A/N: Hey there folks! Just wanted to say that I own nothing here except the crazy parts of my brain that told me to write this. Thanks to Kiki and Susan for beta-ing for me (and for putting up with me and my insanity while I was writing...)

Mid July- 2011

The little bell jingled as the front door opened and a gust of hot summer air raced into the Lima Bean announcing the arrival of a new customer. Kurt glanced up from the counter, quickly stowing his magazine away and straightening his apron. It had been a slow night at the Lima Bean but thankfully his shift would end in less than an hour.

The customer came through the door and Kurt managed to get a good look at him. He was dressed in army fatigues, and as he removed his hat, the young man revealed a head of black hair that wanted to curl despite the short length they were allowed. He wasn't remarkably tall but also not short. He seemed to have a strong, sturdy build to him. Just right for a soldier, I guess thought Kurt. "Soldier boy" seemed a little lost, looking around him with wide eyes as if this place was completely new to him.

Kurt smiled as he moved to his register and the man in front of him came close enough for him to read the name Anderson printed above the chest pocket of the fatigues. "Good evening, sir! Welcome to the Lima Bean, how may I help you?"

Anderson glanced at the menus above the counter. "Uhm, can I get a…. Medium Drip please?"

"Sure thing!" Kurt flashed a grin at his customer, ringing him up. "Okay that'll be on the house and can I have a name for the order?"

Anderson looked like he was going to protest but Kurt cut him off. "Please let me take care of it? I appreciate anyone that wears that uniform. And you saved me from an evening of utter boredom."

After a moment, and a few sighs, the soldier finally nodded and smiled and gave his name: Blaine.

Kurt smiled. "That wasn't so hard was it? I'll go fix this up if you'd like to have a seat?"

Blaine went over to one of the small round tables near the counter and watched as Kurt grabbed a cup and went about the routine to make his drink.

Kurt hummed to himself as put together Blaine's order. As he put the lid on, he toyed with the possibility of writing his number on the cup. Don't do it, Hummel. You don't know anything about this guy. Sure, he's gorgeous and adorably shy but who says he's even interested? With small sigh, he stepped up to the counter and grinned at Blaine, calling his name.

Blaine flashed him a reserved smile and walked over. He reached for his coffee and turned to walk away but hesitated. He paused for a moment and looked back to Kurt. "Would you mind sitting with me for a while? I'm leaving tomorrow; my unit has been called up and I don't know anyone around here…"

Kurt was a bit surprised but after a moment he smiled at the man in front of him. "Of course. I close up in an hour and it's been a slow day anyways. I doubt anyone else will come in." He made himself a coffee before hanging up his apron in the staff room and making his way out to the front of the shop, joining Blaine at his table.

"So Mister Soldier-man. Tell me about yourself." Kurt blew on the hot liquid in front of him and looked at Blaine as if he were expecting a story.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

And so Blaine told him everything. Kurt learned that Blaine had been born and raised in Ohio in a town a few hours away from Lima. Kurt learned that Blaine's parents had died in a car crash when he was sixteen and his brother, Cooper, had left Los Angeles to come back and look after Blaine. After Blaine turned eighteen, Coop had gone back to pursuing his acting career.

Blaine told him about the time he'd asked the cute boy in his class to the Sadie Hawkins Dance his Freshman year and then about how a few large boys took it upon themselves to beat the life out of them. And then Blaine told him about the transfer to Dalton and how things were better there. How the Warblers had taken care of him and treated him as a brother. Kurt couldn't help but notice how his eyes shone when he talked about the club and the music they made.

He talked about graduating and deciding to enlist in the army. He told Kurt about basic training and some of the friend's he's made. He talked about how he'd gone back to Westerville but realized he had nothing there anymore. And then how he'd decided to drive around for a few hours and see where he ended up.

"And I've gotta say, I'm kinda glad I ended up here." Blaine gave Kurt a look that caused his cheeks to flush. "So Kurt Hummel. You know about me. What's your life story?"

Blaine found himself being enchanted by the boy in front of him. Everything about him seemed graceful, as if Kurt had carefully chosen and practiced every movement he made, though it appeared to be completely natural. His voice was soothing yet engaging and Blaine was sure he'd never heard anything so beautiful in his life. Everything about Kurt was beautiful, really. Blaine propped his chin on his hand watched him tell his story, trying to figure out why Kurt mesmerized him so.

