Authors Note: I feel like you guys are all going to kill me for taking so long. Writers block and school piled up and it became very hard to write this, but I powered through and here it is! The story is moving along, so just hang tight.

There was a voice, but Blaine couldn't really make it out. It reminded him of bells; Christmas bells from his childhood in Connecticut. Cheerful in that pleasant way that made him smile lazily in his half asleep state. But it wasn't just cheerful. It was soft and kind. It was like spring time and winter at the same time, the best parts of his favorite seasons mixed into one smooth, soothing sound. He didn't know who was speaking, his mind too lost as he slipped closer into sleep, but Blaine couldn't help but smile as he heard the distant sound say his name.

"Blaine."

There it was again. It was like his dream was speaking to him. A bright, brilliant light was talking and Blaine wanted to take the voice with him into his dreams, if only so that he could be wrapped up in it even more than he was already. He hummed softly, rolling over onto his side only to be poked in the eye by his phone.

"Ugh," he groaned out, before he realized what had just happened as he rubbed sleep away from his eyes and looked around his dark room. The lights of his neighborhood poured in from the window, and Blaine tried to place himself while running a hand through his messy curls. But his eyes grew huge as he rubbed his neck. He gasped and in less than a second turned around to pick up the phone that had caused him slight pain. "Kurt. Kurt, I am so sorry! I almost fell asleep on you when I said that I wouldn't because I wasn't that tired, which was why we should talk."

But he just got a laugh in return, and the sound of bells filled his ears once more. Blaine smiled tiredly before yawning, falling back onto the pillow as he listening to Kurt.

"It's okay," he said, his voice soft and Blaine could have sworn he heard the smile in it. "But I still think you shouldn't have called. We can talk tomorrow when you don't have work after school like you did today. I really don't mind."

Blaine let out a low groan, because he could feel just how tired he was. His body was telling him to sleep, his mind a fuzzy delirium that was only vaguely aware what was going on. He had had to go straight from school to his new job, skipping his fencing practice, and then home to finish homework hours later than he usually ever came home from practice. But by the time he had finished, it was early morning for him and he and Kurt had barely gotten to talk.

"But I hate not hearing your voice," Blaine whined, holding back a yawn as he spoke. He knew it sounded ridiculous, but he couldn't be held accountable for what he said. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes tight before opening them and looking up at his ceiling in the darkness as he added, "Not hearing your voice is like bad luck."

If he hadn't been so tired, Blaine would have been able to hear the way Kurt was rolling his eyes. Instead he simply pressed his face into the pillow and waited for a response as he rested one arm underneath his head. It was strange that sometimes when they spoke on the phone, Blaine felt like they were closer. Maybe it was the feeling of intimacy and privacy that being tucked into his bed gave him. Maybe it was because he could close his eyes and pretend Kurt lay near him and was whispering these things into his ear in person instead of through a phone on the other side of the world.

He smiled wide though as soon as he heard Kurt talk. His words were skeptical, but somehow the tone in which they were said told Blaine that Kurt was smiling just as much as he was as he was. "You're such a clingy boyfriend, Blaine. I'm sure you'll do fine if you were to go one day without hearing my voice. So go to sleep."

Because there was that word. It had only been a few days, and that word still sent a shiver down Blaine's spine. Kurt was his boyfriend. He had a boyfriend. He wasn't some far off idea that Blaine fantasized about like a hopeful little girl. Kurt was real, and although he was far from Blaine, he wasn't just a figment of his imagination to keep him going through a bad day. He had a boyfriend who he could call, who he could text, who he could tell things to; a boyfriend that if he lived closer to, Blaine would have kissed many times by now. He had a boyfriend that he was working hard to finally see him in person.

It was going to take a while for that word to not make him smile like a teenage girl over a bad boy band.

"I resent that," Blaine said, chuckling just a bit now that he was slightly more awake. Readjusting his head on the pillow, Blaine blinked to stay awake. "I'm not clingy. I just like to hear your voice because I miss you sometimes. I don't think that makes me clingy."

