Happy Saturday, my loves.

Thank you so much for the great response to the last chapter. I'm very happy you're enjoying this story!

Shoutout to the one and only Christine, best beta ever :)

Hugs for Sofi for the support, and because she loves hugs.

Hope you'll like this one!

Enjoy.


They stayed in bed for the rest of the afternoon. Kurt felt like every single bad thing he had experienced in his life was slowly vanishing as Blaine fucked steadily but lazily into him. Kurt was relaxed, not yet desperate to come, lying on his stomach and just arching his back every now and then as Blaine, above him, peppered kisses down his neck and shoulders.

Once it became too much, Kurt pushed to his hands and knees and things got more intense, more urgent, until they were panting each other's names, Blaine spilling into the condom, buried deep within him, Kurt painting his orgasm on the sheets underneath him.

They kissed and they kissed and they kissed until they were ready to go again.

It felt like they had some catching up to do.

It was already dark outside by the time Kurt realized he had to leave at some point. Blaine had washed his clothes, and he gave them back to him then, albeit begrudgingly, as if hoping that if Kurt remained naked he would have to stay forever. But Kurt's day off was coming to an end and he had to be at the office early the next day, and Cooper would need Blaine, too, so they had no choice.

Blaine wrapped him up in a dark blue coat. "It looks amazing on you," he said, kissing behind Kurt's ear. "You should keep it."

"Blaine, this is a Burberry coat. I'll return it next time I..." Kurt said, only to be silenced by a kiss.

"Please, keep it," Blaine insisted, and how was Kurt supposed to say no when Blaine was capable of kissing all reason and logic away?

He also insisted on calling Kurt a cab instead of walking him to the subway. It would be a while before either of them felt okay with the late night commutes. This Kurt agreed to more easily, grateful.

They kissed goodnight greedily, reluctant to let go, until the taxi driver honked impatiently at them.

Kurt's bed was too big and too empty that night.


Isabelle was sitting at Kurt's desk the next morning when he walked into Vogue. She stood up as soon as she saw him get out of the elevator, and opened her arms invitingly. He let her envelope him in a crushing hug.

"Oh sweetie. I can't imagine how scary it must have been. I'm very happy you're okay," she said as she pulled away, cupping his face with her perfectly-manicured hands. "How are you feeling?"

Kurt was very aware of the glares of the rest of the interns on the back of his neck. He was so used to them by now that they didn't have the impact they did at first, though. "I'm okay, Isabelle, thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't come yesterday. I was a bit overwhelmed and then we went to the police station and..."

"Oh, no, no," she said at once, waving away his concerns. "Kurt, it's completely fine. You could have stayed home today too, if you needed it."

Kurt didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that the interns were seething with rage and envy. "Thank you, again. But I wanted to be here. There's no point in staying home thinking about it."

"Alright, but you let me know if you need anything at all, okay?" She said, and squeezed his hand. "I have a call with the head of Vogue Italy in ten minutes, but after that, we'll take a quick coffee break." She was about to go into her office, but she turned, with a playful smile on her face. "Oh, and there's something for you on your desk. It arrived about five minutes before you did."

She winked. Kurt removed his coat – well, Blaine's Burberry coat that was amazing, god, he was so lucky to be dating someone with such impeccable taste – and hung it carefully over the back of his desk chair before he grabbed the package that was sitting right beside his keyboard. Once he tore the paper open, he found a white box and a card. He read the card first, not at all surprised, but very pleased, to find Blaine's handwriting in it.

Kurt,

I know you don't want me spending money on you, but I hope you'll allow me this one gift. After all, I would miss texting with you. My days are always better when they start with a message from you.

xo

Blaine.

Kurt bit his lip as he opened the box and saw the brand new phone inside. It was a very expensive gift, but he also knew that Blaine bought it out of concern and kindness – it would allow Kurt to text him when he got home safely at night, and Blaine was also aware that he couldn't afford a new one right now.

But maybe letting Blaine into his life meant he also needed to learn how to be more open when it came to the differences they had, and not only when it came to their ages. He didn't think Blaine cared that Kurt couldn't buy him equally expensive gifts or take him on extravagant dates. It seemed to Kurt that Blaine just enjoyed being with him, even if they were eating pizza at the cheapest restaurant in New York. And wasn't that what this was about? Just enjoying each other?

Kurt sighed and turned his new phone on. Once he accessed his contacts, he saw that the only number saved so far was Blaine's, and that he already had a message from him waiting.

[BLAINE – 7:41 AM]: Good morning, gorgeous. Hated waking up without you there. I hope you have a nice day.

How the hell had he managed to spend two whole weeks without this man?

[KURT – 7:53 AM]: Good morning. I don't even know how to thank you for everything you've done for me. You're the best and I feel so lucky. THANK YOU.

He turned his computer on and got ready to start with his work for the day. Getting one day off meant there was even more piled up to catch up with now, not only here, but also at school. The next few days were meant to be a bit of hell, but he suddenly felt like he could face anything, and it probably had to do with the man who had just texted him back.

[BLAINE – 7:55 AM]: I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one. I'll call you on my lunch break. Take care, darling.

