A/N: SO amazed by all the support, reviews and followers! Yep, I left y'all hanging when they kissed so here's Ch.7.

Chapter 7:: The Manhattan Project

The result was Earth-shattering.

Kurt was afraid that Blaine would reject him since he's literally kissing him right now but when his superior made a small surprised noise, he felt Blaine immediately reciprocate. Kurt couldn't help but cherish the softness and hope that radiated from Blaine's perfectly delicious lips and he found himself shuffling closer to him, compelled by his warmth.

He could feel the last of Blaine's tears trickling down and when the man let out a low moan, Kurt parted his lips and slipped his tongue into the novelist's mouth, with Blaine eagerly allowing him in. With his perfectly coiffed and lack of facial hair, Kurt deeply contrasted from Blaine whose hair was ruffled and curly whereas his stubble managed to tickle Kurt's skin.

I'm kissing Blaine Anderson! This CANNOT be happening!

His need for oxygen was rudely pushed aside when Blaine tilted his head to deepen the liplock and Kurt grew defeated under his dominance, groaning while feeling the pressure of two strong but soothing hands on both of Kurt's cheeks.

So that's how Kurt's lips feel on mine. He thought, instantly forgetting Jeremy's words and all his insecurities. It was if they were the only two people in the world and Blaine intended to not let him go yet.

When they finally pulled back, Kurt stared at a panting Blaine with half-opened eyes and felt his heart wrench.

I'll do whatever it takes to protect you. No matter what.

"I've been falling for you ever since I first arrived here, Blaine." Kurt confessed sheepishly, sighing in content when Blaine's eyebrows shot up. "I tried so hard to ignore my feelings for you but I couldn't."

"And that wasn't a pity kiss," he continued, noticing the troubled expression on Blaine's face. "That...that was real and I really like you, Blaine."

There, I said it! It felt good to finally confess his feelings. Blaine, however, was shocked, his mouth slightly opened.

"I can't do this," he shook his head. "You and I...we can't—"

"Wh-what are you saying?" Kurt breathed, his heart breaking.

"You deserve someone better. You told me that life hasn't been fair to you so why settle for a blind cripple—"

"Stop—"

"You could have any guy you wanted, Kurt!" Blaine pressed on. "Don't you get it? I can't even see you—"

"Stop stop stop," Kurt placed his hands on Blaine's. "Please—"

"No—"

"You're scared of getting hurt again, I understand. And I...I can't make any promises but I can promise you that I have really strong feelings for you and I would never hurt you."

"Kurt, I don't think—"

"Don't let Jeremy's words get to you!" Kurt interrupted. "I know you, Blaine. You are amazing and I want to be with you. I know your insecurities are playing with your mind but don't ever doubt what I'm telling you."

"Ok..." He nodded apologetically. "Can you help me stand up and find my cane?"

"Yeah," Kurt breathed, realizing how much he'd just poured his emotions out for him and after helping Blaine, he froze when Blaine took his hands in his.

"Thanks for coming after me," he confessed.

"I'll always come after you," Kurt whispered and Blaine melted. An idea sprung up in his mind. "Blaine, how do you feel about visiting Manhattan for a few days?"

The surprised expression on his face was just too adorable.

"It'd be a great way of regaining your confidence and whatever Jeremy said, he was wrong." Kurt reasoned with him. "You're not just some sad, blind man stuck in your house. You're more than that, Blaine and I know you are capable of many things."

"Are yo-you s-serious about this?" Blaine hated to admit it but Kurt made a great point. "It's just that—mmph!"

He was interrupted by the sudden collision of a familiar pair of lips onto his in another heated and passionate kiss, Blaine turning to mush with a defeated moan and Kurt skimming his spellbound hands through the man's lustrous hair.

When Kurt pulled back, he rested his forehead against Blaine's and whispered, "C'mon, I'll help you pack."

Blaine found himself replaying the kiss in his mind, how Kurt had been willing, kind and caring with him and how Kurt's lips were just divine in his.

They were now in the back of his Lincoln Town Car as they neared their destination: Blaine's penthouse in New York. The many suburban houses that passed the car were now replaced with familiar high-rise buildings, famous skyscrapers and the urban landmarks of New York. Santana and Kurt had quickly tidied up Blaine's messy room and after agreeing to Kurt's suggestion, the trio were now heading back into the city for a few days. Santana was driving while Kurt and Blaine were in the back, their packed luggages in the trunk.

