Hello all and welcome back! Here is the sequel to I Won't Let You Down. As usual, I will update every Weds, Fri and Sun (UK time). It's a slow moving story and I make no apologies for that. My aim was to explore how their relationship changes, deepens and strengthens over time and how they work through the obstacles that life throws at them. There is angst but I think it's bearable, and trust me, I never read anything too angsty! I really hope that the overwhelming message from this story will be just how much Kurt and Blaine love each other, and I hope you enjoy it.

Becky

Blaine Anderson picks up his bag and books, gives a nod and a smile to Professor Scarbo and leaves the classroom. Stepping outside, the first thing he does is find his phone, texting Kurt to let him know he loves him, and then he calls Burt.

"I miss your face," he says, when Burt is located in the garage and finds his way to the phone.

"Why? It's ugly, I'd have thought you'd be appreciating the break."

"I want to come home."

"Blaine," Burt sighs exasperatedly. "We go through this every day. It's only been three weeks. When you've done another couple of weeks I'll look into flying up for a weekend."

"That's too long."

"Blaine." Burt closes the door to his office and sits down in his chair, ready to go through their now daily routine. "Did you enjoy your classes today?"

"Yes."

"Is Kurt treating you well?"

"Yes."

"Is your roommate still being nice?"

"Yes."

"So you like it there?"

"Yes."

"Right. So..."

"So, I just miss you. You're my dad. I'm allowed to miss you."

"You are, yes," Burt agrees, "and I miss you too, but you have to stop asking to come home. Give it a chance. You've already admitted you enjoy it, now get out there and spend some time with friends. Friends other than Kurt."

The truth is though, Blaine hasn't made friends at college like he thought he would. After hanging up with Burt, he takes a long and lonely walk through Central Park, looking at all the families, couples and groups of tourists and wondering where he fits in it all.

His roommate is nice; a tall Texan by the name of Brandon, who has spiky brown hair which he spends hours on, and incredibly white teeth. He's not gay, but has no problem with Blaine at all, and he's been friendly to Kurt in the two times they've met briefly. He's a chemistry major, meaning they have geekiness in common according to Kurt, but Brandon is a much more sociable being and though he often invites Blaine out with him, he always politely refuses and opts to either go to Kurt's, or sit alone in his room.

He knows Burt is right, he needs to spend time doing something other than waiting for Kurt to finish work, or calling his dad, but scrolling through his phone, he realizes he has no number he can call, no one he can ask out for coffee, no friend to go shopping with...except maybe one.

"Momma's here, baby," Santana coos as soon as she answers the phone, figuring that Blaine can't get mad when he's so far away.

"Please don't," he whispers, glancing around the park in case anyone has miraculously heard. "Where are you?"

"At home, why? Do you need me to let you in?"

"No, I um...actually, I wondered if you wanted to meet me."

"You? Why?"

"No. No, okay," Blaine says, his face on fire with embarrassment. "Not to worry. It was just..."

"Blaine, shut up, I'd love to meet you! Where are you?"

"In Central Park."

"Meet me at the fountain in twenty minutes."

Santana is, quite literally, overjoyed, and it occurs to Blaine that maybe she is just as lonely as he is. They walk back through the park to the coffee house that he often frequents with Kurt, and he listens to Santana as she tells him how much she hates working shifts at the diner.

"I mean, it's close, so that's great, and it's better than the coffee house in Brooklyn," she rambles, her arm linked through his. "But I'm thirty, Blaine. When am I gonna get a job that I actually enjoy?"

"What did you study in college?"

"Nothing," she shrugs. "I didn't go. I wanted to study dance but I had no way of paying for it, so that window was closed to me."

"You should look at like...um...community college," he says brightly. "You could find a course that fits around your shifts I'm sure."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin," she sighs, as they grab their drinks and find seats.

"I don't mind helping you," Blaine offers shyly. "If you wanted me to."

Santana looks at him, her eyes narrowing. "Is this so you can fuck loudly in the apartment?"

"No!" he cries, choking on his coffee. "No that's not...no."

"Why would you want to help me?"

"Um, well, I like you," he says bravely. "And I like it when you play with my hair a little bit."

"Can I be your momma?"

"No you cannot."

"Sigh, so unfair," she says dramatically, then reaches out and plays with his hair without even asking, happy when he lets her. "I'd love it if you'd help me," she says quietly, and with that, the conversation moves on.

"Can I tell you something?" Blaine asks as he and Santana head towards the subway.

"Sure you can."