Oh, Kurt thought. Was this what it felt like to completely, helplessly and irremediably fall in love? Because it couldn't be compared to anything Kurt had ever felt before.

He held the phone to his chest and willed his heart to stop beating loud enough for the entire office to hear it.


Blaine slipped the phone into his pocket just as Cooper got into the car. He looked tired, like he hadn't got any sleep last night, and Blaine didn't know if it was because he had a lady friend over or because he had been out. Either way, he handed him the cup of coffee he had brought him, which Cooper accepted at once, taking a long sip as Hugh began to drive, waving into the early New York traffic.

"Morning, Coop," Blaine said, with a smile. "We have a long day ahead. You have a fitting for the clothes for the next few episodes and then..."

Cooper stared out the window moodily, and didn't say a word, which was unusual.

Blaine arched an eyebrow and stopped mid-sentence. "Coop? Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, yes, I'm listening," Cooper said.

Frowning, Blaine leaned a bit to try to catch a glance at his brother's face. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

"I don't know," Cooper replied sharply. "You tell me. You're the one who called yesterday to say there was an emergency and couldn't get to work. What the hell was so important that you bailed on me?"

Blaine was honestly shocked at Cooper's attitude. "Well, I'm sorry I missed one day of work in over a decade, but I had..."

"They made Chad help me out at the studio yesterday. Can you believe that? Chad. He's incompetent. I asked him for a bottle of water and he got me carbonated water. Doesn't he know anything? I look so puffy when I have carbonated water. He was probably trying to make me look fat..."

Blaine could feel his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. "Wow. Really? I tell you I have to take a day off because I had an emergency and all you care about is that I wasn't there to bring you the right kind of water?" He didn't even let Cooper say anything, adding: "You're being unreasonable and shallow and, honestly, a bad brother."

"I'm a bad brother?" Cooper said, and there was a dark edge to his voice that Blaine had never heard before. "You are the one who left me yesterday, when I needed you!"

"For an emergency!" Blaine exclaimed, impatiently. "Cooper, for fuck's sake. For the first time in years I actually take one goddamn day off for personal reasons and I'm suddenly some kind of villain? You can fetch your own water, you know."

There was something in Cooper's eyes, something Blaine couldn't quite recognize and that he didn't like. It was gone too fast to identify it, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Well..." Cooper began, and it was obvious he was struggling to control his tone of voice, to keep it level, to hide how he really felt. It was unsettling. "So what was the emergency? Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?"

Blaine ran a hand through his hair. All the bliss he had felt until ten minutes ago had vanished in the blink of an eye. "Kurt got mugged. He was really shaken up, so he stayed at my place, and then we went to the police station. It was just an awful thing to go through and I didn't want to leave him alone..."

Cooper looked at him for a moment, as if trying to read the situation. "I thought you weren't seeing him anymore."

Blaine was confused. Cooper never asked about Kurt, and he sure as hell hadn't said a word about the last two weeks. He didn't feel like getting into details, though. "We're okay."

"Well, I'm glad you two are okay," Cooper muttered under his breath, and it sounded like a blatant lie. He paused and cleared his throat, before he added, nonchalantly. "And that's it? That's all that happened?"

Blaine really didn't know what was up with his brother. "Yes. Don't you think it's enough reason to need a day off work?"

Something in Cooper's shoulders seemed to loosen up, the tension flowing out. He drank a sip of coffee and sighed. "So, what's this about a fitting?"

The change in subject took Blaine by surprise. He blinked at his brother for a moment, considering what to do. He wanted to make sure Cooper was alright, but Blaine also couldn't believe just how infuriating he could be. It hurt that after everything, his brother didn't care enough about him to worry if he had an emergency, to act like Blaine's only reason to live was tending to his every need.

What did Cooper see when he saw him? What did he think about? Did he care about Blaine or did he only think of him as someone who was always there to manage every aspect of his life that Cooper found too boring to bother with?

He shook his head. It wasn't the time and it wasn't the place to have this conversation.

But for the rest of the day, Blaine couldn't shake off the disappointment and the dejection that had bloomed inside of him.


A week before Christmas, New York looked gorgeous with the twinkle lights and decorations everywhere. There was something about the holidays that made even the busiest and angriest of New Yorkers mellow down a bit. Maybe there was something in the gingerbread lattes or the eggnog that suddenly turned everyone into kinder versions of themselves.

Well, except the interns.

Everyone had become more vicious, especially with the knowledge that the end of the internship was going to be there in the blink of an eye. Melanie looked like she was ready to stab whoever got in her way, and Diego seemed very smug since one of the bosses had praised him endlessly for his help on a project. Hannah, much like Kurt, seemed to be about ready to collapse from the stress and the anticipation.

Needless to say, the office was a pretty toxic place to be lately.

And Kurt was still torn. Because he wanted to stay at Vogue so badly, but what would that mean for his Broadway career? Not that there was much of a career to consider, but he was a NYADA student, so he had to guess it was only a matter of time before there was one. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep playing both sides for very long, mostly because he was so tired it was bound to have negative repercussions on him and his health, but... well, maybe there wouldn't be a decision to make, if Vogue didn't want him after the internship came to an end. They would probably choose Melanie – Parsons made so much more sense than NYADA when you were trying to choose a new employee, after all.

