Hey everyone! Hoped you had a good weekend. I wrote and rewrote this chapter and I'm still not 100% happy with how it turned out, but eventually you just have to walk away and stop nit-picking. Anyhow, here it is, feel free to leave me a comment (they do help me write faster ;)
Kurt had officially made it through his first year at NYADA; there had been times when he definitely didn't think he was going to make it. NYADA courses were rigorous to say the least and the teachers all demanded that their class be the priority. Kurt felt like he'd gotten through the school year well though. Getting the lead in the one of the school's plays had been a big deal.
Of course school stress was just one stress out of many with everything else that had been going on for the past several months. Traveling with Cooper, Cooper's growing fame, the Lifemate Registry breathing down their necks, Blaine moving out and moving back in again. Kurt had to admit he was more than ready for summer.
He and Blaine had originally planned on doing a lot of traveling this summer, but with everything that had happened with the Lifemate Registry investigation they thought maybe they should play things a little quieter. At least Blaine was back living in their apartment again though, Kurt knew it was a risk, but their whole relationship was a risk and if they weren't together then what was the risk even for?
They didn't know if anyone was watching them like they had been Brittany, but it seemed like maybe the Registry was satisfied with their interview. Kurt couldn't live like they were always under surveillance, he needed their apartment to be a place where he could just be himself and be with Blaine.
Cooper was back in L.A. for a few weeks, maybe even months and Kurt knew he was going to have to go spend a couple of weeks out there with him, at least he'd have a chance to see Rachel who had moved already. First though, he and Blaine were going to take one little trip together, back to Ohio. He missed his dad like crazy and felt it was important to spend time with him and Carole, especially since they were all still recovering from the loss of Finn.
"Lima is going to be boring for you after the big city." Burt said over the phone.
"It will be slower, that's for sure, but that will be nice. I need a break." Kurt said wearily as he walked home with some groceries.
"You okay bud?" He must have heard the exhaustion in Kurt's voice.
"Just tired. School did a number on me this year. And… everything with the Registry and just…" Kurt sighed. "Everything."
"Do you regret deciding to go for things with Blaine?" Burt asked seemingly out of the blue. "I'm not saying you should, just wonder sometimes if I pointed you in the wrong direction."
Kurt froze where he stood on the sidewalk. "No. Never." He answered without even having to think about it. "Blaine isn't now and never will be regret." Blaine made him happy; no one made him laugh as hard of feel as safe or comfortable in his own skin. Where Blaine was, was his home.
"Good, I'm glad to hear it." And he changed the subject as quickly as he had started it. "Carole and I are looking forward to seeing you both next week."
Kurt smiled and continued to his apartment. "I can't wait."
They finished the phone call with firming up their plans for the visit and Kurt walked upstairs to his apartment. Blaine would probably still out handing in job applications, he had decided that getting a summer job would be a good way to stay busy. Kurt had been offered a job at a little musical diner he liked to go to as a singing waiter and he thought he might take it. It would be fun and the hours were flexible.
He was just thinking that he was really too tired to want to make dinner even though He'd just gotten everything they'd need for spaghetti and meatballs when he walked in his front door and then stopped. The lights were off but the entryway was lit up with candles. He toed off his shoes and followed the flickering light to the living room.
The couch was scooted back, and so was the coffee table and in the middle of the room a big blanket was spread on the floor with a basket and rose petals. Kurt blinked and looked up at Blaine who was standing nearby with a smile on his face. He was dressed casually but looked amazing in a dark green button down shirt that made his eyes pop and a pair of nice jeans.
"I…" Kurt looked around the room at all the candles Blaine had lit back to what appeared to be a picnic laid out and ready. "What is this?" Kurt asked.
Blaine gestured to the room. "Oh this? I was walking home today and it was such a nice day, one of the few cooler days we'll have before the summer heat, and I thought, 'I want to go on a romantic picnic with Kurt.' But since we can't actually go out and do that, I thought I'd bring the romantic picnic here."