"I like it here," he starts, though he hardly sounds certain. "And I'd never tell Kurt this, because I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings, but sometimes I feel like I needed to stay at home a bit longer, you know? I feel like I spent so long looking for that comfort and stability, and then I found it and it was too short lived. I love being near Kurt, I love seeing him nearly every day but...but I just want to be home."

"Kurt's working from home today," is all Santana replies. "Let me come to your dorm."

Brandon's eyes nearly pop out of his head when Blaine returns with Santana in tow, and though he tries to subtly shake his head at Brandon, telling him not to stare, it is pointless and he almost drools.

"I know," Santana says as a greeting, "but I'm a lesbian."

"Damn it!" Brandon cries, though he does laugh and clap Blaine on the shoulder as he passes. "I thought you had just delivered the best gift ever."

"No she's uh...she's...Santana," he finishes lamely, not sure whether to refer to her as Kurt's roommate or what, but she decides for him.

"Blaine and I are friends," she tells Brandon. "I live with Kurt, so that's how we know each other. Blaine is my baby."

"Oh my god," Blaine moans, trying to hide in the wall, but Brandon just laughs again.

"Cool. Well I'm gonna head out for a while, but I'll be back later if you want to grab dinner together, Blaine? Or are you seeing Kurt?"

"No, not tonight but I..." he stops at the feel of Santana's very sharp nails digging into his wrist, and he blinks before smiling. "Yes. Thank you, Brandon."

"There, you see?" Santana asks, as Brandon closes the door. "That wasn't so hard. He's adorable and he looked elated when you accepted the invitation."

"Do you think he asked because he felt like he had to?"

"No," Santana snaps, hitting him across the back of the head before she settles uninvited on his bed. "He asked because he likes you, you idiot. Why the huge dip in confidence, Blaine? I don't get it. I mean, I don't know you well, but even I could see you were improving."

"It's too big here," he says fearfully. "It's too noisy for me to sleep at night, it's too busy for me to navigate anywhere and it's too...much. I told you, I needed longer at home. Don't tell Kurt though."

"Kurt knows exactly how you feel," Santana remarks, watching as he moves around the already tidy room, straightening the curtains, lining up the pens on his desk, and just generally trying to avoid the conversation, until she pulls him down next to her. "The fact is this, Blaine. You say you needed more time at home, but you'd never leave, would you? There would never come a time where you would voluntarily say to Burt that you were ready to leave him behind, because you like to feel comforted and secure. That's okay, that's great, but you're looking at Lima as one chapter of your life that is closed, and New York as another chapter, when actually, you need to look at the whole story here. Tell me, where do you want to be when you're thirty? What would you want in your life by then?"

"I'd like to be married to Kurt," he says, biting his lip with a smile. "I'd like to be a NASA engineer, and I'd like for Kurt to be a successful writer. I'd like for us to have a nice house and to be making plans to adopt a baby, or have one ourselves, whichever we decide, but in my head I think I'd like to be a dad when I hit thirty."

"So now imagine that your life is this ongoing story. You need to do college to become a space whatsit engineer, and you can't get a house with Kurt if you're still living in Burt's basement. That doesn't mean you have to leave all that behind, it just means that you have to progress in life."

"But I just don't like New York very much."

"You do," Santana says, rubbing a soothing hand over his back. "Think back to when you first came to visit. I remember Kurt telling me that you bounced through the goddamn park you were so happy. You also sleep perfectly well to my knowledge, when you're at our apartment. Now that's either the insanely energetic sex that wears you out, or the fact that in Kurt's arms you manage to switch your brain off and relax, because he gives you the comfort and security you crave, but either way, I think the reason you can't sleep right now is because you lie awake overthinking things. Since you moved here, all you've done is either lounge around at our place, go to class, or sit alone in here."

"I know, but..."

"Remember how Kurt fell out of love with it? When you visited, it reignited something inside of him. He was seeing the city through your eyes. Blaine, New York is amazing. It's not for everyone, and to be honest, I don't think you'll settle down here when you're boring and married, but I do think that for now, this place can be a happy home for you and Kurt. If I didn't think that, then I'd be sending you home, but you can't be Burt's lapdog forever. Miss him, by all means, and it's great that you're so close to him, but make sure you live a little too. Take Kurt out on a date, go on a long walk with that roommate of yours, take me out whenever you want," she adds with a grin. "We make a hot couple," she realizes, preening somewhat in the mirror. "Actually, take me out on dates all the time, not Kurt."

"You wish," Blaine jokes, and she looks at him, surprised, before her face breaks into a wide grin.