Still, there was no reason why Kurt couldn't squeeze out as much as possible from this experience. He had truly learned so much. Just because fashion wasn't a path for him now, didn't mean it couldn't be, sometime in the future...

He rearranged the fabric samples in his arms as the elevator reached their floor and he headed straight to Isabelle's office with them. The summer collection was going to look amazing, and he was just sad that he wasn't going to be around to see all the wonderful articles and photoshoots that would come from it.

As soon as he knocked on the door, Isabelle looked up at waved him in with a smile.

"Here's the samples you wanted," he informed as he carefully laid everything on the coffee table so he wouldn't occupy her desk. "They said there's a few more colors arriving tomorrow, including that turquoise charmeuse you wanted."

"Okay, thank you, sweetie," Isabelle said, and when Kurt turned around to get back to his desk, she added: "Wait. I actually wanted to talk to you."

"Oh," Kurt muttered, frowning. "Is everything okay?"

"Take a seat, please," Isabelle said, as she stood up and crossed her office towards the loveseat. She patted the spot next to hers. "So, as you know, the internship contracts all end before Christmas break..."

Kurt felt like his stomach was suddenly filled with lead. So, this was it, then. "Yes, I'm aware."

"We're not supposed to be talking to you guys about this until next week, but," Isabelle leaned in conspirationally, "I thought I would give you a heads-up."

Kurt sighed and did his best to smile. "Well, I appreciate it. I've learned so much in the past few months, and... honestly, I'm going to miss this."

Isabelle arched an eyebrow. "Wait, you don't think I'm firing you, are you?"

Kurt blinked dumbly at her. "You... are not?"

"Oh, Kurt, come on. I don't think I was very subtle about my favoritism," she chuckled and patted his knee. "Look, the reason I wanted to talk to you is because I intend to offer you a permanent position, as my assistant at first, but with time you would have more responsibilities, and there could be many opportunities for career advancement."

"Oh my god, Isabelle," Kurt said breathlessly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"However, I know fashion isn't your main focus, with you attending NYADA and everything," she continued gently. "Which I understand and respect, of course, but I wish you would consider fashion as a route, as well, because... well, you're exceptional, Kurt. So I thought I would let you know a few days before it's officially announced, in case this is not something you want to be doing more seriously."

Kurt ran a hand through his hair, feeling incredulous. "I can't believe... I honestly didn't think you would choose me..."

"Kurt, honey, I would be crazy not to," she laughed. "But you're under no obligation to accept if this is something you don't want. If you want to focus on Broadway, then go right ahead, I'll wish you the best, even if I'll miss you and your amazing ideas." She looked at him kindly for a few seconds, before she added: "You should take the next few days to consider it, and once you've made your decision, come talk to me, okay?"

"Okay," Kurt said, but he felt frozen. He had truly believed he had no possibilities of staying here. It was a total surprise. He had felt so under-qualified the entire time... "Thank you, Isabelle. I can't thank you enough."

She gave him a quick hug. "No need to thank me. Just think about it, alright?"

"I will," Kurt said, and he stood up.

He left her office, feeling everyone's stares on him. They were probably trying to figure out if he had just been given any news, if he was finally out of the competition. Everyone had made him feel like he was inferior, like he wasn't good enough, like he was nothing but a bug they needed to crush.

And he had been chosen. Isabelle wanted him.

Oh, Kurt had a lot to think about, but there was warmth settling in his chest at the knowledge that he could have a future here, if he wanted it.


Ever since Thanksgiving, it felt like whenever Kurt called home, the conversation with his father was strained. He hadn't told him about being back with Blaine yet, although he was planning to, when he had enough time to sit him down and explain everything calmly to him. Burt had been calling more often since Kurt had been mugged – something Kurt hadn't been particularly thrilled to tell him, but since he had gotten a new phone number, he hadn't had much choice. Burt Hummel was, more than ever, in protector mode, which made things more difficult for his son.

But, despite everything that had happened with Blaine, and how embarrassed Kurt still felt whenever he thought about the things his father had said, he was still the first person Kurt turned to when he needed to figure something out, so it was natural that he took advantage of his break at the diner to give him a call.

"Alright, let me get this straight," Burt said, and there was a quiet squeak, which probably meant he had just sat down at the old armchair that had belonged to Finn's dad. "Out of all those snobby, entitled, fancy interns, she wants you?"

It was still very hard to believe. Kurt took a deep breath to keep his calm. "Yes. She told me to take a few days to think about it."

"Well, damn, Kurt," Burt exclaimed and he could hear the joy in his voice. "I'm so proud of you, so proud. Congratulations."

"Thanks, dad," Kurt said, and he let himself feel this happiness, this pride in what he had achieved, before it would all dissolve again in doubt. "It's just that I have no idea what to do. I mean, I want the job, I want it so much... but what about NYADA?"

"That's not a question I can answer, kiddo," Burt said with a quick chuckle. "You're the one who needs to decide what you want the most."