This time he heard Kurt scoff and it was his turn to roll his eyes. He knew he liked it though, so Blaine didn't say anything it. It was one of those things that just Kurt did, and he couldn't say that he didn't love it, because Blaine knew that he did.

"It's a bit clingy," Kurt said, his voice teasing now. "But it's cute too, so I'll let it slide."

There was a pause, and Blaine hummed softly under his breath in order to keep from falling asleep. Neither one of them said anything though and he heard Kurt take a deep breath before he spoke in a hushed tone, referring to what he had said earlier, "I'm right here. You don't have to miss me."

"You know what I meant."

Blaine's voice was just as quiet, and as he breathed out he could hear Kurt nod his head. Or maybe it was the soft breath that escaped his lips that let Blaine know he felt the same. Kurt was always nearby, and if he wanted to talk to him, he always could just as long as he wasn't sleeping. It wasn't that type of missing. He missed Kurt the way you miss something you've never really had. He missed Kurt like a dream that couldn't be remembered. He missed him without even really having him.

They fell silent again, and Blaine fought to stay awake as he felt himself start to nod off again. Kurt's gentle breathing acted like a lullaby, and Blaine yawned before he forced his eyes open. The glow in the dark numbers of the clock in his bedside table shone in the night, and he tried staring at them until the numbers switched. 1:32 AM became 1:33, and Blaine just smiled as his eyes fell closed.

"That reminds me," Kurt said after a moment, to which Blaine just hummed in return. He was falling asleep again, but Kurt's voice was just so soft in his ear, even if his tone was a lot less hushed for Blaine's sake. It sounded like he was walking around, and if Blaine had been more attentive he would have been able to guess that Kurt was writing something down. "I have to ask my dad about the trip and then figure out all the places I want to take you to."

Blaine smiled as wide as he could, and although he was a little bit more awake than he had been a moment ago, he was still somewhat drowsy. Yawning loudly, Blaine said in a muffled voice, "You don't have to take me anywhere. I'll just be there; you don't have to do anything special for me."

He didn't want to impose, but Kurt wasn't hearing any of it. As if he were holding his hand up and Blaine could tell that he had to not talk, Kurt said in a clear tone, but not authoritatively, "No, I want to take you to places. It's not trouble at all because I'm the one that wants to do it. Just let me."

It was almost as if Kurt's voice got softer as he said that last line, and even in his exhausted state, Blaine managed to smile. The idea that Kurt would actually want to take him somewhere made his heart skip a few beats. They had spoken about this before, but never seriously. It had always been whispers, soft words to comfort the other. But right now everything felt so much more real, even if s imultaneously, it felt lighter. As if it could fly away at any moment.

Yawning again, Blaine's words were a whispered jumble as he asked, "Where would we go?"

Kurt laughed at that, and although it was hushed it still sounded perfect to Blaine. But then again, he almost always thought Kurt was pretty perfect. He didn't care that he was being laughed at, and instead he just hugged his pillow closer and tried to fight sleep off for a few minutes more, at least until he got his question answered.

"There's nowhere to go in Lima," Kurt said after a moment, the laughter falling from his voice. "But I guess normal places. Like Breadstix, The Lima Bean, and The North Hills Mall. There's nothing that great to do here." Blaine could almost hear Kurt's voice fall more, and somehow things were starting to seem a little heavier again. He opened his mouth to say he didn't care, but Kurt stopped him. "Lima's really not Rome, you know-"

"I don't care," Blaine interrupted, his words intelligible again. "Rome doesn't have you, so Lima sounds extremely better than Rome right now. I'd love to go anywhere you'd want to take me to, Kurt. Honestly."

He heard Kurt mumble a gentle okay, a sigh escaping his lips in defeat once he realized Blaine was telling the truth. It was part of that euphoria that came with the first week of being a couple, and soon Blaine's words fell on top of them and made them both smile widely. Or at least, Blaine hoped Kurt was smiling in the quiet silence that had taken over them. He felt closer to him already, and Blaine's eyes began to close as the silence grew longer and wrapped him up in the sound of Kurt's gentle breathing.

