Blaine was a gentleman. Aggressively so. He hurried forward to open doors for Kurt. When they both started talking at the same time, he motioned for Kurt to go first. Blaine waited for Kurt to sit down first at restaurants; that is, unless he was pulling Kurt's chair out for him. For Kurt, whose experience with chivalrous teenage boys so far had pretty much only included allowing him to take his jacket off before tossing him in the garbage, Blaine was a godsend. He was now the standard everyone else had to live up to.

It was adorable at first. Who was he kidding; it was still adorable. Kurt's face still flushed when Blaine put his hand on the small of his back, guiding him through doorways ahead of him. But after the first few dates, chivalry was getting pretty frustrating.

There was no doubt in Kurt's mind that they were a couple. Well, little doubt. He was still pretty new about the dating process and what exactly it entailed. They still did what they usually did, what they did when they first met: Go to the theater, go out to dinner, watch movies. But there was one night when Kurt felt like something had changed. When the bill came at the end of a dinner, Kurt had reached for the slip of paper. Blaine had gotten it last time, and the time before, and had paid for the last movie they'd seen. It was Kurt's turn.

But Blaine had snatched it up and pulled out his wallet. The waitress came back almost immediately, and Blaine handed her a small pile of bills. "We're all set, thanks." The woman smiled at them and ended to the register.

"Blaine, you can't just pay for everything."

Blaine looked up at him. "I want to." He shifted in his seat, putting his wallet away.

"It's not fair to you." Kurt sighed and laid his arms out on the table. "I have money, you know."

The other boy sat there for a moment, then broke into a smile. "Kurt," Blaine said, actually laughing, "that's not..." He stopped and left it at that, shaking his head. His smiled widened and he pressed his tongue into the back of his teeth chuckling. "Come on. Let's get back to school; it's almost curfew."

So they both stood and pulled on their jackets, heading out into the crisp night air. Turning toward the parking lot, Blaine had reached over without looking and laced his fingers through Kurt's, letting the pad of his thumb rub up and down Kurt's wrist. Tingles raced along Kurt's scalp. Suddenly he understood what Blaine was talking about. Well, sort of.

So Kurt just assumed that when they hung out now, it was dating. Hand holding and the paying of things constituted boyfriend status, Kurt thought. But he didn't really want to assume. Assuming is what Rachel had done with Finn after sectionals last year, and that had been an awkward disaster.

Besides, it was nothing like what he had seen couples be like at McKinley. Fawning all over each other. Shoving tongues down each other's throats. Pretty much everything short of actually fornicating in the hallways. But even when the guys at Dalton had their girlfriends come visit, there was some mild displays of affection. Kisses, hand holding, sitting on laps.

Since that first time in the parking lot, Blaine had hardly held Kurt's hand. Sometimes during movies and plays, Blaine would lay his hand on Kurt's for a few minutes, until he realized it was there and jerk it away like he'd set it on a hot stove. And when Kurt leaned against him, he could feel Blaine stiffen for a moment before gently relaxing again.

Kurt tried hard to get Blaine to kiss him. Aside from attempting to look irresistible every moment of the day, Kurt had tried little tricks he picked up from movies. Looking up at Blaine from beneath his lashes, on the occasions when Blaine was standing on something that made him taller than Kurt. When they lounged in the common room with the other guys, Kurt would rub his knee against Blaine's and look over, hoping Blaine caught his meaning. But he was always distracted by one of the guys, laughing and talking. During the holidays, Kurt had string up several clumps of mistletoe from the ceiling of his room. Blaine had somehow managed to navigate through all of them without looking up. So Kurt stopped trying, and instead accepted what little physical affection Blaine gave him.

So if they were dating, they were taking it slow. Painfully slow. Kurt realized he just had to wait for Blaine to do it. Even if waiting around was killing him.

Kurt was in the common room, putting the finishing touches on an essay outline. Without warning, a pair of tickets fluttered down on top of his notebook. Confused, Kurt looked up and saw Blaine smiling down on him. He picked them up, studied them, and then gasped.

"Oh my God, Blaine!" Kurt lept up.

"Call it an early Valentine's Day present."

"I thought they were all sold out. I mean, when I heard the cast was touring around here, I called and they were all sold out. And that was ages ago!"

Blaine leaned against the sofa and crossed his ankles. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders. What can I say?