"You are..." she starts, putting her arms around his neck. "Adorable. And you and I are gonna be friends, whether you like it or not."

"Actually, I do want that," he says, returning to shy mode once more. "I've enjoyed hanging out with you today."

"Me too," she says with a nod. She plays with his hair briefly as she studies him. He looks brighter, more certain, and she would like to think that she's cheered him up, just as he had boosted her, with his encouraging talk about college. "Do you really think I could do it?"

"College?"

"Yeah."

Blaine takes her hand in his, holding her in a steady gaze, "Santana, I know you can."

Kurt squeaks excitedly when the apartment intercom buzzes. He knows it will be Blaine, but rather than just buzz him right in, he still picks it up and says hello, just so he can hear his voice.

There's no denying it, he thinks to himself as he checks his hair in the mirror, Kurt really is hopelessly and wholeheartedly in love with Blaine, and the feeling he has right now, when he hears the quiet knock on the door, is one that he doesn't think he will ever tire of.

"Hey beautiful," he says as he opens the door, and Blaine looks equally as in love and happy to see him, holding out a bunch of sunflowers and kissing Kurt's cheek warmly.

"Hello tiger."

"More flowers?"

"Well..." Blaine follows him inside, taking off his shoes and hanging his jacket neatly. "You know, it's gray outside today, and you've been working, so...I thought they'd make you smile."

"They do," Kurt confirms, filling a vase with water. "But you make me smile more."

"That's good."

Blaine settles at the table to watch him, completely enraptured with the way he moves around the kitchen, humming happily to himself as he arranges the flowers and sets them in the middle of the table.

"I missed you these last few days," Kurt remarks offhandedly, while still watching Blaine carefully for his reaction.

"Two days, Kurt," Blaine laughs. "I just thought...maybe I was being a little clingy. Not just to you, but dad as well."

"Oh?"

"I met with Santana the other day."

"Really? She didn't say. But then I haven't seen her, she's been working."

"I was feeling a little down."

"Yeah," Kurt says, coming over to sit next to him. "I noticed."

"I like Santana, she's easy to talk to, and I think it needed to be someone other than you or dad. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

"She made me realize that I need to make the most of this. Us being here together, me being at college...the whole scenario. I won't ever have this time in my life again and I need to get out there, explore the city, make friends and...well, though I might need a shove in the right direction every now and then, I think it will make me a better boyfriend to you if I have my own life too, you know?"

"I do," Kurt says with a smile, unable to resist reaching out to play with his hair. "And I wouldn't say you've been too clingy, just more introverted than usual. I did miss you though. Not in a bad way, more in a now I'm incredibly excited to see you again way."

Blaine laughs and leans across, kissing Kurt gently. "I love you so much," he whispers. "I missed you too, and now I'm stupidly excited at the prospect of an entire evening in your company."

"So, what do you want to do? Get take out? Cook? Watch a movie?"

"None of that. I'm taking you out."

"You are?" Kurt asks in surprise. "We never go out. Unless it's for coffee or for me to walk you to class."

"Exactly, and we make all this noise about dating each other, but we never go out on any dates...so get changed, my gorgeous boyfriend, cause I want to show you off."

There is no mistaking Kurt's pleasure at Blaine's words. He practically preens as he saunters to the bedroom, trying to play it cool. "So uh...where we going?" he calls over his shoulder, as he pulls open his closet doors.

"To see the Mets."

Kurt reappears in the doorway, his hair mussed from where he's pulled his sweater off in a hurry. "Excuse me?"

"To see the Mets," Blaine says calmly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not?" Blaine asks, his smile faltering somewhat. "Don't you want to?"

Kurt wants to say no. He wants to yell at Blaine and demand to know exactly what he was thinking when he decided that would be a good date, but he also can't bear the thought of hurting his feelings, so he swallows and gives a tight smile. "No, no, of course I do, it's just... You're not really dressed for the Mets," he points out, and he is right.

Blaine is dressed as he usually is, in a polo with a bow tie, but he's also wearing a sports jacket with dress pants and shoes. He looks down at his outfit, feeling his internal panic starting to build. "Um, well, I didn't know what to wear, really."

"A baseball cap, for a start," Kurt laughs, tossing him one. "There."

"But..." Blaine shrugs, putting it on the table. "I get the feeling you don't want to go."

"No, it's not that, I'm just surprised, that's all," Kurt calls, returning to his room. "I didn't know you liked baseball."

"I don't like baseball."

"So why are we going then?"

"To look at the paintings."

Kurt appears again, in a pair of tight tan colored pants and nothing else. "Excuse me?"

