"Ok. Fine." Kurt replied with a sigh.
"Excuse me?" Blaine asked incredulously on the other end of the line.
"It's been a week, Blaine. I knew you'd do this. You always run away when things get rough. So it's easier if I just give in now and let you go. It's another nine weeks until we can see each other again, and I'm not prepared to talk you down from the ledge each time you freak out about us. You're either in it for the long haul or you're not. I will not be fucked over again Blaine, I just won't. So you're right. You can't do this anymore, and neither can I."
"Did you...did you think I was breaking up with you?" Blaine asked, voice trembling as he fought to digest everything he had just heard.
"Erm...aren't you?" Kurt said in a timid voice.
"I...No!..God, no Kurt. Just...No! Why would you..."
"You said you couldn't do this anymore."
"I know, but I just meant I couldn't keep being so depressed. I was calling to apologize, Kurt. To say I'm sorry that things have been so awful since I got back. It's just I...no. You know what? It doesn't matter anymore."
"No, it does. Go on." Kurt urged. He fought to stop his hands from shaking as he closed his office door.
"No, forget it."
"Blaine," Kurt sighed again, exasperatedly. "This is where things fell apart last time. Your refusal to talk about anything. Now please, tell me why you were calling."
"I miss you. So much that it actually hurts. I just wanted to say I can't keep doing this to us. I know things have been awkward between us on skype and everything. I was just trying to block out all the good stuff because I thought it would be too hard to remember. So I just went back to how I was. Working too hard, not sleeping or eating properly, and I shouldn't have done that. And I also wanted to see..."
"Oh God Blaine, I'm so sorry." Kurt cried. "I guess I need to work harder on that whole 'listen before you speak thing.' It's a flaw." Kurt tried to laugh it off, but had a horrid feeling that it wasn't going to be that easy.
"You were going to give up on me." Blaine whispered, the realization suddenly hitting him.
"I...um...Look, tell me what you were just going to say. You also wanted to see what?"
"Huh? Oh, I wanted to see if maybe I could fly to you for Thanksgiving."
"Oh Blaine! Yes! Of course you can. I mean I'll be working but that's ok we can..."
"No." Blaine cut him off before he could ramble any further. "No, I don't think it's a good idea anymore."
"What? Why?" Kurt was aware the pitch of his voice was rising but honestly, in that moment, he didn't care. To have had that opportunity dangled in front of him and then snatched away again was cruel to say the least.
Blaine swallowed over the lump that had risen in his throat. "I think maybe we need some time."
"So you are breaking up with me? Again?!" Kurt yelled.
"No! No. Kurt, will you please just stop saying that. That is not what this is."
"Then what is 'this' Blaine?" He snapped. "Will you please explain to me what the fuck is going on, because I am very confused. I've got a pile of sketches to finish up, and a presentation to give in two hours. I really don't have time for you and your stupid mind games."
Blaine snapped. "MY stupid mind games? " He thundered, "MINE?! Let's just review this conversation here. Before I'd even finished what I was trying to say, you're throwing in the towel. I always give up when things get rough? Jesus Christ Kurt, don't you think I've spent long enough beating myself up over this? It doesn't matter anyway apparently, because you're not prepared to talk me out of it. And, yes. I am in it for the long haul, which is why I'm not jumping ship and declaring it all over, I'm just saying that we need to take some time to re-evaluate things. We need to work out where and how this relationship is going to work. We're both busy, I get that. And I'm sorry for calling you in the middle of work, but I thought it would be a happy call, not end up like this. Maybe that's my fault for starting off the way I did, I don't know. But I do know that you snapping at me because you're busy fucking hurts and makes me feel like a shit boyfriend."
"I'm sorry." Kurt whispered meekly, swiping at his tears. "Please come for Thanksgiving."
"Thank you." Blaine answered, "But no."
"Something tells me I'm not going to change your mind."
"Not this time. I'm sorry too, and please don't think I don't love you, because I do. Which is why I'm suggesting that we just wait until Christmas. We can be together then, and discuss how things are going to work, ok?"
"No contact until Christmas?"
"I think that's best."
"Whatever, Blaine." The waspish tone was back. "I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"Kurt don't, please don't. I..."
"Save it." He snapped quickly. "I'll see you at Christmas. Or maybe I won't."
The line went dead.
"FUCK!" Blaine roared loudly, slamming his fist down hard on his desk. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."
The door to his office opened quietly and Becky entered carrying a large mug of coffee.
"It's not alcohol, but I figured you could probably use something." She said as she set the mug down and offered Blaine a small smile. "Want to talk about it?"
"No." He huffed in annoyance, pushing back from his desk and walking over to the large window to stare down at the busy New York streets below.
"Kurt?" Becky asked regardless.
"He just...I just...Shit."
"Well that doesn't really explain a lot. Quit pacing back and forth, sit down and tell me what's going on."
"I'm going out." Kurt stated as he walked past the front desk where Laura was busy tweeting random people on the other side of the world.
"Pardon?"
"You heard," Kurt snapped. "I'm going out."
"Well where are you going?" She called after him as he stalked across the foyer.
"I don't know. Just out."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Fuck off."
"Come on, I'll buy you lunch." Laura said as she linked her arm through his with a grin. "Then you can tell me what's going on."
"I don't want to."
"Well that's tough shit, because you're going to."
"Well Blaine, I have to congratulate you." Becky said wryly. "I didn't think you'd ever find someone as stubborn as you, yet somehow, you've succeeded."
