"Communication is the fuel that keeps the fire of your relationship burning, without it, your relationship goes cold." - William Paisley

June

"I heard that you got your man in LA, and that you and Kurt are an item now. That Ellen Show was really something," Connor says.

"Err… yes, I did," Blaine replies, wondering where this phone conversation is going. He feels uncomfortable talking with Connor if he wants to discuss Kurt.

"Butterfly Wings is trending on Twitter and everyone wants to know where they can buy a copy. The performance already has three million hits on YouTube."

"I saw that this morning. It's hard to imagine that people actually want to buy a copy of the song."

"The reason I'm calling you is that music labels will be knocking on your door for a recording deal very soon and you need to be prepared."

"You think so?" Blaine tentatively asks.

"I know so. Can I give you a piece of advice? Don't sign anything, no matter how sweet the deal seems. You'll need a good entertainment lawyer to help negotiate the contract. You don't want to sign your song's copyright away or commit to a tour or album. You can send the record labels to me until you've found the right lawyer."

"I think you're right. I don't know the first thing about the music industry. Your offer to help me out… You'd really do that for me?"

"Of course I would, Blaine. I like you - you're a good person. I might wish that we could have been something special, but I always want to be your friend."

"I'd like that too, Connor."

"Good - I'm glad we cleared the air about that. Now, the first thing you need to do is figure out how to meet the demand of people wanting to buy a copy of Butterfly Wings. You don't need a music label to promote the song - it's a hit already. However, you do need a polished-up version you can sell via iTunes, Amazon, Spotify… and of course the Monarch Foundation website."

"Well, that will be easier than you think. Last Friday I cut a version of 'Butterfly Wings' at a recording studio, with Marley Rose as back-up vocals."

"That's fantastic news! How about I get things started? I have a good friend who's an excellent entertainment lawyer. He can advise on how much to pay Marley for her vocal work on the song, and get the song uploaded on iTunes, Amazon, and other websites."

"Sure, that sounds like a good plan, Connor. I'm not sure whether there will be many sales, but it seems like we need to strike while the iron is hot. I'm on the way to the airport to collect Kurt, and I'll be busy for the rest of the day. Why don't I send Bentley to your office with the demo file later this morning and you can take it from there."


When Kurt arrives at the LaGuardia Airport's baggage claim area, he looks around and spots Blaine and Bentley leaving the Starbucks kiosk with coffees. Blaine is wearing those tight-fitting jeans that show off his ass, a simple graphic T-shirt and a beanie that covers his curls. As soon as Blaine sees Kurt, his face lights up like a Christmas tree. Blaine hands the coffees to Bentley and rushes into Kurt's arms. Kurt loves how Blaine is a little bit shorter than him and fits perfectly against his body.

"I was afraid that you might change your mind," Blaine whispers into Kurt's ear.

"Are you kidding me? I barely got a wink of sleep last night. I was too worried I wouldn't wake up in time for the flight. Nothing could have stopped me from coming to New York City today."

They collect Kurt's suitcases and walk to the car in the short-term parking garage. Bentley arranges the suitcases in the trunk, and soon they are on their way to the Upper East Side. Blaine tugs Kurt's hands into his, gazing into his eyes.

"I missed you so much, Kurt."

"I missed you too."

Kurt leans in and presses his lips against Blaine's – they are warm and soft, and kissing Blaine feels like he's coming home. Soon, their lips start moving together, and when Kurt feels Blaine's wet tongue against his lips, he opens his mouth immediately. Blaine explores inside, and when Kurt feels the gentle sucking motion on his tongue, he can't help but moan.

"Boys… Boys… Remember I'm here," Bentley chuckles.

Kurt moves his hand to knock off Blaine's beanie, then starts twisting and tugging the curls at the nape. Blaine leans in closer so that their chests are pressed together, and clutches the back of Kurt's thigh. Blaine pulls away when his phone starts playing.

He's a tramp, he's a scoundrel, He's a rounder, he's a cad, He's a tramp but I love him…

Blaine immediately sits up and groans, "I can't believe I forgot to turn off Bentley's ringtone."