"Oh, wow, dad, thank you, this is so helpful," Kurt murmured in a monotone, only for his father to laugh harder. "I mean it, I'm torn. I worked really hard to get into NYADA, but I've loved my time at Vogue, and just thinking about it having to end made me so sad..."

"Look, Kurt, I can't pretend to understand the worlds you aspire to be part of," Burt started, more seriously now. "The only thing I can tell you is that you need to choose whatever makes you happy, whatever you think will still make you happy ten, twenty, thirty years from now. You can't go wrong if it makes you happy..."

Oh, Kurt thought, if only you knew how well that applies to my relationship with Blaine, the one you so strongly disapprove of... But instead, he said: "I know that. It's just scary thinking about maybe giving up one of them and regretting it when it's too late."

"That's life, Kurt. But you always need to choose." Burt sighed, like it pained him not to be more helpful. "Listen, you have a few days, so just give yourself time to think things through. Consider all the pros and the cons. Maybe talk things through with this Vogue lady, she seems to like you. But whatever you do, just know that you have my full support, okay? All I want for you is to be happy."

Kurt bit his lip. "Fine. Remember you said that," he said pointedly. His father chuckled again, thinking he was still talking about choosing between NYADA and Vogue, when he was actually talking about him and Blaine. "Dad, I have to go. My break's over. I'll call you soon, alright?"

"Sure, but let me know once you've made it home, kiddo," he said. "And don't forget I'm proud of you."

Kurt wondered if those words would ever stop meaning the world to him.

As soon as he made it back into the diner, he took his coat and scarf off and got back to work. Rachel and Santana were leaning against the counter, refilling the napkin holders and the salt and pepper shakers. It was rare that the three of them had a shift at the same time, but with how crazy everyone's schedules were lately, it was bound to happen.

"So, what did your dad say?" Rachel asked as Kurt started cleaning the coffee bean grinder.

"He said I should do whatever makes me happier," Kurt said with an eyeroll. He had appreciated the advice, but he had expected something more specific that would make his decision easier.

"Well, if you ask me," Rachel started, for the millionth time that day.

"No one is ever asking you," Santana hissed under her breath.

"I don't see how you could ever give up NYADA," Rachel continued, as if there hadn't been any interruptions. "There is nothing as important as the spotlight, Kurt. And you worked so hard to get in..."

"I know that," Kurt told her. "I remember how it felt like the end of the world if I didn't get in. But... I don't know. I don't think the spotlight is what I want the most anymore."

"My only question is this," Santana murmured, leaning over the counter so she could lower her voice. "If you take the job at Vogue, do you get to quit here?"

Kurt glanced around to make sure Gunther wasn't nearby. "Yes," he whispered.

"Then choose Vogue," Santana said, as someone in her section gestured for her attention. She sighed like it was the worst that could happen. "Anything to get out of this dump."

Kurt watched her go for a moment, thinking maybe she was right.

"Please, tell me you're not serious about it," Rachel said, concerned. "I understand that Vogue is a big opportunity, but... it's NYADA, Kurt."

When Kurt had gotten his acceptance letter, it had felt like the world was finally right. And then life had become so frantic, it had always felt like he was trying to catch his breath and keep up with everyone else. And maybe somewhere along the way, what he had initially thought of as a dream, had stopped being what he wanted the most...

But he wasn't sure if he was ready to give up on what he had worked so hard on for the past two years.

He realized he had talked about it with Rachel, with Santana, with his father... but there was one person whose opinion suddenly seemed more important than anyone's. He didn't think he could clear his head and make the right decision until he talked things through with Blaine.

Somehow Blaine had waved his way into every single aspect of Kurt's life and Kurt found that he loved that, that it made so much sense to integrate him, to include him in his plans...

He wondered if Blaine thought the same about him.

But that was a question for another time. Tonight, though, he felt like putting his arms around him might help him solve all the mysteries of the universe.


"Hey," Cooper said as Blaine stepped back into the trailer after returning Cooper's microphone to the tech people. "Why don't we do something together tonight? I'm free. You're too, right?"

There was an edge of eagerness in Cooper's voice that Blaine couldn't quite place. He moved to grab his bag while Cooper slipped into his coat.

"Sure, I'm free," Blaine said. Tina and Mike had left on their trip the previous night, after dropping the kids off with Mike's parents, and Kurt had a late shift at the diner. All Blaine had to do tonight was wait for Kurt's text to let him know he'd made it home safely. At least, tonight he had the same shift as Rachel and Santana, so that helped to ease Blaine's worries and his sudden hatred of late-night subway commutes. "What did you have in mind?"

He expected Cooper to suggest hitting one of his favorite bars, which were usually crowded with models and young actresses he would spend the entire night hitting on. Instead, Cooper said, surprising him a bit: "Why don't we go to your place? It's been a while since I visited. And we can have a couple of beers, order some pizza, maybe catch a game on TV, chat for a bit..."

Cooper was being weird, but in such a good, favorable way, that Blaine didn't exactly mind. He couldn't remember the last time they had an actual night in which they behaved like brothers, and that was what this sounded like. Cooper always wanted to do extravagant things, go to expensive places, find interesting (which for him meant hot) people to talk to, and usually the night ended with them parting ways because Cooper found someone to hook up with, and Blaine went home alone.