Kurt felt a laugh bubble out of him as he stood frozen in place. Blaine walked up to him and took the grocery bags from his hands. "Here I'll go put these up." Kurt just nodded as Blaine walked away. Then he looked back to the living room, moving to sit down on the blanket Blaine had laid out and peaking in the basket to see what was for dinner.
Blaine came back in and sat down next to him. "Well, what do you think?"
"It's a lot of candles Blaine." That wasn't actually what Kurt wanted to say, but he felt the right words hard to grasp right now.
Blaine laughed. "You know Rachel told me when you first auditioned for NYADA you almost sang a song from the Phantom of the Opera with a stage full of candles."
"Well, that was to achieve the right effect."
"Mmm." Blaine leaned forward and kissed his lips. "So is this."
"Does the effect you are trying to achieve have anything to do with me wondering where we keep our fire extinguisher? Do we even have a fire extinguisher?"
Blaine scooted closer so that their hips were touching. "Yes, in the kitchen under the sink."
Kurt grabbed Blaine's hands and slotted their fingers together noticing how good their rings looked and taking a deep breath as he looked around at the room. "What I mean to say is, this is lovely. Thank you Blaine." He looked up at Blaine's face so close and looking at him with deep golden eyes.
Blaine smiled a little. "Are you hungry?"
"God yes! And I didn't want to cook, so this is perfect."
Blaine let go of his hand to open the basket he pulled out plates and a few tupperware containers "Oh the champagne! I forgot it, it is still in the kitchen." He hopped up and hurried away as Kurt opened the food finding cold pasta salad, sandwiches and fruit and cheese. Perfect picnic foods. Blaine was silly romantic sometimes and Kurt loved it.
Blaine got back and poured them some champagne. Champagne it was Kurt's favorite. The tiredness of the day and the last few months started to melt from his shoulders as Kurt leaned against Blaine and they ate and talked. Blaine had a way of knowing when Kurt needed to unwind, and somehow always made him feel secure and loved.
"Do you ever think of what life would have been like if Cooper got a different Lifemate?" Kurt asked licking strawberry juice off of his fingers.
Blaine finished chewing his bite of sandwich. "Not really. I mean sometimes I think… I think about if I had been the one to get your name. But really either way I have a hard time picturing my life without you."
"I'm the same way." Kurt said. "I know I had a life before we met, I remember it." Kurt smiled and kissed the corner of Blaine's mouth. "But looking back I feel like I was always meant to meet you."
"Like fate?"
"Yes. Like fate. Well, if fate has a wicked sense of humor, letting us meet but having me marry Cooper."
Blaine nodded seriously, "Marie is saying Cooper might be part of People's sexiest Men issue. You are a lucky guy Cooper is a catch."
"Oh please." Kurt nudged him playfully.
"What? You love Cooper."
"I do. I adore Cooper. Like a brother. If he and I had to live like we were a couple we'd probably kill each other eventually."
Blaine laughed.
"No I take it back, I'd kill him."
"He's gotten better lately, not as… I hate to say self-centered, but self-centered."
"Mmm, maybe marriage has been good for him."
It was Blaine's turn to nudge Kurt. "His marriage has been good for me, great way to pick up hot guys."
Kurt threw a grape at him.
Once most of the food was gone, they spread out on the floor, leaning their backs against the couch as Blaine rested his head on Kurt's shoulder.
"I've been thinking about the Lottery." Kurt said in a lull in their conversation.
Blaine lifted his head and looked at him.
"I mean… there's a chance you won't ever get a letter, right? I mean some people don't." Kurt said hopefully. He'd thought about that a lot; it was the best case scenario really.
Blaine shook his head and looked down at his hands. "Let's not. Not tonight." He looked back up and there was something sad in his eyes for a moment. "With everything that has been going on let's have one night where we don't talk about my Lottery letter or what we should do or if we think the Registry is still watching us. For tonight…" He placed his hands over Kurt's. "For the rest of the night let's pretend that you're my Lifemate and I am yours."