"Good one, Blaine. I knew I'd find out my ringtone eventually. Thanks for distracting him, Kurt. Now can you boys keep it G-rated? I'll get you home in about five minutes."

Blaine puts his beanie back on his head and hands Kurt a blanket.

Kurt whispers, "I am not going to fool around with you under the blanket while Bentley's in the car."

Blaine bursts into a fit of laughter, and when he eventually calms down, he explains, "Since The Ellen Show, the paparazzi have been camped out in front of my building, trying to get a photo of my boyfriend… of you. I want us to have some time together alone to discuss what we're going to do."

Kurt's heart sinks, remembering how intrusive the American paparazzi can be. He has been spoilt in Paris, with their strict privacy laws, and doesn't want to deal with the media problem. Blaine pulls his beanie down over his curls and puts on his Oakley sunglasses. Kurt bends down and Blaine covers him with the blanket until they're inside the building's underground parking garage.

When they enter the penthouse, Kurt yawns. He and his dad had left Lima at 3:45 a.m. to catch the early morning flight from Dayton.

"You look exhausted, Kurt. Why don't you take a nap?"

"Only if you join me. I don't want to let you out of my sight."

Blaine pulls Kurt in for a gentle hug and replies, "You're not the only one who didn't get much sleep last night. I was way too excited about you coming to New York City today."

They move to Blaine's bedroom, quickly strip to their briefs and climb into the huge king-sized bed. Blaine's bed is so comfy that Kurt feels as if he's lying on a cloud. Kurt tugs Blaine towards his chest and soon they both drift off to sleep.


Kurt can feel soft whiskers brush his chest as Blaine snuggles closer. He cracks one eye open and sees the late afternoon sun giving the room a gentle glow. Kurt rolls toward Blaine, and with a gravelly low voice says, "Hi there."

Blaine smiles back and then proceeds to kiss every part of Kurt's chest that his lips can reach.

"Ugh, I feel gross after the flight. I'm going to take a quick shower."

Kurt climbs out of bed and makes his way to the master bathroom. There are large gray slate tiles on the walls, a huge sunken tub, and a shower stall that could easily fit four people. Two pink princess electric toothbrushes are on the marble counter with double sinks. When the water temperature is just right, Kurt enters the shower stall, and smiles when he sees all his favorite products lined up next to Blaine's. After shampooing and conditioning his hair, Kurt squeezes some body wash on the loofah and scrubs his body. Just when he finishes rinsing off, he feels the press of Blaine's chest against his back.

"You smell delicious," Blaine murmurs.

"I think it's your turn now."

Kurt pours body wash on the loofah and gently moves it over Blaine's body. Kurt giggles when he bends down to wash Blaine's legs and Blaine's cock almost pokes him in the eye because it's jutting out. If Kurt wants to suck off Blaine in the bathroom, it's nobody's business but their own. But Kurt wants something different – he wants to feel Blaine inside him.

When Kurt stands up, Blaine pulls him into a searing kiss. "You can't bend over like that and show off your ass unless you plan to use it."

"I have every intention of using it, but not in the shower."

Blaine switches of the shower jets, quickly leaves the stall and dries off. He opens the spare towel wide between his hands and thoroughly dries Kurt.

"Go wait for me in the bedroom," Kurt says with a soft smile.

Kurt represses his laughter as Blaine sprints to the bedroom, obviously eager and excited. Kurt takes his time brushing his teeth and combing his hair, before joining him. Blaine is lying on his side, propped up on one elbow. Blaine's hair is wild and his eyes are sparkling, and Kurt gets butterflies in his stomach because he knows that Blaine's eyes sparkle just for him. Kurt rakes his eyes over Blaine's body – it's compact but perfectly formed, from his tiny waist to his strong muscular legs.

Kurt drops the towel he'd slung around his waist, slowly walks towards the bed and joins Blaine, who immediately rolls him on his back and lies on top of him.

"You're too sexy for your own damn good. I want to kiss you all over," Blaine says in a low husky voice.

Kurt can feel Blaine's body weight and heat on top of him, and it makes him feel cocooned in Blaine's love. Blaine scrapes his teeth along Kurt's neck and zooms in on that place near his collarbone that he discovered in LA. Kurt's body goes all tingly, and his cock is now fully erect.

