Both of the boys awoke well-rested the next morning, only stirring about an hour before they were supposed to meet their mothers at RH Rooftop for brunch.

Sometime during the night, they'd changed places, Kurt winding up with his head rested against Blaine's chest, an arm slung over his naked hips, one leg tossed carelessly across Blaine's. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light coming in around the thin curtains of the hotel room, Kurt could just make out the shape of Blaine's body, specifically his cock that was stirring just below his arm. When he made a move to pull away, the sight of Blaine's body stirring sending his own into action, he was stopped by Blaine's arms wrapping closer around him, hugging him tightly.

"Stay," came the quiet whine from Blaine's mouth. "Comfy."

"Shhh," Kurt soothed, successful in moving his arm from Blaine's hips up to rest his hand against Blaine's cheek. "I'm not leaving. I just wanted to readjust." He began to move his leg from over top of Blaine's.

"Noooo. Stay where you were. Please?"

"I-I just-"

"Stay." Blaine's voice was firm, his arm tightening impossibly closer behind his man's back.

"Fine," Kurt gave in, managing to adjust his hips enough that his cock was not pressing into Blaine's hip. "I'll stay put."

"Good. My Kurt."

There was silence for a few minutes, and Kurt wondered if Blaine had fallen asleep again. He twisted his hips again, trying to get comfortable. He was softening just a bit, but every time his eyes ran over Blaine's abs, he could feel himself begin to harden again. He did his best to avert his eyes, but from his spot on Blaine's chest, it was nearly impossible not to catch glances unless he kept his eyes shut. And, he was definitely not tired anymore.

"It's okay, you know," Blaine said quietly, breaking through Kurt's thoughts. "That's something that happens in the mornings, even more so when you wake up next to someone you love. Just because it happens doesn't mean we have to do something about it. I understand that you're not always going to want sex, and I'm fine with that. I won't always want it either. We should decide that together, and I promise not to take advantage of you."

Unsure what to say to that, Kurt eventually managed to get out an "Okay," moving his hips back around to a more comfortable position where he was not trapped against the mattress. "It would probably help if I got up," he said. "I keep...seeing things."

Blaine chuckled. "Things? Anything you like?"

Kurt could just hear the smirk in his voice, so he did just about the cheekiest thing he could think of. He pressed himself a little more firmly against Blaine's hips, whispering, "Apparently so."

"Mmm...Wanna do anything about it?" Blaine asked huskily.

"M-maybe a shower?"

"I'll take that," Blaine replied. "Give me just another five minutes."

Their shower was quick but loving. They took as much time as they felt comfortable with, soaping each other up with reverence and a bit of worship, but they kept it as safe as they could, not allowing anything to get out of hand. Nothing happened except a few heated kisses on the lips as they washed each other's hair, allowing a few kisses to trail down the soft skin of bellies and the taught skin of hips, sending sparks through them as they helped to clean the other.

Then, they quickly got ready to go, asking the band's driver to take them to RH Rooftop. They walked in to find Elizabeth, Kai, Bella, and Cooper already there, sitting around a table, chatting animatedly. Elizabeth waved to them when she caught sight of them standing just inside the door. As they approached, they heard the end of something Cooper was saying. "...heard he was a constant subject of Kurt's."

"Excuse me. What are you talking about?" Kurt asked, taking a seat beside his mom, Blaine sliding in next to Cooper.

"Oh, I was just telling your mom about the legend you'd become at Dalton," Coop said. "Everyone on staff knew about your pictures for your second-year art project, and we all thought it was a great idea. Your dear mom, though, said she had no idea about the project."

"That was on purpose," Kurt gritted out. Then, he whispered to Blaine, "Does he always do that?" and received a nod in return.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Kurt," Elizabeth told him gently. "Fate works in mysterious ways. Obviously, since you were meant to meet Blaine and he was to become your soulmate, it makes sense that Fate would have made you infatuated with the man that would become yours. You should be proud of your past and the amount of effort you put into respecting and appreciating Blaine before he was yours forever."

Kurt smiled at her, turning toward Bella when she cleared her throat.

"Could we see the pictures sometime?" she asked. "I'm sure they were wonderful."

"I-I could email digital prints to you," Kurt stuttered. "I mean, I-I have them in my backpack back at the hotel, but…"

"An email would be lovely," Bella declared just as their waitress came over to take their order.

Brunch was a wonderful affair, and Bella was right; everything was delicious and totally worth the price. They ordered several plates of food to share around the table, and everyone had several cups of coffee as they munched and chatted.

Despite Kurt's apprehension about the meetings, it turned out that their mothers got along quite well. They had similar senses of humor and many shared interests. It was easy to see how much they already admired each other, Bella giving Elizabeth advice about how to cope with having a talented and famous son-Elizabeth was just sure that Kurt's spot in the band was going to make him famous any day now-and Elizabeth gave Bella advice about finding her soulmate.

