February 1921
Kurt

The Following Friday

While Kurt is working on a makeshift table at Westerville's, he hears Finn and Blaine say their goodbyes to the Polish workers, who have finished for the day.

"Isn't it time for our weekly meeting?" Finn asks.

Kurt stands up. As he walks past Blaine, he pauses and says in a deep husky voice, "Give me five minutes, and I'll be ready for you."

Kurt smirks to himself when he hears Blaine's breath hitch, and he puts a little more sway in his hips as he saunters into the restaurant's kitchen. This morning, he took particular care while dressing for work. He's wearing tailored trousers that flatter his physique, and he's topped it off with a shirt of Blaine's. Sure, it's a couple sizes too small and stretches across his taut muscles, but that's sort of the point. As predicted, Blaine hasn't been able to keep his eyes off him all day. Yes, Friday is turning out to be an incredible day.

Kurt fills the kettle with water, sets it on the gas hob, and lights it. He opens up a pastry box and sets out three chocolate éclairs on a serving plate. At lunchtime, he bought the treats at a nearby bakery. Who can resist a pastry filled with custard and cream, topped with chocolate icing? As Mrs Sylvester always says, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Pity she never married.

While waiting for the water to boil and preparing a serving tray, Kurt reflects on the past week. As expected, the first days of work were awkward. He and Blaine were shy and avoided each other when they could. Blaine had dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't had a wink of sleep. Kurt certainly hadn't. The bed seemed too large and too cold without Blaine by his side.

On Wednesday night, they went to the Polish restaurant in Greenpoint with Rachel and Finn for dinner. They were treated like royalty, and Polish specialties kept coming to their table. Although it was a business dinner to check out the restaurant's furniture and fittings, it had felt more like a double date, with light-hearted conversation. Kurt can't remember the last time he's had so much fun with Blaine.

On Thursday, they sought each other out for not only business matters but gentle flirting, as well. Blaine looked amazing in his T-shirt and jeans, and Kurt resisted the temptation to drag him to a dark corner of a storeroom and have his way with him. Kurt managed to make it through the day and waited until he was home alone before giving into his imagination, with a squirt or two of K-Y Jelly and his right hand for company.

This morning, Kurt had decided to make things more interesting. His flirting and body movements have left Blaine tongue-tied… And a tongue-tied Blaine is simply adorable.

He wants Blaine back in their bed and the sooner the better.

It's not that he wants the sex, although he certainly misses it. More so, he wants the intimacy of taking off the layers of clothing and lying in each other's arms in bed, whispering their hopes, dreams and fears to one another. He misses that special connection with Blaine. He wants to prove to Blaine that he has no desire to be with anyone except him. Blaine deserves to feel safe and secure in their relationship, too.

When the kettle whistles, he pours the boiling water into the teapot and carries the tray to the restaurant area, where Blaine and Finn are seated at a table. Kurt pours the tea and makes sure to lean closely in front of Blaine as he sets everything out. After sitting down, he glances at Blaine, who is blushing furiously and struggling to hide a stiffie. Kurt smiles smugly - his efforts seem to be having the desired effect.

Finn starts the meeting. "We've got all the plumbing working. We just need the city officials to inspect the work. They're coming on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the crew will paint the storerooms, and install the shelving. We'll then start building the kitchen stuff."

"Let me know what time the inspectors will be here, and I'll be sure to be around," Blaine replies.

Kurt offers the plate of éclairs to the men. While Finn practically inhales his, he carefully examines it and takes a bite. It tastes even better than it looks. The French certainly know what they're doing when it comes to pastries. When he looks up, he notices a bit of cream has oozed out of the éclair onto Blaine's lips. Kurt leans over and scoops it with his index finger. He watches Blaine's eyes darken, and he's wiggling in his seat as Kurt's tongue darts out to lick the cream off his finger. He most definitely has Blaine's attention.

"These are really good. Are there any more?" Finn asks.

Kurt looks at his stepbrother. "No. One is plenty, otherwise you'll ruin your appetite for dinner."

Finn sags his shoulders in disappointment. "You sound like Rachel."

"What did you think about the furniture and fixtures in the restaurant last night?" Blaine asks.

"I thought the wooden tables and chairs will be perfect for here. The two-person tables will allow us to push them together for larger parties. I still think we should have booths along the back wall. Diners like the sense of privacy, and it makes it easier for the waiters to serve." Kurt pauses and performs some calculations on a piece of paper. "Allowing for 12 square feet per diner, and 36-inch aisles we should offer to buy 50 tables."

Finn scratches his head. "How did you figure that out so fast?"

"I'm a pilot. This is a piece of cake compared to calculating aerodynamics based on the wind speed, velocity, and other factors, especially when you're in a cockpit in the middle of the night."