"Tell me what you want, Kurt. Tell me what you need."

"I want you inside me. I want to feel you."

"God, I want that too."

Blaine gets lube and a condom from the night table and then takes a pillow to put it under Kurt's hips. He scooches down the bed and starts kissing Kurt's inner thigh. Kurt loves the feel of Blaine's whiskers, sometimes feeling soft and other times feeling scratchy. Kurt is so caught up in the sensation that he's surprised when he feels Blaine's finger start to make its way inside him.

"Relax, honey. It will feel strange at first, but then it's gonna feel really good."

Kurt wills himself to relax whilst Blaine's finger fully makes its way inside him. It doesn't feel good or bad – it just feels weird. Blaine covers Kurt's cock with his mouth, hollows his cheeks and starts bobbing, with his finger pushing in and out and twisting. Kurt feels a heat spread through his body because it's starting to feel so damn good.

"Another finger," Kurt demands.

Kurt feels another finger move inside him slowly. The extra intrusion burns a little, but feels amazing nonetheless. When Blaine rubs his fingertips over his prostrate, Kurt's hips thrust up and his cock hits the back of Blaine's throat.

"Another!" Kurt orders.

Blaine hums around his cock, and the vibrations give Kurt a whole new sensation. When Blaine finally gives him the third finger, he gently starts twisting and scissoring Kurt. As sweet as it is that Blaine is going so slowly and carefully, Kurt wants more – harder – faster. Kurt pushes back on Blaine's fingers, hoping that he gets the idea. Kurt is setting the pace with every movement – pushing down on the fingers, then thrusting up into Blaine's mouth.

"I want your cock inside me right now!"

Blaine slowly releases Kurt's cock from his mouth. "I want to make sure that you're fully prepped so that I don't hurt you."

Not able to wait another second longer, Kurt flips Blaine over and straddles him, leading to a surprised 'Oompf'. Kurt quickly strokes Blaine's cock until it's jutting out, picks up the condom and rips it open with his teeth. Kurt carefully rolls the condom onto Blaine's cock and lubes it up.

"I'm gonna ride your big fucking cock."

"It's going to be a lot of work for you. Are you sure?"

"You're not the only one with powerful thighs," Kurt smirks.

Kurt angles himself over Blaine and uses his hand to guide Blaine's cock to the right spot. Kurt reminds himself to breathe as he slowly guides Blaine's cock inside him. Kurt can feel the burn, but he loves the sensation, and when Blaine bottoms out, he feels so full.

"Jesus, Kurt. You're so tight, so hot. Give me a second, otherwise I'm going to cum just looking at you."

After thirty seconds, Kurt runs out of patience. He slowly raises his body until Blaine's cock almost slips out, then drops back down. He presses against Blaine's chest for additional leverage and then rolls his hips so that he can feel Blaine's cock all inside him.

"Yeah… Work those hips… ggh… Feels… fucking good," Blaine moans.

Kurt sets the pace quicker, and Blaine thrusts up so that Kurt can feel Blaine's cock even deeper. Kurt adjusts the angle until Blaine's cock hits his prostrate.

"Harder, Blaine. I wanna feel you. Keep hitting that spot."

Their eyes meet as Kurt looks down at Blaine, who's in the throes of pleasure - his legs are trembling, he's erratically thrusting, and he's moaning.

"Kurt…. Oh, god…. You're so hot… I'm…. I'm gonna…. Fuck… KURT!"

When Kurt sees Blaine climax, he pushes down one last time, feeling the orgasm rip through his body. Spurts of thick white cum cover Blaine's chest while Blaine keeps thrusting up to chase every last bit of pleasure.

Kurt leans forward, puts his weight on his hands, and waits for his breath to even out. When Kurt looks up, he sees Blaine with closed eyes, drool to the side of his mouth, sweaty curls, and a dopey smile on his face. Kurt's not sure which look he likes better – Blaine in the throes of having an orgasm or Blaine fully sated and happy.