Kurt smiled brightly his chest feeling full at just the thought of that. He'd give anything to be Blaine's Lifemate. He'd give up NYADA and New York and Broadway. "Yeah, okay." Kurt said. Blaine smiled and poured more champagne.
"My dad is looking forward to seeing us next week." Kurt said. "I can't wait to be back, it's weird considering how much time I spent wanting to get away from Lima."
"Going home for a little while does sound really nice."
"We should stop by your house too. It's just been sitting there empty all this time."
"Yeah, I'd like that." Blaine answered wistfully.
It didn't take long for their conversation to turn to soft kisses and those kisses to grow into longer ones, until Kurt was on his back on the blanket with Blaine over him. Lips sliding against each other and hands roaming under clothes to feel each other's skin.
"God you taste good." Kurt said his lips tugging on Blaine's.
Blaine laughed. "Well right now I taste like champagne and pasta salad."
"And strawberries." Kurt added his hand under Blaine's shirt and his thumb rubbing over a nipple.
"Oh god." Blaine moaned and blinked down at Kurt and then to the side taking in the room. "Damn candles! We need to blow those out before we go any further."
Kurt laughed as Blaine rolled off of him. "So much for them creating a mood."
"Hey, they did their job up to this point." Blaine said getting up and blowing out the candles nearest them. Kurt watched him for a moment just taking in the way he moved and how impossibly cute he was blowing out all these candles he must have spent forever lighting. Then he got up and helped him, soon they had them all out, even the ones in the entry way. Kurt didn't waste any time leading Blaine into their room and pushing him playfully down on the bed crawling up next to him and kissing him again.
Blaine's heart was pounding in his chest as Kurt made his way over him, hovering so that their bodies almost touched but didn't. Blaine reached up and held on to the back of Kurt's neck kissing him and easing him down until they were finally touching.
Kurt smiled as his kissed him and the sight made Blaine's chest expand. He loved Kurt so much. Soon Blaine's hands were under Kurt's shirt working it off of him and Kurt paused in his kissing to sit up and help Blaine out slipping off his shirt and then his pants and Blaine did the same.
"I love you." Blaine moaned as Kurt settled back down on him, warm skin pressed against warm skin as Blaine's hands made their way down Kurt's firm, pale back. He fingers pressed into Kurt's ass and Kurt gasped a little. Blaine's mouth moved down to Kurt's neck, a spot he knew always made Kurt melt.
"Blaine." Kurt murmured and Blaine couldn't' help but smile at the feeling his name on Kurt's lips gave him. Everything this evening had been so perfect and so was this. He kept hold of Kurt with one hand as he scooted over a little to open the drawer of the nightstand he grab some lube and a condom and then scooted back under Kurt as he ripped the condom package open with his teeth.
"What do you want baby? Blaine asked and Kurt planted another kiss to his lips.
"I want you." He said simply.
Blaine had to hold back his tears. He worked his hands down to Kurt's ass and Kurt shuttered at the touch. He kissed Blaine's neck and then rolled off of him and laid on the bed face down. Kurt grabbed a pillow and hugged it under his chin as Blaine turned to his side and kept one hand running up and down the length of Kurt from thigh to shoulder.
Once Kurt seemed relaxed and comfortable Blaine opened the lube and squirted some on his fingers rubbing them together to warm it before reaching down to part Kurt's ass cheeks and start working a finger around his hole. Kurt hummed and lifted his hips a little letting Blaine press a finger into him and start to open n him up.
Blaine traced Kurt's shoulders with sweet kisses as his fingers worked, Kurt moaning and wiggling under his touch. Blaine moved slowly drawing every moment out until he had three fingers in Kurt pumping and moving and Kurt was writhing on the bed bucking his hips up.