His mind had begun to drift again, floating out into an ocean of sleep until he heard a soft voice. It was hushed, whispering, but clear as it spoke into his ear, "This is actually happening, Blaine. It's all happening."

Blaine couldn't remember if he replied or not. He remembered smiling, he remembered nodding his head. But maybe his muscles were too heavy for him to move, his mouth too relaxed to open and form words. He remembered a quiet laughter, before that same bell like voice whispered good night.

"What is it, kiddo?" Burt asked, without even looking up from the clipboard in his hand as he stepped out of his office and into the garage.

Kurt, who was sitting on a stool near one of the cars, looked up from his phone immediately. His stomach clenched, and he breathed in deeply as he began to stand up. His posture was near perfect as always, and it didn't look like he was a nervous wreck at all. But inside, his stomach was twisting into knots. The last time he had felt this nervous telling his father something was when he had come out to him a year ago. With another deep breath he told himself that he could do this, and smiled although his palms were beginning to sweat.

Walking over to the car his father was working on, Kurt leaned against it once he had decided it was clean enough to do so. Smiling, he shrugged and glanced at his father who was working under the hood before he said, "I just wanted to tell you something, that's all." His voice feigned calmness, but he had the feeling that his father would be able to tell something was a little off from just how breathless he sounded due to the nerves.

But the nerves were granted, of course. They were understandable, considering Kurt had no idea what he was going to do if his father took the news badly. Because although he had been planning what Blaine and him would be doing every single day for the four and a half weeks that he was going to be here, and although he had been rummaging through the cellar and garage sale ads for old furniture to use in the small spare room that they used as a storage room, Kurt hadn't exactly gotten around to telling his father that Blaine was going to be visiting. That and he hadn't exactly told his father that Blaine was his boyfriend now.

Burt seemed to notice the difference in him, and Kurt turned to look at him as he raised an eyebrow and popped his head out from under the hood. Cleaning off his hands, he smiled wide, and somehow that left Kurt a bit anxious, but mostly confused. Although his father was a sweetheart, he wasn't exactly someone who wore his feelings on his shirt sleeve, so to speak. He didn't just smile like that without a legitimate reason, and Kurt couldn't find anything appropriate. Panicking that he had missed something, Kurt stood straighter as he waited for his father to speak.

Stepping towards him, Burt smiled and began to open his arms as he spoke. "You got the part in that play, didn't you?" His voice was booming, and he laughed heartily before pulling Kurt in for a hug.

It was a tight hug, but that wasn't the reason why Kurt's eyes were bugging out of his head.

He had been so worked up planning the trip that he had almost forgotten about the play entirely. Of course, it had been purposely done, because the last thing Kurt wanted to be thinking about while he read for his classes and listened to the online lectures while finding things to do in Lima was if he had actually gotten a part in the play. Hearing about it now sent a pang to his heart, and while he had been ridged when his father had first hugged him, Kurt relaxed a bit and melted into the hug, if only for support.

Shaking his head, he lifted his arms to pat his father's back sympathetically. "Well, that's actually not what I'm here for," he said over his shoulder, his voice masking the pain of the reminder. Kurt looked down as his father pulled away, his hands still on his arms as Kurt shrugged. "I haven't heard back from them yet."

Burt sighed, and gave Kurt's shoulder a squeeze before dropping his arms. His voice was warm and comforting despite the fact that Kurt could sense the slight discomfort he felt because he had been wrong as he said, "Well, it's only a matter of time. I bet they're just having trouble deciding which part to give you, kid."

He nodded, looking up and giving his father a tight, closed lip smile. Burt had moved back to the hood of the car now, and Kurt took the moment to breathe in deeply and collect himself.