Kurt pulls off Blaine and takes care of the condom. He quietly goes to the bathroom to clean himself up. He then prepares a warm wet washcloth for Blaine, returns to the bedroom and cleans his cum off of Blaine's chest. When he lies down on the bed on his side, Blaine turns to face him.

"Wow. You're really something, Kurt. The way you took control…"

"I'm sorry. You were going so carefully and slowly. I was going crazy wanting you inside me. I couldn't wait a second longer."

"Don't apologize. It was hot!"

"I'm sure you had something different in mind."

"I love you so much. I want to try everything and anything on either of our minds with you."

Kurt smiles at Blaine. He definitely likes the thought of that.

"Also…" Blaine waggles his eyebrows at Kurt suggestively. "Now that I know that you like it a little rough and fast, next time I'm going fuck you hard into the mattress... or maybe the dining room table."

"God, don't says things like that. My cock is definitely interested, but I can't cope right now. I'm totally spent," Kurt groans.

Kurt can see the smug look on Blaine's face. After doing his best to kiss it off, Kurt rests his head on Blaine's chest, listening to the steady heartbeat. Kurt wonders why it took him so long to leave Lima and come back to New York City to be with Blaine.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, my love," Blaine replies.

"Why did you do it? Model for the cover of Vogue, agree to an interview as the feature article and then go on The Ellen Show? Don't get me wrong – I loved it – but I thought that it was up to me to make the first move and return to New York City."

Blaine rolls onto his side and sighs.

"I felt so vulnerable when you were in Lima, particularly when you were so angry about that photo of Sebastian and me. I respected that you needed time to figure out your future, but the longer you stayed in Lima, the more I was afraid that you wouldn't come back to me."

"I was always going to come back to you," Kurt interrupts.

"But I didn't know that. You're the first person who has loved me for who I really am. I didn't want to lose you, so I planned a big romantic gesture to tip the scale in my favor."

"You're such a wonderful person, Blaine. I can't believe that there haven't been other men who saw that before I did."

"It's been like that all my life. When I transferred to Dalton Academy, I quickly joined the Warblers glee club. We were like rock stars at school, and I was the lead soloist. For the first time in my life, I was around other gay boys who wanted me. But I soon realized what they really wanted was the bragging rights to say they made out with Blaine Anderson. And then there was Sebastian, who was always propositioning me and made lewd remarks about my ass. It was then that I realized that who I am deep inside doesn't matter to others."

"Oh, but you do! You matter to so many people – friends, family, Vogue staff, and the Monarch Foundation."

Kurt cups Blaine's face in his hand and slowly strokes his thumb along Blaine's cheek. Blaine closes his eyes and Kurt can hear Blaine purr.

"Blaine, you matter to me very much. Besides my dad, you are the most important person in my life. You are a truly beautiful man."

Their lips press together softly. The kiss has none of the earlier heat and passion, but it's full of love and promise. Kurt's stomach grumbles loudly, and he looks at Blaine sheepishly.

"I haven't eaten since a quick breakfast at the airport."

"How do omelets sound?" Blaine asks.

Blaine pulls on a T-shirt and some shorts while Kurt rummages in a suitcase to find something casual to wear. When they enter the kitchen, Blaine takes the ingredients they need out of the fridge. They work in silence, Kurt dicing the bell peppers and ham, and Blaine whisking the eggs and shredding the cheese. While Blaine heats the skillet on the stovetop and cooks the omelets, Kurt prepares a pot of coffee. When Blaine transfers the last omelet to a plate, Kurt gets the silverware, napkins and coffee mugs ready on a tray. Kurt loves how they work together, intuitively knowing what needs to be done and how to divide the tasks.

"Can we eat up on the rooftop?" Kurt asks.

"Great idea. Let me go get the key."

They climb up the stairs to the rooftop and Blaine gets the cushions out for the sectional so that they're comfy. As soon as he's scarfed down his omelet and drunk a mug of coffee, Kurt feels much better. He scooches along to the end of the sectional, pulling his feet up, to watch the sunset.

"Kurt, we need to talk about things – about what happened at the end of your LA visit and also about our future."

When Kurt nods, Blaine continues, "That photo of me and Sebastian in my wallet…"

Kurt interrupts, "I understand everything now. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions and overreacted. I felt so overwhelmed at the time."