"B-Blaine. Please." He cried and Blaine felt warm all over, his cock responsive to Kurt's cries.
Blaine pulled his fingers out with a pop and then rolled on the condom and slicked himself up.
"Baby?" He called and kissed Kurt's neck. Kurt turned his head to the side to look at him and then sat up until they were facing each other. Kurt gently pushed against Blaine's chest until he was laying flat on his back. Kurt then moved so that he was straddled over Blaine and Blaine watched him intently.
His hair was a little messed up and his chest was panting with his deep breathes and his eyes were blown so dark you could only see the slightest circle of his blue irises. Kurt reached for Blaine's hard cock and then started to lower himself down on to it. Blaine's eyes snapped shut for a moment the feeling of Kurt all around him almost overwhelming. Then he forced himself to open n his eyes. He didn't want to miss a moment of watching Kurt.
Kurt's head was thrown back and his mouth parted as he buried Blaine's erection inside of himself, lowering his ass down until Blaine was snugly inside of him. Blaine reached for Kurt's hips to steady him as Kurt started to rock on Blaine's cock, moaning and gasping one hand going up to hang onto his own hair and the other hand moving over his chest.
It was the most beautiful and perfect sight Blaine had ever seen. Kurt riding him as he groaned and touched his own heated skin. Blaine's grip on Kurt's hips tightened as his started moving himself with Kurt, thrusting into him as Kurt rolled on top of him.
They both seemed to want to make it last and Kurt didn't touch his own erection even though it was red and leaking. Eventually though they couldn't wait any longer, Kurt's movements became desperate and his cries were mingled with Blaine's own as they moved together. Blaine came fist the heat that had been growing and growing finally tipping him over the edge he shouted Kurt's name as he came and pleasure prickled over every inch of his body.
Kurt came shortly after that when Blaine reached up at fisted his cock. It only took a couple of strokes and Kurt came over them both, panting and laughing his face bright and happy. Blaine wished he could freeze this moment and keep it forever.
They got cleaned up sleepily and with a few giggles. Champagne had that effect on both of them. Then they snuggled back into bed so close it was hard to tell where Blaine ended and Kurt began. Blaine held Kurt tight, feeling his heartbeat against his chest, knowing how important this moment was.
Kurt work up feeling content and complete, he turned on his side to look at Blaine. He was fast asleep his eyelashes fanned over his smooth skin and his lips parted a bit as he breathed making his chest rise and fall. Kurt closed his eyes his happiness almost unbearable for a moment. He felt jittery and full of energy he turned his head to see the clock. 4:00am. It was a little early to get up and make coffee, but still he couldn't manage to make himself stay in bed. Maybe he'd warm some milk.
He got up and stretched his muscles. He grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the dresser and slipped them on not caring if they were his or Blaine's and padded quietly down the hall. He flipped on the light when he got to the living room, not wanting to stub his toe on anything or trip over a candle. He passed the entryway and saw Blaine's messenger bag hanging on one of the pegs on the wall. He wasn't sure what it was, but something made him stop and take a closer look.
He walked up to the bag yawning and rubbing his neck when he froze, body running cold. There sticking out of the small front pocket of Blaine's bag was what looked like the bright blue corner of an envelope. Kurt's mouth went dry. No. I couldn't be what it looked like. Blaine would have told him if he'd received his letter…
Then Kurt thought back to their evening together. Roses and candles and dinner and pretending it would last forever, everything so planned and so perfect.
No. It was almost as if… Kurt shuttered. If looked at in the right light the whole eveing almost seemed… like a goodbye. No. No. Kurt shook his head even as his hand reached out unsteadily to tug on the corner of the blue paper and pull it out.
It was an envelope.
Kurt felt dizzy, his mind swimming as he saw the round embossed seal of the Lifemate Lottery. No. He slowly turned the unopened envelope over, his movements feeling labored and sluggish. It was addressed to Mr. Blaine Anderson.
No.