"That sounds great," Blaine said with a smile.

So they headed to Blaine's place and, once they had ordered their pizza, they sprawled on the couch, a basketball game playing on the television. For a while, they were quiet, but Blaine had a feeling there was something Cooper wanted to talk about.

"So," he started, hoping he'd help his big brother speak his mind. "It's Christmas next week. What paradisiac beach are you planning going to this time? You haven't asked me to make any arrangements yet, and even name-dropping I might have trouble finding available places if you don't make up your mind soon."

Cooper took a sip of his beer, wincing when one of the teams missed a very close shot. "Oh, I'm staying in New York this year. I thought maybe you and I could do something together..."

Blaine couldn't hide his surprise, but Cooper didn't see it because his eyes were intent on the screen. "Well, that's... certainly shocking. You hate being here for the holidays."

With a quick shrug, Cooper said: "Thought I'd mix things up this year. Do something different." He glanced away from the television to look at Blaine with a slight frown. "Unless... you already have plans? Maybe with that new boyfriend of yours?"

"Kurt's flying to Ohio to see his family," Blaine replied, turning slightly on the couch to be able to see his brother properly. "Are you... okay, though? It's really unusual for you to turn down hanging out in the Caribbean with a beautiful woman to stay here. We've never been big on holiday traditions."

"That's because we don't have any because dad didn't bother building anything meaningful or lasting with us," Cooper said, an edge of bitterness in his words, and then they both tensed, because they were always so, so careful not to mention their father. Cooper continued talking at once, as if trying to cover up for it: "Anyway, it's fine if you don't want to. I just thought..."

"No," Blaine said, voice a little choked. He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the awkwardness left behind by that unexpected mention. "No, I'd love to. I actually spend the holidays with Tina and Mike every year, but I'm guessing you won't want to join us. So... I'll figure it out. Maybe I'll spend half a day with them, half a day with you?"

"Whatever works for you," Cooper shrugged again, eyes going back to the TV. "If it's too complicated, don't worry about it."

"Coop, it's not complicated," he reassured him, giving him a quick pat on the back. "I'm glad we'll get to spend some time together."

Cooper nodded but didn't say anything else, seeming too focused on the game. Something was clearly off.

"Are you doing okay?" He asked, tilting his head a bit to regard him. "You seem... I don't know, upset, I guess?"

"I'm fine, just tired," Cooper said, and as if to prove his point, he smiled at Blaine one of those bright meant-for-papparazzi smiles that the world seemed to love.

It did nothing to tamp down Blaine's concern.

Fortunately, Cooper was saved by the bell. As soon as the doorbell rang, he bounced off the couch.

"That must be the pizza," he said. "I'll go get it."

Blaine was still trying to figure out what was going on with Cooper when he heard him pull the door open and pause.

"You're not a delivery man," Cooper said from the front door. "And that's not a pizza."

Intrigued, Blaine got off the couch and went to join his brother. Kurt was standing at the stoop, blue eyes very wide, as if he had suddenly become paralyzed. Cooper leaned on the door jamb, because he always appreciated the attention, even if he had no idea who he was.

Blaine hurried to the door. "Kurt! What a surprise!"

"Hi," Kurt muttered, eyes still fixed on Cooper like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Blaine's stomach dropped. This was what always happened. He swallowed, which wasn't easy because his throat seemed to have closed up, and said: "What are you doing here? I thought you were going home after your shift."

Kurt blinked, as if he was coming out of a trance, and finally looked away from Cooper, gaze settling on Blaine. "Uhm. Sorry. I didn't know you had company. Just wanted to see you for a bit and... I... well, I brought you these."

He held out a little box from a bakery Blaine had mentioned not too long ago, which sold the best macarons in town. From the window in the white box, he could see them arranged in a perfect line of pastel colors.

Blaine took the box and also Kurt's hand, pulling him gently inside. "Come on, it's cold, don't stand there," he leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek, chilled from the winter evening. "Thank you."

Cooper closed the door and leaned against the wall, grinning widely. "Well, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Blaine tried to return the smile but found that it was harder than he had expected. "Uhm, yeah, of course. Kurt, this is my brother, Cooper..."

"Oh, I know who he is..." Kurt said breathlessly, his eyes once again fixed on Cooper, who smiled even more.

"And Coop, this is Kurt..."

"Oh, I know who he is," Cooper retorted, in that very annoyingly smartass way of his. He actually looked him up and down, like he was checking him out. The bastard.

Kurt blushed.

Blaine felt like he was going to be sick.

Kurt shook his head briefly, as if trying to clear it, and then turned to Blaine, and pressed a hand to his chest. "I'm really sorry to just drop by like this. I'll let you boys get back to it and I'll talk to you tomorrow..."

"Please, don't leave because of me," Cooper said charmingly.

"Yes, you should stay," Blaine said, and he really hoped his voice hadn't sounded as possessive as he had thought. He certainly wasn't thinking about asking Kurt to stay the night so he could fuck him into the mattress once Cooper left. God, what the hell kind of toxic response was that? He hated himself a bit. He cleared his throat and tried to smile. "We ordered plenty of pizza to feed an army, so you definitely need to stay and help us eat it."