It wasn't the time to think about that, but it was going to eat at him all day now that he had brought the play up. Kurt leaned back against the car, his hands snaking into his pockets as he dazed off for a moment. He wondered if they even had the decency to call after rejecting an audition, or if he was going to have to drive to the theater and check the cast list himself to be a hundred percent sure that he hadn't been cast. He had no idea how this was done.

"Well, you going to tell me why you're here, then?" Burt asked after a moment of silence had passed between them, cutting right to the chase.

Kurt blinked, and the image of him standing in front of a cast list without his name on it that he had made up in his head vanished. For a moment, he stood there trying to remember why he had come here in the first place, until Blaine's smiling face popped into his head. He sighed happily and smiled to himself for a second, before allowing that image to fade too and turning to his father. He opened his mouth to speak, and the momentary giddiness was gone.

He was back in his father's garage, facing him and about to ask something he never would have pictured himself asking. Of course, he had dreamed of Blaine visiting, but they had been nothing but dreams. This was happening. This was real, and Kurt was terrified that all their planning was going to go to waste.

With a hesitant smile, Kurt opened his mouth again and tried to find the words for how to start this. He began, stuttering slightly as he tried to keep his arms from moving too much out of nervousness as he said "You remember Blaine, right?"

His father gave him an incredulous look, and nearly scoffed before looking back down at his work. Kurt could sense the eye roll even though he couldn't see it. "As if I could forget the guy who you're always talking to when I get home. What about him?"

Kurt laughed nervously, and nodded a bit as his father spoke. He couldn't help it; he was telling the truth. But knowing that he noticed that made Kurt feel a slight blush crawl onto his cheeks, and he took another deep breath before he looked up at him again. He stared at his father for a few minutes, trying to figure out how he would take the news. There was really no way of telling, and Kurt knew he had to just go for it.

"Well, we've been talking, and Blaine is working at a coffee shop right now to save up some money. And we were thinking that with summer a few months away, he could buy a ticket soon so that it's cheaper and he can come sometime mid-June. Come here for a few weeks and stay with us, that is," he said, feeling himself grow a bit more confident as he kept talking. He had it all planned, they had worked it all out. There was no way his father was going to object when it made complete sense.

He stood a little bit straighter, as he waited for his father's reply. It took a moment, as it seemed like he had started tightening up a loose bolt. But as he finished, Burt groaned a bit as he ducked out of the hood and stood up straight. "Doesn't this kid live in Italy?"

"Yeah, but we've been searching for flights. They're expensive, but he said he already has a lot saved and that he's working for the rest. And I'm going to help with whatever I can. It's a lot less if he comes here than me going there, though."

Burt backed up from the car then, and grabbed the red cloth from his pocket to wipe away the grease from his hands. Sighing, he cocked his head to the side and motioned for Kurt to follow him as he started walking to the other side of the shop. He followed him, and slowly felt his confidence start to build. He wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Looking over his shoulder, Burt cleared his throat before asking, "And where would he be sleeping at our house, exactly?"

He felt a blush crawl onto his cheeks, and instantly looked away for a moment. He had thought, for a split second, about manipulating the situation so that Blaine could stay in his room, but he knew that his father wouldn't let that. He also knew that as much as he would like that, he wasn't ready for it. Glancing up, Kurt thanked everything that his father was looking down as he searched through a box of parts and couldn't see the blush.

"The spare room, where we put some of the stuff from the old house," Kurt managed to say, his voice unwavering. "I can get Finn to help me move the stuff down to the cellar, and I've been searching for cheap furniture online and garage sales."

His father sighed, and looked up at him. Their eyes met, and although there was a bit of resistance in Burt's eyes, Kurt stood his ground. His face was gentle, but his stance was determined. Burt must have noticed it, because he shook his head and leaned forward. Pointing a finger right at him, his father said in his best business voice, "You can't let this take time away from your schoolwork, okay? I'm okay with him staying, but only as long as you keep up with your studies while getting things set up."