Kurt wanted Blaine to experience the city again. He hadn't been back since the accident while Kurt hadn't either since he began staying at Long Island. Sensing that Blaine was troubled, Kurt placed a hand over his and the novelist shuddered, Kurt's warmth never failing to surprise him.

"Santana and I will always be there for you," he declared. "Don't ever forget that."

All of a sudden, an overwhelming feeling engulfed Blaine upon hearing those words. Everything was happening so fast: sobbing alone in his bedroom in pure despair, hearing Kurt follow him, leaving Long Island right after that asshole Jeremy's visit...but most of all, finally getting to kiss Kurt. He felt more confident now. With Kurt and Santana always with him, Blaine knew there was only one desperate request he had to make right then.

Forming a subtle smile, Blaine turned towards his voice. "Have dinner with me tonight, Kurt. Just the two of us, you and me."

Since when did Blaine become so confident around me?

"Where?" Kurt tried to act calm but his voice was too high-pitched then.

"I'll surprise you," he replied teasingly. "So...will you go out with me? Tonight?"

Kurt almost fainted on the spot.

"Even an alien invasion wouldn't stop me from going out with you."

Blaine broke into a fit of laughter, "That almost sounded romantic there, Hummel."

Kurt knew that something was wrong.

After getting out of the car, he noticed how Blaine suddenly became nervous when he slowly helped him out while Santana retrieved the luggages behind. The urban sounds of New York were affecting him due to his enhanced hearing and Kurt felt Blaine clutch onto his hand with a death grip.

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured him as the blind man began hyperventilating. "Blaine, listen to me, I got you. I promise I won't let go."

The novelist sighed, "I haven't been in the city since the accident and I'm not sure I can do this—"

"Yes, you can and we're here to help you." Kurt announced. "Don't worry, I'm right beside you every step of the way."

"Okay."

He helped lead Blaine inside the building and he found himself awestruck at the lavish lobby before him. Everything was just rich, glamorous and even the doorman was suited up.

This has to be a dream.

With the help of the doorman, Santana managed to gather all their belongings in one elevator while Kurt and Blaine took a separate one.

"If you think the lobby was too much, wait till you see the penthouse." Blaine smiled and Kurt raised an eyebrow.

Blaine was right.

His penthouse was magnificent—it's like it was carved by the gods and on the top floor of its building, Kurt could see Central Park, MountCrest Publishing headquarters and a glorious view of Manhattan from all sides of his penthouse. The marble floors helped accent the modern, contemporary feel and Kurt gasped when he saw the private swimming pool that extended from the inside of the penthouse and out to the balcony. Leather sofas, tasteful paintings and pictures, subtle ceiling lights and practically everything Kurt's dream house would have filled up the place and Kurt again almost fainted when he saw the kitchen, bathrooms and even a private gym!

Focus, Kurt, focus! He thought when images of a sweaty, determined Blaine sparring with a punching bag attacked him again.

"Wow," was all he could say. He thought that with a snap of his finger, all this would disappear but he ran to help Blaine when he almost collided with a wall.

"Blaine hasn't been here in seven months so he's not used to where everything is, unlike his beach house in Long Island." Santana explained when Kurt frowned as to why Blaine seemed so lost here.

"Thanks," the blind man nodded and Kurt helped guide him to the living room and seated him down on the sofa.

"I assume you want to visit your friends now that you're back in the city," Blaine suggested and Kurt nodded. "I have to run to the Downtown Memorial Hospital to visit some friends of my own."

"No kidding," Kurt gasped. "I need to visit some friends of mine there too."

Kurt had texted Quinn that he's back in the city for a few days and he really wanted to be there to comfort her since Puck's still in the hospital while Rachel was overjoyed to learn that he's coming back.

I've got a lot of catching up to do, Kurt thought.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Santana wrapped her Burberry scarf around her neck and trekked towards the elevator—the penthouse's only entrance—and Kurt helped lead Blaine all the way.