"Okay," Kurt agreed.

They had just stepped into the living room again, when the doorbell rang once more.

"Ah, that has to be the pizza!" Cooper exclaimed, and headed back to the front door.

"I'll go grab some plates and napkins," Blaine murmured, and made his escape to the kitchen.

He leaned for a moment against the counter, feeling like an idiot. He didn't like feeling like this, and he especially hated that it was Kurt who had looked at Cooper like he had hung the moon and the stars. He knew it wasn't Kurt's fault – it was a natural reaction everyone had when they met someone they had only seen on television, and Cooper was, on top of everything, frustratingly charming and disgustingly handsome.

Everyone always prefers him, said a tiny little voice in the back of his head, the one he was always so, so careful to silence. And now Kurt does, too.

A hand pressed against the small of his back, and he looked over his shoulder to find Kurt standing there, a slight frown on his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Of course," Blaine smiled, but it probably didn't look as sincere as he hoped, because Kurt's frown deepened.

"I can leave," Kurt said. "I'm really sorry I dropped by like this. I just wanted to talk to you about something and I didn't think..."

Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "It's not that. I'm always happy to see you." He paused, because he knew what it sounded like when he expressed how he felt. He knew it was petty and childish. "I just... I have a hard time introducing Cooper to people I care about. He always tends to... you know, pull everyone's attention."

Kurt's face softened, like he finally understood what had happened. He wrapped his arms around Blaine and pulled him close, until they were glued together. "I'm not your ex, you know?" He whispered. "Just because I get a little starstruck when I see your brother for the first time, it doesn't mean that's all I care about. He's not why I started seeing you. He's definitely not the reason I like you so much," he added teasingly.

Blaine tilted his head so he could catch Kurt's lips in a kiss, briefly but intensely. "It's stupid, I know..."

Kurt rested his forehead on his. "It's not. I understand. I'm so sorry. I just wasn't expecting him to open your door."

"It's fine," Blaine murmured. "He has that effect on everyone. I'm used to it."

Kurt looked really sad at that. He lifted his hand and cupped Blaine's cheek. "Not on me, not really," he said. "I will always choose you. You will always be the more dashing Anderson brother to me."

Blaine let out a little smile. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I'm very careful with my promises," Kurt said, lips brushing Blaine's. "Now shut up and kiss me before your brother comes looking for us."

Blaine chuckled into the kiss.

Once they had joined Cooper at the table, Kurt sat close to him and kept a hand on his thigh, as if he wanted to make sure Blaine had a constant reminder during dinner of what he had just said in the kitchen. Blaine appreciated it, even if he felt foolish. He truly couldn't control the way Cooper made him feel, so ridiculously insecure about himself, especially in front of men he liked. It wasn't the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last one, either. Blaine probably needed to work on it.

"So," Cooper said, as he reached into one of the boxes and grabbed a slice of pizza. "I feel like I should get to know more of the guy my brother is spending so much time with..."

Blaine frowned a bit as he grabbed a slice for Kurt and then one for himself. "Coop, don't make him uncomfortable..."

"Oh, no, no, I'm genuinely interested," Cooper said, mouth full of cheese and sauce.

Kurt chuckled. "Well, I'm afraid I'm not that interesting."

"I beg to differ," Cooper said cheekily. "You're young, pretty... Blaine must certainly find you interesting..."

Blaine glared at his brother across the table as Kurt opened his mouth and hesitated, not sure what to say to that. "Cooper. You're being a bit of an asshole. Stop, please?"

Cooper shrugged. He probably didn't see a problem with what he had just said. "Fine. You're boring. So, Kurt, what do you do?"

Kurt awkwardly told Cooper about Vogue, and NYADA, and the diner. Cooper asked a few questions, mostly about Vogue and NYADA, because he clearly didn't care about the diner part at all, until he skillfully redirected the conversation so it would be about him.

While Cooper talked about how his Christmas album was once again being played everywhere ("and why wouldn't it? It's a fucking classic"), Blaine glanced at Kurt, to check if he was doing alright. Kurt was watching Cooper intently, but not in the same starstruck way as he had before, but in a he's-a-bit-of-a-self-centered-idiot kind of way.

Blaine loved his brother. He wouldn't have put up with him and his antics for this long if he didn't. But he was so, so relieved to see that Kurt's fascination with him had been so short-lived.

He leaned in slowly and brushed a kiss to Kurt's temple, which made Kurt turn his face, smiling so brightly it made all the other lights in the room inconsequential. "I'm going to clean up. Will you be okay...?" He asked, softly.

The hand that Kurt still had on his thigh gave a gentle squeeze in reassurance. "Yes, don't worry. Do you need any help?"

When Blaine pulled away and stood up, he noticed Cooper was watching them in a weird way, as if he hadn't expected the brief moment of intimacy and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. He trailed off until he was completely silent, and, once again, Blaine realized there was something off about him.

"I'm going to clear the table. Should I get you another beer, Coop?" He offered.

