Author's Note: This story was written for the Klaine 3-2-1 Prompt Bang 2022, based on a prompt submitted by a Klainiac wishing to remain anonymous. It spoke to me at once, because, like Kurt in this story, I have trouble sleeping, and I so wish there was a miracle cure for it. Thank you to twinkkurt for the lovely artwork, and thank you to my faithful beta hkvoyage. Happy reading, and do share your thoughts with me, I love hearing from my readers!

Chapter 1: A Cure for Insomnia

"You look awful, Kurt," Rachel remarked as they were having breakfast. "You're not ill, are you?"

Kurt shook his head. "Nah. Just trouble sleeping. I haven't had a good night's sleep in ages. I just can't switch off my brain at night. As soon as I lie down in bed, I start thinking of all the stuff that's on my to do list, I worry about all sorts of things, I even get songs on the brain. But what I can't do is sleep. And I'm a wreck, yes, but what can I do? I've tried chamomile tea. I've done yoga. I've taken those vile-tasting sleep drops that Carole recommended. I've even bought those expensive earbuds that are supposed to soothe you to sleep. And none of it helps. Not in the least."

Rachel lay her hand on his arm. "I know what you can do! Remember what I told you the other day about Nancy, who kept having migraines, up to three times a week? And she went to this candle store someone recommended, for one of those special medicinal candles, and as soon as she lit it at home, it worked. She hasn't had a migraine in a month!"

Kurt shrugged. "Could be a coincidence."

"Mmm-hmm," said Rachel, "but listen. She told Chelsey about this candle store. You know Chelsey, who's always and forever sitting out half of dance class because she gets back pain as soon as she dances for twenty minutes straight? Well, get this: she went and bought a candle, and her back hasn't hurt for the past two weeks. She's been practising like a maniac to catch up with the rest of us, and Cassie even complimented her arabesque last time we had dance class! So you see those candles really work."

Kurt poured himself another cup of coffee and resigned himself to letting Rachel say her piece unhindered.

"And then Chelsey told Kim, who has panic attacks ever so often. So Kim went to the store last weekend, and ever since she bought a special candle there, she hasn't had any more panic attacks. She says she lights the candle just for ten minutes in the morning while she does some yoga exercises, and it makes her feel totally zen."

Kurt sipped his coffee slowly and nodded.

"I know it sounds kind of dodgy, Kurt, but it's worth the try, isn't it? A candle isn't going to cost much. And if it doesn't help, well, we'll have a nice new candle that will make our loft cosier."

Kurt sighed. "Okay, okay, I'll go check it out. What's the address?"

K&B

As soon as the weekend rolled around, Kurt decided to go check out the candle store, if only to stop Rachel from asking twenty times a day if he'd gone and bought a candle for his sleeping problem already.

He frowned when he reached the store. It looked like one of those new age hippie places where as soon as you passed the threshold, someone was going to offer you a tarot reading or tell you that you needed this or that kind of stone or essential oil to cure what ailed you.

He waited a little before going in, watching as he saw others step into the store and make their purchases. To his relief, there seemed to be only one salesperson, who left customers alone until they asked for his help, and who did his work quickly and efficiently. Every buyer left the store with a smile and a spring in their step.

"All right, then, let's do this," he murmured after a bit, and he entered the store. A bell clanged. The salesperson looked up and nodded at him affably, after which he focussed on his work again, leaving Kurt free to browse.

Kurt looked around at the candles that were on offer. The displays were quirky but tasteful, and Kurt soon found himself grinning at the silly quotes that were on the description cards.

"Take it Easy candle, for relaxation.

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undone. (Lin Yutang)"

"You Can Do This candle, for motivation.

People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day. (Winnie the Pooh)"

"Remembrall candle, to improve your memory.

The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time. (Friedrich Nietsche)"

The candles were pretty, too. Rachel had been right in thinking one of these would improve the loft's décor. Each candle had a different pattern: swirls, birds, flowers, leaves, shells, trees in bloom, and even a stylised river with salmon swimming upstream.