It surprised Blaine that his mother was asking Elizabeth and Kai about finding one another and their bond with each other. This was the first time, he thought, that she had shown any interest in love, and it thrilled him that perhaps she was coming around to the idea of finding the person she was meant to meet. It also meant she could go to one of the loveliest states Blaine felt he'd ever seen: Pennsylvania. He loved the trees there, the way that all their branches grew high enough off of the ground that grass could grow beneath. It was hilly and twisty in the best ways, and the historical charm of the state could be felt even when taking the scenic routes. Bella had avoided the state altogether her whole life, afraid she might bump into her soulmate unexpectedly and become intertwined with someone she never wanted to meet. Maybe now she would go and give herself a shot at love and a future with the partner Fate had chosen for her.

While their mothers talked, Kurt and Blaine had their own conversations, Kurt chatting with Kai and getting to know him a bit better, and Blaine and Cooper talking quietly with one another.

"So, how are you and Mom doing now that you've finally figured out that you're soulmates?" Kurt asked, trying to draw Kai out of his shell.

"We're getting along well."

"That's good. She seems really happy, happier than I've seen her in a long time."

Kai nodded. "Ever since our hearts showed up, she's had a sparkle in her eye I hadn't seen before."

"That makes sense…" He trailed off, wondering if he had that same sparkle now that he had Blaine.

"You do, too, if you're wondering," Kai said quietly. "I think that's part of how your mom knew last night. It's definitely how I could tell this morning. I'm happy for you." He looked like he wanted to reach out and shake Kurt's hand or pat his knee or something, but his hand merely stuttered over the top of his own leg, never actually moving to do anything else.

"Thanks," Kurt said softly, giving the other man a smile. "I didn't expect to meet him, but I'm so glad I did. He was worth the wait certainly." He paused clearing his throat. "Do you think, um, well… Do you think you and Mom could keep it quiet until the official press release about me joining the band comes out? Maybe even longer? I'm not so sure that Blaine and I are ready to just tell the world about what we've only just come to find out in the past few days."

"Sure. I'll talk to her and let her know, too, but we understand. Well, I do, at least."

"Thanks," Kurt replied, turning toward Blaine when he felt a tug on his arm.

Blaine had been chatting with Cooper, catching up on the rumor mill at Dalton and the latest scandals between some of the teachers there. It was one of their favorite things to do whenever they saw one another, and Blaine hadn't been able to be home for more than a day or two in almost a year. First, it had been writing their new album, then recording it. Then, setting up for Legends Festival. Now, they were on tour. He was hoping to go home for Christmas, though. It would be a welcome break, and he was eager to spend some real time with his family that didn't include a noisy restaurant or annoying bandmates backstage. Of course, now it would also include Kurt, his newest pride and joy.

"You know," Cooper had said when he'd gone quiet for a bit, "you and Kurt don't hide it very well. I'm not sure if you're trying to or not, but you both show that you've found your soulmate like you're being paid to run it in lights across your faces. I don't know how anyone that looks at you can miss that fact."

Blushing, Blaine had replied, "Well, I guess that's what it's like when you fall in love. I know you don't know yet, but…"

"Actually, I think I do," Cooper had replied. His cheeks had flushed, too, as he'd finished up with, "I think she might be one of my students."

"Coop! You're not really dating one of your students, are you?"

"No. We're not dating. She came in during my office hours last week to ask a question about something, and I just felt this weird feeling in my chest, like something I'd never felt before in my life."

"Are you sure you weren't just having a heart attack?" Blaine had teased, a huge smile on his face.

Cooper had just glared at him. "This is exactly why I call you 'squirt,' squirt," he had said. "And, for the record, she's a senior. In college. So, it's not like it's really that scandalous."

"It's not about the age; it's the fact that she's one of your students."

"Yeah, well…" He'd paused. "I have other news, too."

"What is it?"

"Remember the money Grandma left us when she died, the money we got when we turned 21?"

"Yeah." Blaine remembered it well. His share had gone to help fund the band in its early stages.

"Well, I think I figured out what I'm going to do with mine. Actually, I've already done it. I was waiting for the right time to tell you."

"What is it?"

Coop had beckoned him in closer, whispering in his ear.

As he'd sat back up, Blaine had frowned, bringing his hand up to silence whatever Cooper was about to say aloud next. The secret Coop had just shared had been awesome, but something else had caught his attention. "Did you see that?" he'd asked, his eyes never leaving the front door.

Cooper had shaken his head. "No. What?"

"I thought I saw Eli creeping in the front window there. When I caught his eye, he ran…"

"Eil? Are you serious, squirt?"

That's when Blaine had reached over to tug at Kurt.

"What's up?" Kurt asked, giving Blaine a worried look. His skin was pale, and his brow was set into a deep frown. "You okay?"

"I think Eli was just here," Blaine said quietly. "I just saw him standing outside."

"What? Why would Eli be outside? We kicked him out in Baltimore. He would have gone home by now, right?"

"I have the feeling Schue will know," Blaine said, his jaw clenching. "And, if I find out that he's, for some unknown reason, told Eli he can rejoin us, I'm-" As he spoke, he began to reach for his phone but stopped when he felt Kurt's hand on his.

"No. Don't. Not right now. We're trying to have a nice brunch with our families right now before we have to leave and they have to go back home. There's time to worry about that later. For now, leave it alone. Eli's not hurting anyone."

"That we know of."

