per se, it just wasn't what he wanted.

But what did he want?

Right now, what he wanted was to wrap his arms around Blaine's neck, pull him into a passionate kiss, and hopefully find a dark little corner where they could make out and forget about everything.

Blaine rearranged the bags he was carrying so he could pull the restaurant's door open and hold it for Kurt, who grinned at him in thanks. They found a vacant booth near the back and sat. It wasn't one of the fancy restaurants Blaine and his brother surely frequented every week, or like the one Blaine had taken him to on their first date, but it was convenient, since it was halfway between the Vogue offices and NYADA, where Kurt was supposed to go afterwards for another excruciating dance class with Cassandra July.

They ordered salads and iced-tea and just sat there together, hands held over the table top, for a little while, people watching, not saying anything, clearly both in their own little worlds. But once their food had arrived, they turned back to each other and began chatting easily.

"What's with all the bags?" Kurt said, spearing some chicken and spinach onto his fork.

"Cooper needed some new suits altered," Blaine explained, after a sip of iced-tea. "I've been all over town already, I feel like my day started a million hours ago."

Kurt made a sympathetic noised. "Are you almost done, at least?"

"Not yet. I still have to go to the post office to mail a contract to Los Angeles, get groceries and stop by Cooper's place to drop everything off and get his laundry," Blaine explained, sounding tired. "Then I'm meeting him at the studio."

"Wow, you really do do everything," Kurt said, impressed. No wonder Blaine was always so tired. "You need a vacation."

"I really, really do," Blaine laughed, and after having a bite of salad, he asked: "So, what about your morning? Was it any easier than mine?"

Kurt told him about how he had spent most of his morning in the Vogue vault with the other interns, reorganizing it, and how all hell had broken loose when they couldn't locate a pair of diamond earrings. Kurt had almost had an ulcer because he knew the other five interns were going to team up against him and try to pin the fault on him, but they had fortunately find them just in time.

"After that I feel like I could go on a really long vacation, too," Kurt said, with a sigh. "But alas, dance class is next, so hell continues."

"I'm sorry," Blaine commented, lifting Kurt's hand to drop a kiss on his knuckles. "At least Thanksgiving is almost around the corner. Will you get some time off then?"

Kurt wished that was enough to cheer him up, but it just reminded him of the conversation he'd had with his father two days ago. "Yeah, some time off. But I'm not going home to visit my dad, so I'm a bit bummed about that."

"Why not?" Blaine asked frowning.

"It would be too much to make the trip now and then again next month for Christmas," Kurt explained. "I can't afford both, and I'd really prefer to be there for Christmas."

Blaine hesitated, but then began to say: "Kurt, I know what you're going to say, but I could..."

"No," Kurt said at once. He squeezed Blaine's hand, silently reassuring him that he wasn't mad, but that he wasn't going to give in with this. "Thank you. Really. But I've been making compromises when it comes to the holidays for years now. My dad understands, even if it makes us both a little sad."

"Okay," Blaine accepted, a little reluctantly. "Sorry. I know it might make you uncomfortable, I just... I don't want you to be upset for something I feel I could fix."

"But it's not your job to fix it, Blaine," Kurt said with a kind smile. "I appreciate that you want to, though. What about you? Are you and Cooper doing anything special for Thanksgiving?"

"Coop is not a big fan of the holidays," Blaine shrugged, popping a crouton into his mouth. "I usually spend them with my friends Tina and Mike and my godchildren. Cooper is thinking about taking a long weekend off on some tropical beach, probably with a gorgeous woman by his side."

Kurt rolled his eyes fondly. He didn't know much about Cooper, but it seemed completely predictable of a guy like him to just lay on a beach somewhere with a beautiful model thirty years younger than him...

Well, who was he to talk about age differences, really?

Once they left the restaurant, they regretted not having more time to spend together, since it was such a lovely day. They would have loved to take a walk in the park or sit in the sun to have a cup of coffee and keep chatting. They would have loved even more to rush to Blaine's place and tear each other's clothes off. But, unfortunately, life wasn't all roses.

Blaine did have time to walk him to NYADA, though, so they enjoyed a few more minutes together, walking down the street hand in hand, using the green traffic lights as excuses to kiss in different corners of Manhattan while they waited to cross the street.

"Still thinking about quitting everything, by the way," Kurt murmured against Blaine's lips, feeling a bit weak in the knees, as they stood in front of the NYADA building. "We could just stay in your bed and kiss for hours."

Blaine hummed in delight and stroked the spot where Kurt's jaw met his neck with his thumb, sending shivers down his back. "That does sound like paradise. Let me know if you decide to go for it so I can let everyone know I'm quitting, too."

"I'll keep you posted," Kurt sighed and moved in for one more kiss. "See you on Saturday?"

"Can't wait," Blaine whispered, kissing him again. "Have a nice day."

For once, Kurt didn't care about Cassie July being a moody bitch, about how sore his muscles were once class was over, about the amount of reading he was assigned to do in his following class, or about how awful his shift at the diner later that day was.

His lips tingled with Blaine's kisses for a long, long time.


