Kurt had a problem.

A huge problem that caused him to be incapable of concentrating on anything and consumed most of his waking thought.

A huge problem that caused him to ignore the phone calls of Rachel, his father, and even the presence of his aunt.

He wanted to be around Blaine even more than he did before, and he knew it was a problem.

It had only been two days since their first date, but the physical ache of being away from him frightened Kurt.

He was counting down the minutes until he could see Blaine again, constantly staring at the clock and hoping the hands would move faster.

"A watched pot never boils," Emma chirped as she bustled into the sewing room to check the progress on the waistcoat Kurt was working on, "just like a watched clock never moves."

Kurt fought the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't care if looking at the clock wouldn't make it move, he just wanted to know it actually was moving. "I know," he relented, "but Blaine is coming over for lunch and I just really want to see him."

Emma stopped patting the tails of the coat, "Blaine? That is the one with the hair, correct?"

Kurt preened, "Yes. He's my…we're…seeing each other." He knew Emma wouldn't judge him because Blaine was a boy, but he wasn't sure if she would react the same way Meg did about him seeing someone else.

Thankfully, she did nothing but give him a tight-lipped smile, "You should ask him to the Victorian Ball tonight. We have suits in the back that would fit both of you!"

Kurt honestly hadn't thought about asking Blaine to the Victorian Ball. Emma had asked if she could wear the red dress to the ball because her other dress wouldn't accommodate her growing stomach. At the moment, he was constructing her husband's outfit for the night as well.

"I could ask him," Kurt mused through the pins in his mouth, "but he probably has to work tonight. He works all the time."

Emma nodded sympathetically, "Well you should still try. You never know what could happen."

Kurt finished sewing another button on the coat and leaned back, appraising the jacket a final time. "I'll consider it. This looks about done, do you mind if I take lunch now?"

Emma nodded her head but grabbed his arm, "I wasn't joking. We have tons of outfits downstairs that would just take minimal tailoring to actually work."

Kurt pulled out his buzzing phone, "I will ask him if it will make you happy."

Emma smiled, "Good, take some extra time if you need it."

Once again Kurt thought that this could be his life. He could own a small tailoring shop and just settle with that. He could work to make people look great in other people's designs instead of his own. Would it allow him to be fulfilled? With the other parts of his life falling into place, he thought he could be.

But he wasn't sure he wanted to be fulfilled with only that, so he made sure to grab a few of the pictures Emma had taken of the dress to send off just to remind the schools in New York exactly who Kurt Hummel was.

Kurt opened the door of the shop and saw Blaine leaning against the railing, waiting for him. "Good afternoon," he said, reaching out to grab Blaine's hand.

Blaine leaned in close and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Good afternoon to you as well." Blaine smelled like saltwater and sunscreen when he leaned in, and Kurt made sure to take a deep breath before Blaine moved away.

"Did you take the kids to the beach this morning?" Kurt asked as they walked toward the coffee house. Kurt knew he was neglecting Rachel too much so he has suggested they go there for lunch instead of somewhere outside.

He figured he'd kill two birds with one stone.

Blaine nodded excitedly, "I did. We tried to teach them how to surf because that's what they always ask. The water here isn't exactly the best for surfing though. I think they had a lot of fun." Kurt knew the waves were only about two feet high, if that, so he expected them to boogie board more than anything in the water. "We saw dolphins too," Blaine added, "so maybe we can go check them out later?"

Kurt felt the apprehension well up in his stomach. Now was the perfect time to ask Blaine about the Victorian Ball. He could just blurt it out and it would be over, whether Blaine said yes or no.

But he couldn't.

They hadn't really talked about where they fell on the relationship spectrum. Were they boyfriends? Were they dating? Were they somewhere in between?

"Hello?" Blaine asked, jokingly waving his fingers in front of Kurt's face, "Earth to Kurt?"

Kurt blinked his eyes and shook his head to clear the worry, "Sorry…I was thinking about something."

"Want to tell me what?" Blaine's voice was soft as he asked, eyes filling with worry.

Kurt squeezed his hand to show him that there was nothing for him to worry about.

The amount of worrying they did would one day make some doctor a very rich man, Kurt mused.

"I was actually wondering if you would go to the Victorian Ball with me?" Kurt grit out, not even looking up to see Blaine's reaction.

He was simply terrified.

Blaine reached out and gently grabbed Kurt's chin, "Hey now…don't do that. Don't be afraid to ask me something. I would love to go to the ball with you…"

"But you have to work?" Kurt asked, trying to keep the defeated tone out of his voice without much success.

"I have to work," Blaine confirmed. He was quiet for a minute, his grip tightening on Kurt's hand. He swung them a little, which Kurt thought meant he was thinking and didn't really want to be interrupted.

Kurt tried to hide his sadness. It had taken him a lot to ask Blaine, and he was already rejected. Maybe that would be a theme of his life – close but no cigar; the early bird who didn't get the worm.