Kurt's heart stopped, and his mouth dropped. For a second, he thought he had just made up the words in his head. He had been so determined, and although he had convinced himself that this was going to happen, a part of him didn't believe it. Blinking rapidly, he began to smile wide as he asked, his voice higher than usual, "Are you serious?"

Burt laughed, and shrugged a bit, before he simply nodded. "You deserve to be around your friend after everything that's happened."

Kurt didn't let that statement remind him of the past couple months, and instead just smiled wide. He was too happy to think of anything sad right now, and he practically jumped up, his arms coming up to cover his mouth as he let out a happy gasp. It only made his father laugh more, but Kurt just kept smiling as he came around to hug him. It was a quick hug, and Kurt's heart beated uncontrollably as he said into his shoulder, his breath short from excitement, "Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me."

He almost slipped up and said 'us' instead of 'me', clearly meaning Blaine and him, but he figured that wasn't going to go over well with his father. Kurt had forgotten the second reason why he had come here, since the fact that Burt had said yes to him staying had made him forget nearly everything.

Pulling away, he smiled wider as his father squeezed his shoulders. Burt shook his head though, and let go of him, not turning his head as he walked away and said, "Now, stop skipping your lectures. Don't think I don't remember that you have one right now."

There was a smile in his father's tone, and it made him smile. He turned around and began to head out the garage, a skip in his step. "I already covered the stuff they're doing right now," Kurt called back absentmindedly, his father grunting in understanding.

His mind was miles away though, back in planning mode as he thought about all the things he was going to need for Blaine's room, and wondering if he should paint it because it was a drab white and while that worked for his room, Blaine didn't seem like someone who could live in a plain white room. It made his heart jump, the fact that even though he had already been planning this for a week but that now it was actually okay. It was really going to happen, and no one could stop them now. Kurt was halfway out of the garage, and halfway through trying to figure out how he could make his father's favorite meal tonight and make it somewhat healthier in order to properly thank him, when he heard his father's voice call out his name.

Stopping, he turned around and blinked as he saw his father standing straight, his head out of the hood of the car. His eyes seemed clouded, and Kurt could sense a bit of hesitance in his posture, which made him clench his fists from nervousness, bracing himself for what could possibly be coming. Maybe there was a catch to all of this, and as hard as it was for him to wrap his head around that, Kurt tried not to have an inner melt down.

It took Burt a moment to speak, and when he finally did, he had gone back to work on the car. His voice was distant and almost awkward, and Kurt knew that he wasn't trying to meet his eyes as he asked, "You and this Blaine kid. You two are just friends, right?"

His heart skipped a few beats, and his mouth opened to speak but nothing came out. What was he supposed to say? Was he supposed to lie now, or would the truth end up costing them the trip? But Kurt almost never lied to his dad, and he didn't think now was the time to start. Kurt had forgotten what he had had planned to say earlier if this topic had been broached, and sucked in on his lip before he said, trying hard not to sound too nervous, "Would you change your mind about him staying if I said no?"

The garage was silent aside from the distant sound of the other workers putting in parts and changing oil, the sharp and familiar clang of metal against metal filling both their ears. Burt hadn't moved from underneath the hood, and Kurt stood his ground, watching his father and waiting for his reply. He stood tall, and watched as Burt's shoulders slumped down just a bit before he turned his face to look at Kurt. Their eyes met from across the room, and neither one of them said anything for a moment.

He shook his head though, and Kurt understood from his father's small smile that he was happy for him. He knew that his father wasn't going to tell him how wonderful it was that he had a boyfriend, just like he wouldn't have done that even if he had a girlfriend. That wasn't who he was, but that smile was enough for Kurt to know that his father approved and was just happy to know Kurt was happy. It was silent, but he understood.

"No," he said finally, looking at Kurt. He chuckled a bit, still shaking his head before he went back to the engine he was working on. And although his tone was teasing, Kurt knew he was being completely serious as he added, "But he better actually be staying in the spare bedroom."