"You're so very impressive in all manner of things," Blaine purrs.

Kurt preens at the compliment. It's nice to know that he can surprise Blaine with his mathematical skills.

Finn stands up. "Is there anything else? I need to go splash my boots."

Blaine and Kurt giggle at Finn's way of telling them that he's going to the toilet.

After Finn leaves the room, Kurt asks, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

He really doesn't want to say goodbye to Blaine, not just yet… not ever.

"I'm meeting some of the guys from the tennis club to play billiards."

Kurt gives Blaine a lackluster smile. It feels as if Blaine has replaced him so quickly. "That sounds like fun."

"I'm not sure about that. I've never played American pool before. You're welcome to join us."

"No, thanks. I've never played billiards or American pool, and I'd probably make a fool of myself in front of your friends. What are you doing this weekend?"

"Tomorrow, I'm meeting with Big Brothers to see if my application to mentor a boy has been approved. In the evening, I'm going out with Uncle Hiram and LeRoy to their gentlemen's club."

Kurt interrupts Blaine. "B-but you're free Sunday I hope? Isn't that our day together?"

"Don't you have to teach the English class?" Blaine asks.

Kurt shakes his head. "I told the Polish workmen that I would have to take a break from teaching their wives on Sundays. I'm stretched too thin, and I want to save Sundays for you. I'd like to take you out… like, on a date, on Sunday… that is… umm... if you want to."

Kurt squeezes his eyes shut and takes deep breaths. That shouldn't have been so difficult to say, but he's never asked anyone out on a date before and couldn't bear it if Blaine turns him down. Blaine's warm hand covers his own, and he can feel the brush of his thumb. When he looks up, Blaine's eyes are sparkling.

"I'd love to spend Sunday with you."

Kurt heart races. "I'll collect you at noon, if… if that's okay with you."

"It's more than okay. I look forward to it."

When Finn returns, they turn off the lights and leave the restaurant. The Berry car and chauffeur are waiting outside for Finn and Blaine.

"Do you want a ride home?" Blaine asks.

"No, it's only a couple of blocks away. I'll see you on Sunday, right?"

"You bet!"

Kurt watches as the car joins the traffic on the street, wishing that he was with them, but he doesn't want to intrude on Blaine's night out with his tennis club friends. He walks quickly home, and goes to the kitchen for a bite to eat. When he spots the dead daisies, he throws them into the trash, and puts away the vase. It'll be awhile before Blaine buys him flowers again. He opens the ice box and remembers that Blaine usually does the food shopping. He looks over the meager contents and decides to make himself a cheese omelet.

After eating his simple dinner, he goes to the living room and lights a fire. He picks up the latest Vogue magazine, but after flipping through a few pages, he sets it down again. He's used to pointing out photos to Blaine and getting into debates about the merits of Brooks Brothers versus other popular outfitters. It's no fun to read Vogue without Blaine by his side.

Kurt lets his head flop onto the sofa back. What is wrong with him? He can do anything he chooses. He mentally prepares a list of things he could do, but nothing really interests him. He won't have fun doing them without Blaine.

He's alone, and it's all his fault.

Sure, he and Blaine have spent years apart. When he had thought Blaine was killed in action, he got on with his life as best as he could. He made some new friends, did a variety of jobs, and remained hopeful about his future. But it's different now. Blaine is very much alive and very much a part of his life. Blaine is his best friend, his confidant, his lover, and his soulmate.

Blaine is his anchor, and now he's drifting.

He realizes now that it's Blaine's unwavering love and support that allows him to take risks and experience new things. Knowing that Blaine is there is like a safety net - Blaine can't stop him from failing, but he makes it safe if he does. Kurt twists the eternity ring around his finger, and recalls all the promises Blaine made to him.

I promise to always love you. To defend you, even when you're wrong. I promise to surprise you. To always make the time to talk with you when you need me. To kiss you when I can but cherish you always. To make sure you remember how perfectly imperfect you are. I promise to talk about the tough issues so that we can solve problems together. I promise that my heart and body will only ever belong to you.

No matter how hard it will be to have those talks and figure out how their lives will intertwine, there is one thing Kurt knows for sure.

Blaine is worth it.

With a newfound energy, Kurt retrieves the newspaper from the entrance way and sets it out on the dining room table. He looks at what is happening in New York City this weekend and jots down ideas on a piece of paper. He's going to give Blaine the best first date that he possibly can.

Sunday

Kurt stops at the flower shop and buys red and yellow roses. They aren't as pretty as the Devon roses grown at Westerville Abbey, but hopefully, they will remind Blaine of them. The florist had informed him that the red roses symbolize love, beauty and courage, while the yellow ones symbolize friendship and happiness. Kurt is feeling all these things as he makes his way to the Berry townhouse to collect Blaine for their first date.