Giggling, Kurt threw himself into Blaine's arms. The older boy laughed and hugged him back. "Oh my god, you are the best. I'm serious. In comparison to you, everyone is just terrible and I should never speak to anyone else ever again." Squeaking with delight, Kurt gave Blaine another squeeze and planted quick kiss on his temple.

Chuckling, Blaine gently pushed Kurt off of him. "Well, I just wanted to give you the tickets. Make sure you were free on that day. I've actually got a exam tomorrow that I have to study for. And it's getting late. So I will talk to you later." Kurt noticed a faint blush creeping up Blaine's neck as he started toward the door.

Trying not to sound too disappointed that Blaine was leaving, Kurt fanned himself with the tickets. "Okay, then." He took a few steps towards Blaine, who took a few backwards steps toward the exit. "Good luck on your test if I don't see you before then."

Blaine flashed a somewhat uneasy smile. "Thanks. G'night, Kurt." He turned on his heel and walked stiffly from the room.

Kurt moaned, letting his arms go limp. He went back to the desk, letting his arms swing dejectedly from side to side, and slumped back down into his chair.

A Valentine's date could mean anything. Something could finally happen. But Kurt wasn't going too much hope into it. Pressing the edge of the tickets to his lips, Kurt flipped through the pages of his textbook and began reading again.

Blaine shifted the car into park and cut the engine. He sighed and looked over at Kurt, a half smile pulling on the corner of his mouth. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

They were in the driveway of Kurt's house. Inside, he could see the soft glow of a television in the den. But the rest of the windows were dark.

Kurt nodded, still coming down from his musical high. "I did. Of course I did." He pressed the release on his seat belt.

"And dinner? Everything was okay?"

Smirking, Kurt gave Blaine a look. "Like I told you, and the waitress, and you again another five times, it was all delicious. I ate to my heart's content." He turned in the seat and gazed up at the roof of the car. "The whole night was amazing."

Blaine's smiled widened. "Fantastic." He unbuckled his seat belt. "Come on, I'll walk you to the door."

Kurt paused, his hand on the handle. "It's okay, you don't have to."

Before he could protest more, Blaine was out of the car, with Kurt scrambling out quickly behind him.

They walked up the drive and path in silence, shoulders touching. Walking up the steps, Kurt pulled out his house keys. They both stopped in front of the door and turned to each other.

"Thanks again. For tonight." Kurt swung the keys from his fingers nervously.

"Kurt, you don't have to thank me. I want to take you out. I like seeing you enjoy yourself."

Kurt didn't say anything, but he smiled and stepped towards Blaine, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. "I know, but I will anyway."

With a gentle squeeze, Blaine broke the embrace. Kurt stood there, an expectant look on his face. Blaine gazed back at him evenly. Kurt counted to five, rolling back and forth on the balls of his feet. Finally he sighed heavily in his mind, and jammed the key into the lock. "I'll talk to you tomorrow then."

"Goodnight."

"G'night." Kurt opened the door and stepped inside the house.

He closed the door behind him then leaned against it, sighing. 'Taking it slow' wasn't meant for seventeen year old boys. They weren't built for it.

After a few seconds, he pushed off the front door and headed toward his bedroom, dimly wondering if his parents were still up or whether Finn was home or not. More than anything, he wanted to get into the shower and ready for bed with minimal interference.

He unbuttoned his jacket and reached into his pants pocket. No phone. Kurt halted. Heart stuttering, he quickly patted all his other pocket. Not there either. He shook his jacket, but didn't feel the weight of it in any of his pockets. It must have fallen out in Blaine's car.

Please still be in the drive way, please, he thought frantically. Just short of running, Kurt hurried back to the front door and whipped it open, expecting to see Blaine backing down the drive. Instead, Blaine was still on the porch, and Kurt almost bowled him over.

"Oh," Kurt grunted, catching himself on Blaine before he had a chance to go headfirst down the steps.

"Whoa. You okay?" Blaine wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him up.

Kurt nodded, righting himself. "Yeah. I forgot my phone in your car, and I wanted to catch you before you left. Did you find it?"

Blaine opened his mouth to say something, but stopped.

Kurt gripped Blaine's arm, which still loosely held his hip. "What are you doing out here still?"