Kurt left the shop feeling a bit lighter, but with his cheeks flushed.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes, before looking up from the book on his lap and giving Blaine an incredulous look. "Blaine," he said, disbelief hanging off every syllable that came out of his mouth. "You love coffee and you're surrounded by it. How on earth aren't you enjoying your job?"

Blaine laughed, and it made Kurt smile. It was hard to concentrate on homework when talking to him, but in an hour or so he knew he was going to have to scold him to go to sleep, so Kurt took the time they had together and cherished it. He watched as Blaine shook his head in the grainy screen, and felt a smirk crawl onto his lips as he spoke. "No, I love that part of the job. But I hate the part where I start to get the orders wrong and then the customers look at me like I'm an idiot."

As he spoke, he hung his head a bit, and Kurt could have sworn he saw a faint hint of a blush on his cheeks before they were out of sight. He smiled wide, and felt just how open they could be around each other. Sure, they had always been like this, and in many ways nothing had changed at all since they had given each other a title, but he felt good that he could actually show just how he felt without worrying that it was too much.

Or maybe the reason he smiled so wide at a simple blush came from the simple fact that every day that passed meant that they were one day closer to being together. One day soon, now that they had the okay from both their parents, he was going to be able to see little things like a blush in person, and maybe that was the reason why Kurt could smile wide at something so completely trivial. Blaine was so much more than just someone on the other side of a screen, and soon everyone else would see that too.

Leaning forward, he opened his mouth to say something before he heard a knock on his door. Blaine must have heard it too, because he sat up just a bit straighter in his chair, even half the world away. Kurt blinked a bit, and only then did his eyes leave Blaine's as he turned to look at the door and called out, "You can come in."

The door opened slowly as Kurt took the laptop off his lap and pushed it down his bed just a bit. On the other side of the screen, Blaine was quiet, and while Kurt wanted to tell him to relax, he too felt a bit nervous, especially when he saw his father walk in.

"Hey kid," Burt said as Kurt reached up to take the ear buds out of his ears and unplug them from his laptop.

"Hey dad," Kurt said, looking at him and then back at his screen. He smiled softly at Blaine, who noticed the smile and returned it. It was hesitant, and Kurt could feel the nerves radiating off of him from the way he held himself, and now more than ever he wanted to be next to him if only to squeeze his hand and reassure him that everything was alright. The moment was fleeting though, and Kurt glanced back up before he added, "Blaine's here too."

Burt nodded, and then realized that Blaine couldn't see him at all from where he was. He sighed, and Kurt watched him as he rubbed his neck with his hand while walking to the side of his bed. Standing in the frame, Burt nodded again and offered a quick smile. "Hi Blaine."

"Hey Burt," Blaine said, his voice calm as he smiled back. The exchange made Kurt smile himself though, which he hid it behind his palm. It was a bit awkward, and it was going to take some getting used to from both their parts, but it was a start.

Sitting up on his bed, Kurt tucked his legs underneath him and blinked at his dad, who seemed somewhat out of place now. He had forgotten why he had come here, almost as if seeing Blaine for the third time since he had officially met him and the first time since he had found out they were a couple had shaken things up a bit. For a moment he felt sorry for putting his father in this position, knowing that he had never really prepared himself for this, but he knew they were going to get there one day.

Kurt cleared his throat though, before quirking an eyebrow as he glanced up at his father, "Did you need me?"

Coming back from wherever he had been in his head, Burt shook his head before his eyes went huge. "Yes!" he said loudly, and as he threw his arms into the air only then did Kurt notice that his father had the house phone in his hand. Kurt squinted a bit, and leaned back as his father thrust his hand out and handed the phone to him. "You want to take this call."

It took almost minute of staring at the phone for it to click in Kurt's head. But when it did, he was quick to react. He gasped and scrambled forward, grabbing the phone and pressing it against his ear. Kurt's actions were so fast that he didn't even notice the small exchange that passed between Burt and Blaine, where Blaine had mouthed 'is that' before Burt cut him off with a nod, to which they both smiled wide at each other in anticipation of what was about to happen.