"I thought...well, I just thought..."

"Blaine, please tell me exactly where we're going."

"To see the Mets," Blaine repeats, wondering why on earth Kurt seems so confused. "The Metropolitan Museum of Art."

"Met, Blaine," Kurt sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Met, singular. Mets, plural, means the New York baseball team."

"Oh. Oh! I didn't know that."

"No kidding," Kurt mumbles, shaking his head in disbelief, trying to hide his smile.

"Did I make you mad?"

"No, Blaine," Kurt says, walking over to him and grinning widely. He climbs into his lap, straddling his legs, and his hands cup the back of his neck as he gazes down at him. "You made me fall more in love with you than ever. My god, you're adorable," he realizes, as he takes a moment to really study him. Blaine is breathtakingly beautiful, and Kurt grazes their lips together, whimpering shamelessly when Blaine's hands settle on his bare waist. "I love you," he whispers, closing his eyes and losing himself to the moment. "Blaine...I am so crazy for you I could just...I could just cry with how much I feel for you."

"Don't cry, that would totally ruin the date," Blaine jokes, though when Kurt opens his eyes, he can see Blaine's own are shimmering. "Just kiss me instead."

Kurt does as he's told, loving the angle of Blaine's head tilted up to reach. He cups Blaine's jaw gently, letting their lips tease over each other before he gives in and opens his mouth wider. There's no doubt about it, the first touch of Blaine's tongue always sets the heat of desire flaring inside of him, mainly because he knows exactly what he can do with it, and he moans deep in his throat, his other hand coming up to frame his face as Blaine's hands splay firmly over his naked back, keeping him close.

"I'm home," Santana declares, stomping inside and slamming the door shut. "And oh my god there's two gays fornicating in the kitchen. Don't mind me, fellas," she says, holding her hands high above her head and walking to her room. "Wouldn't want to interrupt sexy time."

"Damn," Kurt mutters, his forehead pressed to Blaine's. "Don't worry about it," he calls over Blaine's shoulder, to her now already closed bedroom door. "We're going out anyway." He turns back to Blaine with a small, rueful smile. "Wait right there. I'll get dressed."

"If Santana hadn't walked in," Blaine remarks as they walk to the subway, their clasped hands swinging between them, "We could be totally naked right now."

"I'm gonna need you to shut up," Kurt laughs. "Because we're in public, and I don't want to get arrested."

"It occurs to me that this is why we don't go out very much."

"No, Blaine, we don't go out very much because you always look petrified at the very thought," Kurt teases. "I like this though. I like a man just turning up and declaring that he's taking me out. It's very...manly," he finishes lamely. "Yeah. Willful. I like willful."

"You like to be willful," Blaine corrects. "Anyway, a man?"

"One man in particular, maybe," Kurt says flirtatiously, and he's taken happily off guard when Blaine stops walking and pulls him close, kissing him firmly on the mouth right outside the subway station.

"Your man."

The Met is wonderful, and Blaine gets a good taste of everything that this amazing city can offer him. They're still there at closing, having to be reminded twice by the security guard that they need to leave, and laughing, they head out into the night.

"That was just...wow," Blaine says, his head still swimming with all he's seen.

"A pretty amazing date," Kurt agrees, but Blaine smiles and takes his hand.

"It's not over yet."

"Oh?"

"Come on, I'm taking you to dinner."

Dinner turns out to be a small yet completely perfect Lobster restaurant a couple of blocks away, which is bright, cheerful and noisy inside, filled with families and couples all enjoying excellent food.

"Maybe I should have picked somewhere more romantic?" Blaine panics, as they are shown to a table for two.

"Are you kidding? This is perfect," Kurt grins, his whole face alight with joy. "Besides, lobster is an aphrodisiac, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." Blaine breaks off, smiling and shaking his head, when he takes in the sight of Kurt looking so stunningly happy and relaxed. "But I don't think I'm really gonna need any help with that."

"Oh, so you're thinking you'll get lucky?" Kurt asks, raising his eyebrows as he pretends to scan the menu, and Blaine grins, picking up his menu and saying nothing at all.

"Tonight was like, really great," Kurt says, as they arrive at his building. "Really, really great."

"So I can take you out again?"

He turns in the doorway, fisting Blaine's jacket and drawing him near. "Anytime you like, my puppy dog."

The endearing sentiment seems oddly jarring with the dark, seductive tone of Kurt's voice, but Blaine doesn't really stop to think about it, he just knows that he needs to kiss Kurt right here and now, so he does. Kurt is taken off guard, and he stumbles slightly against the doorframe, but he soon gathers himself enough to kiss back eagerly, his hands running into Blaine's hair.