"The thing is, there are going to be lots of things happening in the future – our future – that won't initially make sense. You know how the media twists things to sell photos or stories. You can't keep running away each time. I can't tell you how upset I was when you switched to Elle and cut off all communication."

"I was upset too! I couldn't work at Vogue anymore…. Not with that video on the Internet," Kurt cries out.

"I wasn't upset that you switched to Elle. Believe it or not, I understood why you made that decision. No, I was upset because you didn't want me to be part of your life. And when your dad told me that you moved to Paris, I thought I had lost you forever."

Blaine wipes a tear trickling down his face. "You've got to let me know - talk to me – when something's not right. I can't live my life worried that you'll leave me at the first sign of trouble."

"You have to be honest with me too, Blaine. You didn't tell me about your true relationship with Sam. That hurts."

"You're right. I haven't been the innocent victim in the past, and I made a really poor decision to not tell you about Sam. I'm not perfect by any means."

Blaine places his palms over his eyes and Kurt hears the little sniffles.

"Hey, come here," Kurt says, with his arms open. Blaine scooches across the sectional and lies against Kurt's chest.

"You're imperfectly perfect to me. I'm very committed to you – to us - and we'll find a way to make this work. I'll find some way to tell you when there's something wrong and I'm feeling overwhelmed," Kurt reassures Blaine.

"Spider."

"Spider? I don't see any spiders, Blaine."

If you're upset but don't know what you feel or how to express it, just say 'spider'. Then I'll know that something is wrong. We'll make the time to talk about it, before it escalates into a huge problem."

"I think that might work. Why don't we try it out? If we do this, I want you to say 'spider' too when something's wrong. As a matter of interest, why 'spider'?"

"It's a natural enemy of the butterfly."


Kurt wakes up earlier than Blaine the next morning. After a visit to the bathroom, he grabs two mugs of coffee from the kitchen and returns to bed with his tablet. Kurt feels as if he's been in a wonderful bubble since the Vogue issue was delivered to him in Lima, and he's lost touch with what's happening in the world. After checking his e-mails, he switches to Twitter and smiles when he sees that #ButterflyWings and #BlaineAnderson are trending. Leave it to Blaine to trend after singing a song on The Ellen Show. He clicks on #ButterflyWings and his mouth drops open as he reads the first tweets.

"Blaine, wake up! Wake up! You have to see this!"

"Mmm… I was having a good dream about you. What's going on, Kurt? Is there a fire somewhere?" Blaine asks in a rough morning voice.

"Butterfly Wings is topping the sales chart on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, eMusic, and BeatsMusic. It's made history as the fastest song to reach number one after its release."

"Oh my god. Connor said he would organize for 'Butterfly Wings' to be sold online. I didn't realize that it would happen so fast."

"Connor? He's still part of your life?" Kurt asks, arching one eyebrow.

"It's not like that, Kurt. You know my heart belongs to you only. Connor called me while I was on the way to the airport and suggested I sell downloads of 'Butterfly Wings' right away because there was such a high demand. He's working with an entertainment lawyer to make it happen. I need to call him today to find out what the arrangements are."

"That's a lot of trust you have in Connor," Kurt observes.

"Yes, I do trust Connor. He's a good man and has my best interests at heart. I think we'll always be friends, and I think that you'll like him too."

Blaine takes the day off and they spend it in the penthouse, watching trashy TV programs in bed. In reality, the TV is on, but it's just background noise for their make-out sessions. They go to the building's gym in the afternoon, but quickly return home, when Kurt starts licking the sweat off of Blaine's neck.

Amy is conveniently spending the day way from the penthouse, running errands, but insists on preparing them a proper dinner. When she comes to the dining room to clear the plates, Blaine is in Kurt's lap, his mouth open like a baby bird, while Kurt feeds him large juicy strawberries.

"You two are so adorable together. I'm really happy that you're here, Kurt," Amy remarks when she sees them.

"I'm happy too," Kurt replies with a dopey grin on his face.

"Are you going to work tomorrow, Mr. A?"

