Elliott lost time, buried in writing songs inspired by the turmoil he was feeling about the predicament that he was in with Kurt. He cried while he wrote lyrics and poured his pain into composing the music.

It took a visitor at his apartment door to pull him away from the creative miasma in which he had been embroiled for over a week.

A courier asked for Elliott's signature and handed him a garment bag in return. The young woman wrinkled her nose and rudely suggested that he needed a shower before she left him standing in his doorway in the same clothes he'd worn since he returned home from his disastrous date with Kurt.

He sniffed tentatively and started to laugh. He positively reeked!

Showering and putting on clean clothes was his first order of business, then eating a real meal in place of the energy drinks and takeout he'd been subsisting on. Beans on toast had never tasted this good when he'd had it in Britain when he'd toured there!

Finally, he looked at the garment bag, opening the envelope pinned inside.

Elliott-

I'm in desperate straights! Please bail me out. Come to lunch tomorrow, 11:30am, at Asiate wearing this. I'll be forever in your debt.

Isabelle

Bizarre. But Isabelle was awesome, so he decided to humor her.

Of course, when he arrived, Elliott was stunned to find a private table for two with an amazing view of the park and Kurt seated in the opposite chair.

"Hey," Elliott breathed, a joyous smile lighting his face. Kurt leapt to his feet but didn't come toward Elliott, instead backing away a step, eyes wide.

"Oh god, I think Isabelle set us up. I'm...sorry."

"No, Kurt, I'm glad to see you. I've missed you so much," Elliott confessed, moving closer. Kurt took a further step back, sidling behind his seat so it blocked Elliott's approach.

"Look, it's okay," Kurt said, his voice high and stressed. His hands were white knuckled as he gripped his chair. "I understand that you don't want a boyfriend who doesn't like sex, okay? We can be friends, I promise. I've missed you, too."

Elliott froze.

"Wait... You thought I didn't want you because of sex? I..."

A server entered the private room, pausing when he saw both men standing and Elliott waved the man away.

"Well, you kinda took off that night when I offered, and—"

Elliott's mind whirled. Kurt... Kurt hadn't wanted to have sex any more than Elliott had.

"You don't like sex?" Elliott asked, his voice soft with hope.

Kurt's face turned that sheet white again, and the angry red blossomed on his cheeks. He pressed his lips together and shook his head. "No. I don't," he whispered.

"I love you," Elliott said, with perfect clarity and conviction. Kurt's eyes widened.

They stared at each other for nearly a minute.

"Elliott, I'm not going to change and suddenly want sex. I'm asexual. I'm sorry."

"Kurt... I love you. Just as you are. I'm not asking you to change. I'm just asking you to be mine."

Elliott had never felt so open and vulnerable and at the same time so certain.

"I don't think a relationship like that would work, honey," Kurt said carefully. "You are such an amazing, sexual being. It wouldn't be fair."

"Starchild is an amazing, sexual being. But that's a stage persona. I'm just Elliott Gilbert. And I love spending time with you, Kurt Hummel. Talking and watching tv and going out and hugging you and being close with you. We're intimate, Kurt. We're more intimate than I've ever been with anyone, especially the few people I've had sex with."

"I... I don't understand. Are you saying you're okay being in a sexless relationship with me while you're here and when you're touring you're going to fuck around? That won't work for me."

"No! God, Kurt, I'm saying I love you and I have very little interest in sex. With you or anyone. Maybe I use all that energy up when I'm on stage or something, but I don't screw around when I'm touring. I don't screw around at all. I want to be in a monogamous, romantic relationship with you, without sex. I want to hug you, and kiss you, and hold you while we sleep, but I am totally fine with not having sex with you."

Elliott had never seen Kurt's eyes as wide as they were in that moment.

"Do you mean that? How can you possibly..." The red spots were fading from Kurt's cheeks and he looked ready to faint.

Elliott moved closer deliberately, until he was close enough to feel Kurt's breath on his face.

"Kurt, do you love me?"

"Yes," Kurt choked.

Elliott wobbled, his knees going weak, and he straightened up only with the fiercest determination.

"Will you be mine? I'll be yours, and there doesn't have to be any sex between us or with anyone else," Elliott said, trying to be as clear as he could.

"Really? But...how could you want that..."

"Do you want that? I need to know, Kurt."

"Yes! But..."

Elliott swept Kurt into his arms and hugged him tight. Everything that had felt so wrong all week snapped into place. This was exactly where he wanted to be.

"No buts, Kurt. And no butts and no dicks and that's fine. That's more than fine. That's wonderful. I love you."

Kurt laughed at the juvenile play on words. His fingers dug into Elliott's sides.

"Elliott..." Kurt pulled back and looked at him through tears. "I love you. I never thought I'd find someone who could love...me. Not without unpleasant messy sexual concessions on my part. I don't know how to..."

"Don't you dare thank me for not wanting to fuck you. My cultural upbringing will implode my brain if you do."

Kurt laughed.

It was the most perfect sound Elliott had ever heard in his life.