"And it will look even more amazing when it's lit," Kurt marvelled out loud.

A moment later, a velvety voice behind him said, "How may I help you, sir?"

Kurt whirled around in surprise to find the salesperson right in front of him. And wow, was he handsome! A classic profile, warm hazel eyes, a smile that lit up the entire store and a compact but perfectly formed body. His name card said, "Hi, I'm Blaine. Ask me anything, I'm happy to help!"

Kurt was so busy admiring him that he stayed silent for a beat too long.

It made Blaine shuffle his feet and clear his throat. "Uhm, you… were calling me, weren't you? Just now?"

Kurt hastily tried to unscramble his brains, and nodded like a bobble-head. "Yes, yes. I was looking for a candle that might help me sleep better?"

Blaine hummed. "And what exactly is the problem? Do you have trouble falling asleep, or do you wake up in the middle of the night unable to go to sleep again? Or…"

"The falling asleep thing, yes," Kurt interrupted him, and then said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

Blaine gave him another of those bone-melting smiles. "That's okay. Tell me all about it, and we'll make you a candle that will solve the problem, I promise you."

Kurt's face fell. "You don't have it in stock?"

"Ah, no. I'm afraid the sleeping aid candles are our most popular item. Constantly flying off the shelves."

Kurt nodded. "I understand. Can I order one, please? Oh, and how much do they cost?"

"The big jar candles are 35 dollars each, but you get more value for your money. They will burn for up to 150 hours. The small ones are 20 dollars, but as you can see they're quite a bit smaller, and you'll enjoy them for 60 hours at most."

"I'd like to order a big one then, please."

Blaine slipped behind his desk again and started typing something. Then he asked, "Could you please describe what happens when you get into bed and try to fall asleep? The more details we get, the better we can adjust the scents to what you truly need."

Kurt's eyebrows went up. Way up. Huh. Didn't the candles come from a factory?

Blaine looked up, grinned and winked in a way that made Kurt's heart skip a beat. "You're thinking, what kind of weird store is this that they need all this information, right? Well, it's because we make the candles ourselves, each and every one of them. We've experimented a lot, and by now we've got it down to an art. But seriously, the more information about the problem we get, the better that candle is going to work. I promise."

So Kurt, though he was still on the fence about how this could possibly help, described what kept him awake every night, until the other customers in the store started glaring at him for making them wait for their turn so long.

Blaine took note of it all, and promised Kurt his candle would be ready and waiting for him in a week's time.

The promise came with a glowing smile that lit a spark within Kurt but struck him dumb at the same time, so all he managed to do before he left the store was nod and smile back hesitantly.

Back at the loft, Rachel asked him why he hadn't brought home a candle. "Didn't they have what you needed?"

"It was out of stock," Kurt explained. "I'm to go back next week for it."

"Oh great, then you get to see the yummy salesman twice!" Rachel enthused. "The girls all say he's dreamy. He's totally gay, by the way. Chelsey asked him out, and he said he wasn't on her team. He was really sweet about it, though."

Kurt quirked an eyebrow. "So this was all about setting me up, was it?"

Rachel gave him her most innocent, I-would-never-do-that kind of look. "I really do think the candle will help, and that is why I sent you there. I'm not matchmaking. All I'm doing is telling you to enjoy the eye candy. It's up to you if you want to ask him out."

"You can't ask a salesperson out when you're a customer in their store, that's harassment," said Kurt.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Only if you're pushy about it. If you're just putting feelers out to see if he's interested, it's okay, I think. Was he as dreamy as the girls say?"

Kurt thought of Blaine's incandescent smile and his perfect jawline, and conceded, "Dreamy is a good word for it, yes. He's very handsome."

"See? You're looking forward to seeing him again already! I knew it!"

Kurt tilted his head to the side. "So much for not matchmaking, huh?"

Rachel grinned. "You'll thank me for it later."