To his surprise, Blaine fumbled with his words. "I, uh." He glanced up at Kurt's face. "I was just..."

Kurt tilted his head, his forehead furrowed gently. "Just what?"

Blaine stood there, his eyes searching Kurt's face. With a short decisive sigh, he tightened his fingers into Kurt's hip, roughly closing the space between them. He lifted his face, bring his lips to Kurt's.

Everything in Kurt's brain misfired and he froze. He felt Blaine's mouth on his own, but there was a disconnection to the sensation.

Blaine, feeling how rigid Kurt had become, broke the kiss. "Kurt," he breathed, apologetic, and took a step back.

Blaine's voice was a slap back to reality. Kurt grabbed Blaine's jacket lapels and pulled him in for another kiss. The touch of his lips elicited a sigh from Kurt that seemed to run all through him. His entire body relaxed. He eased forward, brushing his body against Blaine's. Blaine kissed him back, reaching up and gently cupping Kurt's cheeks in his hands.

What Kurt lacked in finesse he more than made up for in enthusiasm. He parted his lips, dragging the tip of his tongue against Blaine's, seeking. Blaine obliged, opening his mouth wider, sliding his tongue against Kurt's. Their teeth clacked together, and when Kurt grabbed Blaine's lower lip his Blaine hissed shortly in pain, but didn't stop him. Kurt had nothing to complain about.

Blaine's arms snaked around Kurt's thin frame, pulling him into a tight embrace. Kurt responded by wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck and pressing his body as flush to Blaine's as he could. His hips bucked forward of their own accord and he moaned at the sudden friction.

And then it was over. Blaine pulled back an inch or so, and let out a shaky sigh. Kurt unwrapped his arms from around Blaine's neck, dropping them until his hands gripped the sleeves of Blaine's jacket. They didn't break apart, but just stood there, bodies against each other, foreheads pressed together, eyes closed. Blaine's fingers gently rubbed into the small of Kurt's back.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kurt opened his eyes to see Blaine gazing at him. Kurt's mouth twisted into a grin and he snorted. Blaine smiled and pulled his head back further, looking Kurt full in the face. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing." Barely suppressing another giggle, Kurt darted forward and kissed Blaine again. Blaine moaned, pressing his mouth firmly into Kurt's before pulling back with a small smack.

"God, Kurt," he sighed, leaning back and darting his eyes up and down, taking in all of Kurt. "You have no idea how long I've been trying to figure out how to do that."

This time, Kurt did laugh, a loud and abrupt sound. "What? I've done everything short of throwing myself at you."

Blaine chuckled and cast his eyes downward. "I know, I know. It's just. Kurt, you..." He looked back at Kurt, reaching up and grazing his fingertips along his jawbone. "I wish I could explain conflicted I am around you. How... insecure you make me feel. In good way, if that makes sense." He brushed his lips against Kurt's.

"It doesn't, but that's okay."

"I just... really like you. A lot. I didn't want to be too forward. I don't want to rush anything on you." His voice trailed off.

"For the record, next time? Just go for," Kurt said, smiling. "Remember, courage."

Blaine groaned and rolled his eyes, stepping back away from Kurt. "On that note, I should be heading home."

Kurt pouted and let out a whimper ,reaching for Blaine again. But the other boy just smiled and caught Kurt's hand. "No, really. I've still got a drive ahead of me." He pressed a kiss into Kurt's palm before releasing it.

"I need my phone, though."

Blaine bit his lip, dug into his pocket, and took out Kurt's phone. "It fell out when we hugged goodbye. I didn't notice until you went inside." He offered it to Kurt.

Kurt grabbed Blaine's wrist and pulled him in for another kiss. "Alright, alright. Call me when you get home," he breathed, walking backwards.

"I will."

Kurt sighed and kissed Blaine again. "I don't want to say up all night worrying."

Blaine reached behind him and turned the doorknob. "I know."

"I need my beauty sleep."

Blaine opened the door, and planted a kiss on Kurt's lips. "Goodnight, Kurt," he said, with finality.

Stepping into the hallway, Kurt gripped the edge of the door. "Goodnight." Smiling, he shut the door.

Peeking through the side window, Kurt saw Blaine pause on the porch. He brushed his thumb along his lip, grinned, then headed down the steps towards his car.

Licking his own lips, Kurt turned and headed toward his bedroom.