It wasn't one of those bars he was used to go to – there were no paparazzi outside, for one, because no one in their right mind would expect a star to step into such a shithole as this. But the truth was that Cooper wasn't in the mood to be in the spotlight tonight, to smile at everyone who approached him, to pose for pictures, to be recognized.

For one night at least, Cooper just wanted to be a guy, getting a drink at some random bar. Nothing else. Nothing more.

Cooper hated feeling the way he felt tonight. It was unsettling. He was usually a very, very bright person, and he knew that was the reason everyone found him so irresistible. But there were days when he just couldn't force the smile on his lips, he couldn't keep the facade.

He didn't really feel like Cooper Anderson on days like these.

Though, really, maybe he just wasn't entirely sure who Cooper Anderson was anymore.

He had spent most of his Saturday in bed with the gorgeous woman he had met at an event last week, but once she had left, not without a very lingering kiss at his front door that almost made him pull her back inside the apartment, he had been so, so aware of the silence that fell on his home like a heavy blanket. And he had realized he couldn't deal with it, not today.

So he had called Blaine, hoping his brother might want to go out and have a beer somewhere. They hadn't gone out together in so long... sometimes it felt like he and Blaine had somehow drifted apart despite the fact that they spent so much time together. Sometimes he looked at his brother and he realized he had no idea what he was thinking, what he was doing, or even who he was anymore. Whenever they talked lately, it seemed to be about something related to Cooper's career, as if Blaine had left behind the family ties to only work for him. He didn't know if it had been on purpose, but he definitely didn't like it. But Cooper was never good at talking about his feelings, was never good at honesty.

He didn't know what to do.

But Blaine hadn't had time for him tonight. When he had picked up the phone, he could hear the echoes of laughter in the background and Blaine's tone had been light and happy when he said: "Hey, Coop. What's up?"

"Hi Squirt. Where are you? Are you with Tina?" Cooper had asked, frowning.

"No, no. I'm out with... hold on," he clearly pulled away from the phone, because he heard him say, a little further away: "Sure, I'd love some popcorn. Thank you." There was a pause, and then Blaine's attention was back on him. "Sorry, Coop. I'm at the movies with Kurt. What's going on? Did you need anything?"

"Oh, well..." Cooper muttered. "I didn't know you were out on a date again. I just wanted to see if you wanted to have a drink with me. Maybe you can meet me after the movie?"

"We're going out for dinner after the movie, and Kurt's probably going to spend the night, so..." Blaine said, rather coyly. Maybe he was getting serious with this guy. But he would have told Cooper about it, right? They were brothers. Blaine was supposed to tell him stuff like this.

"Right!" Cooper exclaimed awkwardly. "That's great. I guess we'll get a rain check on the beer, then..." He waited, as if he was expecting Blaine to ditch the mystery guy and meet him somewhere. But instead, Blaine said something about the movie being about to start and having to go back to Kurt, and then he was gone, like the call hadn't even happened.

The silence around Cooper seemed to grow more obvious then.

He had called his town car, asked to be taken to the most common bar possible and here he was now, surrounded by strangers. But at least the silence was gone, even if he was still completely alone...

Cooper gestured the bartender to get him another beer, pushing his empty bottle aside. There was a jukebox playing country music. A girl in cowboy boots was playing pool with a group of guys in the corner. This was the last place anyone would expect to find Cooper Anderson.

And yet...

"Cooper?" The voice said, and Cooper turned in his seat towards it, but froze as soon as he saw the man standing there. "Hi. Long time no see."

He hadn't changed at all. The only difference was that he had a bit of stubble, which was unusual, because he had always made sure to look his best. There were a million thoughts going through Cooper's mind as he regarded him, but there was one that repeated itself incessantly, so loudly it was almost deafening: I can't let him get anywhere near Blaine.

"What are you doing here?" Cooper asked, unable to hide the slight shake in his words.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, sitting on the stool next to him as if Cooper had invited him. "This is not your kind of place. Or your brother's, either. I assume he's around?"

"He's not here," Cooper said, as the tension in his shoulders grew. "What do you want? I don't want to talk to you."

There was a bitter grin on the man's face. "Is that how it's going to be? We were family, once..."

"I don't think so. We were never family," Cooper retorted stubbornly. "It's always been nothing but business with you."

"Well, maybe that's what I want now, too," the man shrugged. "Maybe I have a business proposal for you..."

"I'm not interested," Cooper took some money out of his wallet and put it on the counter before he pulled away from the stool, wanting to get away at once.

"Cooper, come on. Don't be like that..." The man said, going after him.

"I'm leaving," Cooper announced, and headed to the exit.

"Fine, be like that. I'll go talk to your brother tomorrow, then," he said, and now Cooper turned brusquely towards him.

He pushed his finger against the man's chest, menacingly. "Don't you fucking dare. You leave Blaine out of this."

The man shrugged, like it was all the same to him. "You know what to do, then."

Cooper felt sick to his stomach. The beer he had drunk seemed to swirl inside of him, trying to crawl its way back out.

But he knew what he had to do.

"Fine," he spat angrily.

Even if Blaine's priorities had changed lately, Cooper's one priority remained the same, always.

He followed their father to the empty table in the back and hoped for the best.


Can't wait to see what you all thought of this one!

Have a great week and I'll be seeing you again on Saturday!

Thanks for reading!

L.-