"And that's all that matters right now," Kurt said, running his hand up Blaine's arm gently, careful not to go above the table height lest anyone else see them interacting like that. Blaine had already been recognized a few times since they'd come in, and while no one had come over to bother them, they'd both noticed the waves, the stares, and the pointing.

"Thank you," Blaine whispered. "If I wasn't so paranoid that someone was watching, I'd kiss you silly right now." He sighed. "I don't know what I did without you."

"Save it for later," Kurt whispered back. "And you never have to remember because you'll never be without me again." He jostled Blaine's shoulder lightly, really wanting to give him a hug instead but knowing they couldn't. Not yet, anyway. Maybe we just need to come clean about everything when we do the press conference, he mused.

It wasn't much longer after that the boys realized what time it was and announced they needed to go. It was going on 12:30, and their bus was leaving the hotel at 1:15, headed for Springfield, Illinois. They weren't packed up yet, and they knew they'd need a bit of time to decompress together after Blaine's "Eli sighting."

So, they hugged everyone at the table goodbye. Blaine promised to call his mother and brother more often and that the next time the band had a break, he'd go home with Kurt and spend a few days with Elizabeth and Kai. Kurt promised to send Bella the pictures of Blaine he'd created for his second-year project, glared at Cooper when he teased him yet again about staring at the massive picture of Blaine on the wall in his classroom, and promised his mother he'd continue to send her text updates about what they were up to. Then, they left, sliding back into the car and heading for the hotel once again. They needed to get everything together quickly so they could have a few minutes to discuss what they wanted to do about Eli.

They chatted quietly as they packed.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Kurt asked, wanting to be sure he had all the details. "Is his split from the band final and legal yet? How quickly can that happen?"

"No. It's not legal. At least, I'm pretty sure it's not. That stuff takes time, especially when it's something so permanent like this. They have to figure out if we owed him anything-spoiler alert: we did for the few shows of the tour he did as well as the Legend's Festival performance-how much he's owed in royalties from music sales, and how he'll be compensated for future sales. It's a process, and I guess..." He sighed, frustrated, a hand immediately going to his head to run through his wild curls. "I guess I can't be certain that any of it has even been started because Will usually handles that stuff." He looked around the room, his gaze a little lost. "I really need to talk to the rest of the guys about getting rid of him, too." At least that will be a little bit easier now, he thought.

"One thing at a time," Kurt reminded, moving a few steps closer to run a comforting hand up and down Blaine's arm. "So, what are our other options? Can we get more security at the shows so he can't come backstage and destroy anything or try to come on while we're all up there?"

"We probably can." Blaine's face visibly brightened at that, and he gave Kurt a small smile. "That's a really good idea, Kurt. Thanks. I'm gonna text Dave and Trent about it right now."

There was silence for a few minutes as Kurt kept packing, tossing his soiled clothes back into his bag. He only had one clean shirt, and he'd worn both pairs of his pants twice. He really needed to find a laundromat or see if their next hotel had a washer and dryer he could use. The only sound in the room was the click-clack of Blaine's phone as he typed out a text.

When he was finished, Blaine laid his phone down on the stand beside the bed, going back to rearranging the loose sheet music he'd pulled out during a practice. "You know, what we should probably do is take out a restraining order on Eli," he said, not really sounding like he was talking to Kurt but also not quite speaking to himself. "I mean, I hate to do that to the guy. I don't hate him or anything like that. I just... I don't want him around me. I don't want him around you. I don't want him around the other guys or any of their families either. He's just not a great dude, and while I wish him all the best in his future endeavors, I don't wish him well with our endeavor anymore. The band is better off without him. And, I think we all know it."

"You're not still beating yourself up for instigating the vote that kicked him out, are you?" Kurt asked quietly, zipping up his bag and tossing it to the floor so he could take a seat on the mattress in its place.

"No..."

"I don't think I can believe that. You don't sound like you're very sure of that answer."

"Fine. I might be. A little. I'm trying not to be, but I did kinda ruin his life with that. I mean, I wouldn't change what I did. It was for the best, and all of us, even him, will be better off for it in the long run. I know that. I always have. But still, I took away his entire livelihood and didn't offer him any alternatives."

"That's not your job," Kurt pointed out, pushing on, even when Blaine tried to protest. "Think of the band as an employer. When someone quits a job or gets fired, does their employer sit them down and tell them about other places they could go to get a job?"

"No?" Blaine hedged. "I've actually never had a conventional job, at least not a real one, so I don't know..."

"Well, we can dive into that later," Kurt said, smiling at him, "but I'll tell you that the answer is no. Once you're done working for someone, it's up to you to find your next spot, not your ex-employer. So, Eli doesn't need you to show him where to go. He's an adult. He can learn for himself."

"But this isn't a conventional job, Kurt," Blaine protested. "And, we were friends."

"He wasn't a very good friend to you, so I don't think you have any sort of responsibility to be one to him now. Besides all of that, Eli's stature as a member of Warbler Attack should make it easier for him to get a job in the future. Surely there's another small band out there in need of a good guitar player."

Blaine nodded, sinking down onto the mattress beside Kurt and leaning his head down to rest against Kurt's shoulder. "You're right. You're right, and I know you're right. Still, I feel bad about it. And, I don't know what to do." He turned his face then to press further into Kurt's shoulder, letting a few tears fall down his face. He knew he shouldn't feel bad for Eli, but he did. He just needed someone to let him know that that was okay.