Cooper shook his head, and he grinned, but it wasn't as charming as it usually was. "No, thanks. I think I'm gonna head home."

"Are you sure? It's still early. We could hang out," Blaine said. He didn't want Cooper to feel like he had to leave now. Not after he had wanted to make plans with Blaine and spend time with him, something that wasn't very usual.

"Nah. I'm gonna leave you two lovebirds to it," he said, standing up and dropping his napkin on the table. "Blaine, I'll see you tomorrow. Kurt, it was nice meeting you."

"You too," Kurt said quietly, as if unsure because of Cooper's sudden change.

"Let me walk you out," Blaine said at once, and left the empty boxes of pizza back on the table, before he followed his brother to the front door. He watched him as he slipped into his coat. "Is everything okay? Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer? I was going to make some coffee, and Kurt brought those macarons..."

"I'm sure," Cooper said with a little smile.

"You've been off the whole night, even before Kurt got here..." Blaine commented. He crossed his arms over his chest as he regarded him. "You could stay and we could talk about it."

"Blaine," Cooper muttered, and the wattage on his smile raised a hundred percent. "I'm always fine. You know that."

It sounded so false that Blaine paused, unsure. When he opened his mouth to say something, Cooper had already stepped outside the house and was heading to the curb to flag down a cab.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" He exclaimed.

Blaine let him go, even though it felt like he should have tried harder to get him to talk.

Cooper Anderson lived his life so loudly, sometimes you forgot to look past it. And now Blaine had gotten a quick glimpse, and he wasn't happy with what he had seen.

He closed the door once the cab was too far for him to see it anymore. When he went into the kitchen, he found Kurt already there, washing the plates. With a little sigh, Blaine stood behind him and pressed his forehead to the back of his shoulder.

"You okay?" Kurt asked, turning his head slightly.

"Yes. I'm sorry about Cooper. He's... a lot, sometimes," Blaine replied, but he was still thinking about all the things that could be wrong. "I can be a lot sometimes, too. Sorry about the way we both behaved."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Kurt said sweetly. "If anything, I feel like I interrupted your plans. I think Cooper was uncomfortable. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't," Blaine said, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck and causing Kurt to giggle. Oh, so he was ticklish in that spot... Blaine filed that information for later, in case it came in handy. "Something's up with him and I can't figure out what it is."

Kurt turned the faucet off and dried his hands before he shifted so he could face Blaine. He put his arms loosely around his shoulders. "He looks like the kind of guy who doesn't really want to admit something's wrong."

"Yup, exactly," Blaine said tiredly. He grabbed Kurt's hips in his hands and started rubbing at his hipbone with his thumb, not even thinking about it. "But enough about us silly Anderson brothers. What's up with you? You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

Kurt bit his lip, and it wasn't until then that Blaine realized just how anxious Kurt looked. Before he could say anything, though, Blaine grabbed his hand and took him back into the living room, where they dropped down on the couch, and Blaine tucked Kurt into his side.

"Okay, tell me everything," he said, kissing the top of his head.

Kurt seemed to relax against him, as if that was the thing he had been needing all day. He shifted so he could lay his head on Blaine's shoulder and threw his arm around him, his hand coming to rest right where Blaine's heart was beating steadily for him.

"Isabelle offered me a job. As her personal assistant," Kurt said.

"Kurt! Oh my god, that's amazing!" Blaine squeezed him tight and tilted his face up so he could plant a dozen quick kisses on it – his forehead, his cheekbones, his nose, his lips. "Congratulations, baby."

"Thank you," Kurt said, and he let a little smile appear on his face. He looked really pleased, and like it was the first time he was allowing himself to feel like that. "I'm honestly so happy that she chose me."

"Of course she chose you. You worked so hard," Blaine muttered as he rubbed his back, and added: "So. What's the problem? Because you look a bit troubled about it, so I'm guessing there's one."

"Oh, you know me so well..." Kurt sighed, nuzzling into his neck. "I'm not sure I would be able to pull off both NYADA and Vogue. I don't think I can go on like this for much longer. I'm tired, Blaine. And I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I really am happy and flattered that she wants me, it's just... I don't know. I'm overwhelmed, I guess."

"I'm not surprised you're tired," Blaine said, as his hand began to massage his back instead, slowly working at the knots on Kurt's shoulders. Kurt groaned a bit, and melted even more against him. "I know how seriously you take everything. And there's always a breaking point, no matter how grateful you are for all the opportunities. You can't live just rushing from one of your roles and resposibilities to the other. All that exhaustion? It'll catch up with you, and it won't be pretty."

Kurt let out another sigh, this one more aggrieved. "I know that. I don't want to get to that, trust me. I just don't know what to do."

"Okay, close your eyes," Blaine told him, only for Kurt to stare up at him with an arched eyebrow. "Come on," he laughed. "Play along, please."

"Fine, fine," Kurt said with an eyeroll, before he complied. "They're closed."

"Try picturing your perfect life. Forget about everything, just think about that. You wake up in the morning and you're about to do something you really, really enjoy..."

"I didn't know I could make a career out of having sex with you," Kurt muttered, making Blaine laugh again.