Kurt was a Lima boy, born and raised. He didn't say it with pride, the way some would about their hometown. He said it with distaste, his features stiff and a scowl on his face. Blaine learned that Kurt had always been different from his peers and most of them had never thought kindly of him because of it. He'd been bullied most of his life but things had escalated after he had come out in his sophomore year. Kurt shrugged off Blaine's sympathetic remarks with a small smile and a shrug, saying that once he finished this year he'd be free of the small minds of the small town. He dreamed of New York and Broadway and fashion; of being able to be himself without the ridicule he had known his whole life.

He smiled (giving Blaine a strange, but not unwelcome, feeling) as he talked about his school's glee club and Rachel Berry and how she was the craziest person he'd ever met but he wouldn't have her any other way. They talked about their competition experiences and the insanity that happened around last minute set list changes. And Kurt talked about Cheerios, the cheer team of which he was co-captains with a fierce girl named Santana.

Kurt's smile faded slightly when Blaine asked about his family. Apparently his mom had been killed in a car accident one winter when she was driving to work in the early morning. She'd hit a patch of black ice and her car had spun out. Someone noticed the wreckage in the trees off the highway a few hours later. He was 8. He thought his dad was just coming to school to surprise him. He didn't fully understand what was happening until his mom never came home that night.

Blaine didn't realize that he'd reached across and grabbed Kurt's hand until he saw Kurt's eyes widen and flicker down to their now-intertwined hands. He almost let go until Kurt smiled shyly and shifted his hand into a more comfortable position.

They continued to talk, swapping stories and making each other laugh. Kurt talked about his insanity in his crush on Finn and how that back fired on him but ended well for his dad. Blaine was impressed with how Kurt put the wedding together on his own. Blaine revealed how he'd gotten the Warblers to serenade his crush once. Not only had they been kicked out of the store, the object of his affection was fired. Blaine tried to look upset when Kurt burst into laughter at his story but eventually he gave in and laughed along.

Eventually though, their time together ran out.

"I was supposed to lock up almost an hour ago…." Kurt said after a quick glance at his phone. "I'm sorry I can't stay and talk longer."

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad you stayed this long to humor me." Blaine replied as he stood up and Kurt smiled at him. Kurt hurried around the shop, making sure everything was off and secured before grabbing his things and meeting Blaine at the front.

Blaine was quite a gentleman and he held the door open for Kurt before following and donning his hat. He stood back as Kurt locked the doors and fumbled with the key ring, selecting the one for his car. They walked down the sidewalk and Kurt followed Blaine to where he'd parked. Blaine unlocked the driver-side door and opened it, hesitating before he got in.

"Kurt…. Would you mind if I wrote to you? I mean actual handwritten letters, not emails… I mean I know we've only known each other for, what, 2 hours? But I'd really like to keep talking to you. And Cooper's always ridiculously busy and it takes forever for him to just get around to reading letters and- "

Kurt laughed, cutting off Blaine's nervous rambling. "That sounds wonderful." He pulled a pen out of his pocket and reached for the napkin Blaine had around his now-cold coffee (neither had drank much while they were talking) and eyed Blaine. "Turn around" he commanded, giggling at the confused look on Blaine's face. Kurt spun his finger in the air, urging Blaine to turn. Once Blaine had his back to him, Kurt stepped close, placing the napkin on Blaine's shoulder and carefully writing his address on it. Feeling Daring, he tapped Blaine's shoulder to let him know he could turn back again. Kurt made eye contact and held it as he reached forward with both hands and put the napkin in the chest pocket under the embroidered Anderson. His fingers lingered for just a moment before he pulled his hands away.

He smiled at Blaine and offered his hand out to shake and Blaine reciprocated. "It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Anderson. I look forward to your first letter." He squeezed Blaine's hand before letting go. Kurt turned around and walked away towards his car, leaving a star-struck Blaine Anderson standing underneath the neon Lima Bean.

Well I hope you guys enjoyed this first bit!

I've already started working on chapter 2 and have most of the others planned out.

So please leave me a review and let me know what you thought about it! And if you've got any suggestions about something the boys can write about I'd be very happy to hear it!

Thanks for reading!

~Em