Kurt was surprised a bit by the tears. He knew that Blaine was feeling emotional, but he hadn't expected him to cry after how angry he'd been when he'd kicked Eli out a few nights ago. That's when it dawned on him: Blaine hadn't really realized everything that would be impacted by his actions, and now that those things were coming up, he was having regrets and second thoughts. That made total sense, and Kurt did the best he could to work his man through them. He turned slightly, wrapping his arms around Blaine and patting very gently at his back, whispering in his ear how much he admired him, thought he was brave, and was so proud of him, no matter what.

It took a few minutes, but eventually, Blaine was sniffling, lifting his head off of Kurt's shoulder to wipe at his eyes with the backs of his hands. "Thanks," he mumbled, glancing at Kurt out of the corner of his eye and doing his best to give him a quick smile.

"You're welcome," Kurt reassured him, pulling him closer in a squeezy hug. Then, when they pulled apart, he asked, "So, are you all packed? Ready to go?"

"Almost," Blaine replied, standing once more to gather up the sheet music, stuffing it into his music bag, and zipping it shut with a long, sure zip. "I was trying to organize that, but I gave up. It's taking too long." He chuckled. "Now, all I need to do is snatch my bathroom stuff out of the shower, and I'll be ready."

Kurt nodded, picking up his phone to glance at the time. He gulped, and his eyes grew wide as he turned his gaze on Blaine. "Well, you'd better hurry then, because the bus leaves-or should I say left-two minutes ago."

"Shit!" Blaine yelled, sprinting toward the bathroom. "Head down to the bus, and make sure they wait for me!" he called over his shoulder. "I swear I'll only be another minute!"

Their stop in Springfield, Illinois, was uneventful. Though both of the boys kept their eyes peeled for Eli, they never saw any sign of him. They'd asked Dave and Trent to keep their eyes peeled for him, too, but neither of them reported seeing him. Kurt and Blaine were able to heave a sigh of relief. Maybe it had just been Blaine's imagination, or maybe he really had caught a glimpse of him. Either way, he seemed to be leaving them alone, and for that, they were thankful.

The Springfield show went pretty well, and Kurt was glad that he couldn't see past the bright lights at the front of the stage to the crowd. He couldn't be sure, but he thought that at least the front row of gathered people would be able to tell that he was not Eli. He was also thankful Blaine and the rest of the band hadn't scheduled any meet-and-greets for the first few shows of their tour. He'd already told Blaine that he wasn't comfortable participating in any of them until after the official announcement of his joining had been made. Blaine had, thankfully, agreed that that was for the best. No need to start any rumors, they'd decided.

With the exception of just a few wrong notes on his part, which Kurt felt was pretty good considering he hadn't ever had an official practice with the band, their set went smoothly and uneventfully. That was one less anxiety, and he was relieved.

After Springfield, Warbler Attack headed to Des Moines. They were playing a tiny show there, not technically a stop on the tour.

"More of a quick little stop for a friend," Blaine had told Kurt as they were packing up their hotel room in Springfield.

"What friend?" Kurt had asked. "And, how small of a gig are you talking about?"

"A friend from high school. Mike. He's a really cool guy that I stayed in contact with after I headed to Dalton, and he went off to a dance school somewhere in New York. We've kept tabs on each other, and he asked if we'd do a hangout show for him after his last national tour performance in Des Moines. The whole band knows and loves him, so we said we'd stop in and do a few songs. I'm guessing there will be 100 people or less. It's a no-pressure gig, Kurt. Promise." Blaine had been able to see the look of concern painted clearly on the other man's face.

"And, what do we tell them about us? Aren't they going to wonder what I'm doing there instead of Eli? What if something gets leaked?"

"Nothing will get leaked," Blaine had reassured him. "I trust Mike; he's not going to tell anybody anything we ask him not to, and neither will anyone else that he invites to our show. If someone's a danger to us, I know I can tell him, and he'll take care of it." He'd stopped tossing his clothes into his suitcase to round the bed, pulling Kurt into his embrace. "I'm gonna take care of everything," he'd whispered against his hair. "I promise. Everything's going to be okay."

Kurt had felt a surge of warmth fill his entire chest, and he'd snuggled closer to Blaine for just a moment, soaking it in. "Okay," he'd finally mumbled out, nodding. "I trust you."

After it was over, Kurt had to admit that stopping in Des Moines had been fun. It had been great to meet one of Blaine's high school friends, to hear stories of what he'd been like before he became a rockstar. Mike had been a genuinely nice guy, welcoming Kurt as though he were an old friend. He'd promised to make sure the whole band was well taken care of, and he'd even taken care of their rooms for the night, booking them suites in the hotel they were playing at and promising a complimentary, room service breakfast on him in the morning. He'd even phoned up to have someone do Kurt's laundry while they were playing at the party that night.

"See?" Blaine had said as they were setting up for their set. "He's a really good guy. One of the best I know."

Kurt had had to agree.