"Uh...excuse me," a man's voice says, and Blaine and Kurt jump apart. "Can I just...?" Blaine has to press himself against Kurt to let the man through the doorway, and he sidesteps them gingerly until he's out on the street. "Thanks. Brian, by the way," he adds with a wave. "Apartment three C."

"Uh...Kurt," he stammers, feeling incredibly awkward. "Two D. Um...and this is Blaine, my boyfriend."

"Well, nice to meet you both," Brian says, and he goes merrily on his way, while Blaine lets his head drop onto Kurt's shoulder in despair.

"One way to meet the neighbors," Kurt remarks, and then laughing, he takes Blaine's hand and leads him up the stairs.

"I should uh...I should go," Blaine says quietly, when they reach Kurt's door.

"Really?"

"Well, I have class at nine, and you have work, so..."

"I know but..."

"And we said three nights together a week, right? So I stayed Monday, today's Thursday and then if I stay Friday and Saturday..."

"You're such a stickler for rules, Blaine," Kurt laughs. "But yes, I do need to be in the office early. Can you just come see something before you go though? I was going to show you earlier, but we had the whole Met Mets thing and...well, anyway, will you just come in quickly?"

"Sure."

The apartment is quiet, with Santana either out or already in bed. Kurt leads Blaine directly into his bedroom and over to the large dresser. "Open it," he says, gesturing to the second drawer.

Blaine does as he's told, frowning when he looks inside. "It's empty."

"I know." Kurt is grinding broadly, two pink spots high on his cheeks. "It's uh...well, I figured you might like to put some stuff in it. You know, like, clothes and things. Pajamas, underwear...so like, when you stay..."

"You're giving me a drawer?" Blaine asks, and all Kurt can do is grin by way of a response. "You're giving me a drawer," Blaine says again, and with a grin to match, he grabs Kurt around the waist and throws him onto the bed. "Thank you," he whispers, before the heavy make out session they've been trying to indulge in since Blaine first arrived, finally happens.

"Don't you dare go home now," Kurt gasps when Blaine scrapes his teeth over the soft flesh of his neck. He growls when Blaine moves and he feels how hard he is against him, and he's secretly thrilled that just making out like this gets them going so quickly.

"Not a chance," Blaine murmurs, moving to kiss along the collar of Kurt's shirt, before he hastily unbuttons it. "Damn you Kurt, it should be illegal for you to be this beautiful."

He smiles at the feel of Kurt's soft laughter and kisses a trail down the center of his chest to his stomach. He thinks about going further, but then decides he needs more kisses, and so after pulling his polo over his head, he lies down on his side and pulls Kurt close. "Love you," he whispers, the moment slowing as they both catch their breath and gaze at one another.

"I love you too," Kurt smiles, reaching out to gently caress his cheek.

"I'm gonna like...kiss you now. A lot," Blaine informs him, biting his lip at the sparkle in Kurt's eyes. "Cause otherwise there's a very real danger I'll propose marriage instead."

"Hmm." Kurt leans close, offering a long, teasing kiss which Blaine happily accepts. "That would be a danger?"

"It would," Blaine confirms, cupping his hand under Kurt's ear and letting his breath tickle there. "Because when I do propose, I want it to be perfect, and not when we're both lying here hard and desperate."

He rolls his weight on top Kurt to kiss him deeply, but he gives up eventually and presses their foreheads together. "Seriously?" he sighs. "It's usually me."

"I know," Kurt says, his grin completely unmoving. "But I just...yeah. I have to smile, I'm sorry."

"I can't kiss teeth."

"So suck dick instead," Kurt offers, and Blaine laughs helplessly, rolling onto his side and reaching for the button on Kurt's pants.

"If you insist."

The time Kurt and Blaine take to pleasure one another, to really touch, savor and explore each other's bodies, is only heightened by the closeness they share, as Kurt holds Blaine tight in his lap and moves slowly inside of him. No words are needed, because the heated eye contact between the pair says it all. They share soft smiles and gentle kisses, until it becomes too much to bear and Kurt has to let go, bringing Blaine with him.

After, when they're clean and lying under the covers of Kurt's bed, Blaine kisses his chest gently. "Will you wake me up at seven?"

"With breakfast," Kurt says, his voice heavy with sleep. "And I'll walk you to class."

"Mmm," Blaine murmurs happily, taking ahold of Kurt's hand that rests loosely on his stomach. "Love you, Kurt."

"You too, Blaine. Always."