We're Not Like the Others

The weather in Ohio had finally moved in to proper temperatures for summer, finally climbing out of sweater weather in the end of April and mid May. Now the days were hot, humid, and equally mixed with sunshine and nearly violent thunderstorms. It was one of the sunny days, where the temperature had climbed to the mid-nineties, the humidity was high, and air conditioners were running full blast. There was a cool breeze gently stirring the crippling stillness of the afternoon, and offering some reprieve.

Most people had taken refuge in either air conditioning or swimming pools. Kurt had neither at the moment. Their air conditioner wasn't currently working; his dad was on the phone with the people who had worked on their furnace in the winter. And while there were enough people in Lima with pools, Kurt wasn't close to any of them. So he lounged in the overly large hammock he and Finn had gotten his dad for his birthday. Kurt smiled at the hammock canopy at the memory and how eager his dad was to set the thing up. Now it was his go-to destination when he got off work, enjoy a lite beer or more often than not, an iced tea.

Kurt wondered how Blaine's audition was going, and secretly he hoped he didn't get it. He knew it was an awful thing to think, and not at all what a good boyfriend should be thinking, but Illinois was so far away. To be fair, it wasn't a very boyfriendly thing for Blaine to do either. Choosing to work two states away for a good chunk of the summer. Kurt huffed, Blaine could have worked at King's Island again, at least then it'd be a bit easier to visit him.

But it wasn't just that. Even though Blaine had been the one to say 'I love you' first, it still didn't change the fact that he was going to be gone all summer. Kurt could only think of what happened to Tina and Artie, and how over the summer, Tina had gotten with Mike. Rather inappropriately, if Kurt had anything to say about it. Those poor kids, he thought, shaking his head. He didn't want Blaine to find someone in Chicago and just…move on. Find someone better…more handsome, less…flamboyant. He sighed; he needed to stop thinking like that. While Blaine could be an oblivious idiot, he was loyal. They were strong and he wasn't going to lose Blaine to some loser in a costume. He quickly flipped his ipod to a Lady Gaga song to lighten his mood a little.

Closing his eyes, Kurt enjoyed the slight breeze that rocked the hammock. Really, he didn't know why they didn't get one of these things earlier. It was fabulous. He especially like how he sunk down in it, just…being wrapped up but not smothered. He hated the heat, hated the humidity. He had to wear fewer scarfs, less layers, and generally lighten his entire wardrobe. Today he was dressed in a light blue button up made of light, breathable fabric, and crisp white shorts that came to just above his knees, and though he would never normally wear flip flops, they were fine for walking from the back door to this hammock. They'd never be worn in public if he could help it. Thankfully he didn't interact with many people in the summer, he was always working and everyone else was busy. Didn't matter, at least they weren't going to visit Aunt Mildred this year.

He was startled when the hammock shifted abruptly. He flailed a bit, gripping the hammock, his eyes snapping towards the offender.

"Blaine!" he gasped, sitting up and ripping his ear buds out. "What are you doing here?"

His boyfriend grinned easily as he slid in next to him, stretching his arm out, an invitation for Kurt to lie back down. Kurt did, effectively tucking himself into Blaine's side. It didn't matter that it was hot and the air was heavy, holding one another was more important.

"So, it's safe to say I won't be working at Six Flags this summer," he said lightly.

"You didn't get it? Are they deaf?" Kurt asked, incredulous.

"I got all the way up there, went all the way to the offices and it turns out they haven't updated their website since last summer. Which, I noticed, but I figured if I got there early enough, I'd land an audition. Apparently they'd posted that sort of stuff locally in March, so there weren't any openings."

Kurt was quiet for a few long moments, "I'm sorry."

Blaine grinned, "I don't think you are, not really. You were a very good, supportive boyfriend, but you didn't really want me to do this, did you?"

Kurt tucked himself closer to Blaine and lightly clutched the fabric of his green polo, "I wouldn't see you all summer. I'd miss you. Why would you want to work so far away anyway?"

"It looks good on a résumé," Blaine said with a shrug. "But it doesn't matter now, does it? I guess this means I can be your boyfriend full time. At least until I find a less glamorous job."

"There's nothing more glamorous than being my boyfriend," Kurt murmured with a smile. "Except if you're me, that is."

Blaine barked out a laugh and tangled their legs together, briefly pressing his lips to Kurt's temple. They settled down and rocked for a few long moments before Kurt offered him an earbud. Blaine took it with a small smile as he tucked it into his ear. They listened to Kurt's ipod, eyes closed, legs and fingers intertwined, and Kurt's head tucked under Blaine's chin. They were quiet, listening to Howie Day's Collide, knowing that as much as Teenage Dream was their song in a way, Collide was definitely their song.

"Blaine," Kurt said quietly.

"Hm?"

"I've never been in a relationship before…" he murmured.

"I know, neither have I," Blaine replied, wondering where this was going.

"I've seen how they go though," Kurt murmured. "How people in glee just go from one partner to another. I mean…Finn has gone from Quinn, to Rachel, to Santana, back to Rachel, and then back to Quinn, and is now probably going back to Rachel. And I thought Tina and Artie were solid, but over the summer, she got with Mike. At least now they're solid. Blaine, I don't…I don't want that to be us."

Blaine, for the most part, was quiet as he gently rubbed Kurt's back. He'd heard about the crazy relationships of New Directions. At one point he'd even had Kurt draw a diagram so he could keep up. It had involved poster board, colored sharpies, and school pictures.

"Kurt, I think there's something vastly different between us and everyone else in New Directions," Blaine said, pulling Kurt closer.

"What?"

"You are my very best friend," Blaine murmured. "Our relationship just grew, and we know we'll always be honest, and there aren't really that many unpleasant surprises left, you know? We're not just starting off this relationship as acquaintances, we're best friends. We're stronger than the messy love dramas of New Directions, okay?"

Kurt took a deep breath and buried his face in Blaine's chest, "Okay."

"Okay," Blaine agreed and they lapsed into silence again.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked, not opening his eyes.

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

...

A/N: I like the feel of a lazy, quiet, intimate setting. Which is why I wrote this.