It had also been fun to meet Tina, Mike's adopted sister. Kurt had learned quickly that Tina and Cooper had been in the same class in high school, and Tina had taken it upon herself to treat Blaine like a little brother, complete with a nickname he hated. "Blainey Days!" she'd called as she'd sidled up to the stage after their last song. "Don't forget to give me a hug!" Kurt had thought it was cute, but Blaine had only rolled his eyes.

Their set had gone well; they'd only played a total of five songs spread out over the course of an hour and a half. Mike and Blaine had been having a grand time teasing each other and riling each other up to take shots and huge slurps of beer all night. As a result, Blaine had gotten pretty drunk, and he'd clung to Kurt's side most of the night, eager to show him off to anyone who came up. To Kurt's relief, Blaine had kept his wits about him enough not to mention that he was anything more than a new bandmate, though he wasn't sure Blaine's body language had hidden that fact so well. Still, there was plausible deniability if anyone asked since neither of them had said anything.

When the night was over, Kurt helped Blaine up the stairs to their room. He got Blaine out of his tight pants and button-up quickly, leaving him in just his undershirt and boxers to sleep in. Kurt went to the bathroom to get himself ready for bed, and when he emerged, Blaine had already curled up on his side, snuggled in tightly beneath the blankets.

Kurt assumed he was asleep. Crawling under the blankets himself, he leaned over to twist off the light then settled down into the pillow, unsurprised to immediately find himself with his arms full of a warm, sleepy Blaine.

"Kurt?" the other man mumbled.

"Yeah?" After several minutes of no response, Kurt assumed that Blaine had fallen asleep. So, he got comfortable once more, his eyes falling shut. Just as he was nearly lost to dreamland, he heard Blaine mumble something else.

"I wanna take you on a date tomorrow."

The next morning, Kurt tried not to think too hard about what Blaine had said. Had he dreamed about going on a date with Blaine all night? Yes. Yes, he had. But he felt like it had just been a drunken rambling the night before, and he didn't want his man to feel pressured to take him out when he probably had other things he needed to do. When the thought didn't leave him alone while they were having breakfast or while they were showering, though, he decided that he was going to have to say something, if for no other reason than to clear the air that was, for some reason, feeling electric between the two of them again. So, while they were tossing clothes into their bags, getting ready to head down to the bus, Kurt said, "Hey, Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember much from last night?"

"A little," he answered, straightening up from where he'd been rummaging through a pile of sheet music. "Why?"

"Well, there was something you said last night that I wanted to talk to you about. I've been thinking about it all morning, and I-"

"Oh, God, Kurt!" Blaine rushed to him, wrapping him up in his arms. "If I said something rude or off-color, I am so sorry. I don't remember it at all, and… Well, this is actually the perfect opportunity to tell you something I've been thinking about lately."

Kurt blinked at him, surprised by the swift and sudden changes in their conversation. "Um, yeah. What's up? And, you weren't rude, by the way. It was something else."

"Oh. Well, that doesn't change what I wanted to say. Can we, um, can we sit down for a second?"

Nodding, Kurt followed Blaine's lead, taking a seat on the edge of their bed and turning his body toward him, his hands in his lap, Blaine gripping one like a lifeline.

Blaine took a deep breath. "This is really important to me, and I want you to know that I mean this." He smiled half-heartedly at Kurt, waiting for his man to smile back before continuing. "I know that I drink too much. It started, the frequency anyway, because I wanted to forget that I had to be attached to Eli when we were out in public. I never truly forgot, but it helped to make it less annoying, his obnoxious behavior more tolerable. Now that I have you, though, I'm realizing that I don't want to forget a single second I have with you. I don't want to forget words that we shared, looks that we passed between us, or touches and intimate moments that were made just for you and me. Whatever I told you last night was obviously important to you, and I want to be able to remember those special moments. So, I'm making a vow right now that I'm going to cut back. A lot. No more than two drinks when we go out." He swallowed, the tears that had been glimmering in the corners of his eyes making slow tracks down his cheeks. "I, eventually, would like to be like you, not drinking at all. But for now, that's the best that I can do. I still have so many problems to deal with that I need to take the edge off sometimes, but I want you to know that I want to do this for you. You inspire me, Kurt, and cutting back drinking will be the best way for me to spend more time with you. You're what's most important now."

Leaning over, Kurt wrapped his man in a tight embrace, holding him close, feeling him bury his face in the crook of his neck, his cheeks still wet with tears. Kurt rubbed slow circles on his back, waiting until he'd regained his composure before letting him pull away. "Thank you," he said softly. "I'm really proud of you, Blaine. I'm proud of you for recognizing a negative situation and finding a way out. That's a big step, and I'll do whatever I can to support you."

Blaine smiled again, this time like he meant it. "Thank you. Now, will you tell me what I said last night? I want to know. Please." He added the last word at seeing the hesitation on Kurt's face.

"Well, um, you mentioned that you, uh, you wanted to take me out on a date." Kurt felt his cheeks coloring ever so slightly, and he rushed to add, "But we don't have to. We're always pretty busy, and there probably isn't time…"

"A date," Blaine mused, rubbing his thumb over the back of Kurt's hand absentmindedly. "I definitely want to do that."

"But won't we be too busy with rehearsal and stage setup? Mic checks?"