"Yeah, I've got to, but I'll be home for dinner," Blaine sighs with regret in his voice.

"And you, Kurt?" Amy asks.

"I've got a lot of things to sort out during the day, but I'll be back in the afternoon. So count me in for dinner."

"Shall I unpack your things tomorrow? I can make room in Mr. A's closet and chest of drawers."

"Umm… I'm not sure. Can I get back to you on that?"

Kurt knows that they haven't had the discussion about how their future in New York City will unfold – if they'll live together or if Kurt will find his own apartment. How fast or slow they should take their relationship. What Kurt will do now that he's in New York City. Kurt feels overwhelmed with so many things that need to be sorted out.

When Amy returns to the kitchen, Kurt looks into Blaine's eyes, and calmly says "Spider".

Blaine weakly smiles and nods. "You ready to talk about it, or do you want some space?"

"I really want to tell you what's going on in my mind, but it's still a mess, so it might not come out right. But, yeah, we need to talk about it."

"God, Kurt. Do you know happy it makes me to hear that? Not that you're confused, but that you want to talk about it."

"Hey, I'm a fast learner," Kurt giggles.

They move to the living room and get comfortable on the couch. Blaine sits on one end and Kurt lies down, placing his head on Blaine's lap. As Blaine cards his fingers through Kurt's hair, Kurt takes a deep breath.

"We haven't really talked about the future, what's going to happen tomorrow… or next week… or next year," Kurt calmly points out.

"Now that I have you here, I don't want to let you go. I want to share my life with you, Kurt. I want you to live with me, and I want us to get married and raise a family together. All I want – all I've ever wanted – is to spend my life loving you."

"Wow. Right. Uhm… I want that too, eventually. But honestly, Blaine, right now, that feels overwhelming. I turned twenty years old last week. I don't know what I want to do with my life and how it's going to blend in with your career. I want to be my own man – an equal partner. I need the time to figure things out for myself, so we need to take things slowly."

Blaine continues to stroke Kurt's hair as he tilts his head back against the couch. Kurt patiently waits for Blaine to process his concerns. Kurt feels better now that he has told Blaine how he feels, but isn't sure he'll like the reply.

"When I'm with you, I forget that you're ten years younger than me. When I was your age, I felt the exact same way - I wasn't sure what my future would hold. So I understand your need to take things slowly."

"My dad gave me some really great advice last week. When something feels so big that you don't know where to start, it's best to break it down into smaller pieces."

"Starting with talking about what's going to happen tomorrow when real life kicks in?" Blaine asks.

"Yeah, real life," Kurt chuckles. "I want to go back to school and study fashion design. I loved the creative side of things when I worked for Christophe Bellerose. When I was in Lima, I did a lot of research and submitted applications to Parsons, FIT, and Pratt."

"Those schools are all in New York City," Blaine observes.

"Yes, they are. I told you I want to be with you."

"So you'll live with me?" Blaine asks with a hopeful tone in his voice.

"I'm not sure… A lot will depend upon the media attention that we get. There's still paps out on the street."

"Amy told me it's now down to three people."

"It is for now, but what will happen when they find out we're together? I don't want to live my life in a fishbowl, wondering what photos will be posted online and what people will say."

"Do you want to keep our relationship a secret, Kurt?"

"No, I really don't. I'm proud that you're my boyfriend and I want everyone to know that you are mine… and no longer available. But I don't want to hide under a blanket every time I enter the building. It's not who I am."

"I don't want to hide you away either. I've already announced to the world that I'm in love and I want people to know that you are the special person in my life. How about we just do things as normal but avoid the big events. When our relationship leaks out, we'll figure out what to do then. We'll have a better idea of what we're dealing with."

"Okay, but I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I will not go to every high-profile event that you attend for work. I want to stay out of the spotlight."

"I can respect that. I'll take Isabelle with me instead. She'll get to network with more people and no-one will think we're together."

Kurt smiles and nods, happy with that solution.

"So, the living arrangements?" Blaine tentatively asks.

"How about I stay here for the summer before starting school in September. Let's take a vacation during the last week of August. We can take a step back and look at the situation… honestly. We can talk about how things are going, weigh the pros and cons, and make sure living together is the absolutely best thing for our relationship."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. When did you get so smart?"