"I am not stubborn."
"Then fly to England next week for Thanksgiving."
"No."
"Call Kurt and tell him that although he acted like a jackass, you are also a jackass, and you love him."
"No."
"See? Like a freakin mule." She stood, smoothing down her skirt and collecting the two empty coffee mugs. "So what are you going to do for Thanksgiving then?"
"Work."
"Blaine! Not again. Come to my parents with me."
"No. Thank you for the offer but no. I'll come in here and catch up. I missed a lot last week."
"Just call him, Blaine."
"No."
"It's up to you. But nine more weeks is a long time to leave things like that. I don't want you to regret it." She left, closing the door behind her as Blaine put his head in his hands.
"Call him." Laura said as she stole some more of Kurt's untouched french fries.
"And say what?" Kurt asked quirking an eyebrow.
"That you're sorry? That you've both been massive idiots but you love him nonetheless and want him to visit next week?"
"No."
"Then go and visit him instead."
"I can't do that, I'm too busy."
"Of course you can. You're the hardest working designer Burberry have got. They're petrified you're going to strike out on your own. They'll let you do what you want if it means they can keep you." Kurt stared open mouthed. "Oh. That information didn't come from me by the way."
"Umm...ok. Anyway. There's no point in going out there to visit him. He's even busier than I am. He said himself that he never does anything, just works the whole time."
"He won't be working Thanksgiving though, will he?"
"Knowing Blaine, he probably will."
"You'll lose him, Kurt. If you don't fight for him. Hashtag just saying."
"You use twitter too much."
"Your point?"
It was gone 10pm when Blaine finally returned to his apartment that night. He had done exactly what he had told Kurt he should stop doing and worked all day, only breaking at 3pm to eat a sandwich that Becky had insisted on bringing him. He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and a beer from the fridge before sitting on the couch, kicking off his shoes and resting his feet on the coffee table. He was at a loss now. Every night since he'd returned to New York, he'd called or skyped Kurt. But he'd kind of put the kibosh on that this morning. Maybe Becky was right. Maybe he should call Kurt and talk some more. He was just contemplating it when his cell phone rang, making him jump. Unknown number.
"Hello?" Blaine answered warily.
"Hey Kiddo!"
"Burt?"
"Well who the hell else is it gonna be?"
"I um...well I didn't know."
"How you been son?"
Blaine panicked. How much did Burt Hummel know? Certainly Kurt hadn't spoken to him while Blaine had been in England, but had he since? Why hadn't he and Kurt spoken about this?
"Oh, you know. Ok, I guess." Blaine answered warily.
"How's Kurt?"
"Erm..."
Burt chuckled. "It's ok kid. I know you two are givin' it another go. Rachel kind of hinted at it, and then Kurt called last week. I gotta say, we're all really pleased for you."
"Well actually I..."
"So anyways. I was calling to ask what your Thanksgiving plans were."
"Oh, I'm working." Blaine replied politely.
"You are not. It's Thanksgiving Blaine. Now I know Kurt can't come home cause the stupid Brits don't celebrate it, but you can."
"Can what?"
"Come home. Here, I mean."
"Oh Burt, thank you. But I really can't."
"Course you can. No job is more important than family, Blaine."
"It's not that. It's just...well Kurt and I aren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment."
"You broken up again?"
"No. Well, at least, I don't think so." and he proceeded to relay the story of their argument for the second time that day. Burt listened carefully, not interrupting. When Blaine had finished Burt sighed heavily.
"You two are so stubborn."
"Yes, I was told that earlier."
"So now you're both miserable."
"Seems that way."
"Well I'm not gonna tell you what to do, you're both big boys now. But I will say this. You love him, he loves you. I've never seen two people more made for each other. It's like there's some kind of...I don't know...link, connection that keeps you coming back to each other. It's deeper than love. It's like you're each others..."
"Destiny?" Blaine offered.
"Yeah, each others destiny. You'll work it out kiddo. But someone's gotta make the first move. Life is about compromise Blaine."
"I guess you're right." Blaine mused.
"Of course I am. Anyway. Thanksgiving. I'll expect you next Wednesday in time for dinner." And with that, he was gone.
"Thought you weren't going to tell me what to do." Blaine mumbled as he smiled to himself.
Becky wasn't surprised to see Blaine already at his desk when she arrived at work the next morning. She placed a medium drip and Blueberry muffin on top of the paper he was working on, causing him to look up in annoyance.
"Did you call him yet?"
"No."
"Blaine!"
"But I did make plans for Thanksgiving."
"It's a start I suppose." Becky conceded. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to Ohio."
"To your Mom?"
"God no. She's spending it with her bridge friends anyway. No, I'm going to Kurt's parents."
"What did you just say?"
"I'm going to the Hummels. So I'll be gone from Wednesday afternoon and will be back Monday morning."
"You're spending Thanksgiving with your ex-boyfriends parents?"
"He's not my ex, he's my very real, very current boyfriend who just can't come home for the holiday that's all. And I used to live with them, so it won't be as awkward as you're probably thinking."
"It smacks of awkward Blaine." The phone on her desk started to ring. "Excuse me." Becky left, leaving Blaine alone with his thoughts.
"Good morning, you've reached Anderson and sons, Becky speaking, how can I help you?"
"Good afternoon," an unmistakably British voice replied. "My boss is fucking your boss and now they've both fucked up. I think we need to talk."