"Where did I tell you we were headed next?" Blaine asked, eyes wide.

"Kansas City. Why?"

A huge smile broke out across Blaine's face, and a sparkle danced in his gaze as he rose to finish packing, saying, "I know the perfect place!"

Blaine wouldn't give him any more information than that the entire bus trip to Kansas City or the whole evening in their hotel room. All he would say, with a sly smile on his face, was, "You'll have to wait and see, but I think you'll love it."

It wasn't until the next afternoon, when they were just finishing up rehearsal for that evening's show, that Blaine said, "We've got a few hours before the show. Are you ready for that date?"

Kurt looked at him like he'd grown two heads or suggested they skip the show and find an arcade instead. "Right now? Don't we need to change and prepare for tonight? Don't you need to rest your voice? I don't see-"

Blaine put a finger over his lips to quiet him, replacing his finger with a quick kiss before saying, "Why don't you let me worry about all that? I'm a seasoned pro." He smiled warmly, trying to get Kurt to relax a little. "Let's have the driver take us back to the room, we can change, and then we'll go. The spot I want to take you isn't too far from our hotel."

"I suppose that would work," Kurt murmured, feeling electricity shoot through him once again when Blaine grabbed his hand to guide him out the back door.

They were staying at Hotel Phillips in downtown Kansas City, a Hilton offshoot that promised to be "An Art Déco haven in the Power & Light District," according to their website. The rooms were nice, complete with a small living room area to make it seem homier when watching TV. The bed was huge with tall golden posts in each corner connecting to a square suspended above the bed. It was a look, Kurt had decided, but not one he loved or found to be very functional. The bathroom was his favorite part, having a cute clawfoot tub separate from the shower. All in all, for a four-star hotel-the first one on their tour so far-it was cute and refreshing. Kurt did wish that they could have picked a better color scheme for the room, however. Gray and white were classy colors, but they certainly didn't make him feel like he was home.

So, both of them changed into their outfits for the evening, even though Kurt fretted that someone might see them out and about on this date before the show. Blaine had no such qualms, and after shooting off a quick text to David and Trent to let them know where they would be, the boys headed out.

It was already growing dark as they walked down the sidewalk, the backs of their hands brushing against one another. The street lamps had already clicked on, casting pools of light on the ground every few yards.

When Blaine boldly grabbed Kurt's hand, tired of teasing at wanting the intimacy, Kurt squeaked a bit. "Did I scare you?" Blaine asked quietly.

"No. Just surprised. I, um, I've never held hands while walking down the street with someone. It's…nice."

"I think so, too."

"How much further?"

"Just up ahead there, around the corner." Blaine nodded with his head, never letting go of Kurt's hand.

When they rounded the corner, Kurt sucked in a deep breath, a wide smile spreading across his face. "The library! Oh, I've always wanted to see these books!"

"I had a feeling," Blaine replied, guiding him over to a stone bench in front of a few of the titles. "Sit here a second. I'll be right back." He pressed a quick kiss to Kurt's forehead before scurrying away.

Kurt glanced behind him for a moment, trying to figure out what Blaine was doing. When he didn't immediately see him, he turned back around, admiring the books. The Kansas City Public Library, upon discovering they needed a parking garage for their customers, had despised the way the garage looked. They'd wanted to spice it up, and so, the oversized bookshelf had been born. They really were quite cool to see. They were huge, the spines the height of buildings as they lined the parking garage, 25 feet tall and 9 feet wide each, 22 book spines in total. Kurt loved the way the light from the street lamps pooled at their bases and created shadows all the way up. This is awesome.

A few moments later, Blaine returned, a basket in his hand. He plopped down on the bench next to Kurt, giving him a wide smile. "What do you think?"

"I love it," Kurt replied honestly. "These are so cool, and I had no idea where they were."

"They're sort of a hidden gem," Blaine agreed, digging into the basket at his feet. "Hungry?" he asked. "I know that I sometimes just crave a huge pulled pork sandwich, and what better place for BBQ than Kansas City?"

The smell that wafted out of the basket and from the sandwich Blaine was now extending in his direction was heavenly, and Kurt's stomach growled as he accepted the sandwich with a nod. He unwrapped it, sniffed appreciatively, and took a huge bite, moaning a bit. That really hit the spot. "Blaine?" he said after a few more bites. "Can I ask you something?"

The other man nodded, his mouth full.

"Why here?" Don't get me wrong; I love sitting here in the dark with you, looking at huge books. They're wonderful, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm just curious. Why did you decide to bring me to the books for our first official date?"

Blaine swallowed his bite and rewrapped his sandwich, setting it down beside him on the bench so he could take one of Kurt's hands in his. "Anonymity," he answered quietly. "I know we're not gigantically famous yet, not the way some people think, but when I go to places where normal people would go on dates, a restaurant, the movies, or a nature walk, I get recognized a lot. Especially if we're scheduled to do a show there. So, a nice outing turns into fan photos and autographs, and I didn't want that for us. I know that fame is already kind of unsettling for you, so I wanted to give us the best chance of just having a few moments to ourselves." He stopped then, hanging his head sadly.

"Thank you," Kurt answered. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness so much, more than words can say."