"Uncle Kurt!" Beth gasped in disbelief when the aforementioned man arrived at her father's hospital room, her mother looking up from her Vogue magazine when she saw her daughter running up to a man at the door.

"For the thousandth time, I'm not your uncle." Kurt sighed jokingly when the eighth grader hugged him tightly. "How you holding up, sweetie?"

"Things are getting better," she shrugged, pulling away from him. "Dad's been asleep all day and the doctors said that he can be discharged by tomorrow at the earliest. Oh and I have lots of things to tell you."

"Hold on to that thought, you and I will talk later. But right now, I have to talk to your mom, okay?" Kurt told her, Beth nodding in agreement.

"Promise?" Beth held out her pinky finger and Kurt chuckled, "Promise."

"I'm so glad you're back," Quinn's voice made Kurt look up with a smile and he went to give her a bear hug, knowing that these past few days haven't exactly been easy on her and Beth. "How are things with Blaine Anderson? Got any spoilers for the book you can tell me?"

He rolled his eyes. Yeah, Blaine and I kissed and now we're going to have dinner together tonight at a mysterious place—Crap! What am I going to wear?

"Things are going...well." He lied. "And no, I'm not giving any spoilers again, Quinn."

Quinn pretended to sigh in resignation and Kurt laughed.

"How is he?" He finally asked, looking over at the slumbering man in the bed.

"Puck's doing better, the doctors say." Quinn replied. "I know that he tried so hard to stay away from drinking for us...I just want things to get back to normal, ya'know?"

"Noah loves you and Beth very much," Kurt sighed. "That's the important thing."

"Beth could have lost his father—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," he cut in. "Noah's going to be fine and I know it's been very hard recently. But things will get better."

"You sound an awful lot more hopeful today," Quinn narrowed her eyes.

Damn. "What...is it a crime to look at life in a positive light?" He questioned her, shaking his head as he looked down at Puck's sleeping state. "Life's always unfair so the least we can do is be there for the people we care about the most."

For some reason, Kurt suddenly thought of Blaine.

How his superior was so lost and hurt after Jeremy left. Kurt, above anyone else, knew how horrible his life was plagued: the bullying, Karofsky, the scars, his mother's death. And most of all the loneliness he felt when he was in high school. He had always dreamed of having a boyfriend back then who would protect him from the evils of a teenager's life but he never got to experience that.

He knew how Blaine was feeling right now. How conflicted he was as he didn't exactly know how to be there for Kurt since he's blind. Blaine apparently was also plagued in his life despite his successful career: the accident, his blindness, his parents' deaths and how he and his brother rarely speak nowadays.

Is Blaine ever going to tell me what exactly the "accident" was?

"BLAINE?" The voices of two men at the same time made Blaine freeze as he sat in the visitors' room alone with Santana in the seat beside him.

"Oh my God, Blaine!" The two men gasped simultaneously as they ran up to pull the blind man into a group hug, Blaine laughing as he recognized their voices while Santana watched on proudly.

She couldn't believe that Blaine was starting to get better and she had shivered when she entered the hospital—vivid memories of the night of the accident that left Blaine blind invaded her mind. She remembered watching her best friend being wheeled off into the I.C.U. The amount of blood Blaine lost was phenomenal but she recalled how he laid unconscious in his hospital bed and gown that fateful night. She was right beside him when the accident happened and she felt guilty for not saving him in time.

"We missed you, man!" Nick Duval pulled back, his smile so wide it could be seen by people in the other side of the world. Both he and his husband were still dressed in scrubs and when they were told they had visitors, they were confused. But when they saw Blaine...it was just too much.

"We haven't seen you since we discharged you six months ago," Jeff Sterling exclaimed. "How you've been, bro?"

"I've been fine, guys. Everything's fine," Blaine muttered with a smile, his heart aching to see his friends. "I just wanted to drop by and visit you guys since I'm staying here in the city for a while."

"And oh my lord, Santana! Come here and give us a hug," Nick looked over him and the Latina chuckled as she gave in. "Is this guy giving you any trouble?"

"No," she shook her head, grinning. "We're doing fine."

"We all need to catch up!" Jeff announced. "Are you free tonight?"

Hell no, Kurt and I have a date tonight!