"I'm sorry," Blaine's voice was almost imperceptible over the roar of the ocean. "I wish I didn't have to work but I'm getting overtime to do it and I had to fight about five other drivers just to get the job."

"It's fine," Kurt squeaked. He plastered a smile on his face and shrugged, "it was last minute anyway."

Blaine sighed heavily but said nothing, their hands still swinging between them. The walk to the coffee shop was long, but neither minded the extra time to think, the roar of the ocean blocking most possibilities to talk at anything less than a yell.

When they arrived at the coffee shop, Rachel was leaning against the counter with a magazine in her hand. "Kurt!" she gushed as she saw them and ran toward the pair. "It has been forever! I haven't seen you since last week!"

Kurt laughed, "That's hardly forever and you were in New York for most of the time!"

Rachel's eyes were wide as she nodded, "Kurt you have to get to New York. It is everything!"

Blaine cut her off, "Why don't we sit down and you can tell us all about it."

"Thank you," Kurt whispered to him. It wasn't that Kurt didn't want to hear about Rachel's happiness, he did. It was just that it hurt him to even think about it.

She had almost everything he wanted.

Blaine's hand stayed in his, and Kurt felt better. The sting wasn't quite so rough knowing that Blaine would still love him even if he had to work in a tailor shop in Lima, Ohio.

"I went to see my apartment," Rachel chirped in as soon as they say, "it is fabulous of course. It doesn't really have a great view but the space is…well it's a lot for New York, I'll say that. The only thing is that it kind of smells like curry. Not even the good curry, but that cheap take out kind that you only get from those corner restaurants in the city. I figured if I put some Wallflowers or something in there it will smell better. There is also a dog in the building, but I know for a fact that any mammalian animals are against the rules so I will be telling the landlord."

"It's good to make friends," Blaine nodded with a sly smile on his face.

Kurt laughed into his pasta salad but said nothing.

Rachel nodded, "I did! There are a few people in my classes that I met and they all seem really great. People in New York just have a different attitude than people anywhere else. I think they are more mature. I think even spending a week there has made me even more mature!"

The jingle of the bells caused Rachel's head to snap up, "Sorry, I have to go!" she said quickly before rushing behind the counter.

Kurt watched her run away before turning to Blaine, "That shouldn't hurt as much as it does."

Blaine put his fork down, "No, it should. You're an amazing guy and you should get opportunities like this! Your time will come, Kurt, and I can't wait to hold your hand through all of it."

Kurt could feel the blush on his face grow, "Do you really think so?"

Blaine rolled his eyes, "I know so! You just…you have to not be afraid. You have to take the bull by the horns! Look for what you want and take it!"

"And how do I do that?"

"Ask questions, be proactive! Have the courage to go out and make your own dreams come true!" Blaine's eyes were wide as he smiled, "Don't let life get you down, Kurt."

Kurt nodded, "That's great to say, Blaine. But it's also easier to say."

Blaine frowned, "I know. But when was the last time you did something that truly terrified you? When did you do something that scared you?"

Kurt took a deep breath, "When I asked you to the Victorian Ball."

Blaine seemed surprised by the answer. He was quiet for a few minutes, his eyes dancing over Kurt. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly hoarse and broken, "You…you don't have to be scared to ask me anything."

"You said no," Kurt reminded him.

Blaine's eyes looked watery, "Kurt…I wanted to say yes. I would love to go to the ball with you. I just…I can't take another day off of work."

Kurt nodded, the pressure behind his eyes that he'd been fighting was winning, "I know. I know work is important. I just…" he stood as soon as he realized that he was going to lose the battle with the pressure. "Excuse me…"

Kurt ran to the bathroom at the back of the shop and slammed the door shut, leaning against it.

Was he ever going to be enough?

Would anyone ever go out on a limb for him?

Why was his life filled with disappointment after disappointment?

Kurt didn't know how long he stayed in the bathroom. It could have been hours. Now, on top of being upset about not having a date for the Victorian Ball, he now was embarrassed.

Everyone who was in the shop had seen him run away from Blaine, and they probably knew why.

A soft knock sounded at the door, "Mister, are you still in there? I have to pee!"

Kurt opened the door quickly and a little blonde haired boy almost fell into the small room. "I'm sorry, it's all yours."

Kurt walked out of the bathroom to find Blaine and Rachel sitting together. Rachel looked angry while Blaine just looked distraught.

"I'm sorry," Blaine said loudly as soon as he was aware of Kurt, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!"

"It's fine," Kurt said as he sat heavily, "I just…I was upset and I shouldn't have been."

"You have every right to feel whatever emotion you want, Kurt," Blaine stressed. "I shouldn't have been an inconsiderate jerk."

Kurt leaned over and kissed Blaine's cheek, "You are not an inconsiderate jerk."

Blaine laughed, "I'll take your word for it."

"You two are disgusting already," Rachel said, her nose wrinkled, "I don't want to see you in the future."

Blaine laughed and leaned over to lay his head on Kurt's shoulder, "I do," he whispered to Kurt.