"So, you're not upset that we couldn't go for a candlelit, romantic dinner in a fancy restaurant somewhere?"

"No. I'd much prefer a cool, dark evening with pulled pork under the street lamps than a dinner filled with expectations in a stuffy restaurant," Kurt told him honestly. "I love this, Blaine. Thank you."

The boys ate in pleasant silence mostly, enjoying the quiet moments where they got to be alone in the world together. It was nice to feel normal for once, not like rock stars who had to be constantly looking over their shoulders or wondering if their bodyguard was following them. They were just a normal couple, picnicking on a pleasantly cool October evening in the Kansas City dark.

When they were finished, they strolled the length of the massive bookshelf hand in hand, reading the titles and commenting on their favorites as well as books they'd been forced to read in school and despised. There were the classics that the boys felt everyone probably loved: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Charlotte's Web. Then, there were the ones they each had individual opinions on. Blaine loved The Lord of the Rings and hated Invisible Man while Kurt was partial to Romeo and Juliet and informed Blaine that he would like to never lay eyes on another copy of Catch-22. They talked extensively about the children's books, too. They had both grown up with their parents reading Winnie the Pooh and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to them, and they both admitted shyly that they'd enjoyed being read to bed a lot of nights with Goodnight Moon.

Then, to Kurt's surprise, when they reached the end of the books, Blaine pulled him to a stop beneath one of the street lamps and just looked at him for a minute, a glassy-eyed expression on his face that Kurt couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Blaine?" he asked hesitantly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just… Just thinking. Isn't it strange that… Well, it's been barely over a week since I met you, and now, I can't imagine my life without you." He was clearly emotional, the sincerity of his words choking them both up. "You have brought meaning into everything I do, Kurt. I didn't realize everything was so empty until you showed up. I…" He hesitated, knowing he was about to profess something huge to the man in front of him for the first time. "I love you more than I could ever love any person, love you far differently than I have ever loved anyone else. But there's more than that, too, something I don't have the words for, something so strong that I can feel it in the depths of my soul." He pulled Kurt's hand, already clutched in his, to his chest and sniffled. "In here."

Kurt was misty-eyed, too, touched by Blaine's declaration, the first time he'd heard the words he'd already known were between them spoken aloud. "I love you, too," he whispered, "and as crazy as it sounds, I feel it, too, like there's something deeper than love there that wants to spill out of my chest. I don't know how to describe it either, but…"

That was all Blaine needed to hear, and he leaned in and kissed Kurt passionately on the lips, a solid, warm, deep kiss that did its best to convey what they were both feeling.

After that, they resumed their walk, turning around and heading back to the bench they'd eaten their sandwiches on. Blaine collected the basket from the bench, and just as they were about to make a second lap, a dark-colored sedan rolled up; its window came down.

"Sorry to interrupt, gentleman, but you're needed back at the venue," Trent said, smiling at them from the driver's seat. "I've been sent to fetch you."

Blaine sighed deeply, nodded once, and turned toward Kurt as he squeezed his hand. Then, he led him over to the car, opened the door, and waited for Kurt to climb in, clambering in behind him.

When they got out of the car at the venue, they were immediately met by Sebastian. He did not look happy. "Eli showed back up, and he's got Schuester in tow. Says he's back in. The other guys and I, we've all told them no, but they're not listening."

Kurt was tense as he heard this. He knew that his spot in the band could be on the line, but that wasn't really what bothered him. He was more concerned about Blaine's reaction. The last time Eli had been brought up, he had gotten very angry. Then, he'd gotten very sad and cried. The last thing Kurt wanted for him tonight was to fly off the handle or break down. To Kurt's amazement, however, Blaine was calm.

"I wondered if this would happen," he said. "Seb, do you mind asking the other guys to step out here for a second? Be as discreet as you can. I think I know what we can do, but I want to make sure we're all thinking the same thing."

"Sure," Seb replied, darting back inside.

Less than 10 minutes later, the decision was made, and the whole group of them headed inside to confront Will and Eli. They found them chatting animatedly toward the back of the room. As they approached, a huge smile lit up Eli's face, and he walked up to Blaine, arms outstretched. "There's my boyfriend!" he exclaimed. "I've missed you."

At the word "boyfriend," Blaine stiffened a bit, but he didn't lose his cool. Instead, he said, "You're not my boyfriend, Eli. And you're not supposed to be here."

Eli scoffed. "I know we had a little tiff before, but all is forgiven now."

"No. It's not. You were voted out. That's final. You need to leave."

As Eli opened his mouth to respond, Schue stepped in front of him, cutting him off. "Can't you guys let bygones be bygones? Eli was an original member. You guys sound good together. Your fans know Eli. Not him." He pointed at Kurt.

"They'll know him soon enough," Blaine said. "We are better off without Eli. And, we're better off without you, too, Schue." He looked at him pointedly, hoping his point was clear.

The older man simply laughed. "That's a good rhyme, Blaine. Working on a new song?" He chuckled. "I hope you'll at least introduce me to the fans when it comes out."

"I'm serious. You're fired, Schue. We don't need you anymore."