"Hello?" Kurt asked, his voice small as he tried to keep from stumbling over his words or cracking.

"Yes, hello. Is this Kurt Hummel?" A woman on the other line said, and although her sentences were mechanical at best her voice remained cheerful.

His eyes grew huge, and he nodded his head frantically before realizing she couldn't see him. Trying to calm himself down, Kurt nodded again, but said this time with the nod, "Yeah, I'm Kurt. I mean, yes, this is he. Is there something wrong?"

Burt and Blaine exchanged another look at each other, and their faces bore mirror images of fond smiles as they shook their heads. Both of them knew Kurt well enough to know that even though he was trying to keep it together, he was giddy on the inside. But Kurt remained unaware of anything going through their heads, seeing as right now his world revolved around what the woman was going to say next, and he didn't care nor was completely aware that they were in the room with him. Or one of them was physically, at least.

"No, not at all," she said, and Kurt felt himself both relax and tense up at the same time. "I was actually just calling to remind you that on the first rehearsal on Wednesday, we're going to need a check of $120 just to cover the costs for your costumes and some of the materials for the sets."

"Oh," Kurt said, breathing out as he sat back down on the bed. He caught Blaine's eye on the camera, and shook his head as Blaine raised his eyebrows in question, holding up a hand. Biting his lip hard, he hugged his knees to his chest before he asked the question that was killing him. "Does that mean I got a part?"

Burt leaned in closer, as if trying to hear, and Kurt leaned away just a bit out of reflex and nerves. Blaine rested his chin in his palms, and was holding his breath just like Kurt was. All three of them waited for the response, the air heavy with anticipation.

The woman on the other line couldn't sense it though. She laughed a bit, before answering, "You did. It's all up on our website. First rehearsal is at 5 PM on Tuesday, and we'll see what time works best for everyone else after. Just wanted to call and –"

"Wait!" Kurt interrupted, his head springing up as his heart raced simply at the knowledge that he had actually gotten a part, even though his eyes had been wide and a smile had crawled onto his face the second she said he had, which had tipped off Blaine and Burt. Both of them were smiling now, waiting for Kurt's reaction, which was why his sudden outburst confused them. "Wait, could you possibly tell me which part I got?"

The smiles returned to his father's and Blaine's face, and Kurt almost wanted to roll his eyes at them, but he was too busy. There was a pause from the woman on the phone, and in the distance he heard some papers shifting as she spoke, "It's all online on our website, but I think I have a copy of the cast list—Yep! Here it is. Let's see…"

Her voice trailed off, which he could only guess was because she had to go and look over the paper for his name. He could hear her mumbling his name under her breath, and was surprised he could hear anything over the pounding of his heart all the way in his throat. How far down the list was he? Kurt wouldn't be surprised if he was put down as Tom Snout, the poor guy who plays the Wall in the play of Pyramus and Thisbe at the end of A Midsummer Night's Dream. How he felt about that, he wasn't sure, but at least it was something.

Kurt jumped a bit as he heard her let out a loud, "Oh!" His heart raced, his fingers clenched into fists as he pressed them against his lips, and once again everyone and everything in his room disappeared as he waited for her to speak.

"Sorry, I didn't expect your name to be at the top," she said, laughing once again. She cleared her throat, and Kurt almost lost his patience and told her right then and there to get on with it. But he took a breath instead, realizing now that he had been holding it this entire time. "Kurt Hummel, in the part of Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow. Congratulations!"

But the 'congratulations' from the well-mannered receptionist was all but lost. Kurt had hung up the phone and dropped it onto his bed before he moved the hand that had been covering his mouth and leaped up from his bed and hugged his father. From the other side of the world, Blaine grinned and laughed along with them as Burt hugged Kurt tight, both Blaine and Burt's hearts swelling at the thought of just how much Kurt deserved this.