Kurt wrapped an arm around Blaine's waist as they sat in the cool of the shop, mentally preparing to go back out into the already overwhelming heat. Blaine's hair tickled Kurt's neck, but he didn't complain.

"We have to get moving," Blaine said, leaning up to kiss at Kurt's neck, "I promised Puck I'd be back at work soon."

"Ew," Rachel murmured as she collected their trash, "I can't believe you associate with someone like that."

"You know, he's not all that bad," Blaine said defensively, "he's actually a pretty great guy if people give him a chance."

Kurt had never seen Blaine snap like that before, and he had to admit – it was hot.

"He's fantastic," Rachel snorted, "he was an asshole all through school."

Blaine's eyes softened, "He told me about what happened with him in high school. Yeah, he made some bad decisions, but don't we all?"

"You know and you still live with him? Blaine he almost killed that poor kid!" Rachel had her hands balled at her sides.

"Exaggeration," Blaine said quietly, "it was all exaggerated to make Puck look like the bad guy. You know he was just standing up for someone else? Protecting someone who couldn't protect himself?"

Rachel looked away, "I thought...I had heard…."

Blaine shook his head, "God there are too many emotions in my life today."

Kurt laughed a little, "That's Rachel for you, I've noticed." Kurt wanted to save Blaine just like Blaine had saved him when they arrived, "Blaine and I have to get going, but you two can continue this some other time."

"Thank you…I'm just in a really bad mood today," Blaine grumbled as they stepped back into the heat.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No."

Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand, "Look, you always tell me I can talk to you about anything but you never return the favor. Why are you in a bad mood?"

"My brother woke me up this morning and yelled at me for about twenty minutes," Blaine began, "and then he called again because he thought he hadn't quite knocked me down the pole enough."

Kurt knew there was some sort of sibling rivalry between the two boys, but he never knew how much there really was. "Why was he yelling at you?"

"I've been taking days off at work," Blaine answered simply, "So I'm not sending as much money home."

Kurt was confused, "I thought you went to Dalton Academy?"

"I did," Blaine looked even more confused than Kurt felt. "Why?"

"I know this is going to sound stupid, but if you went to Dalton Academy, why in the world do you need to send money home to your family?" Kurt hated seeing Blaine overwork himself and he hoped there was a good reason for all of the jobs Blaine had.

Blaine took a breath but didn't answer right away. Kurt could feel his pulse quicken in his wrist, "My family…the family that I live with meaning my mother and I basically…and I guess Coop now…we don't really have the money. When my parents divorced my dad took almost everything with him thanks to a pre-nup my grandparents made them get."

"Can't your mom get a job or something?" Kurt treaded lightly. He didn't want to prod Blaine into giving any information he wasn't comfortable sharing, but it was all so confusing.

Blaine was quiet again, for almost a block this time. "It isn't that simple," he said eventually, "my mom...medically cannot work at the present time."

"Can she in the future?"

Blaine shook his head, "I'm not sure, really. That's why I'm sending money home so that she can get the treatment she really needs."

"Your dad won't even help with that?" Kurt wondered how. Had Blaine's dad never really loved his wife?

"It's complicated," Blaine sighed, "he would normally help her, I think. But…she just…if we win the court case it should all be fine and I can put money away so I could technically start school this year." Blaine paused for a long time.

Kurt bristled, "Court case?"

Blaine seemed to choke on the air, "Oh…I…oh god."

Kurt rubbed his back, "We don't have to talk about it anymore."

"Thank you. I will tell you…I just…I don't want to today…if that makes sense." Blaine shook his head, "I want to tell you, just I don't want it to be today," he tried to clarify.

"It's okay," Kurt soothed.

Blaine stopped them in the middle of the sidewalk and pressed a long kiss into Kurt's lips, "Thank you for understanding."

Kurt smiled happily, "That's what I'm here for."

Blaine pressed another chaste kiss into Kurt's lips before humming to himself.

They walked in silence some more, but this time it was not as trying as it had been.

Blaine's phone rang right before they got back to the shop and he made Kurt wait. "Just give me one second. I want to say goodbye properly." Blaine walked away briefly, "Hello?"

Kurt couldn't hear the conversation so he looked around at the houses. They were all so quaint and perfect looking. It amazed Kurt that most of the time people didn't even live in them.

"Thank you so much!" Blaine said loudly on the phone, "I owe you. Seriously, anytime you need me, I'm there!" He hung up the phone and ran to Kurt.

"Good news?"

"Great news!"

"What was it?"

Blaine reached down and grabbed Kurt's hands, "Ask me again."

"Good news?" Kurt tried, enunciating the question.

"Not that one, the Victorian Ball question." Blaine smiled proudly at Kurt, "come on, ask it!"

"Blaine, will you go to the Victorian Ball with me?" Kurt could feel the hope pooling in his stomach, "please?"

"Yes," Blaine yelled, "yes I will!"

"God, then come in the shop, we have a lot of tailoring to do!" Kurt said before pressing a few sloppy kisses all over Blaine's face.

Some risks were worth it.