"Babe, we've talked about this. As soon as you're ready to quit everything, you let me know and we'll just spend the entire day in bed," Blaine retorted, poking him on the side. "But now be serious. What would make you the happiest? What do you want to do?"

"I... I think Vogue makes me the happiest right now," Kurt said, hesitantly. "I just enjoy it so much."

"Well, there you go," Blaine grinned down at him.

"I still love performing, though. I'm just not hell-bent on making a career out of it, I think. It would be great to maybe stand on a stage and do that, but... I don't know. I guess at some point my priorities changed and I didn't even notice because I was too busy to," Kurt shrugged. "But it feels wrong leaving NYADA just like that, after how hard I worked."

"No one says it's going to be easy. Most decisions aren't. But you said it yourself, Kurt, you're too tired to keep going like this." Blaine paused as he looked down at him. Kurt still seemed quite troubled. "Look, I'm going to support whatever decision you make, and I'm going to help you through it as best as I can, whether it's by reminding you to rest and have a proper meal, or by celebrating every single one of your accomplishments with you, or by doing whatever you need me to do. But I just want you to make sure you do what makes you happy, that you don't spend the rest of your life regretting a decision you made by wanting to be comfortable, or by being afraid to take a chance. Life's... unpredictable, and difficult and sometimes you can't help making mistakes. But it's also short, and you shouldn't spend it doing anything but what makes you complete and what makes you happy."

Kurt sat up a bit, enough so he could look Blaine right in the eyes. He put his arm over the back of the couch, right behind Blaine, and let his hand fall on the back of Blaine's neck. He started returning the massage, almost absently, and Blaine had to use all his strength not to turn into putty in his hands.

"That sounds very wise, and also like you're speaking from experience," Kurt commented, watching him intently. "Is this about your music career? We haven't talked about it since our second date, but I can tell that's something really big from your past that still bothers you today."

"Yes, it's about that, partly. But we're talking about you now," Blaine said, grabbing Kurt's hands in his. "You have your entire life ahead of you, Kurt."

"And? So do you. It's never late to go after what you want," Kurt insisted, frowning slightly, as if he was a little worried. Blaine didn't like worrying him. "You deserve to be happy and live a fullfilled life as much as I do, you know?"

"I know that. But it's been a long time since I even considered it, and I have no idea what that looks like to me anymore. So I want to focus on you instead," Blaine said, because he could be stubborn, too.

Kurt arched an eyebrow. "You're very irritating, did you know that?"

"Yes," Blaine said plainly. "Now, how long do you have before you need to make a decision?"

"A few days," Kurt replied, melting against him again. "But... I think the right question here isn't what I'm going to do about Vogue."

"It isn't?" Blaine prompted.

"No. I'm definitely going to take that job. I mean... I would be crazy not to, right?" Kurt said thoughtfully. It didn't look like he required a response, more like he was working things out aloud, so Blaine didn't say anything and let him figure it out. "The question here is whether I can keep NYADA in the equation."

"You'll have to talk to Isabelle about your schedule. Maybe once you know more about your hours at the office, you can make a more informed decision." Blaine went back to rubbing his back, without really noticing.

"Yes, that's true..." Kurt muttered distractedly, before letting out a tiny moan that sounded almost sinful and went straight to Blaine's dick. "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm going to quit the diner. That feels like such a dream. No more crazy shifts. No more staying up all night and wearing that awful uniform."

Blaine smiled as he pressed his lips to Kurt's forehead. "You know, I think I'll be sad to see the diner go. I'm quite fond of it. I met a pretty spectacular guy there once."

Kurt smiled too. "Well, the diner might be gone, but you get to keep the guy. That's not too shabby, huh?"

Blaine leaned in and kissed him, slow and deep, for just a moment, before he pulled away and whispered: "Not at all."

"And hey," Kurt said, thumb stroking Blaine's cheek. "When you feel like you are ready to talk about your career, and what you want to do... I'm here, okay? I don't want to pressure you, but I can tell there's stuff holding you back, and that you could be so much happier if you just went for it..."

"I don't even know what I want anymore," Blaine said, and there it was, that little pang inside of him that felt like he had wasted so much time doing what others expected of him instead of chasing the life he truly wanted to live. He ignored it, like he always did. "It's been a long time. And Cooper needs me."

"Cooper's a big boy," Kurt said. "And I'm sure he'd want you to be happy."

Blaine nodded, but immediately changed the subject. He just wasn't ready to talk about this, to admit to Kurt that he wasn't brave enough to even ask himself these questions. "So, Mr. Hummel, Vogue employee," he muttered, and Kurt beamed at him, barely holding back a squeal. "Will you let me take you out and celebrate you, once it's official?"

Kurt's smiled softened. "I would love that."

"Good," Blaine gave him a quick kiss, and then stretched his arms above his head. "It's getting late. What do you say we head to bed?"

Suddenly, Kurt's eyes filled with eagerness. He bit his lower lip as he nodded. "Yes, please."

There was nothing wrong with starting the celebration a little earlier, after all.


Everything's coming up Kurt! :)

Can't wait to see what you think of this chapter!

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Have a great week, see you again on Saturday!

L.-