Yesterday, Kurt hadn't seen Blaine at all. Kurt went to the airfield and received some rather exciting news. When he came home in the late afternoon, he cursed that Blaine wasn't there to share it. After eating a cheese sandwich, he figured out the best way to tell Blaine and then planned his outfit to wear today.

When Kurt arrives at the Berry townhouse, his belly flutters. He's so excited to spend some time with Blaine, but he's also nervous because he wants everything to go perfectly. It's only been a week since Blaine moved out, but he misses him so badly and wants him home again.

Before he can even touch the knocker, Finn opens the front door and comes out. "Hey, Kurt. I've been waiting for you. Do you have a minute before you see Blaine? I have something I want to talk to you about."

Kurt pulls out the pocket watch, which Blaine gave him all those years ago. "Sure, Finn, but I don't want to be late for my first date with Blaine. It's not good form."

Finn rolls his eyes. "If you ask me, you two are acting silly. Blaine has been a bundle of nerves all morning. He even asked LeRoy to help him get ready."

Finn leads Kurt down the avenue until they aren't in view of the Berry townhouse. "Rachel told me not to tell you, but I don't feel good about that. You're my brother, and I shouldn't keep any secrets from you. Promise me not to say anything because Rachel will kill me if she knew I told you, and..."

"Spit it out, Finn!"

"Blaine has been having nightmares, like, every night. Rachel seems to be able to calm him down. Some nights, he has more than one, and then it's my turn to get up and help Blaine. It's really scary. I don't know what to do when Blaine looks so upset and acts crazy."

Kurt frowns when he hears that Blaine's nightmares are increasing in frequency. Blaine was at the stage where he had a nightmare every fortnight, but it was quite easy to calm him down into a restful sleep again. "I'm really sorry to hear that. I know that Blaine can be quite scary when he's having a nightmare. I'll give you some pointers tomorrow at work, but I really need to collect Blaine right now."

Finn bumps his shoulder into Kurt's. "I knew you could help me out. I'm hoping that you two will figure things out today and Blaine will go home with you."

"I wish that, too, but it's a bit complicated."

"It doesn't need to be complicated, you know," Finn interjects. "Take me and Rachel. At the beginning, I could never imagine how a chauffeur and a rich lady could be together. But Rachel insisted that nothing like that counts when it comes to love. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, black or white, or two men. The most important thing is love and how you treat each other."

Kurt nods. "Wise words, Finn."

Finn chuckles. "No one has called ever me wise before. Now, let me go inside before you. When you knock on the door, I'll answer it. Act like we didn't see each other and talk or anything."

Before Finn reaches for the front door, Kurt taps his shoulder. "Finn, you really are one of a kind, and the best brother anyone could have."

"Thanks. You're a pretty good brother, too," Finn replies before entering the townhouse.

When a minute has passed, Kurt knocks on the front door, and Finn opens it. "Finn, it's great to see you," he says with a wink.

"I've been told to have you wait in the parlor. Blaine won't be long."

Kurt sits down on a stiff arm chair, and taps his foot as he waits. A few minutes later, Blaine appears. Kurt immediately stands up, but then feels weak at the knees. Blaine is undoubtedly the most handsome man in the entire universe. He's wearing the grey trousers, white shirt and two-toned shoes that they bought together at Brooks Brothers months ago. However, he's also wearing a new forest-green cardigan with the bottom two buttons undone (and boy, would he like to undo the rest of those buttons) with a burgundy bow tie with thin white and blue stripes. Kurt notices that Blaine has had a haircut since they saw each other on Friday, and it's slicked back carefully with pomade. He's freshly shaven and his eyes are sparkling. He looks delicious enough to eat.

Kurt can't find words that are complimentary but also don't make him sound like a sexual predator. He awkwardly extends his arms with the bouquet of roses.

"Are those for me?" Blaine asks shyly.

"I hope you like them. They don't have Devon roses here, but this reminded me of them. The florist told me what they mean before I bought them, but now I can't remember. I-I can't think of anything except how you - you …"

Blaine lowers his head and looks up at Kurt through his eyelashes. "You like the way I look?"

Kurt gulps and nods but still can't get a word out, not when Blaine is looking at him like that. Blaine knows that it does things to him.

Blaine takes the bouquet and presses his nose into the flowers. "I love the flowers. Thank you. Let me bring them to the kitchen, and then I'm ready to go."

Kurt waits in the entrance, and when Blaine returns, he helps him put on his winter coat. Kurt is surprised when Blaine puts on a fedora hat. "I say, that hat looks smart on you."

"LeRoy let me borrow it. My bowler hat looks so stuffy and conventional, and I'm not always a conventional kind of guy," Blaine says with a wink.

Kurt opens the front door for Blaine. "You certainly look like the cat's meow."