"Since I listened to my dad. So, we're good?" Kurt asks.

"Umm…"

"Tell me, Blaine. I want you to be 100% honest about your feelings."

"Okay. This is hard, but I need to be honest with you too. I'll go at any pace that you want and respect any decision you make about whether you'll live with me or not when you start school in September. But I need to know that we're both working towards the same goal. Once you start studying fashion design, you'll have a brand new life, with brand new friends… And how will I fit into that? I'm so afraid that we'll grow apart. That you won't want to be with me anymore. You're the love of my life, Kurt. I want to be your forever."

"I promise you're not going to lose me. If we're going to be in this forever, we'll need to do lots of things by ourselves, and they will make each of us a better-rounded person. But we're in this together, and I have the same long-term dreams as you. We'll make decisions together about what is right for us and our future."

Kurt wraps his arms around Blaine and hugs him tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."


Two weeks later

Kurt holds Blaine's hand as they exit the New York City Library in Bryant Park. Kurt has organized a two-part date night and they have just seen the Library's Hamilton Exhibit.

Blaine is positively glowing. "I can't believe that we just saw the Hamilton exhibit together. You'd never believe this, but I was planning to take you next weekend as a surprise."

"It just goes to show that great minds think alike."

"Now I'll have to find something else on my bucket list to do with you," Blaine pouts.

"Our bucket list, Blaine. There are so many things I want to do with you."

They find the Mercedes-Benz parked nearby, and once they slide onto the back seat, Bentley pulls away from the curb for their next destination. Kurt is relieved that the paparazzi now leave them alone. Blaine is kissing along Kurt's neck, and when he gets to Kurt's pleasure spot and starts nibbling, Kurt pulls Blaine off.

"You can do that all you like, but I'm not telling," Kurt sing-songs.

Blaine gives Kurt big puppy dog eyes. "Pleaasse?"

"Come on, Blaine, you always like my surprises."

Bentley pulls the car to the curb on Hudson Street, in New York City's meatpacking district. Blaine becomes excited when he sees the sign for Pizzetteria Brunetti.

"I've heard their pizza is to die for. How did you know it's on my bucket list?" Blaine asks.

"I didn't know – I must be psychic or something. But I do know that you love Neapolitan-style pizza, and Brunetti's has really good reviews on the Internet."

A waiter leads them through the restaurant to a table in the outside patio area. Once they've placed their order for pizzas and salad, Kurt can hardly contain his news anymore.

"What's up? I can see you bouncing in your seat," Blaine asks.

"You are now looking at FIT's newest fashion design student. I got accepted!"

Blaine jumps up and pulls Kurt up from his chair to give him a hug. "That's excellent news! I'm so proud of you. When do you start?"

"I'm starting on Monday. I decided to take two summer courses that will finish at the end of July. That will still leave August to prepare for a full-course load in the autumn and for us to take the vacation and sort things out."

"What courses will you be taking?"

"Most courses are already filled, but there are two that sound interesting. One is Intro to CAD Software for Fashion Designers. If I really want to be in design, I'll need to learn how to use the tools of the trade. The second course is more fun – Intro to Jewelry Fabrication."

"Wow, that jewelry course sounds right up your alley. You've always had a flair with brooches and accessories. What does it cover?"

Pizzas are delivered to their table, and they talk about course syllabuses, trends in jewelry designs, and which new computer Kurt should buy. Kurt loves that Blaine seems so genuinely interested and supportive of the new direction his life has taken. For the first time, Kurt feels like a strong independent man.

They make plans for Sunday that include attending the outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream that is part of the 'Shakespeare in the Park' series. The conversation moves on to their bucket lists and events that are happening during August in New York City. While Blaine is engaged in the conversation, Kurt can see a distant look in Blaine's eyes.

"You're here with me, but your mind is elsewhere," Kurt observes.

Blaine puts down his slice of pizza and gives Kurt an apologetic smile.

"What are you thinking about, Blaine?"

"I think you could do anything that you put your mind to. I really admire how you have taken the time to figure out which direction you want your life to go, and you're making it happen. I'm so proud to be your boyfriend."