Sputtering, Schue protested, "You can't do that! I don't work for you. I-I'm appointed by your label. You have no right to-"

"About that," Blaine went on, talking right over the top of him. "You should watch for a phone call or email from our label discussing your final payments. You're not just fired from working with Warbler Attack. The label is letting you go, too."

"You can't know that. You know nothing. You're nothing more than a hotheaded, wannabe rock star who has no idea how much trouble he's about to land himself and his little friends in."

"Actually, you're the one that's mistaken. The label recently switched hands, and I know the new owner quite well."

"What? I didn't-"

"It's my brother, so before you say anything else, you might want to consider just leaving."

"Your brother?"

"The very one. Cooper Anderson. He is now the owner of William McKinley Records."

Eli was tired of being quiet. "You're making shit up," he accused, stabbing a finger into Blaine's chest. "You just want your little friend here to be able to follow you around like a lost puppy until you're done with him. He-"

"Kurt. Is. My. Soulmate," Blaine bit out, not even registering what he'd just said aloud for the first time. "I love him, he's my whole world, and there is no tearing me away from my guy. Ever." He reached around, pulling Kurt up to stand beside him, wrapping his arm around him protectively. "I love him. Now, leave. Both of you." Blaine gestured to Jeff, and the other boy darted away, returning a few moments later with both Trent and David right behind him.

"We're going," Schue said tightly, grabbing Eli by the arm. "Best to get out before things get ugly."

"Wait a minute!" Eli complained trying to wrench himself free. "I wanted to s-"

"We're. Going." This time, there was no room for argument in Schue's voice, and the two of them stomped out together, followed closely by Trent and David.

Once they were safely out the door, the band all whooped, high-fiving Blaine and telling him how much they appreciated what he'd just done for them. They'd all been overjoyed to hear that Cooper Anderson was finally putting his college degree to good use, and they were thrilled that he would now have charge of the major label. So, everyone was in good spirits now, knowing that their troubles with Schue and Eli were officially over. Everyone except Kurt. He was quiet and stoic, and when the others realized that, they took off in their respective couples, giving Kurt and Blaine a few moments together.

"You okay?" Blaine asked, pulling the taller man in close to him. "I know that was a lot, but-"

"You said it," Kurt said, cutting him off, his voice little more than a whisper. "You said that we're...soulmates."

Blaine was silent for a moment, thinking. "I did…" he said, just as in awe as Kurt was. "I mean, I-is that okay? I didn't even think about it. It just slipped out. Are you-?"

In answer, Kurt turned Blaine's right wrist over, revealing the soulmark there as Kurt showed his own. There, dark against the pale of their skins, were their hearts, completely and fully black now, confirming what they both already knew: they were, without a doubt, soulmates, made perfectly for one another. "I'm glad you did," Kurt whispered. "It makes it all so real."

"That's what I was hiding from before, I think," Blaine admitted. "I was afraid to make what we have real because I didn't want it to be some kind of elaborate joke the universe was playing on me, but I'm not afraid anymore, Kurt. I know we're real, and I don't want to hide that. I love you." Damn, it feels amazing to finally say that out loud.

"I love you, too." He wanted to say more, but Blaine had honestly said it all. "This is all real. I'm real, and I love you, too."

They hugged each other tightly and shared a few chaste kisses, but they knew they had to get ready. It was almost time for their set.

That night, after an amazing show played to the biggest crowd they'd had yet, both boys fell into bed, exhausted. Their day had been long and emotional, and they were ready to relax into each other and their comfy bed and sleep. So, they undressed down to their boxers and slipped under the covers, cuddling against one another, a tangled knot of arms and legs and lips pressed against skin. They turned on the TV just to have something mindless on in the background, but they didn't watch it; they were too quickly asleep.

As they slept, they shared a dream, the one and only time that would ever happen. It was unlike any dream they'd ever had before. They seemed to be at a movie theater, 11 movie posters displayed on the walls beside them. And on each movie poster, they discovered that they were featured as the main cast members. Only, it wasn't the version of them they both recognized as themselves. It was another version of them, perhaps who they had been in a different lifetime.

Following the red carpet that was set out in front of them, the boys entered a theater and took the only two seats in the whole room. They watched as scene after scene of the two of them played out before their eyes: a beautiful destination vacation in Italy with a surprise meeting, a night filled with dancing in a club, cute messages written in ink on their skin, a teary reunion beneath a tree to mark Blaine's return from a long war, a band of friends saving the world from an evil force, rediscovering their love story all over again between the pages of Kurt's book, a long separation and a changing, a motorcycle and pompoms, a love story begun before either of them could understand what they'd stumbled upon, a complete misunderstanding, and the hottest sex they thought they'd ever witnessed in their lives. They saw the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows of each life played out before them. They had no idea what they were witnessing, but they knew it meant something big, perhaps bigger than they'd ever imagined.

Blaine was the first one to wake up, and as he came out of the haze of sleep, the dream he'd just had became foggier and foggier. The one thing that did not fade, however, was the intense love he was feeling for the man lying beside him. He looked down at Kurt lovingly, just watching him sleeping so peacefully. It made his heart swell. So, as quietly as he could, Blaine grabbed his phone and opened his songwriting app, immediately beginning to put down words as they came to him like a waterfall of inspiration. He'd finally found his perfect muse.