Kurt takes Blaine to the Palace Theater. They are in time to watch the newsreel, and Kurt shudders after watching the report of the Red Bolshevik Army invading Georgia. It seems that the Great War didn't settle all things. His mood lightens when Charlie Chaplin appears in the opening scene of The Kid, the feature film. They both roar with laughter at the tramp's silly antics. Kurt practically purrs when he feels Blaine's finger gently stroke his thigh in the darkened theater. He wants to hold Blaine's hand, but the theater is far too crowded for any obvious sign of affection.

After the show, Kurt takes Blaine to a nearby tavern for a bite to eat. It's always interesting to see what the competition is doing. The food is mediocre at best, but that isn't what pulls in the crowd. In the corner of the tavern, someone is playing jazz music on the piano.

Blaine sets down his mug of root beer. "I know we decided to wait to build the stage at Westerville's, but I'd love to have live music sooner rather than later. It would make the evening a real experience for our diners."

"I'll take a look at the plans and schedule. If we do some economizing here and there, we might be able to build a little platform before the opening."

"You are the master of plans and schedules," Blaine purrs.

Kurt smiles at the compliment. A new song is performed and Blaine taps his fingers to the tempo on the table. "This chap is really good. I recognize some songs but others must be original music. Do you remember his name?"

"Duke Ellington. He's visiting from Washington D.C., but rumor has it that he's looking to form a band and move to New York City."

"Since when did you become so knowledgeable about up-and-coming jazz musicians?" Blaine asks playfully.

Kurt blushes. "I read an article about him in The Etude music magazine. I know that you like jazz music so I did a little research last night."

Blaine's eyes crinkle as he smiles. "That's really thoughtful, Kurt."

"Maybe someday soon we can go to the Cotton Club in Harlem. That's where all the jazz is happening."

"I'd really like that. Kurt, we don't always have to do things that I enjoy. I'm more than happy to do things that you're interested in, too."

Kurt decides that this is the perfect segue into giving Blaine an invitation. "Yesterday, I found out that the Mitchel Field will be open to the public the day before Easter in March. I'd love it if you would come with me. You could meet the lads, and they could put a face to your name. I sort of talk about you a lot."

"You do?"

"Well, you're a war hero, and you're my hero, too."

"Aww. You have a way with words. Let me know when, and I'll be there."

"How did your meeting at Big Brothers go?"

Blaine's face lights up. "After doing their background check, they approved me! I went to the lad's house to speak with his mother. It looks like we'll be meeting most Saturdays for a few hours."

"I think you'll be a terrific Big Brother. You certainly are a terrific uncle."

"I enjoy being around children, and I hope everything works out. I was wondering… Could I bring him to MacDougal Alley next Saturday? I want to cook with him, but I think that it would be awkward at the Berry's with their cook and staff. You'll be at your flying club, so we won't bother you."

"Blaine, it's your home, too. By all means, have your cooking session with the boy next Saturday, but make sure you leave some leftovers for me to eat."

When Duke Ellington finishes his last set, Kurt pays the bill. He hails a taxicab and gives the driver the Berry's address. After opening the door for Blaine, he slips in the backseat.

"You don't need to take me home, Kurt. I can handle it from here."

Kurt leans in and whispers, "But I want a goodnight kiss."

Blaine whispers back, "Excellent idea."

When they arrive at their Fifth Avenue destination, they awkwardly pause outside the townhouse. Blaine takes out his keys and opens the front door. "Why don't you come inside for a minute? I don't think this is the sort of neighborhood that would take kindly to seeing two men kissing."

As soon as they enter townhouse, Blaine rolls up on his toes and kisses Kurt tenderly on the lips. Kurt immediately places his arms around Blaine and deepens it, reveling in the scent and flavor. Heat fills his body now that the man he loves is in his arms. Blaine presses him against the wall and kisses him as if his life depended upon it.

"I knew you guys would be all lovey-dovey tonight. There's no way you could be apart for very long."

Kurt reluctantly pulls away from Blaine and glares at Finn, who has a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.

Blaine replies, "We're still together, very much together. We just need this time to figure out some things." Blaine turns towards Kurt again. "I think we've made a pretty good start at that already. Don't you?"

Kurt nods. "Yes, a really good start."

Kurt leaves the townhouse to make his way home. He would prefer it if Blaine was by his side, but he feels more confident that it will happen in the near future. There are still a few things they need to work out, but he's sure that they can do it. They are both in this relationship for the long haul.

Author's notes

Many thanks to my fantastic betas - Fearlessly, Lilyvandersteen, Dblmalfunction. I made the last-minute edits and performed the final proofreading by myself, so all mistakes are mine.

I'm HKVoyage on Tumblr.

Next up: Blaine and Hans get together to make apple strudel cake.