Blaine's words make Kurt feel warm inside. Although Kurt enjoys the compliment, it doesn't fully explain Blaine's melancholy expression.

"You always know what to say, but why do I think there's something else going on inside your mind?" Kurt probes.

Blaine lowers his head and remains silent.

"Blaine, look at me. We promised we would be honest with each other, to tell each other how we feel."

"You're right, Kurt. It's just…. I'm pretty jealous of you right now. I wish I was ten years younger and making choices about what I should study and what I should be doing. I didn't really think through what I wanted to do after I was accepted at Harvard."

"It's not too late, Blaine. God, you're only 29 years old. You can do anything you want to."

"Perhaps. So… I've been looking into Mediterranean cruises in August," Blaine remarks.

Kurt notices how quickly Blaine has changed the subject. It's something they should talk about, but he appreciates that a pizzeria in the meatpacking district might not be the right place, so he goes with it.

"Blaine, as nice at that sounds, I'm thinking of a vacation where we can spend time together without too many distractions. Leave it to me – I already have an idea."

"What are you thinking?"

"I know how much you like surprises, Blaine. My lips are sealed."

Kurt can feel Blaine's foot rub up his leg.

"Even if Nightbird makes an appearance tonight and the evil Dr. Porcelain has his wicked way with him?" Blaine says in a low raspy voice, waggling his eyebrows.

Kurt waves, snapping his fingers wildly, to catch the waiter's attention for the bill.


Blaine is lying in the bubble bath with his back pressed against Kurt's chest. It's become their favorite place to relax and talk about things.

"The things that come out of Nightbird's mouth are filthy and sinful. Maybe next time, he should be gagged."

"What do you expect when Nightbird is tied to the bed. The things Dr. Porcelain can do with his hips…"

Kurt can feel his cock twitch thinking of other ways to get Nightbird to fall apart in his bed. Sex with Blaine is hotter than any high school fantasy he had back in Lima.

"I love having sex with you, Kurt. I feel safe enough to let go, and open up to experience new things."

Kurt tightly squeezes Blaine in his arms, and gives him a lingering kiss on the shoulder.

Blaine carries on talking. "It's hard to explain. I've never before had this sort of relationship with anybody. When I'm with you, it's like there's a whole different version – a better version - of me. I have so many dreams, I feel as if I could do anything."

"But you can do anything, Blaine. Life isn't limited to dreams that you had when you were a teenager. Heck, if I still had that Broadway dream, I would still be stuck as a waiter at the Starlight Diner. Since I moved to New York City, life's been full of little twists and turns, and honestly, Blaine, that's half the fun. The real secret is taking the risk to explore new opportunities."

"And you've done that so well, Kurt. It's what makes you so strong."

"Blaine, have you ever considered revisiting that dream of a music career? 'Butterfly Wings' has been on the iTunes bestseller list for weeks, and Tina's told me that there are so many music labels wanting to meet with you."

"God, it's bad enough having paps and fans follow me around for being Vogue's editor-in-chief. Can you imagine how awful life would be with even more media attention? I really don't want that."

"A music career doesn't have to be about singing, doing tours, and putting yourself out there. You can have new dreams about what how you want your music career to go. You could work behind the scenes, songwriting or even producing."

"But I have a job, responsibilities…"

"Your number one responsibility is to take care of your own needs. Of course, mine are a very close second," Kurt giggles. "Look, Blaine, I know that it can feel overwhelming. I've been there myself plenty of times. I have to tell you that once I was so scared of trying out a new opportunity, I nearly backed out. But then there was a wise man who gave me one word of advice."

"One word?" Blaine asks.

"Yep. And do you know what that word is?"

When Blaine shakes his head, Kurt continues.

"Courage."


Author notes

Bentley's ringtone – 'He's a Tramp' from Lady and the Tramp

Thank you to Lilyvandersteen, the most fabulous beta ever, although all mistakes are mine. Come visit me a Tumblr (HKVoyage) for the story artwork and my thoughts when writing this chapter.

Next up: The August vacation. Heads up – there are two chapters and an epilogue to go.