"No, not tonight. I'm busy but I'm free tomorrow, we can catch up then." Blaine replied.

"Busy with what?" Jeff placed a hand on his hip. "Oh, I almost forgot...have you and Kurt—"

"They're having dinner tonight," Santana cut in, Blaine gasped. "Alone."

"Oh," Nick raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Looks like somebody's getting some tonight—"

"Shut up, Nick." Blaine rolled his eyes, receiving a playful fist to his shoulder from him. "And you, Satan, need to shut up every once in a while..."

Santana could only snort in response.

"Whatever, the important thing is that you're back and with a man!" Jeff teased.

"Oh here's a picture of how Kurt looks like," Santana fished out her Blackberry and when Nick and Jeff gasped, Blaine placed a hand over his forehead in embarrassment.

It's like we're back in Dalton again.

The bright moon was in a subtle battle with the city's lights for the night's best illumination award as Kurt continued to explore Blaine's penthouse. After texting Rachel that he'll visit her tomorrow, Kurt said goodbye to Beth and Quinn and went back to prepare himself since Santana said that she'll pick him up and drive him and Blaine to some secret location or their date. Santana had called him while he was still with Quinn and Beth in the hospital that she and Blaine were back in the penthouse already; Kurt refused to have Santana drive back to pick him up as he wanted to walk down the streets with Quinn and that he'd take a taxi instead.

Sweet Gaga, I'm going out with Blaine Anderson! Oh somebody pinch me.

The elevator door opened at 8.10pm and Santana walked out to tell Kurt that Blaine was downstairs waiting for him.

Suddenly feeling incredibly nervous, Kurt looked down at his outfit once more—having spent close to an hour choosing the perfect one—but he found it ironic that he spent so much time worrying about what to wear. Sure, Blaine can't see him but Kurt believed that dressing up for him was totally worth it.

When Kurt entered the Town Car at street level, he opened it to reveal a smartly-dressed man inside, seated comfortably with an eager smile and a bouquet of in his hand.

Can this man be any more perfect?

"Blaine?" Kurt stared at him incredulously once he sat inside.

"I-I got you flowers," his superior flushed, extending his arm to give them. "Hope you like calla lilies."

The assistant felt a huge wave of emotion for him; he's trying so hard to please me. Don't cry, don't cry. Not right now!

"Oh no, you don't like them." He pouted and Kurt thought he was looking at the most adorable puppy in the universe. "I'm sorry, I thought that roses were clichéd—"

"No no no, it's...it's perfect. Thank you so much." Kurt laughed, taking the bouquet and setting it aside after admiring it. "You look great by the way."

"Santana helped me pick out what to wear," he blushed.

True enough, Blaine wore a maroon dress shirt, paired with simple black dress pants and loafers: an outfit that subtly showed off the figure Kurt didn't know he had—he rarely wore clothes that emphasized his lean body—and with his signature cane, Kurt thought he was going out with a silent film actor instead of a blind author. Kurt himself sported a simple beige wool cardigan and khaki pants with a pair of dress shoes and his heart ached when Blaine sighed in resignation.

"I wish I could see you right now," the novelist felt-reached out for Kurt's cheek and Kurt leaned into his gentle touch. "I bet you look amazing."

He smiled, "I'm guessing you're not going to tell me where we're going, huh?"

"Nope," Blaine chuckled, Kurt rolling his eyes.

"Hey, Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure about all this? You and me? Going out? I need to know if you're ready and comfortable—"

He froze and watched with wide eyes when Blaine felt-reached and lifted his hand to his lips and planted a sweet mind-numbing kiss on his knuckles, causing Kurt's heart to pound insanely. It was the first time Blaine initiated a kiss.

"Even an alien invasion wouldn't stop me from being here with you tonight," he breathed with a soft sigh. By then, Kurt believed he'd died and flown off to heaven, rolling his eyes with a laugh as he'd copied his words. The novelist then faced forward, without letting go of Kurt's hand. "You still know the way, Santana?"

"Absolutely," the Latina nodded and before long, the car merged into the busy streets ahead.

While the two were occupied with each other in the backseat, they missed the way Santana was grinning in the driver's seat.

I'm totally the best matchmaker in the world.

A/N: Please tell me how you feel about this!